From: Ryan Paul <segphault@...>
Date: 2004-06-12T19:33:39+09:00
Subject: Re: Switch to .ruby extension? [OT]

> Someone once told me to "RTFM" when I couldn't figure out how to work a 
> *nix text editor. I felt insulted, that he insinuated that *I* was the 
> one with the problem, not the text editor. In fact, text editors are 
> dang near the oldest software technology we have. I've used dozens, 
> maybe even hundreds of them, and not once have I ever had to "RTFM" 
> before starting to use it, because they've all adopted the same 
> intuitive UI conventions that have worked well for a decade - Except for 
> *nix editors. They're 20 years out-of-date.

I get really tired of hearing people say something is bad just because
they lack the capacity to learn to use it. I learned Vim from the user
manual. It took hours of my time, but it was EXTREMELY worthwhile. I cant
imagine using visual studio for development. Its a grotesque waste of
system resources, and its not very customizable. Vim may be old, but it
sure beats the modern competition. So far, I have been able to extend vim
to meet EVERY single one of my needs. If you dont want to learn to use it,
then dont use it - but dont expect everybody to bend over backwards to
facilitate YOUR laziness/stupidity.

> I'm too old for popup books, but I *do* look for books that are easy to
> understand. Doesn't everybody?

I dont. You cant grow/learn/evolve if you need everything to be watered
down for you. I ALWAYS look for books that will challenge me. Sometimes, I
even inconvenience myself intentionally if I think I will learn something
valuable from it.

> I had a hard time finding "cp" because I was staring at a black screen
> with a blinking cursor, with no other clues as to what to do next - NOT
> because I have the mind of a 3 year old, as you insinuate.

It would be rather difficult to discern the command structure just by
staring at a blank screen - so, try opening a book, it usually helps. Its
also hard to perform surgery if you don't know the tools/physiology, and
its hard to understand french if you dont know a single word of it. Would
you go to france and start complaining that the natives ought to speak
english because it would be easier for you?