4 ms·

As a developer I can sort of see the appeal. I often have tasks where I can compose programs. But as a user I just want the software that solves my problem fro

As a developer I can sort of see the appeal. I often have tasks where I can compose programs. But as a user I just want the software that solves my problem from start to finish even if it does a worse job and costs more. Even if there are N pieces of software that solves my problem in N steps, that composition isn’t something I generally can or want to do. I just want someone to make a big ball of mud app that does exactly what I need. It’ll try to do whatever everyone else needs too, which is why it is a buggy ball of mud. But it’s still a lot more attractive than having N separate steps and doing any sort of composition myself. Because that invariably requires knowing about files, data formats compatibility between components . The Unix principle works well in Unix because the people using it are computer people, perhaps even software developers. In the age of everyone using computers (so 1990 and onwards) this breaks down horribly. The big ball of buggy mud do-it-all Software wins hands down every time.

oneshtein 3y ago
> I just want someone to make a big ball of mud app Just hire someone to make a big ball of mud app. > it does a worse job and costs more Yep. Just pay for it.
Kamq 3y ago
> But as a user I just want the software that solves my problem from start to finish even if it does a worse job and costs more. Well, if you're willing to pay, there's a lot more options. You correctly identify the unix principal only working because the people doing it are computer people. It's designed for a situation where you are the one that has to solve the problem, not one where you can just pay your way out of it. And while that might break down post 1990 once you start getting non-computer people using computers, I think your analogy breaks down post 2009 or so in the age of ads and everyone expecting everything to be free.
- ngcc_hk 3y ago
  May be that is the key to the problem. We should have a programmer os vs a user os, sort of like macOS vs the underlying command interface. Not like dos to windows. The unix or linux is designed by programmers for programmers. User should pay their way out by paying the programmer. Obviously there is some in-between cases… occasional use is ok.
  - Kamq 3y ago
    I think that's just called android at this point.

oneshtein 3y ago

> I just want someone to make a big ball of mud app Just hire someone to make a big ball of mud app. > it does a worse job and costs more Yep. Just pay for it.

Kamq 3y ago

> But as a user I just want the software that solves my problem from start to finish even if it does a worse job and costs more. Well, if you're willing to pay, there's a lot more options. You correctly identify the unix principal only working because the people doing it are computer people. It's designed for a situation where you are the one that has to solve the problem, not one where you can just pay your way out of it. And while that might break down post 1990 once you start getting non-computer people using computers, I think your analogy breaks down post 2009 or so in the age of ads and everyone expecting everything to be free.

ngcc_hk 3y ago
May be that is the key to the problem. We should have a programmer os vs a user os, sort of like macOS vs the underlying command interface. Not like dos to windows. The unix or linux is designed by programmers for programmers. User should pay their way out by paying the programmer. Obviously there is some in-between cases… occasional use is ok.
- Kamq 3y ago
  I think that's just called android at this point.