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John Carmack is reading and contributing to OpenBSD source code

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Re: John Carmack is reading and contributing to OpenBSD source code

#91

Post by lilSebastian »

mcepl wrote: post #66
mikorym wrote: post #23

Is there any more context to OP's post? I guess someone just noticed in the mailing list, but it's not clear whether maybe John Carmark does this with all code everywhere in the universe. And then probably still has some interesting coffee break conversations... On a different note. I am something of a Ubuntu fan and try to be more involved there. But then again the xBSDs where x = {Free, Open, Net, ...} are one of t…

For me *BSD is like Plan9 or ZX Spectrum emulator … guilty pleasure with absolutely no practical use whatsoever.

> guilty pleasure with absolutely no practical use whatsoever.

Are you sure you are talking about the right thing here?

Re: John Carmack is reading and contributing to OpenBSD source code

#92

Post by criddell »

ksec wrote: post #24

As someone who is not following closely, did he ever mention why he is looking into alternative OS? And why OpenBSD instead of say NetBSD or FreeBSD? I assume he has many experience with linux already.

Is OpenBSD considered to be an alternative OS?

Re: John Carmack is reading and contributing to OpenBSD source code

#93

Post by markus_zhang »

wmichelin wrote: post #20

Here is your daily reminder to read "Masters of Doom", a book about the early days at ID Software. It's an amazing look into a really cool time in gaming and software as a whole. It's a great book, mostly about John Carmack and the guys at ID! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_Doom

I really enjoyed the book, especially the part between Softdisk and Quake when the two Johns combined to form a great team and productivity was super high.

Re: John Carmack is reading and contributing to OpenBSD source code

#94

Post by headcanon »

Trasmatta wrote: post #47
AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This thread reminded me that Carmack has been a free software advocate in the past, and my citation is, quite amusingly, that book: > It was February 8, 1998, and Carmack was about to put his brain to the test: counting cards in blackjack. This had become something of a new fascination of his. “Having a reasonable grounding in statistics and probability and no belief in luck, fate, karma, or god(s), the only casino g…

Didn't he also end up getting banned for life from that casino for counting cards?

Wouldn't surprise me - I've read some stuff on card counters and seen a few videos, seems like there's a whole other side of successful card counting beyond the technical skill where you have to read out the social situation, since any pit boss worth their salt will be able to spot a card counter a mile away. Which I'm guessing Carmack didn't really care to do since he was just on an intellectual kick.

Re: John Carmack is reading and contributing to OpenBSD source code

#95

Post by corporateslave5 »

cameronfraser wrote: post #21
toisanji wrote: post #3

I thought he was working on AGI? Gave up already?

Most people who actually work in AI know that AGI being possible is still an IF and IF it is possible, it is centuries or even further away (basically some indeterminate time frame because we don't even know if we're on the right path). The techniques we're using today are likely not going to be applicable to AGI. John Carmack is very smart, but I wouldn't place him on the same pedestal as any of our great historical…

There’s no reason AI can’t happen from a single jump in innovation

Re: John Carmack is reading and contributing to OpenBSD source code

#96

Post by criddell »

echelon wrote: post #73
toisanji wrote: post #3

I thought he was working on AGI? Gave up already?

My dream is to do what Palmer Luckey did - build a successful computer graphics-based startup and then lure John Carmack to be CTO. I've got a snowball's chance in hell of being that successful, but I do envy the fact Palmer was able to hire him. What an incredible hire. Then again, he did have Facebook money. It's cool that he's got the autonomy to pursue AGI after guiding Oculus into a good position.

At this point in Carmack's career, I doubt money is a top three reason for why he takes on a project.

Re: John Carmack is reading and contributing to OpenBSD source code

#97

Post by teknopurge »

cbsks wrote: post #10

If OpenBSD knows what's good for them they will encourage him to read and contribute as much as possible! What I'd give for John Carmack to clean up my code...

OpenBSD doesn't need their code cleaned-up. Theo is the Liam Gallagher of development mangers.

Re: John Carmack is reading and contributing to OpenBSD source code

#98

Post by dijit »

type0 wrote: post #76
mikorym wrote: post #23

Is there any more context to OP's post? I guess someone just noticed in the mailing list, but it's not clear whether maybe John Carmark does this with all code everywhere in the universe. And then probably still has some interesting coffee break conversations... On a different note. I am something of a Ubuntu fan and try to be more involved there. But then again the xBSDs where x = {Free, Open, Net, ...} are one of t…

BSDs are mundane and also stable, not like some rolling linux distros

The bsds are actually less stable than Linux.

Stable meaning changes, in this context, right? freeBSD changes ABI compatibility with every version.

If you mean that they have old software (and old==stable if you think Debian) then that’s because of BSD licensing vs GPL. GPL can take from BSD but the other way around is not possible.

Stability of uptime? Yeah, they’re rock solid.

Re: John Carmack is reading and contributing to OpenBSD source code

#99

Post by gowld »

headcanon wrote: post #94
Trasmatta wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Didn't he also end up getting banned for life from that casino for counting cards?

Wouldn't surprise me - I've read some stuff on card counters and seen a few videos, seems like there's a whole other side of successful card counting beyond the technical skill where you have to read out the social situation, since any pit boss worth their salt will be able to spot a card counter a mile away. Which I'm guessing Carmack didn't really care to do since he was just on an intellectual kick.

What social situation?

Re: John Carmack is reading and contributing to OpenBSD source code

#100

Post by mrspeaker »

wmichelin wrote: post #20

Here is your daily reminder to read "Masters of Doom", a book about the early days at ID Software. It's an amazing look into a really cool time in gaming and software as a whole. It's a great book, mostly about John Carmack and the guys at ID! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_Doom

Counterpoint (just to manage expectations - you should read it for sure!): I was hyped to read the book, but ended up finding it a bit tedious. The technical parts were not technical enough (sometimes flat-out wrong, or maybe, naive sounding?) and the rock star parts got repetitive (even a lot of the same phrases used over and over). Still great fun, but not as good as I'd hoped.

I'd recommend Fabien Sanglards's Wolfenstein and Doom books (https://fabiensanglard.net/gebbwolf3d/). These go into WAY TOO MUCH technical info (in a great way!), but don't cover any of the hilarious rock-star antics.

My secret wish is someone would re-write Masters Of Doom to be 25% more Game Engine Black Book, and fix up some of the prose!

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