From: "W. Kent Starr" <elderburn@...>
Date: 2001-07-10T06:39:56+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:17558] Re: Ruby on Slashdot

On Monday 09 July 2001 13:51, K. Powick wrote:
> Having been a reader of Slashdot for quite a while, and having taken the
> time to read all of the Slashdot responses to the Ruby post, two things
> come to mind.
>
> 1)  I can't believe how close-minded, immature, and uninformed many of the
> responses are.
>

Given the presumption that the Slashdot audience is skewed younger, the 
immaturity is understandable.

Given the same presumption, the closed-minded blind acceptance of 
"business-as-usual" corporate culture is downright scary, however.

If these are to be our leaders of tomorrow, they are demonstrating and 
frightening tendency to continue leading us further down a dangerous path. :-(

> 2)  I now support the Quit Slashdot Today "movement"
>      http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/klee/misc/slashdot.html
>

LOL!

However, Slashdot is even more valuable as it is in terms of socio-metrics 
than would be the case if its population were more in line with our 
expectations. Personally, I read it for its slant on "the news" (as I do NY 
Times and AJC and listen to BBC and others when the propagation gods are kind)

Further, Slashdot is closer to the natural concept of "market" then anything 
envisioned in terms of policy or pandering by any among the corporate Master 
Race these days. Actually, acceptance of Ruby therein will be on the same 
subversive level as that of Perl and Python formerly; to a greater degree 
than even these (IMO) Ruby is both simple and powerful and (the part that is 
anathema to the contemporary corporate command and control mentality) 
expressive.

Perhaps I should do what I rarely do and *post* to Slashdot rather than just 
read it. :-)

Regards,

Kent Starr
elderburn@mindspring.com