Explaining FreeBSD features

[Andrew L. Gould]

On Wednesday 22 June 2005 10:35 pm, Erich Dollansky wrote:
> Hi,
/--big snip--/
>
> Let me put it this way. A long time ago, we call it now stone age,
> the people started to realise that a group of people shows better
> results if they specialise. The people better in hunting went
> hunting, the people better in 'farming'. Despite one group did not
> know how the other group got their kind of food, they shared it.
>
> Erich

That's a great analogy; but I disagree with the way you've applied it.

Yes, the hunters and farmers shared the food.  That's not to say that 
the farmers wanted to use the bows and arrows, or that the hunters 
wanted to use a harvesting tool.  If a farmer chose to use a bow and 
arrow, he/she would be irresponsible not to take a safety lesson 
(RTFM).

Users taste the fruit of FreeBSD whenever they use a service hosted on a 
FreeBSD server.  Most Windows users don't care how they got the fruit.  
That's okay.  FreeBSD users are currently "specialized" in their 
interest in computer technology when compared to the average Windows 
user.  That's okay too.   Specialized tools serve are used by 
specialized individuals; although all may benefit indirectly.

I support better documentation.  I don't think there's any argument 
there.  The idea that FreeBSD should be usable for all levels of 
computer users, however, is like putting training wheels on a racing 
bicycle.  Any time you modify a professional tool to make it accessible 
to all, the tool loses some level of efficiency or power.  In the case 
of FreeBSD, it would also absorb valuable development resources.

All of this reminds me of a book I saw at Barnes & Noble last year:  
"Bioinfomatics for Dummies".  Think about it:  does anyone on this list 
want a dummy messing with genetics?

Andrew Gould