neilo

I totally sympathize with this kind of issue, it's what keeps me from putting Linux on my parents' computers (though this latest "Alpha Antivirus" thing my dad got is ... pushing my limits).

For myself, I am pleasantly surprised at the experience I've had with Ubuntu since I first installed 8.04 and deciding to give Linux desktop yet-another-go. The improvements between releases are apparent and usually make sense. Hardware device recognition and drivers are getting better. Overall it IS getting better, and seemingly faster, so have hope for it.

In the meantime it's going to be a bumpy ride not just because of stiff competition from existing "just works" platforms, but because it challenges some fundamental commercial assumptions about operating software and THAT is inevitably going to cause opposition through politics, support bias, etc.

Strong supporters are going to shed blood in the hope that future generations won't have to. Isn't that the way it always is?

Not asking permission or evening linking to a source for your information is, at least, a discoverable faux pas which can easily lead to some nasty public backlash. If the internet had no memory whatsoever (caches, search engines, archive.org, etc.) then I can only imagine the insane plagiarism that would follow.

Is the author poking holes in delusional optimism, a mere pocket of positivity, or honest self-esteem? Isn't the point of believing you can do something (being positive) so you try harder to achieve it and not just (as it seems to be written here) wait for it to fall in your lap?

I believe laziness generally wins over economy, and I include "impulse buys" as such. If it's easier to pay than to pirate (and knowing/trusting what you're getting), won't you? Sure there's a price point to consider ($2 an episode is a bit much considering free streaming and cheaper DVDs), but I just see copyright holders leaving money on the table and burning funds to fight a losing battle whilst alienating the populace.

FP plus lighter and more dynamic objects doesn't sound like the end of OOP supremacy, but rather another stage of it. I'm curious to see where it leads / what comes out of it.

As a kid, my siblings and I would practically forgo shoes when summer vacation arrived. When school started we'd grudgingly force them on over our toughened pads and endure the sting of wearing our natural soles down inside them. I remember that, but now my feet are always in a cushioned palace, gellin' like a felon, and soft as a baby's bottom. It seems as though I haven't cultivated the best support for my body ...

Great comment; your positive spin made me smile :)

I've considered trying different keyboard layouts, but it seems like it would hamper "portability". Nearly every device with a keyboard is QWERTY and mentally switching my muscle memory between a primary workstation and all those other things sounds exhausting.

Time used GET to execute the vote script? Initially someone could have set an IMG SRC to the desired URL, right? That's just nuts, you wouldn't even have to click a link at that point

Very cool! I'm not complaining, but I do wish they provided more formats than just PDF (PRC, LIT, etc.)

Maybe "de-clawed"? They're not quite DEAD yet. I think I'll go for a walk...

BOOKmarking this for sure. Puns aside, this is a "20 best" list but doesn't necessarily say WHAT makes them best. Is it because they've all been fairly recently updated? Anyone want to suggest their favorites too? I'm ready to read ...

My mom used to suffer headaches on days we ran out of coffee at home, so I vowed never to touch the stuff. That reminds me, I need some more to get through these integration tests ...

Woh, I didn't mean to start a text brawl or be vague. My opinion is that royalty checks AREN'T required to keep music alive or vibrant, though possibly the industry aspect DOES require them. I have to hold up Jonathon Coulton here (http://www.jonathancoulton.com/). He loves his fans (who love him back) and doesn't require people to pay just to share his work.

BTW, sorry I pissed people off, it wasn't my intention.

Although a lot of cruft comes through along with useful updates, I will miss this. It is almost like Ubuntu's system update: a single, semi-serialized point of entry for periodic fixes and feature adds for things you have installed. I don't relish the idea of hunting this stuff down on an individual basis.

Royalty paychecks are required to "keep" the "vibrant" music industry alive? No wonder everyone wants to be a musician

To be totally honest I only skimmed the article, but I just don't think Twitter as a service is a replacement for a format. Mostly the focus here is on the fickle ad/brand-dependent media sites whereas more often than not I find myself subscribing to places based on quality content. Of course given that Twitter can be viewed from a RSS Reader means one doesn't have to trump the other.

I'm going to dig through HN archives or wait until tomorrow to read any news.

I am envious of someone talking so highly of a company they are leaving. I can't say I ever have. Good luck on your new adventure!

I like Twitter, but I disagree. If you focus on practice and improvement then it will, but it has little to do with the service or its restrictions.

Do these issues really warrant such an article? That closing statement was pretty silly

Hmm, the title is a bit misleading because I thought it applied to managers in general. The best managers I've known are ones who care about their team (developers in my case) and that output in regards to the business. As part of that, they also care about product quality and customer satisfaction. Of course, these people whom I hold in high regards also never had MBA's. I recently told my friend who is going for one: "Don't become an asshole". An unhealthy focus on profiteering seems to lead there.

Fill a book and sell it. OOP! Write that one down :)

Man as a mostly-outside-admirer of Python, I love its terminology: "pickle threadlets". Delicious!

I suppose it's only right they focused on HUMAN languages, otherwise you'd see machine language up there. Most forms of assembly have always felt like a different language to me ...

Someone needs to invent "gibberish" or "crazy cat lady". What kinds of humorous programming languages are there? The only one I can think of off the top of my head is INTERCAL

Go for it, man, and since we're quoting things:

"Well, the funny thing about regret is: it's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't."

"There have been numerous interesting studies that indicate that a significant percentage of users will trade their password for a candy bar..."

I have a few dozen passwords if someone else out there has candy to match. I withhold the right to decide which candy bar is worth which password.

"Where's my money, Lebowski?"

That was inappropriate, I'm sorry. The author gave me an impression of attempted optimism, something to help people see good coming of all this crap, but perhaps he focused to much on that and not enough on more dark realities.

"Hate" is a fairly strong reaction, no? My casual FB experience led me to be lost, again, when trying to figure out how to set my status ... but I couldn't muster enough reaction to go beyond: "meh". All my weird acquaintances are still there and new/old friends/associates still find me through it, so the value is less the UI and more Facebook's ubiquity. Personally, I prefer this to Classmates.com, don't you?

well that took my entire morning "reading time", but it was WELL worth it!