Screenshots from developers: 2002 vs. 2015 (2015)

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Persistence of terminals & tiling WMs

  • Many note how similar 2002 and 2015 setups are: terminals, editors, minimal chrome, often with tiling or sparse WMs.
  • Several say their own desktops have barely changed in decades: Emacs or Vim full-screen, a browser on another workspace, or simple WMs like fvwm, xmonad, awesome, Sway, IceWM, etc.
  • The appeal: screens dominated by code, no permanent sidebars/menus, keyboard-driven workflows, and environments that survive across jobs, OSes, and decades.

Terminal editors vs GUI IDEs

  • One side finds terminal editors (Vim, Kakoune, etc.) painful and prefers Sublime/VS Code-style GUIs that “just work” with zero config.
  • The other side argues the opposite: once modal keybindings are learned, GUIs feel slow and awkward. Benefits cited:
    • Tight shell integration and easy piping of buffers to tools.
    • High keyboard-only efficiency and reduced cognitive load.
    • Extremely cheap/extensible scripting vs complex plugin systems in VS Code.
  • Some question whether editing speed really matters vs “thinking the code,” while others respond that ergonomics, continuity, and avoiding tool churn matter as much as raw speed.

RMS, screenshots, and dogmatism

  • Much discussion revolves around RMS saying he didn’t know how to take a screenshot for the 2002 article and his practice of “browsing” via email+wget.
  • Reactions range from admiration (“pure-hearted dogmatism,” privacy, resisting the modern web) to irritation (seeing it as contrarian signaling or disdain).
  • Some defend him technically: in non-framebuffer text mode there’s no graphics buffer to “screenshot” in the usual sense. Others say tools exist and he was really just emphasizing his text-only setup.
  • Multiple anecdotes describe him as intensely focused on free software, often socially awkward or brusque in person but more constructive over email. Debate ensues over autism, boundaries, politeness, and whether such a figure still helps or harms the free software movement.

Geniuses and basic computer skills

  • People draw parallels to other famous developers who allegedly struggle with everyday tasks (installing distros, spreadsheets, desktop UIs).
  • Counterpoints: some of these figures actually have carefully tuned but minimalist setups; deep system or algorithmic expertise doesn’t imply or require broad “power user” skills.
  • Several admit they are highly capable in abstract CS or low-level work yet inept with common GUI apps or consumer workflows.

Desktops, distros, and aesthetics

  • Linus Torvalds’ current use of Fedora + GNOME is discussed: chosen for stability, ease of custom kernel builds, minimal fuss. Fedora’s GNOME focus and KDE’s status within Fedora are clarified.
  • A number of comments praise old macOS/OS X Aqua-era UI as the peak of desktop aesthetics, with specific nostalgia for Snow Leopard, and note that many 2015 screenshots still showed that style.
  • Some lament that “nothing has fundamentally changed” in code development: still terminals, editors, and a WM, just on larger monitors.

Customization vs focus and productivity

  • Screenshots from famous developers are described as “boring,” which many interpret as a marker of focus: computers as tools, not art projects.
  • There’s skeptical commentary about heavily “riced” /r/unixporn-style setups, suggesting time spent perfecting themes could correlate with doing less actual work; others push back, arguing that deep customization still indicates real competence.
  • Several note that chat, music, and busy desktops can be major distractions; a quiet, minimal workspace is seen as more conducive to deep work.

Time, nostalgia, and perception

  • Some are surprised 2002 is now seen as “ancient,” while others mention being born that year and only recently graduating.
  • Several reflect on how time feels compressed with age: yearly cycles (like Christmas) feel closer together, even as decades of computing UI evolution stack up.

Misc technical & historical notes

  • Technical side threads cover:
    • How to capture text consoles (script, ttyrec, conspy) vs framebuffer screenshots.
    • FVWM’s FvwmPager as the “virtual desktop minimap” seen in old screenshots.
    • Font-spotting for a Vim screenshot (Liberation Mono is suggested).
    • An anecdote about running Half-Life 2 smoothly on an ARM Linux handheld in 2025 with a very old-school TWM + Emacs + IRC setup.