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As a professional programmer, I think that prof offers excellent advice. There's a difference between programming-in-the-abstract, and the mis-evolved "ls -l ls
by calibraxis 12y ago
As a professional programmer, I think that prof offers excellent advice. There's a difference between programming-in-the-abstract, and the mis-evolved "ls -l ls tar -zxvf rm rm rm ssh mv". Written by people in real-world dysfunctional settings.
There's alternatives to bash commandlines, to interactively explore/navigate running systems. Take REPLs, SQL prompts, etc.
Profs don't do their students any favors if they let poor design pass without comment. Unix has a history, which you can get if you read early papers from those involved, and users can critique it like they critique whatever website they use nowadays.
- pyre 12y ago> Take REPLs, SQL prompts, etc. That's still "command-line bullshitery" according to him though. Because it's an 'arcane interface' that "hasn't changed since the 60's". When his student wonders why he is using a text-based interface, he doesn't have an answer. Since he doesn't know, then obviously there is no good reason, so It's All Bullshit(tm) is the answer.
- mcguire 12y agoThere is indeed a difference between programming-in-the-abstract and Guo's "bullshit"; it is exactly the difference between whiteboard doodles and running code: programming.