Well it seems that while I've been sleeping, this argument over programming
languages has flared up once again. It seems like this happens at some point
each month, and that is exactly why some of my fellow VB6 users view it as
attacks rather than suggestions. In other aspects of life, you've undoubtedly
had someone disagree with you about something, and they felt compelled to share
their view in an effort to get you to do things their way. That's normal, and
should be expected during life. If you listened to their opinion, but stuck to
your own, at what point does it become inappropriate for them to bring it up
again and again? Perhaps you'll listen to the same arguments 3 or 4 times, but
when the other person is compelled to repeatedly push their opinion on you, it
becomes a hostile situation.
I'm not writing this to any one specific individual, so please let me make
that clear. This is being written, generally, to the long list of people who
are still pushing the same views after months and months. Actually, this has
probably been going on for a lot longer, but I haven't been on audyssey for
very long.
I want to dispel this idea that we VB6 users are only using it because we
don't know any other languages. I feel that view paints us as ignorant
programmers who are only rejecting your view because we don't know any better.
This is not the case, and I, for one, happen to know just as many languages as
the people who don't want me using VB6. Admittedly I would be rusty with most
of them, since I haven't used them in years, but I prefer to be viewed as a
peer rather than a programming novice who isn't experienced enough to know
what's best for him. From my experience, there is a stereotypical progression
in how programmers think. When they start out, they stick to what they know
because it is all they know. Like a child clinging to pool floaties, it is
scary to first venture away from what is keeping you safe. As the programmers
begins learning more, they become excited by everything that's out there, and
so they quickly begin learning
everything they can about everything! This is usually when a programmer will
fill their "belt" with several programming languages they have learned to use.
When they've branched out sufficiently, they begin to see the need to narrow
their focus back down, and so they will use friends and society to form strong
opinions about why one/some languages and methods are superior. This becomes
their justification for abandoning their previous way of thinking, and often
leads programmers to become so opinionated that they will attack others who do
not agree with them. The programmers in this category, and believe me I've
known more than I'd like to, defend their views with the same level of passion
you see on protest picket lines, political debates, and religious arguments.
Personally I think it is a terrible shame, but programmers or not, people are
still people, and people suck. Like an old person who eventually stops caring
what other people think,
sooner or later programmers break out of their opinionated shell. When you
are so passionate about a single view, you may be able to admit their is
another side, but you can't ever weigh it in in an unbiased way. A person who
is stuck focused on compatibility issues is going to view everything through
those goggles. For my fellow VB6 programmers, we simply have to accept that
everything and anything we say will be viewed from that perspective and we
stand no chance in changing it.
Countless times in movies we see the diplomat and the war general facing
some situation. No matter how events unfold, good or bad, the diplomat will
twist it and view it as an opportunity to grow and build relationships, and the
war general will twist and view it as a trap or security risk. These are
common examples of how people all into a particular way of thinking and are
then trapped to interpret all situations in that way. While the movies
entertain us with the conflict between those characters, and how they each view
each situation so differently, but in the end neither is able to change the
other. They simply have to accept how each other are.
The people who are focused on compatibility are not going to be swayed.
The VB6 users who have already heard opinions about changing, yet remained
firm, are not going to be swayed by those same arguments revived a month later.
We have to stop trying to convince each other to change, since each
perspective has value and needs to be present for a healthy overall community.
I believe it is important for me to focus on rapid development, but I don't
constantly post long messages telling other developers that taking 6 months on
a game is unnecessary. I could easily push my own opinion onto others, but I
have long ago moved past the drive to do so. If my personal views put
importance on rapid development, my mission should not be to push others to
develop faster, my mission should be to fill that position myself. People who
strongly feel we need more multiplayer games shouldn't harass others to make
them, they should work on doing it themselves. And
finally, people who are focused on compatibility should implement it within
their own work rather than pushing the view on to others. Giving an opinion,
in hopes of getting others to take compatibility issues into consideration, is
perfectly fine, but when you've already stated your view it doesn't need to be
brought up over and over.
The only argument I will speak on directly, is the fear that eventually
things will change and none of the old VB6 games will be playable. When that
happens, the environment will be different than it is now, so why assume we
would continue to hold the exact same views as we do now? I can't speak for my
comrades, but I do what I do because I have looked at where the community is
(the current landscape) and formed my opinions about what it currently needs.
As the landscape changes, so will my opinions about what it needs, and my
projects will reflect that. When I feel it is time to change, I will stop
using VB6. Please acknowledge that I am capable of making my own decisions,
that I will change when I think it's time, and Please stop back seat driving.
Thank you.
---
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