[See end for followup] The following excerpts are from an English translation of Umberto Eco's back-page column, "La bustina di Minerva," in the Italian news weekly "Espresso," September 30, 1994. ..."Insufficient consideration has been given to the new underground religious war which is modifying the modern world. It's an old idea of mine, but I find that whenever I tell people about it they immediately agree with me. "The fact is that the world is divided between users of the Macintosh computer and users of MS-DOS compatible computers. I am firmly of the opinion that the Macintosh is Catholic and that DOS is Protestant. Indeed, the Macintosh is counter-reformist and has been influenced by the 'ratio studiorum' of the Jesuits. It is cheerful, friendly, conciliatory, it tells the faithful how they must proceed step by step to reach--if not the Kingdom of Heaven--the moment in which their document is printed. It is catechistic: the essence of revelation is dealt with via simple formulae and sumptuous icons. Everyone has a right to salvation. "DOS is Protestant, or even Calvinistic. It allows free interpretation of scripture, demands difficult personal decisions, imposes a subtle hermeneutics upon the user, and takes for granted the idea that not all can reach salvation. To make the system work you need to interpret the program yourself: a long way from the baroque community of revellers, the user is closed within the loneliness of his own innter torment. "You may object that, with the passage to Windows, the DOS universe has come to resemble more closely the counter-reformist tolerance of the Macintosh. It's true: Windows represents an Anglican-style schism, big ceremonies in the cathedral, but there is always the possibility of a return to DOS to change things in accordance with bizarre decisions; when it comes down to it, you can decide to allow women and gays to be ministers if you want to. ... "And machine code, which lies beneath both systems (or environments, if you prefer)? Ah, that is to do with the Old Testament, and is talmudic and cabalistic..." ************************************ Forwarded message: >Subject: Unix is Jewish >Date: Tue, 31 Jan 1995 11:18:42 -0500 >From: Dean Cookson > > >------- Forwarded Message > >I recently saw an amusing little piece on the religious significance >of various computer operating systems come in over the net. I thought >I'd share it, and add my own comments to relate it to Judaism... > > >The following are some excerpts from an English translation of a >column by Umberto Eco (remember that wonderful recruiting film for the >monastic orders called "The Name of the Rose?" Sean Connery played a >monk detective.) that appeared in the Italian news weekly "Espresso" >on Sept. 30, 1994. > >Eco writes: > >Insufficient consideration has been given to the new underground >religious war which is modifying the modern world....The fact is that >the world is divided between users of the Macintosh...and users of >MS-DOS...I am firmly of the opinion that Macintosh is Catholic and DOS >is Protestant. Indeed, the Mac is counter-reformist...It is cheerful, >friendly, conciliatory, it tells the faithful how they must proceed >steep-by-step to reach--if not the Kingdom of Heaven--the moment in >which their document is printed..The essence of revalation is dealt >with via simple fomulae and sumptuous icons. Everyone has a right to >salvation. > >DOS is Protestant, or even Calvinistic. It allows free interpretation >of scripture, demands difficult personal decisions, imposes subtle >hermeneutics upon the user, and takes for granted the idea that not >all can reach salvation. To make the system work, you need to >imterpret the program yourself... > >You may object that, with the passage to Windows, the DOS universe >has come to resemble more closely the...Macintosh. It's true, Windows >represents an Anglican-style schism, big ceremonies in the cathedral, >but there is always the possibility of a return to DOS to change >things...when it comes down to it, you can decide to allow women and >gays to be ministers if you want to... > >end of quoted selection > >OK, so in typical European fashion, the author forgot to consider the >contribution of the Jews who have lived in Europe for millenia...but >what the heck...However, don't feel bad. Judaism is certainly >represented in this underground techno-religious war....because.... > > > UNIX is Jewish! > > >Of course, Just like DOS, Unix allows interpretation of scripture, demands >difficult personal choice, etc. Not surprising, as the Prtotestants >thought that they were going back to the Judaic roots of Christianity... > >But Unix is more. First, in order to fully understand and use Unix, you >must master a strange and unintellegible language, used only by the >faithful. The full extent of revalation can be understood only by >learning the commentaries ("man pages") written in such seeming gibberish >that the student cannot hope to understand them without a rabbi ("system >administrator") to elucidate the meanings. However, once the rabbi >explains them, their meaning is crystal clear, and the student finds >immense spritual treasure. When one cannot understand how to do >something, one asks a question of his rabbi (system administrator) who >gives detailed instructions of what to do. The instructions seem >preposterous, but they usually work very well. However, there are numerous >ways to achieve the same goal, and 3 rabbis (system adminstrators) will >give you 4 opinions about how to do something....Yes, Unix is Judaism. >Notice, also, how it is the least popular of the major operating >systems.... Except among those who really understand how computers >work... > >Also, like Judaism, a Unix system crashes periodically (Destruction of the >Temple, Enlightenment, etc), and thus it gets programmed into newer >versions, some of which don't work as well as the older versions. But >then, the new versions have the potential to have greater functionality. > >I'm not sure how X-Windows relates to this issue. It doesn't really make >Unix any easier to use. Maybe it's high Reform, big rituals in the fancy >temple, but you can change what you want in your Unix window... > >Now, if Unix is Judaisam, then what corresponds to Islam? Bhuddism? >JCL? VMS? > >...Ahhhh, my Unix system is crashing....Oh well, better call the >rabbi, take out a sefer, and learn some Torah until it comes up again >(:-). > >------- End of Forwarded Message > -- Online.. | | (Dan Brown brown@eff.org) _/| __/| _ |/ |/ Or... Flatline. _________________