Slashdot reports that Linux kernel won’t support 386 machines no more. This is more of a sentimental announcement for nostalgic reasons. The commentary is hilarious and insightful, as often with Slashdot.
Unfortunately there’s a nostalgic cost: your old original 386 DX33 system from early 1991 won’t be able to boot modern Linux kernels anymore. Sniff.
It’s been a long while sine I saw even a 486 machine. The last 386 I can remember is probably circa 1998 or so.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He is most noted for his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), the latter often called “the Great American Novel.”
I never knew that Mark Twain wasn’t his real name…
Once in a while I come across the question of who is my favorite historical character. Sometimes, it’s over a discussion with friends. Other times, it’s as simple as a security question on a weird web form.
If you ask me blindly, straight up, no thinking, I’d have to say that Winston Churchill is my number one favorite historical character. He was an iconic leader, very smart and powerful man. But with that, he also had a great sense of humor. He also smoked cigars and drank plenty of alcohol, and, somehow, managed to live until he was 90 years old. Oh, and he didn’t like math.
My other favorite historical character is Benjamin Franklin. Again, a very smart and powerful man, with common origins. I have the most respect for his scientific and social advances, as well as the inventions. The thought about all those things that he started that we still use and rely on today amazes me every time.
My third, and most recent addition to the favorite historical person pool is Nikola Tesla, aka the electrical Jesus. And even though I knew who he was and some of what he’s done before, I have to thank this Drunk History video for pushing Tesla way up my list.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gOR91oentQ]
So, that’s me. Who’s your favorite and, most importantly, why?
An Interview with Brian Kernighan
John Wait: Many popular newer programming languages trace their roots to C. Unix has had direct and indirect influence on many newer operating systems. To what do you attribute the longevity and popularity of both C and Unix?
Brian Kernighan: Both C and Unix strike a very good balance among expressiveness, efficiency and economy of means. That means that they are a good base to build on: the good ideas are worth stealing and the efficiency sets a standard of comparison. It’s also easier for people to make a transition from something familiar than to make a big change, so a language or system that has significant elements of familiarity is more likely to be a success.
Via LWN.