Sorin Srbu wrote: >> >> The worst thing about BackupPC is the insane error message >> >> "Unable to read 4 bytes", which comes up if anything is wrong. >> >> Possibly the worst error message anywhere? >> > >> > thats an rsync protocol message, and yeah, debugging >> > connection/authentication issues is a bit ugly. >> >> I'm sure you are right. >> But I use rsync several times a day, and I have never received this >> message. >> >> It's not ugly, it is inexcusable. > Yeah, well, but it's free. > I'm not sure you can complain too much in that case. 8-) I find this comment, often made, completely unacceptable. The implication is that inferior code is OK if the developer is not being paid. (Actually, the premise is probably nonsense, as most Linux developers _are_ paid, even if formally their pay is not specifically for Linux development. But presumably the company that pays them believes that it is of value to the company to have a Linux developer on board.) But is Linux code in fact inferior to code produced by Microsoft, say? I don't think so. And I don't think Linux developers are less keen to improve their code. Just the opposite. -- Timothy Murphy gayleard /at/ eircom.net School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin