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Linus Torvalds Injects Tabs To Thwart Kconfig Parsers Not Correctly Handling Them
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this post was submitted on 15 Apr 2024
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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The Robustness Principle may seem like little more than a suggestion, but it is the foundation on which many successful things are based.
To boil it down to meme-level old-school Torvaldsry: Assume everyone else is a f--king idiot who can barely do what they're supposed to and expect to parse their files / behaviour / trash accordingly.
If you do not do this, you are, without doubt, one of those f--king idiots everyone else is having to deal with. If you do do this, it does not guarantee that you are not a f--king idiot. Awareness is key.
Examples where this works: Web browser quirks mode; Driving a car; Measure twice, cut once. This latter one is special because it reveals that often, the f--king idiot you're trying to deal with is yourself.
Assume everyone else is worse.
Fun corollary: In altering his behaviour towards ~~f--king idiots~~ people who should know better, Linus has learned to apply the robustness principle to interpersonal communication.
using a rly bad word but pretending not to is kinda weird
Sometimes it works well as a stylistic choice. It's not pretending not to use a bad word, but rather drawing attention to the fact that you're deliberately being a little bit naughty with a wink to the reader. It's like the absurdity of what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps.