From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
Message-ID: <78c6a5cbb0f3f4df8ff6b705159f9f99@proxima.alt.za>
To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu
Subject: Re: [9fans] Re: Building GCC
Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:12:58 +0200
From: lucio@proxima.alt.za
In-Reply-To: <7d3530220801251029l67a510faq1e41ee0c707e443e@mail.gmail.com>
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> I think the point is that people talk a big talk about how great Plan
> 9 is, but then don't do a damn thing with it.
> At least, that's how I read it.

Is that what you believe?  And if so, who else believes this?

There are things Plan 9 does exceedingly well, better than any other
OSes in the wild, but they are special features, more or less remote
from the mainstream use of mainstream OSes.  Were Plan 9 more popular,
many if not all of Plan 9's features would eventually become familiar
and users would begin to expect them of other OSes as well, but we're
talking fashion here, not intrinsic value.

In the meantime, Plan 9 users do benefit from features others feel no
need for and it's hard to communicate across that chasm.  Just as hard
as it is to understand that one may have to cope and be able to cope
without a native browser.

If the "novelty" of Plan 9 doesn't get you, then Plan 9 is not for
you; you will not evangelise us users into making Plan 9 the tool you
want, specially when you continue to use as an example the very tool
you already have access to.  And, to add insult to injury, we also do
provide the tools, should you feel that way inclined, for _you_ to
enhance Plan 9 in the direction you prefer, so our sympathy when you
"accuse" us of talking the big talk, is very, very limited.

Consider what you want carefully and decide whether Plan 9 fits into
your life.  If it doesn't, either change it (you have the source) or
move on.

++L