Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by ANTSANTS on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @07:49AM
(#8762084)
Technically, you're right. Today, any junior employee that made a joke like that would be crucified and practically blacklisted from the industry. What you should be thinking, however, is not "why does Linus get away with saying things like that?" but rather "why do I consider it normal for someone's livelihood to be permanently destroyed over a stupid joke?"
Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by serve_yay on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @12:04PM
(#8763040)
Gosh, no kidding.
Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by GFK_of_xmaspast on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @07:59AM
(#8762117)
What do you think an appropriate response is?
Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by kyberias on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @08:53AM
(#8762266)
The appropriate response is to immediately start thinking why you need to figure out a response to any low-quality joke people make. Maybe, just maybe, there is absolutely no need to make any response whatever. Think about it.
Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by ANTSANTS on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @08:16AM
(#8762161)
I think if people would stop pretending to be offended by ridiculous things, the problem would solve itself and we wouldn't need to have a "response" in the first place.
Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by Igglyboo on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @08:47AM
(#8762248)
Nothing because it's quite obviously a joke.
How about public shaming instead of the destruction of a career?
Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by CamperBob2 on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @04:32PM
(#8764492)
That's the idea. Any developer or researcher who uses obscure or meaningless names like "P" and "V" needs to be publicly shamed for it, no matter how well-respected they are. Clarity is vital in this business.
Or were you talking about Linus?
Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by ANTSANTS on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @09:58AM
(#8762440)
They're one and the same in this witch-hunt culture.
Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by ramblerman on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @07:17AM
(#8762009)
I'd argue 'false drama' is the real culprit. A bit like your comment is adding to this thread.
Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by andrewstuart2 on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @08:21AM
(#8762179)
Dijkstra was Dutch and lived in the Netherlands, where drug policies are either nonexistent or loosely enforced. So perhaps it's less offensive than it seems on the surface.
Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by AnimalMuppet on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @12:58PM
(#8763353)
And Linus, who grew up much closer to the Netherlands than many of us, was probably aware of that. (I had forgotten it until you pointed it out.)
Actually, Linus is from Helsinki that's not exactly close to The Netherlands.
There is no intrinsic connection between Finland and The Netherlands. Although the drug laws are still famous all over.
Re:Linus Torvalds on semaphores (1999)
by AnimalMuppet on Wednesday December 17, 2014 @03:15PM
(#8764068)
Much closer than the US is...
I personally have made remarks that were WAY more potentially offensive than that, verbally, with friends. But, accusing Dijkstra of being a drug user, on the Linux kernel mailing list, from a @transmeta address?
That's grounds for termination in many companies, even if you don't get lawyers involved. I think he's only able to get away with it because he's Linus.