On Myths ..
This is a rant about 'common knowledge' and about how
it hurts technology.
You would think that what I'm talking here are wiki's...well..
maybe a bit.
Wiki's posess one truly great ?thing? going on for them - they're
not authoritary sources and it's very easy to correct them. And most
importantly - you're generally encouraged to fix wiki articles.
This results in very interesting pattern - often you'll find wiki
article that describes something in great detail... and then goes on
debunking previous claims by prividing correct definitions PLUS reasons
for the not-totally-correct explanation that prevails.
There is very well known and recurring pattern out there,
small fact, like '2.4.x kernels won't compile with 3.x gcc',
they are repeated few times by those that tested this,
then the whole 'clergy' learns it by heart ( those that have no idea what they're
talking about, but repeat what they heard/read from their 'guru').
By repeating their mantra, they enter 'inner circle' of their religion,
they feel superior to the uninitiated, closer to their 'gods' etc...
This are all well known ...