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David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He started his career as a part-time computer technician in 1994, worked his way up to system administrator by 1997, and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He invests in real estate on the side and his hobbies include O gauge trains, baseball cards, and retro computers and video games. A University of Missouri graduate, he holds CISSP and Security+ certifications. He lives in St. Louis with his family.
Like the new interface.
Thank you. I like it too, of course. It seems like WordPress 3.x makes everything I’ve wanted to be able to do for the last 10 years possible. Finally. I imagine I’ll be tweaking it for a long time, but this was so much of an improvement that I wanted to put it out there, even if it’s only half-baked. I would have unleashed it a day or two earlier if it hadn’t been for some technical difficulties.
Looks good, son. But what am I supposed to be training for?
Don’t worry Mom. I won’t make you learn emacs. I was making a ridiculous statement, kind of like saying everyone should drive a stick-shift because the patent on automatic transmissions is evil.
That’s a relief. Can’t drive a stick-shift, either!
Are you gunning for me or something? It occurs to me that you trotted out Calvin and Emacs in the same post all of a sudden. There’s really only one thing left, and you’d better not run down Doctor Who.
I didn’t think of that until you mentioned it. But I guess if I wanted to get your attention that’d be the best way to do it.
You do know what I meant though, right?
Well, I know why you think that, let’s leave it at that. I still think that person in your past unfairly poisoned Calvin’s well for you, not that I expect you to quit being a Lutheran or anything. Hm, this isn’t really the right post, let me switch.
No, I guess this is as good as anyplace. But seriously, any Calvinist who reads what you wrote about Calvin just boggles at that statement. Everybody else complains that Calvinists believe that we’re robots and God does everything and there is nothing at all we can do; you actually accuse Calvin of adding a work to salvation. Seriously, I have no idea how you could possibly think that… except for your history.
Admittedly, if you and I had this conversation in 1997, things certainly would have been different. She (the ex) and I never talked about it again, and most likely never will. I can’t think of any reason to.
The main reason I even brought that up was because when I related that experience to a dyed-in-the-wool, confessional Lutheran, he tried his best to dismiss it as being a Christian experience at all. Since I refused to call it anything other than a cult, there was something wrong with me. And the Lutheran church that I attend would horrify him. In his mind, that’s probably a cult too.
And that was the point I was really trying to make. I wouldn’t *want* to be such a “good” Lutheran that I ran around with tunnel vision. There are certain figures in contemporary Lutheranism, and you and I both know some examples without naming any names, who are so dyed-in-the-wool that it’s completely counterproductive. The only time they can have a conversation without getting into an argument is when they talk to themselves. To an outsider, they probably appear downright comical.
And, well, some software developers fall into the same trap, except they’re arguing over the finer points of software licenses rather than theology.
Dave and Charlie, I come from a different (but still Protestant) background. I don’t know the specifics of your discussion, but I’m reminded of this saying:
Some people are so Heavenly-minded that they’re no earthly good.