And what pray tell is to stop you from compiling the latest Perl and dropping it under/usr/local and then compile the SSL module and tell it to use the Perl in/usr/local???
Christ, you people seem to think that just because a system has a package management system that you have no choice but to make use of it!
The guy you replied to said:
"You don't get advances by pumping money into something specific (better microprocessors), you get advances by pumping money into a *goal* (reaching mars)"
You said:
"This is just isn't true."
To back this up you used the following example:
"Take the Human Genome Project. We get something very useful out of it (The human genome map) and we have devoloped several useful technologies along the way (better gene sequencers)."
How does your example support your statement that what the guy you were replying to said was untrue? The goal was to map the human genome. To accomplish this goal, new technologies had to be developed.
Now, I know the point of your response was "choose worthwhile goals." But the "not because it is easy, but because it is hard" reason for sending people to Mars seemed to be a good enough reason for sending people to the Moon. Besides, how is sending people to Mars not a worthwhile goal? You must think humans eventually being able to colonize other worlds to be a total waste of time.
Slashdot Mirror
And what pray tell is to stop you from compiling the latest Perl and dropping it under /usr/local and then compile the SSL module and tell it to use the Perl in /usr/local???
Christ, you people seem to think that just because a system has a package management system that you have no choice but to make use of it!
As if real geeks actually gave a shit about how they looked. Any alleged geek who truly cares to look the part is only a wanna-be.
The guy you replied to said:
"You don't get advances by pumping money into something specific (better microprocessors), you get advances by pumping money into a *goal* (reaching mars)"
You said:
"This is just isn't true."
To back this up you used the following example:
"Take the Human Genome Project. We get something very useful out of it (The human genome map) and we have devoloped several useful technologies along the way (better gene sequencers)."
How does your example support your statement that what the guy you were replying to said was untrue? The goal was to map the human genome. To accomplish this goal, new technologies had to be developed.
Now, I know the point of your response was "choose worthwhile goals." But the "not because it is easy, but because it is hard" reason for sending people to Mars seemed to be a good enough reason for sending people to the Moon. Besides, how is sending people to Mars not a worthwhile goal? You must think humans eventually being able to colonize other worlds to be a total waste of time.