Roger Luedecke said the following on 11/24/2011 06:32 PM:
"Cats" is an unfortunate metaphor. Mine are sweethearts, but I realise that the cat family includes Panthers and Pumas (aren't those good names for a programming language?).
Imagine having hundreds of cats in an open field, and cowboys circling them trying to herd them in one direction as one would do sheep. Then you see it is an apt metaphor.
As I said in my previous email, but which your trimmed out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8 Even so, I train my cats to come when I call. (Of course ratting a tube of cat treats when I call does help)
Now imagine two of these herds, each occasionaly wishing to do battle with each other while the cowboys are trying to get ALL the cats moving in the same direction.
I think you attribute too much to their motivation. Cats are territorial and if there _were_ two herds that met they would of course be fights, but they would be one -on-one. That's how cats are. Even so, I doubt your metaphor matches. I've done the Sysadmin and ProjectManager thing and when it comes to cat-spats I know I can scream at them and they stop, or I pick each one up by the scruff of the neck in each hand. That paralyses them you know: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rturBPWFgFw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDMSgTAkVzc&feature=related This is how a mother cat carries kittens. No, the proper metaphor is "Pumas on powerbikes": http://www.monkeybagel.com/pumas.html Pumas on powerbikes with opposable thumbs and chainguns. Each going in their own direction. Each with their own motivation. (BTDT - FTFAL) *NOT* opposing armies, but sheer Brownian Chaos. http://projecteuclid.org/DPubS/Repository/1.0/Disseminate?view=body&id=pdf_1&handle=euclid.bj/1068129009 -- A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. -- Robert A. Heinlein, "Time Enough for Love" -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org