NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #1/NN_1993_1.iso/spool/comp/org/eff/talk/8481

Text File | 1993-01-08 | 3.0 KB | 59 lines

Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
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From: [e-mail] (Bronis Vidugiris)
Subject: Re: Programmers and Libertarians (was: Re: [misc.activism.progressive] Clinton Office Requests Comments)
Organization: Motorola, CCR&D, CORP, Schaumburg, IL
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 15:02:27 GMT
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In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Hans Lachman) writes:
)In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bronis Vidugiris) writes:
)>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Patrick Nielsen-Hayden) writes:
)>)[e-mail] (Hans Lachman) writes:
)>)
)>)>My guess is that the correlation between programmers and
)>)>Libertarians is due to the fact that programmers (the smart
)>)>ones at least) keenly understand the KISS principle (Keep
)>)>It Simple, Stupid).
)>...
)>
)>)Analogies between engineering & politics like the above have a checkered
)>)history, to say the least.
)>
)>IMO the analogy between programs and society is stronger than the analogy
)>between machines in general and society.
)
)Wait a minute.  Before this gets out of hand, let me clarify what I said.
)
)1.  I think the KISS principle is not native to the engineering field, but
)    rather, a general principle that applies, very obviously, in engineering,
)    and also applies somewhat to bureaucracy.  Both disciplines can benefit
)    from this principle, and let's end the analogy there.

)2.  I am not advocating a redesign of the government.  I'm simply suggesting
)    that maybe the reason why programmers like libertarianism is that, being
)    personally acquainted with KISS, they recognize that, of the many
)    principles that help make for good government, KISS is the one that is
)    most sorely lacking in our current government.  They believe it should be
)    given the attention it deserves, and that we may benefit from that.
)    Could this be a reason why programmers like libertarianism?

I suppose I was saying something else, only slightly related to what
you were saying, as far as hierarchy and programming goes.  I'm not
convinced programmers are especially fond of hierarchy in their personal
lives, but I think the analogy has some validity.  At some point, you
*need* hierarchy to organize really large efforts - either programs or
societies - (IMO) - things just fall apart without it.

I do generally agree with the KISS principle, BTW, though there are times
in design where it may not be appropriate.  I would agree that if the
US has any problem wrt complexity in government it is over-complexity
rather than under-complexity.

I'm not advocating a re-design of the government either, BTW - I'm not
all that happy with it, but it does sort-of work as is.