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Closed-source considered harmful (was: JavaScript considered harmful)

Ben Logan ben at wblogan.net
Fri Jan 11 11:44:49 EST 2002 
I'm really responding to the wrong message, but I missed the previous
one. :)

On Fri, Jan 11, 2002 at 07:42:03AM -0800, Aahz Maruch wrote:
> In article <mailman.1010511911.6400.python-list at python.org>,
> Mark McEahern <marklists at mceahern.com> wrote:
> >Oleg Broytmann
> >>
> >> Users must understand their tools, because modern tools are too powerful,
> >> and pressing incorrect button these days may easiliy lead to people death,
> >> or huge money lost, and all that.
> >
> >Hmm, I don't really understand how my car works.  I don't think that has any
> >impact on my ability to be a safe driver, though.

I would respectfully disagree that not understanding how a car works
doesn't have an impact on your ability to be a safe driver.  While it
is true that you don't need to be a mechanic, you do need (and do
have, I imagine) a grasp of some of the basic concepts of how an auto
works in order to be a safe and effective driver.  There are plenty of
people who _don't_ and it is a primary cause of many types of
accidents and unnecessary wear on vehicles.  (For example, huge multi-car
pileups because of ice or fog.)

Likewise, the current and emerging generation of primarily windows
users, have it bored into their heads that anything other than
pointing and clicking is too complicated for them to understand.  The
result is the equivalent of a bunch of motorists who don't know how to
look at the fuel guage to see if they are fixing to run out of fuel,
much less actually pump fuel into the tank.

I know people who have been using computers for years, and don't even
understand simple concepts like the difference between files and
directories.  The result is that they are constantly getting
themselves into trouble that could be easily avoided.  After helping
some of these people for a few minutes I feel very sorry for the tech
support people they call on. :)

Contrary to what it may sound like, I don't look down on these people
as sub-intelligent.  I simply think that computers should be
approached like everything else: it is a tool, and tools must be used
properly.  Ease of use is no substitute for understanding.
 
> OTOH, you probably had many hours of instruction on using a car (including
> hours of supervised driving) before you were permitted to drive one on
> your own.

Exactly.  We can all hope anyway. :)

Just my $200.00 worth...personal checks are ok.

-- 
Ben Logan: ben at wblogan dot net
OpenPGP Key KeyID: A1ADD1F0

Each new user of a new system uncovers a new class of bugs.
		-- Kernighan
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