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Hidden Configuration Options—The True Story© Copyright Darrell Anderson. Have you ever queried how to configure a computer software program only to be told that the option you seek is a hidden option? That you were made to feel as though you were inferior because you were ignorant of this secret? That once the secret was revealed the messenger then puffed his or her chest as though possessing this knowledge made the person superior to all other mortal humans? What is the deal anyway with these so-called hidden features? Laziness. You see, the incredibly clever people who write and design software, discover that the program does not do something they need or want. So they scratch their itch to overcome their obstacles by craftily manipulating software code. Then they never provide the typical user a front-end interface to access those new features. They are lazy. They were interested only in scratching their itches, not others. In defense, the developers will carefully respond that they provided no user interface because they did not want to overburden or overwhelm users with too much information. They advocate a Keep It Simple Stupid approach, with emphasis on Stupid. Typical users, after all, are considered dumb and ignorant. A more subtle reason for this phenomenon is power and control. By being able to claim that the configurable option is hidden, these people then can claim standing to be a member of their particular class of priesthood. They hold the keys to the knowledge you seek. This same mentality prevails with running a GNU/Linux operating system as root. Running as root is no big deal. But some people, people who have proclaimed themselves keepers of the realm, sons and daughters of Betazed’s Fifth House, holder of the sacred Chalice of Rixx, and heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed—have decided that when they create a GNU/Linux (or BSD) distro, that they will disable normal access to the root account. Typical users, after all, are considered dumb and ignorant. Users must be protected from themselves. Hidden features should be revealed? Do you dare argue with the gods and their priests? Finis. |
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