[OT] Debian mailinglists [was: RE: Debian or Ubuntu?]

[Dotan Cohen]

2008/5/20 Iain Young <iain at g7iii.net>:
>>>> And where do I type my big explanatory comment in your GUI?
>>> Documentation kept separate of the server for reference and
>>> configuration issues where it won't get accidentally obliterated by an
>>> upgrade?
>>>
>>
>> It won't get read. That's why Python has the excellent
>> self-documentation features.
>>
>
> That's getting into a process issue :) Or is it a Management Issue ?:)

While I gave a programming example, the same is true of configuration.
See Mike Bird's postfix example.

> These things are -always- a balance, and trust me, even then best GUI
> won't stop a large corporate's best Worldwide expert on subject X
> screwing up by clicking the wrong button, or mouse jarring at the
> wrong moment. And yes, that includes those that write the code!
>
> The trick is to always have back-out plans that can be implemented
> quickly, preferably at multiple points of the change/upgrade process,
> always double check everything at every stage, and -always- get a second
> person to double check your typing, decisions, and thought process :)

As Dilbert once said, that approach is more applicable to stone
carving than programming. With VI at least I do a quick "U:w" (that's
undo-save for for mousemaids) if I screw something up.

> We humans are stupid. Thats why we cant talk binary and assembly
> language easily :) [And yes, I've written 6502, and Z80, as well as a
> bit of SPARC assembly language code in my past]

001101001011010110? 101010110101000101010010111001...

> Truth is, GUI vs CLI has no one answer. It's horses for courses. There
> are times one is better/quicker/safer/whatever than the other. There
> are times the opposite is true. It depends what you are trying to
> achieve.

That's why it is argued that the GUI approach should compliment the
CLI approach, not replace it.

> And trying to achieve 100% correctness, or 0% errors ? Need to replace
> humans with robots. Then you get lumbered with hardware failure :)
> And what if the robots go mad ?
>
> [If you wonderful GUI tool trashes your config file, what do you do ?]

Can you easily backup config files from the GUI? Somehow I doubt that you can.

> I guess I'm saying both skill sets are needed in the real world...
>
>
> Iain
>

Dotan Cohen

http://what-is-what.com
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A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?