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| Linus Torvalds goes off on Linux and Git |
| By Thom Holwerda, submitted by MOS6510 on 2012-09-27 18:44:53 |
| "I was in a coffee shop in Portland, Oregon and happened to spot Linus Torvalds sitting alone at a window table. I asked the creator of the Linux operating system and the Git source code control system if I could join him. Over the next fifteen minutes we talked about programming and programmers." Editor's Note: We've realized it's unclear whether this is a satirical interview or not. We don't know, so YMMV. |
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| RE[8]: What is the point... |
| By tuma324 on 2012-09-28 00:49:31 |
|
> > He blames C++ because he thinks it is horrible, no providing any technical detail. He hasn't fully explained his kernel abi position either. Yes he calls it "non-sense" but both Windows and OSX have one and don't suffer any performance benefits because of it. Someone should ask him how a 3 year abi would slow down Linux. Like have him specifically point to a period in time where it would have caused problems. Or ask him if in-tree drivers are ever broken. Everyone who interviews him gets a geek crush and throws him softballs. Everyone has their faults and Linus can be pigheaded. Bullshit. > "One of the core kernel rules has always been that we never ever break any external interfaces. That rule has been there since day one, although it's gotten much more explicit only in the last few years. The fact that we break internal interfaces that are not visible to userland is totally irrelevant, and a total red herring." -- Linus Torvalds Go read Linus and Ingo answer here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/11525... |
 - Score: 7 |
| RE[7]: What is the point... |
| By galvanash on 2012-09-28 04:08:31 |
|
> Do you like comments like this one: http://harmful.cat-v.org/softwar... ? He blames C++ because he thinks it is horrible, no providing any technical detail. Did you actually read what he was responding to? > > When I first looked at Git source code two things > struck me as odd: > 1. Pure C as opposed to C++. No idea why. Please > don't talk about portability, it's BS. Are you saying that is real question? That is a troll if I ever saw one... I think he was just responding in kind. I get that some people love C++ and think Linus' pathological hatred for it are unfathomable - well it goes both ways. Some people just love C and think that those of us who use C++ are slightly brain damaged... I'm not saying I agree with that attitude by the way - just pointing out that when a long time C developer hears "why didn't you do that in C++" for the 5000th time they have a tendency to snap. Civility is not always the appropriate response. If you believe something strongly enough, and have heard the counter arguments so often that you know them by heart and still are convinced you are right, what exactly is the point of having a civil debate over it? You already know how it will end... Sometimes "f*ck off" is the right way to handle it. Disclaimer: I actually think C++ is a perfectly fine language and don't agree with everything Linus says about it. But he does make some good points on why it isn't appropriate for kernel work. More importantly though, I appreciate the fact that he speaks his mind and doesn't cave to herd mentality - because I think herd mentality is way more dangerous than C ever was. There is something to be said for people who are willing to say what they think even when they know it won't be popular... |
| - Score: 6 |
| RE[3]: What is the point... |
| By No it isnt on 2012-09-28 06:06:36 |
|
See, that's what gives it the indie cred. "I'm using this incredibly difficult system because I want to learn/be in total control. Yep, I'm just that hardcore." In the earlier days, it used to be Slackware -- usenet was flooded with card-carrying slackers making similar claims, and for some reason they were the least helpful bunch of all. Claimed they knew everything (they had to, since Slack was so hard), yet never answered anyone's questions. Now, I currently do use Arch at home, due to its rolling-release more than its simplicity of design or difficulty of use: whenever Debian is frozen, Sid becomes too boring. The claim that you learn more from it is bullshit. It's a good distro, though. |
| - Score: 2 |
| Comment by Luminair |
| By Luminair on 2012-09-28 06:34:31 |
| you lost me at "the Linux operating system" -- linus would never talk to someone so stupid |
| - Score: 3 |
| Update the post to mention it's a joke |
| By kenden on 2012-09-28 08:19:17 |
|
Thom, you should update the post to mention it is a joke. The article on http://typicalprogrammer.com/?p=... has the tag "Satire" It's not obvious Linus didn't actually say that. |
| - Score: 4 |
| it makes VIM look like Notepad.... |
| By rafaelnp on 2012-09-28 09:16:02 |
| Challange accepted :) |
| - Score: 1 |
| RE: What is the point... |
| By Laurence on 2012-09-28 10:24:53 |
|
I hadn't spotted this was fake interview until you posted. Thanks for the heads up. Now if only there was a way to down vote articles.... |
| - Score: 2 |
| RE: it makes VIM look like Notepad.... |
| By Laurence on 2012-09-28 10:26:26 |
|
> Challange accepted :) Kate already does this. It's a KDE text editor that (if the option is selected) behaves like VIM. |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE[9]: What is the point... |
| By nej_simon on 2012-09-28 11:41:18 |
|
First you call ZJ's comment bullshit, then you post a quote by LT that reaffirms his comment? > The fact that we break internal interfaces that are not visible to userland is totally irrelevant, and a total red herring. And I can't find anything in the thread you linked where he explains his position. Instead LT and other kernel devs talk about Linux having a stable external interface which is a different matter. Then there is of course the stable_api_nonsense.txt file which doesn't adress the largest issue of not having a stable driver ABI (ie. that it's difficult to get new drivers without replacing the kernel with a newer version and that you'll have to wait for drivers to be merged upstream in a stable release before you can use the new hardware you bought). |
| - Score: 1 |
| RE: Update the post to mention it's a joke |
| By TechGeek on 2012-09-28 14:42:46 |
| I agree. It took reading the comments section for me to notice that there was a Satire tag. The author of the article should have better indicated it was a parody. |
| - Score: 3 |
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