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I wish Dijkstra had named his article on the go to statement[1] something else. It feels like every other author nowadays want to use the sense of authority tha

I wish Dijkstra had named his article on the go to statement[1] something else. It feels like every other author nowadays want to use the sense of authority that the "considered harmful" gives them. Like it's obvious and widely accepted that it's harmful, and they're giving you an FYI. Just name it "The downsides of microservices" and we'll know that it's your personal opinion. This title might get you more clicks, but it's a turn off for me. [1] - https://homepages.cwi.nl/~storm/teaching/reader/Dijkstra68.pdf https://homepages.cwi.nl/~storm/teaching/reader/Dijkstra68.p...

smcl 6y ago
It’s a bit overused, I’m almost certain I’ve seen an article called ”Considered Harmful” Considered Harmful
- chrisco255 6y ago
  Ah, yes, the recursive Considered Harmful. This article was quickly followed up by the rebuke "'Considered Harmful' Considered Harmful" Considered Harmful. Shortly thereafter, the entire blogosphere had a stack overflow error and nearly took the entire internet offline along with it. Recursive Considered Harmful Considered Harmful.
  - smcl 6y ago
    I found it! https://meyerweb.com/eric/comment/chech.html https://meyerweb.com/eric/comment/chech.html There's an HN discussion too https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9744916 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9744916
Someone 6y ago
Don’t blame Dijkstra for that. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Considered_harmful#History https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Considered_harmful#History: “The original title of the letter, as submitted to CACM, was "A Case Against the Goto Statement", but CACM editor Niklaus Wirth changed the title to "Go To Statement Considered Harmful".” So, Dijkstra’s choice for a title would be “A Case Against Microservices”.
lou1306 6y ago
(Actually it was Wirth that came up with the "Considered Harmful" title. Dijkstra sent the paper as "A case against the Goto statement" [1].) I would go on a limb and say that CH-titles should be themselves considered harmful. [2] Personally, my main issue with them is that they invite (often unfavourable) comparisons with EJD's paper. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Considered_harmful https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Considered_harmful [2]: https://meyerweb.com/eric/comment/chech.html https://meyerweb.com/eric/comment/chech.html
deleted 6y ago
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rectang 6y ago
If you have enough karma, you can flag any article which uses "Considered Harmful" in the title. That won't get rid of clickbait in general, but maybe authors will choose a different variety of clickbait.
rejschaap 6y ago
It's great that people annotate biased articles with the words "Considered Harmful"
deepsun 6y ago
I've heard that arrogance is measured in nano-Dijkstras.
stephc_int13 6y ago
"Considered Harmful" has become a meme and a self-reference with several levels of recursion. I hated the obnoxious tone of the quote when I first heard it, nowadays it makes me smile with a grin.
phlakaton 6y ago
I never quite understood the objection to "considered harmful." To me the very wording of the phrase is a jest; it's said with tongue firmly planted in cheek, even if what follows is quite serious, and it fully and effectively declares its intention to go poke some sacred cow in the eye. I never read it as overbearing or judgmental. I love it!
- sildur 6y ago
  It feels pompous to me.

smcl 6y ago

It’s a bit overused, I’m almost certain I’ve seen an article called ”Considered Harmful” Considered Harmful

chrisco255 6y ago
Ah, yes, the recursive Considered Harmful. This article was quickly followed up by the rebuke "'Considered Harmful' Considered Harmful" Considered Harmful. Shortly thereafter, the entire blogosphere had a stack overflow error and nearly took the entire internet offline along with it. Recursive Considered Harmful Considered Harmful.
- smcl 6y ago
  I found it! https://meyerweb.com/eric/comment/chech.html https://meyerweb.com/eric/comment/chech.html There's an HN discussion too https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9744916 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9744916

Someone 6y ago

Don’t blame Dijkstra for that. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Considered_harmful#History https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Considered_harmful#History: “The original title of the letter, as submitted to CACM, was "A Case Against the Goto Statement", but CACM editor Niklaus Wirth changed the title to "Go To Statement Considered Harmful".” So, Dijkstra’s choice for a title would be “A Case Against Microservices”.

lou1306 6y ago

(Actually it was Wirth that came up with the "Considered Harmful" title. Dijkstra sent the paper as "A case against the Goto statement" [1].) I would go on a limb and say that CH-titles should be themselves considered harmful. [2] Personally, my main issue with them is that they invite (often unfavourable) comparisons with EJD's paper. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Considered_harmful https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Considered_harmful [2]: https://meyerweb.com/eric/comment/chech.html https://meyerweb.com/eric/comment/chech.html

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

rectang 6y ago

If you have enough karma, you can flag any article which uses "Considered Harmful" in the title. That won't get rid of clickbait in general, but maybe authors will choose a different variety of clickbait.

rejschaap 6y ago

It's great that people annotate biased articles with the words "Considered Harmful"

deepsun 6y ago

I've heard that arrogance is measured in nano-Dijkstras.

stephc_int13 6y ago

"Considered Harmful" has become a meme and a self-reference with several levels of recursion. I hated the obnoxious tone of the quote when I first heard it, nowadays it makes me smile with a grin.

phlakaton 6y ago

I never quite understood the objection to "considered harmful." To me the very wording of the phrase is a jest; it's said with tongue firmly planted in cheek, even if what follows is quite serious, and it fully and effectively declares its intention to go poke some sacred cow in the eye. I never read it as overbearing or judgmental. I love it!

sildur 6y ago
It feels pompous to me.