Not My Gorilla

Developer Jamis Buck, on why he’s no longer concerned about Windows compatibility for Capistrano, his remote server automation tool:

Something has to give. In this case (and among other things), it’s Windows. Microsoft may be an 800 lb. gorilla, but it’s not my gorilla, and it’s not in my room. If you need to appease the gorilla, that is (with all due respect) not my problem.

This was in response to a message that concluded with, “I am no fan of Microsoft, but, like it or not, they are the 800 lb. gorilla in the room.”

Similarly, I no longer concern myself with how Daring Fireball renders in Internet Explorer. It’s easier for me to ignore IE because the DF audience predominantly uses Safari, Firefox, and MobileSafari (roughly 53, 25, and 8 percent, respectively, with IE coming in around 4 percent). I have no idea whether the DF Paraphernalia store is even legible under IE, because I didn’t even bother to check. It almost certainly doesn’t look “right”. I crafted the CSS using Safari, then checked it in Firefox, and I called it done.

There are a lot of people who’d be a lot happier if they stopped worrying about other people’s 800 pound gorillas.

★ Sunday, 7 December 2008