Daniel Gibson wrote:
Am 20.05.2011 22:41, schrieb Nick Sabalausky:
"Andrei Alexandrescu" <seewebsiteforem...@erdani.org> wrote in message
news:ir67mk$2jfi$1...@digitalmars.com...
On 5/20/11 2:33 AM, Don wrote:
You've really got to be a fanboy to claim that git is supported on
Windows. Sure, it "works" -- in the same way that hammering a nail with
a rock "works".
Fanboyism for Windows or git? :o)
I'm not surprised in the least. I was just remarking to Walter the other
day that Unix has become the path of least resistance for doing
programming-at-large and in particular OSS kind of work, just the same as
Windows is for office computing and OSX and portable derivatives for
computer-based entertainment.
The confusing part is that roughly all OSs offer (at least nominally)
means for achieving most any given typical task, so comparing in terms of
"has/doesn't have" is not relevant. It's the many little differences and
nuances that add up to a long tail. So it's not surprising that
git/Windows has many issues, just the same it's not surprising that people
are having trouble playing media or using OpenOffice on Unixen.
I realize you're not actually accusing him of Windows fanboyism, but that
trouble with media, etc on Unix brings up an interesting issue: Unix users
have a real, legitimate complaint regarding those problems. And when they
voice those complaints nobody would ever even consider dismissing that as
Unix fanboyism. And when those Unix users accuse various companies of
playing Windows favoritism: Well, they're absolutely right. It *is*
inexcusable Windows favoritism.
But OTOH, when a Unix program has a shoddy "port" to Windows, and Windows
users complain, all of a sudden there are people (not necessarily you) that
push back with what basically amounts to "What the hell are you whining
about? Either shut up and use it or switch to Linux."
It's the same when it's the other way round. "You can't properly view
that docx file? Just use Windows and MS Office like everybody else"
"Stop complaining that there are no games for Linux, just boot Windows
and be thankful that there's a PC port at all (and not just
xbox360/PS3)" "If you want to use Photoshop just get a Mac or Windows" etc
It really reminds me of the old crusades: The Linux side feels it has the
moral high ground (and frankly, I can't totally disagree), but then ends up
using that to excuse going around employing whatever normally-questionable
tactics they damn well feel like using.
The difference is: The Unix/Linux programs are mostly open source, so
anybody can create a Windows port or improve an existing port.
Windows only programs (that are missed on Linux) tend to be closed
source so you'd have to completely reimplement them for Linux support
(and even then you'd probably have troubles with proprietary file
formats and network protocols).
So if there are really big problems with git on Windows anybody can (try
to) fix them or even reimplement git for Windows (or platform
independent with a higher focus on Windows) - the source is available
(and with it documentation for file formats and network protocols).
I do of course understand that you (or Don) personally don't have time
for that and would prefer if it'd just work.
For me, the issue is not that it doesn't work. I actually don't mind
that. It's only when there are claims that it does work. Denying that
there is a problem is a great way to ensure it never gets fixed.
Same thing with D, actually -- it's important for us to be honest about
what maturity level the language is really at.
