anth

I alternate between Plan 9 and Plan 9 from User Space. There's no getting around the browser issue, so when I'm on the go it's all the User Space version, sadly. When at my desk, it's easier to have a side-by-side setup, or VNC or whatever.

It is unreasonable to think that a system that is not well-suited to desktop use is therefore "going to waste". The features that make something good for supercomputers, appliances, network infrastructure, embedded devices, and so on, are all fairly distinct from what makes a system good on a desktop.

A system could, in theory, be both (although you end up with a least-common-denominator situation), but they are separate.

Also: HURD? You're funny.

That's quite a load of legacy baggage. If your first reaction to a new system is "how do I get my old environment?", you may be missing the point. You need two shells, two editors, and a specific (gigantic!) compiler?

There's a vi for Plan 9 (even skipping the old joke about the MIPS interpreter...). I think it's vim, but I haven't paid much attention. David Hogan did a gcc port, and mostly nobody cared so it languished.

Not at all. I find syntax highlighting awful for actual programming (it's sort of useful for the first few days of learning a new language). It makes code less readable, and encourages some of the worst practices of programming. People have written tons about this. At its best, it's a crutch.

I think code completion is more of a mixed bag. It's useful when you're stuck in ugly environments with FrameworksAndLibraries[withFunctionsLikeThese], but I just avoid those environments.

Also, people have built external commands that do code completion. They're not as nicely integrated, but could be improved enough to be quite comfortable, if that's what you're after. (syntax highlighting couldn't ever really work in acme or sam)

// Complete utter bunk.

I disagree. Personal experience suggest you're missing something.

I don't know much about learning instruments generally, but his Uke song at the end was pretty decent. Having futzed around with a few I can certainly believe that some are harder than others, but he sure makes it look plausible. I'd listen to that voluntarily, although I'd pass on a concert of it.

I've taught several people to drive, some from having never been behind the wheel before. 20 hours is a lot. In many US states, Drivers Ed requires 6. The biggest issue with driving is people who don't realize that there's actually a skill that they're practicing and don't pay proper attention; get past that, and I'm confident that 20 hours is plenty for any neurologically-normal young adult.

I'm not sure "programming" is a fair comparison. It's a bit like saying "playing musical instruments". Having run several rounds of hiring for a few different organizations, it's absolutely true that I'd hire a programmer for a project who's never written in the language in question before. These were senior-level positions, too. 20 hours from first introduction to programming? Hrm. It'd be a fun experiment.

I suspect this doesn't really cover things driven by creativity. That is: 20 hours might be plenty for playing Ukelele, but not for composing on it. I think your literature example falls in there.

yes, people are. i use it daily (on top of p9p and 9vx). there are people building commercial products, using plan9 both for development and in the product itself. there are many research projects using it, including running it on some of the largest computers on the planet.

it'd be hard (but not impossible) to use it to the exclusion of other things as a desktop today, because you can't get a very good native browser (there are workarounds, but they're all tough in different ways). there's lots of other environments where it makes great sense, though.

they are irritating, but there are extensions to most browsers to get rid of them. this page got me to add esources.infolinks.com to my JavaScript Blacklist set.

it would, of course, be better if people stopped doing the stupid thing in the first place...