Re: [dev] Re: Linux distros that don't suck too too much

From: Josuah 'sshbio' Demangeon <jd_AT_ssh.bio>
Date: Fri, 13 May 2016 00:31:38 +0200

Thank you for introducing to me in person the suckless philosophy, now I
appreciate it more. Furthermore, that was interesting and I adopt this
vision.

It is true that I am definetely not experienced enough to contribute, so
at the best, I can use and promote of the simplest tools that are useful.

On Thu, May 12, 2016 at 10:46:05PM +0200, hiro wrote:
> > So it could be simple by its implementation, by its design, and simple
> > to use even for persons rarely using computers if at all, even
> > indication on how to interact with the keyboard are provided.
>
> I agree with your implications. Suckless is not about understanding
> every shitty software in great detail.
> I can divide into a careful selection of small useful, simple tools, a
> bigger selection of useful, but not very simple tools and an even
> bigger selection of useless and very complex tools.
>
> The biggest enemy is the last group. As it's also the biggest
> selecting (specifying) it is impossible (I can smell, but I can't
> teach you to smell). By selecting the first (base tools in my OS) and
> second group (stupid extensions like ssl and webkit) we have achieved
> the same much easier. We can distance ourselves from the third.
>
> Computers are complex, but their purpose is to make our lifes easier.
> To put things on a scale, humans are anyway even more complex.
> With the correct collaboration we're able to make computers useful, we
> build good abstraction layers, interfaces that hide other people's
> responsibilities and contribute to net benefit by doing stuff in our
> limited domain. But we all effect everything together.
>
> We at suckless believe in certain abstraction layers and detest many
> mainstream linux ones.
> Especially plan9 and unix has brought to us the idea of the files and
> folders abstraction, we are saddened by people reinventing less
> capable abstractions for the same purposes.
>
> When you leave away most other shitty abstraction layers there are
> very few left that you would need to learn about. Clearly some other
> people on this list haven't done their job here yet, be humble,
> please, cause you are not our genius and savior.
>
> The things that I value most are also the most simple. Finding
> simplicity though is only to be accomplished by the best. Most of us
> can't actually contribute much to it. So at least make sure that
> what's already there can be used and what is clearly evil is
> discouraged of by demonstration of real alternatives. If we were not
> able to show off that our way is better we would have to admit
> failure.
>
> We technologists are not the only ones who learned from Unix and Plan9.
> Many normal people around me with very little computer training use
> files and folders more wisely than most nerds could even dream of.
> Some things are *not* a matter of experience, some are also a matter
> of intelligence or even more banal, discipline.
>
Received on Fri May 13 2016 - 00:31:38 CEST