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Are Standards Groups Stifling Innovation?

cpfeifer writes "Jim Waldo expresses a a controversial viewpoint in his blog: "Common wisdom, especially in distributed computing, says that the right approach to all problems is to use a standard. This common wisdom has no basis in fact or history, and is curtailing innovation and rewarding bad behavior in our industry. " He also goes on to clarify his position and explain his reasoning."

17 of 366 comments (clear)

  1. An innovative day at the park... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Once upon a time whilst walking through a park nearby my house asked a geek "Do you have a girlfriend?". He responded with a very puzzled look. "A girlfriend?," he mused, "Who is the developer?". I chuckled and told him this was not an open source project. He then became slightly angry and inquired, "Are you trying to insult me? Only the best geeks use open source only! What planet are you living on?!". I reassured him I was well aware of his integrity as a geek (white skin, clumsy, pants that are too short, lack of daily shower, pocket protector etc), and explained, "A girlfriend is a female who to a male (most oftenly a male) has an intimate friendship." He gave me a very confused look. "I have never heard of such a thing.. this.. g-g-irlfriend?" He asked me, sounding very baffled. "I have heard of friends before, those pets other people have. But what is this thing you say.. Grill?". "Girl," I corrected. Then I asked him to sit down on a bench nearby so I could explain it too him, the poor, helpless thing. I told him that for human beings to reproduce, sexual intercourse must occur between a male and a female. "Perhaps you hear the trolls mention a thing called "pussy" on slashdot?". The geek burst into laughter, "Haha, you have been browsing at -1 lately, haven't you? You know that is just troll talk. Those silly trolls never have anything intelligent to say." My face turned serious. "My dear geek, are you not aware of the female population amongst you? Do you not stare in the street and want to hump a post when you pass by a hot, slim, gorgeous looking chick with a firm bust and well sculpted ass?". The geek immediately began to appear as if we was having a nervous breakdown. His glasses began to fog up and he took them off to wipe them with this linux embroidered shirt, "I think I know what you are talking about. Those things are icky. They have cooties. Get away from me!" I felt offended. "Nonsense, I pleaded! Pussy is a beautiful thing. A sacred thing that you should strive to give pleasure to." The geek would not listen and he began to cry. "STOP IT!! You are EVIL!!" He then, quite geekishly, skipped off down the path. I walked back to my house feeling rather disheartened. 'Why don't they listen to me' I asked myself? When I got home my girlfriend opened the door. She was wearing short-shorts and a sports bra. She had been doing the thigh master for the past 30 minutes and was sweating. I could see her dark nipples underneath her slightly damp bra. Oh god I could fuck her to the moon and back. I could smell her horniness the second I took my shoes off. I chased her, both of us laughing, to our bedroom [THE FOLLOWING has been censored for the well-being of geeks].... Six hours later, finally satisfied a little, I sat up and noticed that same geek hiding in the trees. He had been watching us the entire time. I swear his penis had to have been the size of a fucking horse cock (not bad for a geek, i might add), and he appeared as if he had gone into a state of shock. I could see cum stains forming near the bulge of his pant zipper. I thought to myself. There is one geek, finally brought into the real world.

  2. I don't know... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Is masturbation stifling sex?

    1. Re:I don't know... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      now that's just facetious. who's ever heard of a geek with a girlfriend? (fat, insecure chicks don't count!)

  3. Re:I AM SICK OF IT!!!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    take a chill pill!
    (or get laid)

  4. blog? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    how about a new blog.slashdot.org for all the blogs submission?

  5. Attention all -=GEEKS=- by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Once upon a time whilst walking through a park nearby my house asked a geek "Do you have a girlfriend?". He responded with a very puzzled look. "A girlfriend?," he mused, "Who is the developer?". I chuckled and told him this was not an open source project. He then became slightly angry and inquired, "Are you trying to insult me? Only the best geeks use open source only! What planet are you living on?!". I reassured him I was well aware of his integrity as a geek (white skin, clumsy, pants that are too short, lack of daily shower, pocket protector etc), and explained, "A girlfriend is a female who to a male (most oftenly a male) has an intimate friendship." He gave me a very confused look. "I have never heard of such a thing.. this.. g-g-irlfriend?" He asked me, sounding very baffled. "I have heard of friends before, those pets other people have. But what is this thing you say.. Grill?". "Girl," I corrected. Then I asked him to sit down on a bench nearby so I could explain it too him, the poor, helpless thing. I told him that for human beings to reproduce, sexual intercourse must occur between a male and a female. "Perhaps you hear the trolls mention a thing called "pussy" on slashdot?". The geek burst into laughter, "Haha, you have been browsing at -1 lately, haven't you? You know that is just troll talk. Those silly trolls never have anything intelligent to say." My face turned serious. "My dear geek, are you not aware of the female population amongst you? Do you not stare in the street and want to hump a post when you pass by a hot, slim, gorgeous looking chick with a firm bust and well sculpted ass?". The geek immediately began to appear as if we was having a nervous breakdown. His glasses began to fog up and he took them off to wipe them with this linux embroidered shirt, "I think I know what you are talking about. Those things are icky. They have cooties. Get away from me!" I felt offended. "Nonsense, I pleaded! Pussy is a beautiful thing. A sacred thing that you should strive to give pleasure to." The geek would not listen and he began to cry. "STOP IT!! You are EVIL!!" He then, quite geekishly, skipped off down the path. I walked back to my house feeling rather disheartened. 'Why don't they listen to me' I asked myself? When I got home my girlfriend opened the door. She was wearing short-shorts and a sports bra. She had been doing the thigh master for the past 30 minutes and was sweating. I could see her dark nipples underneath her slightly damp bra. Oh god I could fuck her to the moon and back. I could smell her horniness the second I took my shoes off. I chased her, both of us laughing, to our bedroom [THE FOLLOWING has been censored for the well-being of geeks].... Six hours later, finally satisfied a little, I sat up and noticed that same geek hiding in the trees. He had been watching us the entire time. I swear his penis had to have been the size of a fucking horse cock (not bad for a geek, i might add), and he appeared as if he had gone into a state of shock. I could see cum stains forming near the bulge of his pant zipper. I thought to myself. There is one geek, finally brought into the real world.

  6. Attention all ***GEEKS*** by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Once upon a time whilst walking through a park nearby my house asked a geek "Do you have a girlfriend?". He responded with a very puzzled look. "A girlfriend?," he mused, "Who is the developer?". I chuckled and told him this was not an open source project. He then became slightly angry and inquired, "Are you trying to insult me? Only the best geeks use open source only! What planet are you living on?!". I reassured him I was well aware of his integrity as a geek (white skin, clumsy, pants that are too short, lack of daily shower, pocket protector etc), and explained, "A girlfriend is a female who to a male (most oftenly a male) has an intimate friendship." He gave me a very confused look. "I have never heard of such a thing.. this.. g-g-irlfriend?" He asked me, sounding very baffled. "I have heard of friends before, those pets other people have. But what is this thing you say.. Grill?". "Girl," I corrected. Then I asked him to sit down on a bench nearby so I could explain it too him, the poor, helpless thing. I told him that for human beings to reproduce, sexual intercourse must occur between a male and a female. "Perhaps you hear the trolls mention a thing called "pussy" on slashdot?". The geek burst into laughter, "Haha, you have been browsing at -1 lately, haven't you? You know that is just troll talk. Those silly trolls never have anything intelligent to say." My face turned serious. "My dear geek, are you not aware of the female population amongst you? Do you not stare in the street and want to hump a post when you pass by a hot, slim, gorgeous looking chick with a firm bust and well sculpted ass?". The geek immediately began to appear as if we was having a nervous breakdown. His glasses began to fog up and he took them off to wipe them with this linux embroidered shirt, "I think I know what you are talking about. Those things are icky. They have cooties. Get away from me!" I felt offended. "Nonsense, I pleaded! Pussy is a beautiful thing. A sacred thing that you should strive to give pleasure to." The geek would not listen and he began to cry. "STOP IT!! You are EVIL!!" He then, quite geekishly, skipped off down the path. I walked back to my house feeling rather disheartened. 'Why don't they listen to me' I asked myself? When I got home my girlfriend opened the door. She was wearing short-shorts and a sports bra. She had been doing the thigh master for the past 30 minutes and was sweating. I could see her dark nipples underneath her slightly damp bra. Oh god I could fuck her to the moon and back. I could smell her horniness the second I took my shoes off. I chased her, both of us laughing, to our bedroom [THE FOLLOWING has been censored for the well-being of geeks].... Six hours later, finally satisfied a little, I sat up and noticed that same geek hiding in the trees. He had been watching us the entire time. I swear his penis had to have been the size of a fucking horse cock (not bad for a geek, i might add), and he appeared as if he had gone into a state of shock. I could see cum stains forming near the bulge of his pant zipper. I thought to myself. There is one geek, finally brought into the real world.

  7. Please use the word weblog, not blog by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    The proper word is weblog. Blog is a comic book sound effect. If you keep using it like this, the whole issue will spin out of control and this sad misuse of a word will become part of our language.
    Thank you for your consideration.

  8. teh geek manifesto by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Another one got caught today, it's all over the papers. "Geeks apprehended in Child Poronography Bust", "Geek publicy shamed after holding girl's hand." "Damn, shower-ridden geeks. They're all alike." But did you, in your three-piece psychology and 1950s technobrain, ever take a look behind the eyes of the geek? Did you ever wonder what made him suck cock, what forces shaped his penis so small, what may have molded him? I am a geek, enter my world. Mine is a world that begins with slashdot. I'm smarter than most of the other moderators, this crap they post bores me. "Damn goatse troll. They're all alike." I'm in by dark, cool basement. I've listened to those people with lives upstairs explain for the fifteenth time how to get some fine pussy. I understand it (not!). "No, Ms. Smith, I didn't take my acne medicine. CowboyNeal ate it." "Damn CowboyNeal. He probably did eat it. They're always gettin eaten by that tub-o-lard." I made a discovery today. I found a computer. Wait a second, this is cool. It does what I want it to. If it makes a mistake, it's because I screwed it up. Not because it doesn't like me, or feels threatened by me, or thinks I'm a smart ass, or doesn't like teaching and shouldn't be here. Damn geek. All he does is play games. They're all alike. And then it happened... goatse opened to the world...rushing through the phone line like heroin through an addict's veins, an electronic pulse is sent out, a refuge from day-to-day incompetencies is sought...slashdot is found. "This is it...this is where I belong..." I know everyone here...even if I've never met them, never talked to them, may never hear from them again...I know you all...Damn geeks. Stinking up the basement again. They're all alike...You bet your ass we're all alike...we've been spoon-fed baby food at school when we hungered for steak (not!)...the bits of meat that you did let slip through were later on stolen by CowboyNeal (true!). We've been dominated by sadists, or eaten by CowboyNeal. The few trolls that have something to teach found us willing pupils, but those few are like drops of water in the desert. This is our world now...the world of the electron and the switch, the beauty and the baud. We make use of a service already existing without paying for what could be dirt-cheap if it wasn't run by profiteering gluttons (ie, CowboyNeal), and you call us criminals. We explore...and you call us losers. We seek after knowledge...and you call us criminals. We exist without girlfriends, without nationality, without religious bias...and you call us criminals. You have girlfriends, you have suntans, you socialize, fuck, and lie to us and try to make us believe it's for our own good, yet we're the losers with friends like CowboyNeal. Yes, I am a geek. My crime is that of a loser. My crime is that of judging people by what they say and think, not what they look like. My crime is that of outsmarting you, something that you will never forgive me for. I am a geek, and this is my manifesto. You may stop this individual, but you can't stop us all...after all, we've all got horse cocks (not! perhaps a few).

  9. Not made to /. yet ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    This has not made to /. yet. From CNET:

    Supercomputer from PlayStation

  10. Alternative to standards.... by zanderredux · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    .... use interfaces instead. Tie up your systems with a tool like Vitria, SeeBeyond, Microsoft BizTalk, pay some $600k+ on licensing fees and configuration and make some systems integrators happier!

  11. first post! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    i got. go to hell, fuckers!

  12. Neat-o by waldoj · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Hey, that guy has my name as his last name. Weird.

    -Waldo Jaquith

  13. Re:Innovate this! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Elegy For *BSD


    I am a *BSD user
    and I try hard to be brave
    That is a tall order
    *BSD's foot is in the grave.

    I tap at my toy keyboard
    and whistle a happy tune
    but keeping happy's so hard,
    *BSD died so soon.

    Each day I wake and softly sob
    Nightfall finds me crying
    Not only am I a zit faced slob
    but *BSD is dying.

  14. Re:Sure but the benifits are worth it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Bandwidth Limit Exceeded
    The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to the site owner reaching his/her bandwidth limit. Please try again later.
    Apache/1.3.27 Server at www.zombo.com Port 80

    Looks like you hit a tree, chum.

  15. Re:Common widom... by EinarH · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    Shopkeeper: Sorry sir. We don't use grams here. We use flogborts.
    Respect. You just created a new (and kind of funny) word that Google hasn't heard of. Congratulations.

    You deserve a flogbort of cheese for that invention.
    May the new flogbort-standard of weight rule the world!

    --

    Melius mori in libertate quam vivere in servitute.

  16. Not to complain or anything... by solarrhino · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    ... but how exactly is this "flamebait"?

    --
    "Lord, grant that I may always be right, for Thou knowest that I am hard to turn" -- A Scots-Irish prayer