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Oh no, he doesn't think they are stupid, just that they don't know the difference between browsers. If my mechanic mounted a new transmission or something that

Oh no, he doesn't think they are stupid, just that they don't know the difference between browsers. If my mechanic mounted a new transmission or something that wasn't the same brand as the one mounted before, and told me "it's the new version", I couldn't care less as long as it worked as intended. I don't know anything about transmissions, so from my point of view I have no way of knowing if what he's telling me is the truth or not, I just trust him to make my car work again.

mikorym 7y ago
This reminds me that such people also think that the visual experience of browsing the internet is somehow "fixed". My impression of social media is that one of its draws (pitfalls actually) is that it gives the impression of different people experiencing the same thing, e.g.: a 100 people like this or 500 people retweeted that. However, as programmers, we should see the internet not as a browser at all. We should see it as a list of protocols and implementations thereof. I think a big part of the oh-so-common emotional social media battles is anticipation of the other person's experience. Hopefully for you, as a programmer reading this, your view of the internet is protected by automated command line scripts that fight your internet battles for you...
- javajosh 7y ago
  >social media ...gives the impression of different people experiencing the same thing Brilliant!
ifdefdebug 7y ago
If my mechanic mounted a new transmission from another brand without telling me beforehand that he intended to do so, and I found out later, then I would immediately lose all trust in such a mechanic.
- frabert 7y ago
  Why did he mount a different brand? Was it because he thinks it's better? Maybe it's cheaper, but otherwise equivalent? I have no way of knowing, and I trust his judgement entirely. On the other hand, if I went to my mechanic and said "Look Bob, I want an ACME Turboencabulator v2 mounted" I believe he would be happy to do so. The point is, most users don't even know what a browser is and just want to get back to facebook ASAP, and don't care if you tell them you installed an ACME Turboencabulator or a Stark Industries Turboelectroencabulator. Of course, we all know the original Turboencabulator is GE and all the others are knockoffs, but I've tried other brands and they work just as well, if not even better.
- vetinari 7y ago
  In automotive, there's a rich third-party ecosystem of replacement parts manufacturers. Even the original vehicle manufacturer might purchase the parts from several of them. You, as an typical end-user, have practically no chance to find out, whether the replacement part is "original" or not.
  - tristor 7y ago
    Yes, the most ignorant among us will never find out, unless they have a problem and go to a different mechanic that tells them. But it is very very obvious when you actually receive parts whether or not it's an OEM part, or an aftermarket part. Both may be identical and made in the same factory, but if I request a repair with OEM parts, am charged for OEM parts, and am provided with non-OEM parts that is repair fraud and a crime.
- tristor 7y ago
  Same here, and I understand cars. This is repair fraud, actually, and a criminal offense in the US. If I paid for and was told I would receive an OEM part and instead I got some aftermarket part off RockAuto, I'd be beyond pissed off and I'd get my recompense somehow. I understand the grandparent point, but their analogy is terrible. When you are paying for a specific brand of item and you get an alternative brand without being informed and giving consent, that is fraud. It is a crime, and it is effectively stealing from you the difference in price/value/cost of the two items, since you're paying for the other brand.
  - frabert 7y ago
    Never did I mention I had specified a model/brand. I just went to the mechanic and asked him "fix my transmission". Whatever the way he does it, if it works it's good to me.

mikorym 7y ago

This reminds me that such people also think that the visual experience of browsing the internet is somehow "fixed". My impression of social media is that one of its draws (pitfalls actually) is that it gives the impression of different people experiencing the same thing, e.g.: a 100 people like this or 500 people retweeted that. However, as programmers, we should see the internet not as a browser at all. We should see it as a list of protocols and implementations thereof. I think a big part of the oh-so-common emotional social media battles is anticipation of the other person's experience. Hopefully for you, as a programmer reading this, your view of the internet is protected by automated command line scripts that fight your internet battles for you...

javajosh 7y ago
>social media ...gives the impression of different people experiencing the same thing Brilliant!

ifdefdebug 7y ago

If my mechanic mounted a new transmission from another brand without telling me beforehand that he intended to do so, and I found out later, then I would immediately lose all trust in such a mechanic.

frabert 7y ago
Why did he mount a different brand? Was it because he thinks it's better? Maybe it's cheaper, but otherwise equivalent? I have no way of knowing, and I trust his judgement entirely. On the other hand, if I went to my mechanic and said "Look Bob, I want an ACME Turboencabulator v2 mounted" I believe he would be happy to do so. The point is, most users don't even know what a browser is and just want to get back to facebook ASAP, and don't care if you tell them you installed an ACME Turboencabulator or a Stark Industries Turboelectroencabulator. Of course, we all know the original Turboencabulator is GE and all the others are knockoffs, but I've tried other brands and they work just as well, if not even better.
vetinari 7y ago
In automotive, there's a rich third-party ecosystem of replacement parts manufacturers. Even the original vehicle manufacturer might purchase the parts from several of them. You, as an typical end-user, have practically no chance to find out, whether the replacement part is "original" or not.
- tristor 7y ago
  Yes, the most ignorant among us will never find out, unless they have a problem and go to a different mechanic that tells them. But it is very very obvious when you actually receive parts whether or not it's an OEM part, or an aftermarket part. Both may be identical and made in the same factory, but if I request a repair with OEM parts, am charged for OEM parts, and am provided with non-OEM parts that is repair fraud and a crime.
tristor 7y ago
Same here, and I understand cars. This is repair fraud, actually, and a criminal offense in the US. If I paid for and was told I would receive an OEM part and instead I got some aftermarket part off RockAuto, I'd be beyond pissed off and I'd get my recompense somehow. I understand the grandparent point, but their analogy is terrible. When you are paying for a specific brand of item and you get an alternative brand without being informed and giving consent, that is fraud. It is a crime, and it is effectively stealing from you the difference in price/value/cost of the two items, since you're paying for the other brand.
- frabert 7y ago
  Never did I mention I had specified a model/brand. I just went to the mechanic and asked him "fix my transmission". Whatever the way he does it, if it works it's good to me.