Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 12:24:48 -0700 From: "Chris Faehl" <cfaehl@cs.unm.edu> To: The Classiest Man Alive <ksmm@cybercom.net> Cc: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Why so many steps to build new kernel? Message-ID: <m0xfrlj-000386C@enterprise.cs.unm.edu> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 10 Dec 1997 10:09:49 EST." <Pine.BSI.3.95.971210100036.27436C-100000@kalypso.cybercom.net>
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> <RANT> > > Why is it that every time somebody suggests making a script or GUI utility > to automate some boring but necessary UNIX process, all you guys who went > to school with Dennis Richie pop out and start complaining about how the > GUI is the greatest affront to computer science since the invention of the > transistor? What I see being suggested isn't anything that will help automate kernel config, but rather to simply replace sections with a pointy-clicky interface. That's hardly automation. Anyway, the biggest reason I can come up with AGAINST GUIs for kernel configuration is the obscuration of the original, has-to-exist kernel config file. That is, the config file still has to exist, so why not just muck about with it directly? Regarding GUIs as an affront to computer science - there seems to be a sizable portion of folks who think that possession of a GUI makes a program great. I especially see this attitude wrt to NT - administration of these boxes is touted to be 'easier' because of the boatload of (poor) GUI chrome they've dumped on to it. Oh, please... all this does is encourage the 'reinstall the OS when something breaks' mode of operation, since the real guts of the damn thing are completely obscured. > > </RANT> > > Whew, that felt good. :-) > > K.S. > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chris Faehl | Email: cfaehl@cs.unm.edu The University of New Mexico | URL: http://www.cs.unm.edu/~cfaehl Computer Science Dept., Rm. FEC 313 | Phone: 505/277-3526 Albuquerque, NM 87131 USA | FAX: 505/277-6927 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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