Slashdot Mirror
Culture of UNIX and Windows Programmers
bebonzo writes "Joel Spolsky, 'Joel on Software' has an interesting review of Eric S. Raymond's book about 'The Art of UNIX programming'.
Quote:"What are the cultural differences between Unix and Windows programmers? There are many details and subtleties, but for the most part it comes down to one thing: Unix culture values code which is useful to other programmers, while Windows culture values code which is useful to non-programmers."
About slashdot: "slashdot-karma-whoring sectarianism..."" He's harsh on some points, but pretty on the money. Except about us. Nobody karma whores. Update Note to self, never post before coffee. Yes, its a dupe. get over it.
I think Taco just showed the real cultural difference. A windows programmer would have implemented a system to warn editors of potential dupes. UNIX wizards simply don't believe in such wimpy protection systems.
The other big difference is that a Windows user would look at what the slashdot market is interesting in discussing and look at a way to support that. With UNIX there is a curious one way street, Taco and co do not read slashdot, they are the priesthood who edits it. User participation only goes so far, the plebs can comment on the stories but Taco and the priesthood will forever set the agenda.
The game is giving out the appearance of power so that the elite can continue to enjoy the substance.
Slashdot's biggest stories are consistently the non-tech ones. People who have an interest in the RIAA issues tend to also have views on Ashcroft, the PATRIOT act, Iraq, Bin Laden, Haliburton/Harken.
When we created the Web the idea was to enable disintermediation. Today people realise the power because of the Dean campaign, but we first ran a Web campaign in 1992 for Clinton/Gore.
The point is not left/right politics, in fact early on it was the right wing who felt that the media failled to represent their interests. Today people understand that the Web is a serious threat to the power of the press and the press barrons who want to control what people think. Fox News was just as biased four years ago as it is today, the reason most people are now aware that it is a propaganda station is because the Web provides a feedback loop and there are now a large number of bloggers who are actively rebutting Fox's distortions.
Sooner or later the Web community is going to move to a forum where the masses get to set the agenda rather than the priesthood.
Looking for an Information Security student project suggestion?
Try http://dotcrimeManifesto.com/
Oh, I'm always around in one form or another ;)