Uninstall

[Ned Batchelder]

On Tuesday, August 4, 2015 at 2:32:16 PM UTC-4, sohca... at gmail.com wrote:
> milos: "You can't uninstall Python because it will break things"
> Grant: "Actually, you CAN uninstall Python, but it will break things"
> 
> I really fucking hate how pedantic some of the people on this mailing list are.
> 
> milos wasn't wrong.  You just chose to take his message too literally.  I thought it was pretty clear that when milos said "can't", he really meant "shouldn't".

While I am often dismayed at the pedantry on this list (and many others),
in this case, I think the clarification was warranted.  When a beginner
is about to attempt something dangerous, it is prudent to be sure the
instructions are clear.

"You can't uninstall, because things won't work" sounds a bit like,
"you literally will not be able to uninstall things, because the operating
system will prevent you because it protects itself."

I wouldn't want the next message to be the original asker saying, "No,
look, I was able to uninstall just fine!" without realizing they were
damaging their system.

--Ned.