From: "John W. Long" <ng@...>
Date: 2005-05-12T08:17:34+09:00
Subject: Re: Redesign 2005, Round Two

James Britt wrote:
>> I agree. But in a sense the current slogan has implications like that:
>>
>> Ruby: Programmers' Best Friend (unlike all those other conniving,
>> back-stabbing evil languages, who only want to hurt you)
>
> I *knew* someone would mention that :-)
>
> It still doesn't strike me as confrontational or challenging in the
> same way.  I can't analyze exactly why, but I think it's partly
> because "best friend" is so clearly a metaphor, and fully affirmative,
> whereas "Make programming fun again" (or whatever) is concrete and
> actually says something negative about what the person has been doing.

I've always thought that the phrase came from the common saying:

   "Diamonds are a woman's best friend."

Am I wrong?

--
John Long
http://wiseheartdesign.com