[opensuse] the linux users guide to dismissing new technology
any change to technology is a threat to your existing knowledge and skills and should be rejected immediately. the more convoluted the existing technology is the better, it gives you and edge over others, which you need to defend (eg init). here is an incomplete list of potential stratergies: [1] divine truth: a useful prescript e.g. "a tool should do 1 thing and do it well" is a divine truth. it is not subject time, context, evidence, data or reasoning. [like the 10 commandments] (you can use divine truth to immediatly dismiss systemd irespective of technical arguments). [2] if the new technology doesnt work in the same way as the old, it is flawed. since the new tech requires new knowledge, it is obviously more complex QED. [be carefull not to apply this to windows vs linux] [3] dismiss any new features as pointless and unneeded. [4] faults: any shortcoming of new tech (be truth or hype) should be vocalised extensively. try to frame an argument such that the old tech has no problems. [5] avoid data, evidence, reasoning and context: rely on rumours, anecdotes, fud, comments on reddit, appeals to emotion and truthiness. [6] give the new tech whipping boy status: any problem for which a diagnosis does not exist should be attributed to the new tech. [7] condemn the new tech based on partial knowledge you havnt verified, and use this to form an apparently rational conclusion (e.g. systemd timer limitations) lets take an example: OP: "i had a problem, I dont know what it was, I used the wrong tools to diagnose it, ignored any recommendations on how to fix it, did something i didnt understand, and it still didnt work. whats more the same thing happened on all 5 systems which is statistically impossible if considered as independent (non correlated) failures" you now have all the hard evidence you need, and can let rip: [a] "the same thing happened to me - this is proof the system is rubbish" [b] "how could you ship a system that allows such a thing to occur" [c] "there is some fud on the internet from 5 years ago showing how bad the system is, whats wrong with you people" [d] "any tech that requires understanding is no good for home users" [ignoring the fact that the linux ecosystem itself fails under the premisses of the argument] -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
On Tue, Feb 28, 2017 at 10:22 AM, nicholas <ndcunliffe@gmail.com> wrote:
any change to technology is a threat to your existing knowledge and skills and should be rejected immediately. the more convoluted the existing technology is the better, it gives you and edge over others, which you need to defend (eg init).
here is an incomplete list of potential stratergies:
[1] divine truth: a useful prescript e.g. "a tool should do 1 thing and do it well" is a divine truth. it is not subject time, context, evidence, data or reasoning. [like the 10 commandments] (you can use divine truth to immediatly dismiss systemd irespective of technical arguments). [2] if the new technology doesnt work in the same way as the old, it is flawed. since the new tech requires new knowledge, it is obviously more complex QED. [be carefull not to apply this to windows vs linux] [3] dismiss any new features as pointless and unneeded. [4] faults: any shortcoming of new tech (be truth or hype) should be vocalised extensively. try to frame an argument such that the old tech has no problems. [5] avoid data, evidence, reasoning and context: rely on rumours, anecdotes, fud, comments on reddit, appeals to emotion and truthiness. [6] give the new tech whipping boy status: any problem for which a diagnosis does not exist should be attributed to the new tech. [7] condemn the new tech based on partial knowledge you havnt verified, and use this to form an apparently rational conclusion (e.g. systemd timer limitations)
lets take an example: OP: "i had a problem, I dont know what it was, I used the wrong tools to diagnose it, ignored any recommendations on how to fix it, did something i didnt understand, and it still didnt work. whats more the same thing happened on all 5 systems which is statistically impossible if considered as independent (non correlated) failures"
you now have all the hard evidence you need, and can let rip: [a] "the same thing happened to me - this is proof the system is rubbish" [b] "how could you ship a system that allows such a thing to occur" [c] "there is some fud on the internet from 5 years ago showing how bad the system is, whats wrong with you people" [d] "any tech that requires understanding is no good for home users" [ignoring the fact that the linux ecosystem itself fails under the premisses of the argument]
This following is not written towards any specific change. It is for change in general. I think the typical reaction of skepticism is in fact healthy. Change for the sake of change wastes everyone's time. A new dog that just wants to mark territory shouldn't expect enthusiastic support. The current thing most likely went through the same process when it was first suggested. More than likely there were a number of possible changes. Those that could be defended were selected. Those that could not, died. If you want to change an existing solution, be prepared to defend the change. If you are unable to do so, then perhaps the change is not needed. -- Roger Oberholtzer -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
On 02/28/2017 03:22 AM, nicholas wrote:
[d] "any tech that requires understanding is no good for home users" [ignoring the fact that the linux ecosystem itself fails under the premisses of the argument]
I have to object here. I've been using Linux since SuSe 9, bought at Best Buy, for 99.99% of my computer usage. There was a learning curve but I survived. I'm still not a "Geek" or anything. I only know one command line string. Anything else I use command line for is copy/paste from a website. New installs I just tell it to go and go get a cup. Let the installer do whatever it is programmed to do. And, the thing I find most interesting, I seldom, if ever, have issues with my system. Everything just seems to work, most of the time. I call BS on anyone that says Linus isn't ready for the average home user, like me. -- Fast is fine, but accuracy is final. You must learn to be slow in a hurry. -Wyatt Earp- _ _... ..._ _ _._ ._ ..... ._.. ... .._ -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
nicholas wrote:
[1] divine truth: a useful prescript e.g. "a tool should do 1 thing and do it well" is a divine truth.
---- Divine truth? Here's where you should insert POSIX. ;-) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
On 02/03/17 07:29, L A Walsh wrote:
nicholas wrote:
[1] divine truth: a useful prescript e.g. "a tool should do 1 thing and do it well" is a divine truth.
Divine truth? Here's where you should insert POSIX.
;-)
And note also that most divine truths usually apply even more strongly against the people propounding them - "do one thing and do it well"? An accurate description of systemd, it launches daemons at boot or on demand, and keeps them running if they crash. Which is something SysVInit seems noticeably incapable of as soon as the system exhibits any degree of complexity. (Although given my grief with systemd and networking, I'm not sure I'd say "does it well" about systemd here ... :-) Cheers, Wol -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
Wols Lists wrote:
On 02/03/17 07:29, L A Walsh wrote:
nicholas wrote:
[1] divine truth: a useful prescript e.g. "a tool should do 1 thing and do it well" is a divine truth.
---- Divine truth? Here's where you should insert POSIX.
;-)
And note also that most divine truths usually apply even more strongly against the people propounding them - "do one thing and do it well"? An accurate description of systemd, it launches daemons at boot or on demand, and keeps them running if they crash.
--- Your use of "and" precludes calling it "one thing". -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
participants (5)
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Wols Lists