Hacker News Reader

> Use only standard features. Do not assume the platform is Linux

I'll decide what platform I am targeting, thank you. I don't feel any obligation to support obscure OSes if I am just targeting linux. I might as well use useful linux-specific and GNU userland features, they are helpful.

View on HN

"Do not assume" doesn't really mean or imply "do not target", so stop being defensive. It's good advice.

Targeting expresses expectations about an environment. "Do not assume" would be contradictory to those explicit expectations.

And since we can follow that thought process, we are smart enough to infer the meaning of the advice given ("do not assume") in the proper context, can we not?

It's obvious to me we both can, so why the hell are you wasting our time with useless pedantry?

Why are you inferring meaning when the article's author used two paragraphs and numerous examples to illustrate his point unambiguously?

The article is clearly heavy on the absolutes (eg: "Under no circumstances should you ever use"), and the grandparent comment critized this, and provided a good counterexample.

But you, ironically, chose to assume what the author meant by "do not assume".

OK, now I know you're trolling.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com