Re: [9fans] Re: configure misery

[Dan Cross <cross@math.psu.edu>]

Lyndon Nerenberg <lyndon@orthanc.ca> writes:
> <cross@math.psu.edu> wrote:
> > The thing is, the BSD source code isn't that much better than the GNU
> > stuff, especially now.  It seems to be growing without bound.
>
> This isn't specific to just BSD and GNU. It's a general problem
> attributable to the large number of new programmers who haven't been
> mentored by people who understand the elegance of uncomplicated code
> and tools. This feeds upon itself, and once it reaches critical mass....

I agree with you completely.

> Retreating into plan9 is a way to avoid dealing with this problem, but
> if nobody teaches these folks the error of their ways, how can it ever
> stop? I don't think most of us have the energy to attempt that any
> more. (Or in my case, the patience.)

More to the point, I'm not sure it's possible.  People aren't interested
in learning how to program elegantly (try telling Theo Deraadt that he
could program more elegantly.  For that matter, try telling him he could
do *anything* differently), and it's difficult to persuade someone who's
convinced they are an expert on something to do that thing differently.
What's more, we're seeing a lot of people who confuse installed base and
popularity with quality.  Often times when I tell people I use Plan 9,
the first question they ask me is, ``why?''  When I say that it's better
than Linux in terms of the quality of implementation, the response I get
is ``then why don't more people use it?  If it's so good, why hasn't it
displaced Linux?''  Explaining the historical circumstances that's made
that the case rarely convinces people that Linux (or BSD) isn't all it's
cracked up to be by the hype.

	- Dan C.