Monday, September 27, 2010

Unix

I miss Unix.  I suppose what I really miss are the computer systems from the 90s.  I understood them.  There were very few graphics.  It took methodical keystrokes to get where you needed to go.  Primitive e-mail systems, the first library online catalog, newsgroups, specialized computer systems back in the day.  They were all so spectacular in the way that I and few others can really appreciate.  Once I understood the keystrokes that got me to where I needed to go, I buzzed through screens like nobody's business.  It became my mission to understand how to drill down through the menus, back up, and tab to where I needed to go - all while making whoever was looking over my shoulder extremely dizzy. 

When you really understood Unix and all that specialized software (which really wasn't complicated since it used the same general premise as Unix), it put you at an advantage over the layperson.  I could get a computer to do things that most people couldn't get it do.  Not that I was very smart, but I just took time initially to really understand the system, which paid dividends as more things used the format as time went on.

Eventually the layperson got angry and wanted a greater level of usability (i.e., point and click, GUI, etc.).  And then Unix-based programs started dying off.  I lost my edge.

"I is flexible."  I came around.  Of course I love what HTML and GUIs have given us.  Made our lives easier in a lot of ways, increased complexity in others.  And my edge is now completely gone.

Boo. 

2 comments:

Jesse said...

Yep. It's possible to be extremely productive in Unix environments when you know what you're doing. There's also the nerdy sense of satisfaction you get from doing something that the average person wouldn't know how to do. With point-and-click, you gain user-friendliness but sacrifice productivity.

I also like the fact that Linux and Unix are free. I wish I could run a computer with no Microsoft products whatsoever, and I did this for several years. But it just wasn't worth the work involved, so now I run a Linux virtual machine on top of Windows 7; I do all of my work in the virtual machine, and I use Windows for "desktop" stuff like email, web, IM, and music.

B said...

Unix/Linux also seem to be more stable. I don't remember those systems crashing like Windows.

Two computers in one, very crafty.