Russinovich Details MinWin, Once More
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Mon 14th Dec 2009 23:52 UTC
Windows Ah, MinWin. The elusive project in the Windows team that has been misunderstood more times than I can count. Once again, Mark Russinovich, more or less the Linus of the Windows world (I win stupidest comparison of the year award), has explained what MinWin is all about, while also touching upon a number of other changes to the core of Windows. Before we start: thanks to BetaNews for once again detailing these technical talks regarding the core of Windows so well.
E-mail Print r 5   · Read More · 72 Comment(s) http://osne.ws/hg4
Thread beginning with comment 399620
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
RE: Thank you for the perspective!
by HappyGod on Tue 15th Dec 2009 05:41 UTC in reply to "Thank you for the perspective!"
HappyGod
Member since:
2005-10-19

I think it's really easy to get a bit superior, especially those of us who daily work on a robust OS that doesn't fall prey very often to viruses and spyware. Thanks for injecting some much-needed perspective to remind us to be more humble -- after all, the 'guys in the trenches' are software engineers who love software engineering, just like those who work on OS X, BSD, Linux, etc, and it's a bit short-sighted to think that they intentionally write bad code.


I believe this is what is known as a back-handed compliment. This comment says or implies that:

1. OSX, BSD, Linux et al, are better than Windows.

2. Windows dev guys write bad code, but they love engineering, and they try hard.

3. Windows is more susceptible to viruses and spyware.

Hardly humble pie.

Reply Parent Score: 8

sorpigal Member since:
2005-11-02

What's wrong with a back handed compliment? It's pretty clear it was intended to be insulting, so what's the problem?

That said:

1. OSX, BSD, Linux et al are better than Windows in any number of measurable ways.

2. Windows developers are known to have released some poorly written software.

3. Windows is demonstrably more susceptible to viruses and spyware.

So what was your point?

Reply Parent Score: 2

HappyGod Member since:
2005-10-19

1. OSX, BSD, Linux et al are better than Windows in any number of measurable ways.


Measure them.


2. Windows developers are known to have released some poorly written software.


All developers are known to have released some poorly written software. Irrelevant.


3. Windows is demonstrably more susceptible to viruses and spyware.


Demonstrate it.

My point is: Prove yours.

Reply Parent Score: 2

skeezix Member since:
2006-02-06

Well, I understand what you're saying, and perhaps you're right, but I take issue with it being called a back-handed compliment. I really was being sincere: I do think the alternatives are marginally better -- or at least, I've found them to be so for my daily work. I left Windows because I was sick of it, and the alternatives just worked better. I was making a value judgment, but it was based on pragmatic considerations.

I regretted the 'intentionally write bad code' bit -- that's not what I meant to say. I think the Windows developers write a huge pile of good code, and their backwards-compatibility efforts are especially noble and sacrificial. But someone, somewhere, either was sloppy or was forced to write bad code (for whatever reason, bureaucratic, architecture, or otherwise). Otherwise, their engineers wouldn't be attempting to fix it.

We all write bad code -- I've written a pile of it. As developers, true honesty recognises that we're all in a state of learning, and we'll never reach some sort of absolute pinnacle. This is all I was saying -- that it's easy to think we're perfect and they just don't give a damn, and I found it refreshing to be reminded that this just isn't the case.

Reply Parent Score: 1