Re: [tlug] Fortran --> Python (was linux engineer)

[Edward Middleton <edward.middleton@example.com>]

On 06/08/2012 01:27 PM, Josh Glover wrote:
> 2012/6/8 Edward Middleton<edward.middleton@example.com>:
>
> > On 06/07/2012 06:48 PM, Josh Glover wrote:
> >
> > > I use the subway to get to work. Should I understand how electric
> > > trains work? Signalling? Tunnel construction?
> >
> > It will broaden your view of the world you live in.  The better question
> > is how much of your world is the subway trip each day.
>
> And your second sentence was more what I was getting at: there are
> roughly a bazillion things comprising my world, and I clearly cannot
> understand most of them beyond how to use them effectively.
>
> As for broadening my worldview, sure. I think that's why we're all
> here, right? Geeks want to know everything about everything. As a
> geek, I respect and admire that outlook. However, I think it is a bit
> much to judge people who either don't share that outlook or simply
> have other priorities.

I think the point Attila Kinali was making is that some people have lost 
an intellectual curiosity for the things around them and are willfully 
ignorant.  I think this is bad for peoples mental faculties and society.

> My dad is an accountant who doesn't understand the Windows system he
> uses beyond how to drive his accounting tools (back in the early days
> when he was running CP/M and DOS systems, that was different--he
> taught me the CLI). I don't think that makes him bad at his job or
> intellectually lazy. He has hobbies and grandchildren which are more
> important to him than understanding how Windows works--and be honest:
> is that even knowable? ;)

I don't know you father so cant really comment on him, but I guess for 
anyone using Windows in a business context you would hope[1] that they 
had some appreciation of the importance of backing things up, of using 
virus scanners of Internet security, of applying security patches, of 
encrypting sensitive data, of choosing sensible passwords and a large 
and increasing number of things that aren't directly their primary 
business pursuit.

Edward

1. most don't which is the point.