Asri-unix.416 net.unix-wizards utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!menlo70!sri-unix!cosell@BBN-UNIX Mon Jan 4 19:35:24 1982 Re: Reply to: On From: Bernie Cosell I agree that almost all of UNIX's problems can be traced back to the almost neurotic compulsion to keep things `simple'. There are two basic ways in which simplicity nails the user: first, it requires EVERY applications programmer to `roll his own' (command parsing, argument and default conventions, etc, etc), and second it assumes that its user are capable of `rolling their own'. The first property insures that applications programs will be maximally different and difficult to use. The second is the most unfortunate part (and the very underpinnings of the misguided `suggestions' that have been appearing here recently): the folk who CAN `roll their own' for the most part don't see any problem! They are (apparently) perfectly content to be condemned to having an open manual perpetually by their side and still `lose' in bizarre ways every now and then, not to mention remembering the dozens and dozens of special cases and caveats that aren't even in the manual. Thus, when confronted with (well placed!) complaints about the irrationality and irregularity of the WHOLE user environment, they are either not sympathetic or miss the point entirely. /Bernie ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.