Standards!!

by Peter Smart, 26 February, 2002

Peter and his quirky (eccentric, ala geek) logic, do deathmatch with standards fanatics.

Standards. Standards are great. They allow people to do stuff all the same.

Boo-hoo

I've heard a lot of talk (I read one article but hey!), about the lack of standards throughout Linux. "This daemon won't work with this software, but if I turn it off, that thing with the bits won't work." Well boo-hoo! Standards are great, and they have a place, but we seem to forget that it's thanks to people breaking these standards, that we can use Linux in the first place! It's irritating, frustrating... and just gets on yer tits, but that's the way it is. We can't force Open Source developers to do everything the same, where's the fun in that?

It's great that developers of different projects join their efforts to create a single, more effective / efficient / kicks-more-ass, tool or piece of software, and it should be encouraged. But we can't go criticising people who try to be different. Linux thrives on people being different. Its entire user base, consists of people, trying to break the mould. And before the smart ass in the back, pines on about the Quake install that wasn't, all due to a conflicting whatever, well tough! You want it that badly, you'll just have to put some effort into it.

The lazy user

Whilst I'm on the subject, since when did Linux users become quite this lazy. Ok, so the average Linux user is pretty lazy anyway. It's a genetic trait of being a geek. We want everything on a plate. All packaged up nicely, with no thought going into anything. Hell, let's just shrink-wrap the damn thing and be done with it.

I am by no means a long time Linux user. Yet even I remember struggling along to get "Helloo, this is Linus Torvalds, and I pronounce Linux, as Leenux", blasting out of my speakers at three in the morning (scared the shit out of me). And I felt proud of my accomplishment. Sound, from my sound card! No other OS would fill you with such glee, and happiness, and wanting to dance neked in the garden. I'm not saying I still expect that struggle. But that's only because things have moved on, in the four short years of my using Linux. What pleasantly infuriated me then, I now expect out of the box.

Summary

So to summarise. Standards: good. Enforcing them: bad. Innovation: good.

Let standards make themselves up. Before long, what infuriates you now, will be standard in a few releases time. And if you don't like it, jump aboard onto somebody else's innovation. But for god sake, don't go whinging if you have to put in a little effort. That's where the fun lies.

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