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a field where stuff either works or it doesn't

What field are you talking about? I don't believe such a field exists. Not one that is worthy of the name "field".

It certainly isn't user-experience design, where there is obviously no bright line between "what works" and "what does not work", and where the value of a diverse team is easiest to appreciate. ("What, you mean the word processor user hasn't bothered to learn how to use a DVCS from the command line? Were they born yesterday?") But we needn't go that far. Everything that the hardest of hard-core geeks talk about all day long:

  What language should we use? 

  Should I use emacs, vi, Textmate, Eclipse or Notepad?

  Should I use Mac OS, Windows, or Linux here?

  What database architecture is right for this task? 

  Come to think of it, am I even working on the right task?
...are choices between a bunch of options, all of which will "work" in one sense or another.

Even down-and-dirty C hacking requires an endless series of decisions between things which will work and things which might work better on one axis or another.




I've noticed that for some reason the default color scheme for vim seems to color Strings in pink. What is up with that?


Accidentally downmodded you, meant to upmod . Android touchscreen is too small, but I agree. Ugly default color.


Obviously someone thought not enough women were using vim, duh.




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