Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 19:56:02 -0600 From: ML Duke <mlduke@concentric.net> To: jdn@acp.qiv.com Cc: freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: A first encounter with 'vi' Message-ID: <358873B2.1858@concentric.net> References: <00a301bd9a44$aef9c4e0$4852f126@kellogg>
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Kerby Smith wrote: > > heh, i was just kinda in awe of this conversation Likewise. Which has inspired some thoughts. The vi discussion goes to the very root of Unix itself. Unix exists in objective reality. It doesn't give a hoot what people "feel" about it. If things are set up correctly it operates perfectly. A single misplaced text character can cause serious malfunction. Unix operates on the premis of absolutes: You do this right (user) and I will do this in very little time (Unix) or at the very least allow you to do other things while I carry on. We do it wrong, Unix tells us to go fly. Unix is a philosophy: Small is beautiful. Small programs, written by very strong minds, working together to accomplish many things in extraordinarily short periods of time. More strong minds discovering new and better ways to integrate the programs, introduce new ones. But many people, if not most these days, object very strongly to the idea of an objective reality that does not care what we as humans think about it. They actually believe the reality around them changes depending upon what they feel about it. Which is why, I think, Unix is, in a very basic way, hated. Unix _is_ the internet, for example, but few know it and most think its winfeces. Many faced with the facts refuse to accept them--like those who believed in "acid rain" and still believe in the "ozone theory". And win operates in objevtive reality itself, it just doesn't let the user know about it: This is why it locks up, refuses to boot, smashes other programs and requires users to reinstall it on a routine basis. It tries to be all things to all people who do not wish to think much. And no computer can do that. Duke To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-newbies" in the body of the message
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