I wrote: > Pay no attention to the content of the message in the URL below, but the > preamble may be amusing to > some. > > http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2014-01/msg00208.html
[a wait-for-the-compile rant!] Well, if you were to read the content of the thread, it reminds me of an occasional theme that also occurs here. It's the notion that conversations about philosophy are stupid and technical topics are substantive. I'd also tie it into Steve's remarks about the distinction between education and training. I'm not sure I agree that there is a difference [1], but `the big picture' -- an education -- might be argued to be different and more foundational than `skills'. Similarly, the lack of interest in philosophy and singleminded interest in `technical talk' I'd map to the folks in the LLVM camp (the URL), and the GCC camp being the time-wasting philosophers and politicians (which is completely untrue for GCC hackers). I have a different take, as a person comfortable with his skills: It's that the "only do it for technical reasons" folks lack a big picture. So they talk about their code projects, methods development, and intermediate results and don't even try to put their work in a larger context. Is a discussion `open' to more people if it is nihilistic -- sure it is. But people aren't really nihilists in general (that takes vigilance), they just deny and obscure the values they have or the ones thrust upon them, and then complain when values are discussed as a first-class thing. Maybe they just like their pen. Marcus [1] It seems to me most worthwhile things come from curiosity, skepticism, and hard work. That's an individual-level property. At the end of the day, an education can't put it in you, but it can show you people that do have these properties. -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web.com - Microsoft® Exchange solutions from a leading provider - http://link.mail2web.com/Business/Exchange ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
