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Occurences of swearing in the Linux kernel source code over time

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Re: Occurences of swearing in the Linux kernel source code over time

#91

Post by koverstreet »

Arainach wrote: post #40
holowoodman wrote: post #2

Theory: the shift towards lesser swearwords is a sign of corporatization, making the linux source a soulless bland hellscape of confirmity.

Hopefully in a few decades the last of the people who think that using respectful discourse means no fun can be had will be gone and we can stop rehashing these threads. You're contributing to something that runs on billions of devices across the world and is maintained by people around the world of all types. If you can't describe your code, your reasons, and your notes politely, do better.

Personally, I think the nicest thing I can do, for my users, and for the engineers who come after me, is to write code that works, and write it in such a way that other people can figure out what it does without wanting to gouge their own eyes out.

Clearly, we do not have the same goals.

Re: Occurences of swearing in the Linux kernel source code over time

#92

Post by Nicook »

nilamo wrote: post #81
Arainach wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cursing adds nothing to the code. "// Stupid fucking hack" is worse than "stupid hack" (more characters while conveying no extra information) and much worse than "work around Lotus 123 leap year calculation bug"

Similarly, "stupid hack" adds nothing that just "hack" doesn't say. And in that case, why have a comment at all? The code is likely obviously hacky. At least I can have a laugh while looking at the hack someone came up with...

I contend there is a significant difference between a stupid hack, and a better one. The negative adjective is meaningful in the comment.

Re: Occurences of swearing in the Linux kernel source code over time

#93

Post by thewisenerd »

holowoodman wrote: post #2

Theory: the shift towards lesser swearwords is a sign of corporatization, making the linux source a soulless bland hellscape of confirmity.

theory: the amount of crap is increasing. the number of fucks given are decreasing.

Re: Occurences of swearing in the Linux kernel source code over time

#94

Post by koverstreet »

Arainach wrote: post #74
rfrey wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I contend that you are slipping in the words "respectful" and "professional" and assuming the benefit of their positive connotations without an argument that simply omitting the occasional well-placed curse is indeed "professional". I think so-called "professional" speech - which I'd call bland and often ineffective speech - is professional in the same way that a suit and tie is professional. It's a uniform to ensure…

Cursing adds nothing to the code. "// Stupid fucking hack" is worse than "stupid hack" (more characters while conveying no extra information) and much worse than "work around Lotus 123 leap year calculation bug"

There's degrees of hackyness. Tone and emphasis are important parst of clear and effective communication.

Something that's a mere "hack" might be something I don't mind, but worth being aware of and revisiting if and when the code becomes more complicated and has to do more things.

A "stupid fucking hack" indicates something that could have only come about by a whole chain of stupidity and mistakes, inflicting brain damage that we're now stuck with, to great anguish and misery.

Those things are important to highlight, if only as lessons in what not to do.

Re: Occurences of swearing in the Linux kernel source code over time

#95

Post by vlovich123 »

perching_aix wrote: post #82
thrwwy451 wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It happens to run on billions of devices, after corporations realized they can profit from "a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu)". > and is maintained by people around the world of all types. You seem to think that the whole world shares your definition of "polite". After living in a few quite different countries, I have to disagree. The diversity out there is huge. There's…

> It happens to run on billions of devices, after corporations realized they can profit from "a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu)" While hordes of people peddle that everyone should be using it like gospel. > After living in a few quite different countries, I have to disagree. Yeah dude, tell us about all the countries where cursing isn't impolite and unprofessional.

While in formal professional settings it is rarer (and swearing at each other vs about a thing is generally always impolite) Russia, Australia, Iceland, Scandinavian countries generally have fewer issues inherently treating swearing as impolite vs a strong expression of emotion.

There’s even a comic about how common swearing is in a professional coding environment: https://www.osnews.com/story/19266/wtfsm/

Re: Occurences of swearing in the Linux kernel source code over time

#96

Post by koverstreet »

perching_aix wrote: post #82
thrwwy451 wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It happens to run on billions of devices, after corporations realized they can profit from "a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu)". > and is maintained by people around the world of all types. You seem to think that the whole world shares your definition of "polite". After living in a few quite different countries, I have to disagree. The diversity out there is huge. There's…

> It happens to run on billions of devices, after corporations realized they can profit from "a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu)" While hordes of people peddle that everyone should be using it like gospel. > After living in a few quite different countries, I have to disagree. Yeah dude, tell us about all the countries where cursing isn't impolite and unprofessional.

> While hordes of people peddle that everyone should be using it like gospel.

You don't get that kind of widespread usage by mere faddism and preaching. A lot of people had to find it to be genuinely better than the alternatives.

Maybe the unprofessional hackers knew what they were doing after all.

Re: Occurences of swearing in the Linux kernel source code over time

#98

Post by perching_aix »

rfrey wrote: post #62
Arainach wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hopefully in a few decades the last of the people who think that using respectful discourse means no fun can be had will be gone and we can stop rehashing these threads. You're contributing to something that runs on billions of devices across the world and is maintained by people around the world of all types. If you can't describe your code, your reasons, and your notes politely, do better.

I contend that you are slipping in the words "respectful" and "professional" and assuming the benefit of their positive connotations without an argument that simply omitting the occasional well-placed curse is indeed "professional". I think so-called "professional" speech - which I'd call bland and often ineffective speech - is professional in the same way that a suit and tie is professional. It's a uniform to ensure…

> is professional in the same way that a suit and tie is professional. It's a uniform to ensure nobody stands out, and the corporation can absorb everybody's personality, like flour incorporated into bread dough. White bread, no seeds.

I take you also strongly believe then that when I waltz up to work in some random hoodie, sweatpants and running shoes, that's actually some bespoke eloquent expression of self, full of meaning?

Reminds me to all those "he/she is wearing this/that kind of glasses/shoes, that means " scenes from older movies and shows. Holy hyperbole.

Re: Occurences of swearing in the Linux kernel source code over time

#100

Post by SapporoChris »

rfrey wrote: post #62
Arainach wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hopefully in a few decades the last of the people who think that using respectful discourse means no fun can be had will be gone and we can stop rehashing these threads. You're contributing to something that runs on billions of devices across the world and is maintained by people around the world of all types. If you can't describe your code, your reasons, and your notes politely, do better.

I contend that you are slipping in the words "respectful" and "professional" and assuming the benefit of their positive connotations without an argument that simply omitting the occasional well-placed curse is indeed "professional". I think so-called "professional" speech - which I'd call bland and often ineffective speech - is professional in the same way that a suit and tie is professional. It's a uniform to ensure…

Vulgarity is a crutch used by those without the ability to communicate effectively.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-swearing-a-sig...

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