Retrogrouch |
December 22nd, 2009 |
| tech |
I've been thinking about my approach to computing. It's a little
strange. I mostly interact with computers remotely over ssh. I use
emacs only in terminal mode. I don't use an IDE to program. I
prefer tiling to overlapping windows. I prefer mailing lists to
forums. I read mail in mutt. I like clicky keyboards. Talking
about this with someone a while ago, the best word I had at the
time was "luddite". That didn't really fit, though, as I like
technology, just not "improvements" that make things worse. (So I
like python, chrome's one-process-per-tab, lcd monitors,
browser-integrated spell checking, and led bike headlights because
these really do improve over the previous systems.) There is a word
from bicycling, though, "retrogrouch", that means about what I want.
(I'm also retrogrouch about non computing stuff. My bike has rod
brakes, a coaster brake, internal hub gearing, an enclosed chain
case, and is made of steel. I prefer to play acoustic instruments
and listen to live music. I don't like teflon in cookware. I don't
like cell phones. Learned music is better than read music.) The
goal is not to be misled by new technology as good because it's new.
Older technology has had a lot of thought put into it, and the
faster new technology comes out the less time it has had to mature.
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