From: Subject: Tao Te Chip Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 20:06:57 -0330 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C50250.41C9A360"; type="text/html" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C50250.41C9A360 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.campbellsorensen.com/sorenj/taotechip.html Tao Te Chip

Here are some tantalizing excerpts from the newest computer-assisted=20 translation of Lao Tzu's famous=20

TAO TE CHIP

The Way of the One and the Zero

With all due apology to Stephen Mitchell, who's translation was the = basis for=20 this, and, of course, Lao Tzu.=20

Written by Jeffrey Sorensen. This document is not copyrighted and is = in the=20 public domain. The author respectfully requests that his attribution and = apology=20 be retained during reproduction.=20

1

The tao that can be tar(1)ed
is not the = entire=20 Tao.
The PATH that can be specified
is not the full = PATH.

We=20 declare the names
of all variables and functions.
Yet the Tao has = no type=20 specifier.

Dynamically binding, you realize the = magic.
Statically=20 binding, you see only the hierarchy.

Yet magic and = hierarchy
arise=20 from the same source,
and this source has a null = pointer.

Reference=20 the NULL within NULL,
it is the gateway to all wizardry.

2

When users see one GUI as beautiful,
other user interfaces = become=20 ugly.
When users see some programs as winners,
other programs = become=20 lossage.

Pointers and NULLs reference each other.
High level = and=20 assembler depend on each other.
Double and float cast to each=20 other.
High-endian and low-endian define each other.
While and = until=20 follow each other.

Therefore the Guru
programs without doing=20 anything
and teaches without saying anything.
Warnings arise and = he lets=20 them come;
processes are swapped and he lets them go.
He has but = doesn't=20 chown,
acts but doesn't=20 expect.
When his work is done, he deletes = it.
That is=20 why it lasts forever.

3

When you overesteem great hackers,
more users become=20 cretins.
When you develop encryption,
more users become=20 crackers.

The Guru leads
by emptying user's minds
and = increasing=20 their quotas,
by weakening their ambition
and toughening their=20 resolve.
When users lack knowledge and desire,
management will not = try to=20 interfere.

Practice not-looping,
and everything will fall into = place.

4

The Tao is like a glob pattern:
used but never used = up.
It is=20 like the extern void:
filled with infinite=20 possibilities.

It is masked but always present.
I don't know = who built=20 it.
It came before the first kernel.

5

The Tao doesn't take sides;
it gives birth to both wins and = losses.
The Guru doesn't take sides;
she welcomes both hackers and = lusers.

The Tao is like a stack:
the data changes but not the=20 structure.
the more you use it, the deeper it becomes;
the more = you talk=20 of it, the less you understand.

Hold on to the root.

6

The Tao is called the Great Server:
empty yet = inexhaustible,
it=20 gives birth to infinite networks.

Its code is present within = you.
You=20 can apply it any way you want.

9

Fill your disk to the brim
and it will fragment.
Keep = adding=20 features to your utility
and it will become unusable.
Chase after = royalties and license fees
and your heart will never = unclench.
Care about=20 a luser's approval
and you will be his prisoner.

Do your work, = then=20 logout.
The only path to serenity.

12

Graphics blind the eyes.
Audio files deafen the = ear.
Mouse=20 clicks numb the fingers.
Heuristics weaken the mind.
Options = wither the=20 heart.

The Guru observes the net
but trusts his inner = vision.
He=20 allows things to come and go.
His heart is as open as the ether.

14

more, and it can't be read.
find, and it can't be=20 located.
grep, and it can't be scanned.

In the foreground, it = isn't a=20 hog.
In the background, it isn't idle.
Contiguous, = unpatchable,
it=20 lives below the realm of logic.
From there it includes all = formulas,
an=20 image without a viewer,
virtual, beyond all conception.

Rewind = it and=20 there is no beginning;
Fast forward and there is no end.
You can't = know=20 it, but you can be it,
at ease in your own life.
Just realize = where you=20 log from:
this is the essence of wisdom.

15

The ancient Wizards were profound and subtle.
Their wisdom = was=20 unfathomable.
There is no way to describe it;
all we can do is = read their=20 source code.

They were careful
as someone writing an = unbuffered=20 stream.
Alert as a warrior in a dangerous MUD.
Courteous as an = anonymous=20 ftp.
Fluid as a morphing face.
Shapable as an interpolated=20 spline.
Receptive as a dialup slip connection.
Clear as a = sharpened=20 bitmap.

Do you have the patience to wait
till the broadcast = storm=20 subsides and the net is clear?
Can you mask interrupts
till the = right=20 thunk arises by itself?

The Guru doesn't seek fulfillment.
Not = seeking, not throwing exceptions,
she is present, and can welcome all = things.

17

When the Guru administers, the users
are hardly aware = that he=20 exists.
Next best is a sysop who is loved.
Next, one who is = feared.
And=20 worst, one who is despised.

If you don't trust the users,
you = make=20 them untrustworthy.

The Guru doesn't talk, he hacks.
When his = work is=20 done,
the users say, "Amazing:
we implemented it, all by = ourselves!"

18

When the great Tao is forgotten,
standards and protocols=20 appear.
When management makes initiatives,
the great pretense=20 begins.
When there is no peace in the newsgroup,
bigots spread = their=20 theology.
When the system becomes fragmented,
Holy Wars are = born.

19

Throw away documentation and manuals,
and users will be a = hundred=20 times happier.
Throw away privileges and quotas,
and users will do = the=20 Right Thing.
Throw away proprietary and site licenses,
and there = won't be=20 any pirating.

If these three aren't enough,
just stay at your = home=20 directory
and let all processes take their course.

30

Whoever relies on the Tao in administrating
doesn't try = force=20 issues
or defeat enemies by revoking privilages.
For every hack = there is a=20 counterhack.
Flaming, even with a good intention,
will only bring = flames=20 in return.

The Guru does his job
and then signs off.
He = understands=20 that the net
is forever beyond his control,
and that trying to = dominate=20 events
goes against the current of the Tao.
Because he believes in = himself,
he doesn't try to convince others.
Because he is content = with=20 himself,
he doesn't need others' approval.
Because he accepts=20 himself,
the whole net accepts him.

32

The Tao can't be perceived.
Smaller than an bit,
it = contains=20 uncountable files.

If powerful men and women
could remain = centered in=20 the Tao,
all things would be harmony.
The net would become a=20 paradise.
All users would be at peace,
and the standards would be=20
those written in their hearts.

When you have versions and=20 releases,
know that they are provisional.
When you have = consortia,
know=20 where their functions should end.
Knowing when to stop,
you can = avoid any=20 danger.

All things end in the Tao
as sendmail flows into the = net.

36

If you want to compress something,
you must = first=20 pkunzip it.
If you want to get rid of a virus,
you = must first=20 allow it to flourish.
If you want to get() = something,
you=20 must first allow it to be put().
This is called the = subtle=20 perception
of the way things are.

Soft mounting overcomes the = hard=20 error.
Brute force overcomes the heuristic.
Let your algorithms = remain a=20 mystery.
Just show users the results.

40

The return is the function of the = Tao.
Responding is=20 the way of the Tao.

All things begin as source code.
Source = code=20 begins with an empty file.

42

The Tao gives birth to One.
One gives birth to One = Zero.
One=20 Zero gives birth to One One.
One One gives birth to all = things.

All=20 things have their backs to the input
and stand facing the = output.
When=20 output and input combine,
all things achieve harmony.

Ordinary = users=20 hate solitude.
But the Guru makes use of it,
embracing his = aloneness,=20 realizing
he is one with cyberspace.

43

A tiny bug in a trivial routine
will overcome a moby=20 system.
That which has no fee
enters where there is no market=20 space.
This shows the value of "AS IS."

Teaching without=20 manuals,
performing without commands:
that is the Guru's way.

46

When a system is in harmony with the Tao,
the compiler = makes=20 applications and utilities.
When a system goes counter to the=20 Tao,
accounting logs fill the root directory.

There is no = greater=20 illusion than fear,
no greater wrong than in preparing to defend=20 yourself,
no greater misfortune than having an enemy.

Whoever = can see=20 through all fear
will always be safe.

47

Without opening a graphics window,
you can open your soul = to the=20 net.
Without looking away from the console,
you can see the = essence of the=20 Tao.
The more files you access,
the less you hack.

The Guru = accesses without protocols,
finds his man pages without=20 keywords,
optimizes without compiling.

48

In the pursuit of knowledge,
every day something is=20 appended.
In the practice of the Tao,
every day something is=20 truncated.
Less and less do you need to force things,
until = finally you=20 arrive at non-looping.
When nothing is done,
nothing is left=20 undone.

True wizardry can be gained
by letting things go their = own=20 way.
It can't be gained by interrupting.

49

The Guru has no mind of her own.
She works with the mind = of the=20 users.

She is good to users who are good.
She is also good to = users=20 who aren't good.
This is TRUE goodness.

She trusts users who = are=20 trustworthy.
She also trusts users who aren't trustworthy.
This is = TRUE=20 trust.

The Guru's mind is like free space.
Users don't = understand=20 her.
They look to her and wait.
She treats them like child = processes.

54

Whoever is planted in the Tao
will not have their account=20 revoked.
Whoever embraces the Tao
will not become = obsolete.
Their=20 .signatures will be met with honor
from generation to = generation.

Let=20 the Tao be present in your home
and you will become genuine.
Let = it be=20 present in your group
and your group will flourish.
Let it be = present in=20 your system
and your system will be an example
to all the systems = in the=20 net.
Let it be present in cyberspace
and all cyberspace will=20 sync.

How do I know this is true?
By accessing myself.

60

Administering a large system
is like frying a small = fish.
You=20 spoil it with too much poking.

Center your system in the = Tao
and=20 lossage will have no power.
Not that it isn't there,
but you will = be able=20 to step out of its way.

Give lossage nothing to oppose
and it = will=20 disappear by itself.

68

The best MUD player
wants his opponents = berserking.
The best=20 consortium partner
lauds the products of his competitor.
The best = corporate rep
serves the communal good.
The best sysop =
follows the=20 will of the users.

All of them embody
the virtue of=20 non-contention.
Not that they don't love to compete,
but they do = it with=20 the spirit of hack-and-slay.
In this they are like wannabees
and = congruent=20 with the Tao.

70

My teachings are easy to grok
and easy to include in your = programs.
Yet your neural net will never grasp them,
and if you = try to=20 code them, you'll fail.

My teachings are older than the = net.
How can=20 you grep their meaning?

If you want to know me,
look to your=20 kernel.

71

Not-knowing is true knowledge.
Presuming to know is a=20 bug.
First realize that you are broken;
then you can move toward=20 perfection.

The Guru is her own debugger.
She has flushed = herself of=20 all knowing.
Thus she is truly whole.

72

When they lose their sense of awe,
users turn to religious = wars.
When they no longer trust themselves,
they begin to depend = upon the=20 authorities.

Therefore the Guru steps back
so that users won't = be=20 confused.
He teaches without instructions,
so that users will have = nothing=20 to learn.

73

The Tao is always at ease.
It computes without=20 grinding,
answers without outputing a word,
switches without being = signaled,
continues without a program.

It accesses all=20 cyberspace.
And though it spans many volumes,
is doesn't drop any=20 bytes.

74

If you realize that all code changes,
there is nothing you = should=20 try to archive.
If you aren't afraid of hard drive failure,
there = is=20 nothing you can't achieve.

Trying to control the future
is = like trying=20 to debug a running kernel.
When you try to debug the system's=20 kernel,
chances are you'll panic and crash.

75

When license fees are too high,
users do things by = hand.
When=20 the management is too intrusive,
users lose their spirit.

Hack = for the=20 user's benefit.
Trust them; leave them alone.

79

Failure is an opportunity.
If you blame another = user,
there is=20 no end to the blame.

Therefore the Guru
fulfills her own=20 obligations
and debugs her own code.
She hacks what she needs to = do
and=20 demands nothing of her coworkers.

80

If a system is administered wisely,
its users will be=20 content.
They enjoy hacking their code
and don't waste time=20 implementing
labor-saving shell scripts.
Since they dearly love = their=20 accounts,
they aren't interested in other machines.
There may be = telnet,=20 rlogin, and ftp,
but these don't access any hosts.
There may be an = arsenal=20 of cracks and malware,
but nobody ever uses them.
People enjoy = reading=20 their mail,
take pleasure in being with their newsgroups,
spend = weekends=20 working at their terminals,
delight in the doings at the site.
And = even=20 though the next system is so close
that users can hear its keys = clicking and=20 biff beeps,
they are content to die of old age
without ever having = gone to=20 see it.

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