[gilrain]

Your admonishment here and elsewhere doesn't seem to offer any evidence or even a cogent argument. That's not to say I doubt an argument could be made -- there is plenty of academic ink spilled hailing coffee as both health blessing and health curse -- but it's pretty bold to say "hackers shouldn't recommend hackers to drink coffee" with nothing to back that up.

Maybe "hackers who have trouble getting enough sleep should avoid caffeine to see if that helps". Your posts sound more like religious, rather than reasoned, abstinence.

[guylhem]

I'm not selling people the idea they should or should not drink coffee for health reasons. We don't know, there is too much conflicting data.

I'm saying :

1) I shouldn't drink coffee for health reasons

2) We also shouldn't collectively define the "hacker" identity with unrelated things like coffee.

1 and 2 are totally unrelated. Yet saying 1 makes me say 2, because defining yourself as doing something or as not doing something is just as pointless. You are not a label.

We shouldn't fight for or against coffee - just make it something unrelated to the hacker identity, a choice - like vim or emacs or Writeroom or whatever, instead of a mandate and a common identity, which will necessarily exclude some people.

EDIT: And yes this discussion is not relevant and I'm sorry about it, and I should add a third point to make that clear :

3) You drink coffee if you want to. Not my problem.

Just want to let you know it's optional and you won't be any less of a hacker if you don't, and if you don't and need support, hey I'm starting a g+ community because I for sure will need some support!

[noonespecial]

I'm with you. Its starting to become the new "I don't even own a TV".