29 Jan
2007
29 Jan
'07
4:33 p.m.
6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning
lights
. would all be replaced by a single
"This Car Has Performed An Illegal
Operation" warning light.
" Ken Thompson has an automobile which he helped design. Unlike most
automobiles, it has neither speedometer, nor gas gauge, nor any of the
numerous idiot lights which plague the modern driver. Rather, if the
driver makes any mistake, a giant "?" lights up in the center of the
dashboard. "The experienced driver", he says, "will usually know
what's wrong." "
The really experienced driver, doesn't even need
the question mark !
Ah, but a good language writer assumes lots of user errors.