...buying what google recommends.

I think a better analogy is that an IDE to a developer is more like a CNC machine to a carpenter.

It's possible that a CNC machine can allow an experienced carpenter to do his work fast and efficiently.

But for an unskilled carpenter, I see two possibilities:
- the carpenter may limit his designs to what the CNC machine can make (no curved wood objects for one example)
- the fundamentals of carpentry might be ignored (like the properties of natural wood, growth, shrinkage)

In the context of an IDE maybe like:
- only build on one platform
- only create products the IDE way (maybe creating "apps" instead of minimal command line tools or OS internal things)
- allow the developer to ignore corner cases that are abstracted away with IDEs (memory management? interrupts?)

I like this one best. It's kind of anti-preachy and isn't a direct confrontation of your boss.

har, har!

How about allowing opt-in for changes?

I've been here a long time too (not as long as you!) I've calculated it as probably 1999.

I've also sent them money, and I still have credit! I'm slowly using it, but beta seems to throw away the credit.

It would be nice to have a rational discussion about the Beta somewhere.

This is pretty heartfelt to me as I've been here since the beginning (and a user since 1999
as far as I can tell).

Also, I paid for slashdot... and my credit isn't used up.

You got it backwards. Google gets protection from fiber's mortal enemy... the backhoe.

What backhoe would hang around fiber with the threat of dangerous black SUVs around every corner?

:) :)

True.

However, I can't remove Glorious Leader's birthday from my calendar.

Also lock:

• Newsstand

...nah, just kidding.

I thought tenure was a way to keep administrators from messing with academic freedom. Without it teachers would "follow the party line" and never research or teach anything controversial.