Comments on: Stupid Torvalds http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds The Weblog of Erik J. Barzeski Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:25:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Aaron Swartz http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds#comment-305 Aaron Swartz Tue, 28 Jan 2003 18:16:22 +0000 http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds/#comment-305 Sorry Buzz, I meant that the kind of thing Torvalds criticized were that kind of junk, not that all shareware is that kind of junk. And while you may <em>like</em> the microkernel design philosophy better (it appeals to me more too), I think it's pretty clear empirically that monolithic kernels have won. (Just look at the benchmarks between Linux and Mach.) Sorry Buzz, I meant that the kind of thing Torvalds criticized were that kind of junk, not that all shareware is that kind of junk.

And while you may like the microkernel design philosophy better (it appeals to me more too), I think it's pretty clear empirically that monolithic kernels have won. (Just look at the benchmarks between Linux and Mach.)

]]> By: Buzz Andersen http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds#comment-304 Buzz Andersen Mon, 27 Jan 2003 20:18:40 +0000 http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds/#comment-304 Aaron: I must protest. I am the author of a shareware app (at least I've always *thought* of it as shareware) that incorporates a custom parser framework I developed to read and display a proprietary, completely undocumented binary format. The entire project took me approximately six months of reverse-engineering and laborious coding. I charge $6 for it. I do agree with your criticism in principle. I am just as annoyed as everyone else at people who charge for simple log readers and so forth, but I think to lump all of shareware in with those types of apps does a great disservice to shareware developers who have made huge contributions to the Mac community over the years. Oh--and BTW--many of us are familiar with the differences in design philosophy between, say, Mach (with its microkernel architecture) and Linux. And many of us like Mach better. Aaron: I must protest. I am the author of a shareware app (at least I've always *thought* of it as shareware) that incorporates a custom parser framework I developed to read and display a proprietary, completely undocumented binary format. The entire project took me approximately six months of reverse-engineering and laborious coding. I charge $6 for it.

I do agree with your criticism in principle. I am just as annoyed as everyone else at people who charge for simple log readers and so forth, but I think to lump all of shareware in with those types of apps does a great disservice to shareware developers who have made huge contributions to the Mac community over the years.

Oh--and BTW--many of us are familiar with the differences in design philosophy between, say, Mach (with its microkernel architecture) and Linux. And many of us like Mach better.

]]> By: Erik J. Barzeski http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds#comment-303 Erik J. Barzeski Mon, 27 Jan 2003 20:04:14 +0000 http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds/#comment-303 I was exaggerating, Aaron. Being facetious. Y'know, sarcasm. Lighten up! :-) All kindred spirit, they are. And Lauri, I'm not saying anything. I said "in the minds of many." I personally consider the three apps I listed as commercial apps. Others might consider them shareware. If Linus considers them commercial software too, well his statement makes more sense… if he wants to rule out all the "upper end" shareware. I was exaggerating, Aaron. Being facetious. Y'know, sarcasm. Lighten up! :-) All kindred spirit, they are.

And Lauri, I'm not saying anything. I said "in the minds of many." I personally consider the three apps I listed as commercial apps. Others might consider them shareware. If Linus considers them commercial software too, well his statement makes more sense… if he wants to rule out all the "upper end" shareware.

]]> By: Aaron Swartz http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds#comment-302 Aaron Swartz Mon, 27 Jan 2003 19:57:49 +0000 http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds/#comment-302 Oh, and if you think Linux is a steaming pile of poo, then what is Mach? (Reflecting, you've probably confused Linux with <a href="http://www.fsf.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html">GNU/Linux</a>.) Oh, and if you think Linux is a steaming pile of poo, then what is Mach?

(Reflecting, you've probably confused Linux with GNU/Linux.)

]]> By: Aaron Swartz http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds#comment-301 Aaron Swartz Mon, 27 Jan 2003 19:56:29 +0000 http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds/#comment-301 Shareware is when you <a href="http://nslog.com/archives/2003/01/22/30_wasted.php">charge $30 for a GUI to a command line program or function call</a>. Shareware is when you charge $30 for a GUI to a command line program or function call.

]]> By: Lauri K http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds#comment-300 Lauri K Mon, 27 Jan 2003 19:41:58 +0000 http://nslog.com/2003/01/27/stupid_torvalds/#comment-300 So what you're saying with your downloadable demo argument is that if a commercial product is shareware in Joe Public's mind, it magically becomes shareware and stops being a commercial product? So what you're saying with your downloadable demo argument is that if a commercial product is shareware in Joe Public's mind, it magically becomes shareware and stops being a commercial product?

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