[ale] Time for this Grey Beard to stir up some stuff

[Solomon Peachy]

On Thu, Jul 22, 2021 at 05:54:14PM -0400, Bob Toxen via Ale wrote:
> I disagree.  Well designed software just works, isn't fragile,
> easy to configure, and gives USEFUL error messages like
> "cannot access foobar.com" or "cannot access info.com to do DNS lookup"
> or "not receiving GPS signals" rather than the incompetent
> "Something went wrong".

You're arguing against a strawman that is nearly completely contrary to 
what I (or anyone else) actually wrote.

But since you brought this point up, to loop back to the analogy you 
responded to, modern cars have excruciating detailed self-diagnostics, 
whereas old pre-electronic cars leave you with an "incompetent something 
went wrong" error (eg "it won't start") that can require considerable 
probing to further diagnose.

> Honestly, I see the root problem as most people have learned to
> accept Micro$loth's garbage and thus tolerate this.  Thus, the
> vendors hire cheap inexperienced programmers with no real
> education or talent.

...So sayeth every generation about the next.

But please don't forget that every one of us started out as "cheap 
inexperienced" and required a non-trivial amount of education and effort 
to get where we are.

> Sadly this garbage has infused into Linux as well especially with
> unnecessary complexity such as the /dev fake file system and systemd,
> both of which I wish I could disable.

Sure you can.  Linux works just fine with a static /dev filesystem.  
Ditto systemd.  Nothing forces you to use either, except perhaps a lack 
of other people willing to maintain systems to your liking (for free).

(And before you accuse me of being facetious; maintaining an embedded 
 system that lacks both systemd and dynamic /dev is one of my $dayjob 
 responsibilities)

> This is based on my over 40 years of programming experience, not
> including 4 years at Berkeley and programming for 6 years before
> that.

My last GP had over 30 years experience when I moved away, but only a 
fool would expect him to be able to perform a successful liver 
transplant.

 - Solomon
-- 
Solomon Peachy			      pizza at shaftnet dot org (email&xmpp)
                                      @pizza:shaftnet dot org   (matrix)
High Springs, FL                      speachy (libra.chat)
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