We Could Fix Everything, We Just Don't • Hacker News Board

Re: We Could Fix Everything, We Just Don't

#61

Post by bawolff » Tue, Jan 02, 2024, 5:53 AM UTC

mikewarot wrote: post #36

I'd like to point out that computer security was solved in the 1970s after lessons were learned by the Military during the Viet Nam conflict. We've blamed everything except our operating systems, which are fundamentally flawed because they don't incorporate Capability Based Security[1]. Things that are not capability based security , but people seem to think they are, include: App Permission flags on your smartphone…

Capabilities aren't magic, and i don't really think they make sense during the low level boot process.

Re: We Could Fix Everything, We Just Don't

#62

Post by rileymat2 » Tue, Jan 02, 2024, 5:53 AM UTC

I have some problems with the way modern software is changing, but I don’t think it is QA related, more a race to the bottom with perpetual beginner focused UX.

But as far as the author is referencing QA is there a good measure of quality over time?

My recollection of consumer software started 30 years ago, and it was incredibly unstable. BSOD frequently, my uptime is far far better now. Save frequently, because you will probably lose your document at any moment; I still reflectively ctrl-s even though I can’t remember my last document crash.

It references the image exploit in the article, that’s bad, but I got MS Blaster simply connecting to the network.

No punting people with ping of death anymore.

Re: We Could Fix Everything, We Just Don't

#63

Post by eru » Tue, Jan 02, 2024, 5:53 AM UTC

seventytwo wrote: post #8

transfire wrote: post #3

I have a saying, “Capitalism is the means by which we screw each other over.” But it’s better than the alternative “Communism, the lack of means by which we screw each other over.” I don’t think Socialism is the answer, which is simple Capitalism with bits of Communism sprinkled in to soothe over the more egregious failures (or to pretend to do, which is even worse). We need something truly new.

I’m fond of the idea that capitalism is like fire. You can use it as a tool and for cooking and warmth, but it must be regulated lest it get out of control and consume everything it touches.

It's more like the state that's this creature that engulfs everything.

Nation states have been extremely successful. Nearly every square metre of landmass on earth is claimed by one nation state or another.

Capitalism stays out of stuff just fine. Few people organise their family or friendships or their bowling club along capitalist lines.

Even companies themselves are usually structured as quasi-socialist command economies, and the market mostly only is for interaction between companies.

Re: We Could Fix Everything, We Just Don't

#64

Post by WalterBright » Tue, Jan 02, 2024, 5:53 AM UTC

EMIRELADERO wrote: post #22

tonymet wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

how did hackernews brew so many well compensated communists.

Because, unlike what classical-liberal economic theory stipulates, human beings aren't inherently selfish. People can succeed under a system and still acknowledge it is a bad one for a big part of the population.

> human beings aren't inherently selfish

Of course they are. I am, you are, everybody is.

Re: We Could Fix Everything, We Just Don't

#65

Post by prometheus76 » Tue, Jan 02, 2024, 5:54 AM UTC

xboxnolifes wrote: post #39

croes wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>COVID was a great example of this. Was it? How many fought against social distancing, masks and vaccines? Same with climate change, how many fight against necessary measures.

A lot of the people fighting against these things are not feeling the pain. Many people in my family are some degree of anti-vaccine / masking mandates. I can guarantee you that if a single close family member ended up hospitalized due to covid, their tune would do a fast 180. All of their beliefs are based on whether someone they care about had something happen to them.

Some people aren't afraid of dying even after they lose loved ones. Not everyone lives in fear.

Re: We Could Fix Everything, We Just Don't

#66

Post by thelastgallon » Tue, Jan 02, 2024, 5:54 AM UTC

oatmeal1 wrote: post #4

It's ironic for him to suggest government-run healthcare when it doesn't benefit from the #1 best coordinator of resources on the planet - price. He accidentally highlights the reason we have so many coordination failures - smart people with little wisdom think they can solve every problem, using other people's money, with no consequences for their failure. Not everyone should get free college, and not every house sh…

Can we do this with defense budget instead of healthcare? I don’t mind paying taxes for universal healthcare.

Re: We Could Fix Everything, We Just Don't

#67

Post by jnsaff2 » Tue, Jan 02, 2024, 5:55 AM UTC

avalys wrote: post #17

No, we can’t “fix everything” because not everyone agrees that these are problems which need solving, or that your proposed solutions are actually an improvement. I feel like most people go through this thought process around junior year in college. “If only they would put me in charge, I could fix everything.” Yes, the world is not that simple, what a surprise…

But that’s what the post was kinda trying to argue, no?

Re: We Could Fix Everything, We Just Don't

#68

Post by someguy5281 » Tue, Jan 02, 2024, 5:55 AM UTC

solatic wrote: post #42

Who is "we"? When engineers are not subject to licensure, don't be surprised when management, pushed by bean counters, let the bean counters make the decisions. Subject engineers to licensure, including ethics clauses, including clauses for building for repairability and minimum expected product lifetimes. Legally protect engineers from dismissal or retribution for invoking these clauses. Then see how much crap we co…

> Subject engineers to licensure

That'd be great. It can also finally define a standard for things like clean code, development cycles and and design patterns. Companies keep claiming to promote these things but it seems to be just a lot of equivocations.

Re: We Could Fix Everything, We Just Don't

#69

Post by quickthrower2 » Tue, Jan 02, 2024, 5:55 AM UTC

avalys wrote: post #17

No, we can’t “fix everything” because not everyone agrees that these are problems which need solving, or that your proposed solutions are actually an improvement. I feel like most people go through this thought process around junior year in college. “If only they would put me in charge, I could fix everything.” Yes, the world is not that simple, what a surprise…

You can’t even elect people who fix everything. There are industries relying on things not getting fixed, who can lobby.

Re: We Could Fix Everything, We Just Don't

#70

Post by bawolff » Tue, Jan 02, 2024, 5:57 AM UTC

tonymet wrote: post #13

transfire wrote: post #3

I have a saying, “Capitalism is the means by which we screw each other over.” But it’s better than the alternative “Communism, the lack of means by which we screw each other over.” I don’t think Socialism is the answer, which is simple Capitalism with bits of Communism sprinkled in to soothe over the more egregious failures (or to pretend to do, which is even worse). We need something truly new.

how did hackernews brew so many well compensated communists.

I mean a lot of us work on open source software in one form or another. I don't think FOSS is communism by any means, but it does seem somewhat adjacent in terms of values.