Re: How to reconstitute Computist posts?

["Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com>]

The Wizard of Oz wrote:

<snip>

> 	OK. I guess they haven't implemented the compression in yEnc yet.

With any luck, they never will.  ;-)

There have always been two different ways of viewing utilities.

One camp wants a "push the button and get out of the way"-type
functionality, in which all possible functions are integrated
into a single tool and invoked automatically.  This orientation
appeals to the unsophisticated users, but can get them into real
trouble occasionally.

The other camp wants a set of single-function tools that can be
easily strung together to create particular instances of tools
that are well-suited for specific purposes.  Unix commands and
pipes were inspired by this orientation.  This approach requires
more sophistication on the part of the user, but can produce very
elegant results.

With the triumph of the un-(computer)-sophisticated user in the
marketplace, the first camp has practically obliterated all traces
of the second camp, which has shrunk to "programmers" for practical
purposes.

The ubiquity of the first approach, with its inherent tendency to
produce occasional bizarre results accounts for much of the popular
superstition surrounding the use of personal computers.

-michael

8-voice music synthesizer using NadaNet networking!
Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/