I haven't been part of these coding teams, but, I very much doubt Waterloo would give credits for doing the contests - At least I never heard of it...The CS department is too anal about their courses and that sort of thing. I could be wrong...
The double "oo" was my mistake - Either I have an over sensitive keyboard, or I'm a gooooof and kan't spel - We'll just never know...
Anyway, I think we both agree on this one. I do find the overzelous technologies to be bit a close minded - Again, if you are the promoter of the tool or book or scripting language, you should be. After all, some company is probably paying to be titled "Evengelist" or your livelyhood depends on it.
I'd look further into why someone shuts down an idea or a suggestion to use "X." There's probably a good reason for it. However, if you really think that your idea or suggestion is really good, why not push it all the way if you really believe in it (I don't mean you specifically - I mean anyone). I'm quite certain that "depth" guy can and will accept a good idea or suggestion. Perhaps the approach that needs to be taken is the by pointing how much "money" everyone will save.
If your suggestion gets shutdown, and you don't fight for it, maybe it's not the best approach in the end - Again, I don't mean specifically...
Sorry, you do seem defensive on the "depth/breath" issue.
Anyway, I see the point of not being adventurous. But, you have to look at where the push is comming from: some guy that wrote the book is pushing the whole framework to the plebs.
I don't believe it's about job security, like you suggest: "Scared of loosing a job."
You have to look at it from a different perspective than the idealistic developer attitude of fixing everything and doing everything with technology "X."
Also, being a technologist is probably not the same as a Software Engineer/Developer. Being the latter involves coding applications that will be maintained by a large group of developers 5 to 10 years from now. If you look at Java, it's exactly what happened with its evolution - The J2EE architecture works well for large scale development and will likely stay that way for a while.
Scripting languages, on the other hand, come and go. Perl is an extremely useful language and very productive, however, once the original developer is gone it becomes extremely hard to maintain any code such person developed.
I'm not saying that either approach is wrong, or that we shouldn't use scripting languages - However, you can't go overboard porting all your applications to the new "new thing" just because it is going around the blogs. This year is probably Ruby, next year it may not.
Also, we shouldn't point fingers at "depth" guys just because they say "no" to "X," where x is in the set {PHP, Rubby, perl, etc, etc}. They have their reasons: budgetary reasons, political reason, maintanability reasons, etc, etc.
It's funny, every year something comes along that say "X is much better than J2EE." And we're not even done with PHP, and we already have Ruby. So, which one is the scriting language that makes you a better developer, is cheaper to implement, make you a super developer that never writes bugs into code? Right...
I say we should keep an open mind and embrase anything that makes you productive in the environment you want to work in. Scripting languages have their place, but it is not in large scale development engagments, where maintainable multi million dollar projects are involved. At least not yet - And I haven't come across any "depth" guys that would bet their careers on a scripting language, unless it's the inventor of it, or write books about. I don't do either (invent scripting language or write about them), hence, I don't complain - Plus the more diluted the market is, the better for some "depth" fanboys:)
Why don't we get a random generator to give us random April's fools day.
I.e. Every April 1st, will be different every year.
Now, that would a good April's fools joke: no predictability and we'll get 1/365 or 1/366 (leap year) probability of actually being on an April fools prank...
Web open-source scripting tools, such as PHP You can't make a fair comparison between the Java technology (whatever that means) and PHP.
PHP has its uses and Java has its uses. And Java is not a scripting language. Just because you can deploy a web site using JSP, you can't put Java in the same category as a web scripting language, me thinks.
"He's asked to help from Web designers the world over to build a new page for Microsoft to test IE7 with to make sure it does everything Web designers want it to."
Why would anyone ask such question? If IE7 were to catter to every single designer out there, the software will be vaporware for the rest of eternity.
A better challenge: make IE7 do everything it's supposed to do, as far a W3 standards go.
My request: "Can IE7 prepare my breakfast, while rendering HTML? Everyday?"
There is nothing remarkable nor notable about Mark - Just another computer guy who worked at M$ and was hired by a competitor and got himself fired within two weeks for blogging confidential information.
What I found notable, though, is the fact that the news of his firing is mentioned in hundreds of blogs and the fact that most net surfers (Technical, that is) know about him.
Also, notable is the fact that most people probably saw it comming, except him and that his firing was so "web public." I'm sure he is not the first (nor the last) person google fires, and defenitely not news worthy ouside of the bloggosphere, however, a tinge of irony is left in the mouth from the whole soap stiled story: "The do no evil company, who owns blogger.com fires employee for actually blogging."
I'm not taking sides, and I don't know the whole story. However, google is just another for profit corporation and it shouldn't be a surprise that it takes action when it sees its policies broken. It just that it really sucks for Mark (I don't personally know him) that he got fired from one of the best technology companies of the decade (At leats is appears to be from the outside).
And, in the web craze, if the Dancing Baby has a place in wikipedia, I think Mark deserves one too. It's his 15 minutes of web fame - Unfortunate, it wasn't for something notable - But, hey, there is not such thing as bad publicity...
It's called excellence. It comes through, when under pressure. You crack, you are not excellent - Live with it...
I don't follow any professional sports, but, when I used to watch (on TV) Michael Jordan playing basketball, you could actually see the difference between him and any other player - He performed consistently under any circumstances - He truly, was excellent at what he did - Is he still playing?
I really, truly wonder, if we needed to do research on that particular subject? I.e. The botton of the laptop is warm, even hot sometimes, I need to do research and figure out if the heat is transfered to whatever surface a "laptop" is placed on. And most importantly, does the human body get warmer with contact - And I'll throw in "scrutum" and "fertility" in my hypothesis and get an extra couple of thousands dollars for a couple of more study subjects.
Next reasearch item: What date was it, on July 4th, 2004? More specifically, what date was it?
I'm all for research, but, perhaps the money can be spent somewhere else. Just my 0.000002 cents.
BTW, it's not called a laptop - It's called a "notebook computer."
Google and A9 - correctly:) - return my site first.
What would be freaky is that if search engines customized search results and display results depending on your preferences. I.e. I search for my name, so display sites related to "me" only - However, another person with the same search, would receive a different "me" type of results. You know what I mean, jelly bean?
Google must be pretty happy, as they are setting the standard for search engine Web UIs. I'd call the new search engine: MicroGooglelookalikeSoft Search Engine.
So, if the theather starts charging for people to play (and watch) via the movie screen, whould the RIAA have an issue with it? Or the makers of the game?
I read your post and it reads like a flame bait, so I'll bite...
I see that you class yourself to be a programmer only. Your knowledge of language dictates the cool stuff you write as a self proclaimed hacker. In your case, perhaps Perl and PHP. I don't think all hackers see themselves in that light. Wether Java is cool or uncool is a childish argument and it shouldn't really be discussed - Or if Windows is better than Linux - In thruth, who cares. There are things that each tool does very well.
Now, when it comes to writing/designing cool stuff, what really should drive the design and the implementation is the problem itself - NOT the "cool" programming language. I've written code in most languages liked by real hackers and the most unmantainable code I've seen has been written in Perl.
The point of Software Engineering is not to identify the "real hacker" in the group - Most projects based on that mentality fail, anyway. Software Engineering is about building Software System that are mantainable through the productive life of the system. Java is a tool that lends itself to implement true OO Engineering. Wether some Joe Shmo guy consider it cool, is irrelevant to my ability to architect "cool" system - Cool is a subjective term here. For mere programmers, scripting tools are fine, for Software Engineers, the product/business problem drives the implementation. And we are talking about business application that need to be upgradable, maintainable, and accessable most times of the days, Java seems to be tool of choice - At least for some years to come (10 or more). I trully doubt a multi-million dollar system would be awarded to Perl shop with 10 real hackers, if a Java shop with 2 or 3 top architects with good software engineers to implement the system is competing for the same project. Like the saying goes, to hammer, everything looks like a nail.
BTW, I'm not saying that Java is the only tool that can be used to architect and implement big systems, I'm just saying that CTO are investing in the technology and leaving scripting language for minor tasks...
Everyone is motivated by different things, so if writing lonely code that will be used once to do ONE cool thing is the real hacker way, then I am not a hacker - Giving value is my motto, not unmantainable obfuscated lines of code...The code is but a small part of anything - If one cannot see this, then one should stay a programmer for life...
This shouldn't be a surprise. The Olympics are a business - And a really lucrative one - Well, at least for the owners of the Olympics and for the transmitters of the events. I.e. NBC, et al.
Of course country leaders would like us to believe it is all about pratiotism, however, the reality comes through to let us know that it is all about the money. How else would anyone explain such ludricous gag orders: No personal accounts.
There are extremist views on the matter. For example Alan Sillitoe writes in his essay "Sport And Nationalism": "The Olympic torch is a flame of enslavement." At the time, we weren't as connected as we are now, and I doubt he forsaw the gag orders from "The Man" towards it's side show stars. His views are a bit extremist in the matter, as I think there is merit in competition. But, I don't believe it should be a matter of Nationalism nor Money.
When and athlete wins at any competition, it is his or her achievement and no one elses (Minus the steroids or enhancing drugs). Regardless of where the athletes come from, there shouldn't be any restrictions to their personal points of view. I mean, if they are letting themselves used as sideshows for the world to watch, they should have certain rights to their own thoughts and own oppinions. Blogs are just another form of comunication - What's next? No word of mouth accounts of the big race/fight/game/etc. until the games are over? What is this, reality TV or something?
Dude, you shouldn't go to McMaster for comp sci. Someone already said here, if you don't go to classes at Waterloo and manage to pass, then you really don't belong in any undergraduate school. Nor any school for that matter. You should just hang out and laugh at everyone else, since you'd have discovered the meaning of life. However, I didn't know and don't know (and unlikely will know) someone who didn't attend CS classes and managed to pass with As. 60s, sure...But not 90s...Ok, CS 134 being the exception...
A University education shouldn't be viewed as training grounds for full time employment, because, it really isn't. Paying so much cash for a diploma/degree to work full time for a company is a waste of money. Essentially, you believe that the diploma/degree is your ticket to success and you are paying your dues to enter the work force. No such thing, man...It's the journey that counts, not the destination.
Go to lectures and maybe you'll figure it out - Or better yet, go to Waterloo. Even better, give me your money and I'll tell you what to read and what not to read:)
I get 7+ hours with my ThinkPad T40p - With the 9 cell battery. Yeah, it is a bit bigger and heavier, but it is not entirely ugly to look at and is not a big stretch.
I recomend the ThinkPad T4X to anyone who asks about a good, reliable laptop - Overpriced? Well, it depends how you value the thing - I paid extra, however, I'm very satisfied.
I don't like to work on projects that involve other programmers. Since graduating from college (in 1993) I have never worked on such a project.
In software development the "me/I/my" code doesn't work well in large development projects or anything close to trying to implement any type software engineering practices. Once you start owning the code in the sense that you don't care who else reads it, the code is already non-useful for future enhancement.
Also, there are different reason one develops programs. On the one hand, there is the extension of the developer in the code, in the sense that it becomes art to be preserved for the duration of the program, and hence the ownership of the code in the form of ego gratification. On the other hand, and most importantly, is that the program is developed for someone else: a client (Paying or not, it makes no difference). There is always a stakeholder in the process, and coding unreadable code (I.e. only one developer can read it) is doing a disservice to the client and should advice that in the case that "you" decide to not work on the project any longer or your firm disappears, they will end up with a project that will need to be reworked by a new individual/group. That's an extra expense.
Again, since you put your code for thousands of reviewers, don't take anything said here too harshly. I'm sure we are only trying to help for you to become a better developer and more profitable.
In that note, buy any type of University level Software Engineering book and read (thoroughly) the OO design chapter - Software methodologies haven't changed much since '93, however, in 11 years there are many writers and developers who have written good books on our chosen trade...
As a breathing being, I'm tired of the reliance of air to survive, so I'm planning of creating a pill (or suppository) that liberates me from the old-fashion oxigen need. This will greatly reduce $ for space missions...
My ransome, I mean...grant requirements - Imagine Dr. Evil with pinky in mouth - "One, million dollars..."
And all this time I thought Estonia was a creation of Dilbert - Who would have thunk it?
I agree with posts above - 100% Wi-Fi coverage is not necessary. I hate looking at a laptop monitor outdoors. You can't see anything anyway - And all that dust...
Slashdot Mirror
I haven't been part of these coding teams, but, I very much doubt Waterloo would give credits for doing the contests - At least I never heard of it...The CS department is too anal about their courses and that sort of thing. I could be wrong...
The double "oo" was my mistake - Either I have an over sensitive keyboard, or I'm a gooooof and kan't spel - We'll just never know...
Anyway, I think we both agree on this one. I do find the overzelous technologies to be bit a close minded - Again, if you are the promoter of the tool or book or scripting language, you should be. After all, some company is probably paying to be titled "Evengelist" or your livelyhood depends on it.
I'd look further into why someone shuts down an idea or a suggestion to use "X." There's probably a good reason for it. However, if you really think that your idea or suggestion is really good, why not push it all the way if you really believe in it (I don't mean you specifically - I mean anyone). I'm quite certain that "depth" guy can and will accept a good idea or suggestion. Perhaps the approach that needs to be taken is the by pointing how much "money" everyone will save.
If your suggestion gets shutdown, and you don't fight for it, maybe it's not the best approach in the end - Again, I don't mean specifically...
Sorry, you do seem defensive on the "depth/breath" issue.
:)
Anyway, I see the point of not being adventurous. But, you have to look at where the push is comming from: some guy that wrote the book is pushing the whole framework to the plebs.
I don't believe it's about job security, like you suggest: "Scared of loosing a job."
You have to look at it from a different perspective than the idealistic developer attitude of fixing everything and doing everything with technology "X."
Also, being a technologist is probably not the same as a Software Engineer/Developer. Being the latter involves coding applications that will be maintained by a large group of developers 5 to 10 years from now. If you look at Java, it's exactly what happened with its evolution - The J2EE architecture works well for large scale development and will likely stay that way for a while.
Scripting languages, on the other hand, come and go. Perl is an extremely useful language and very productive, however, once the original developer is gone it becomes extremely hard to maintain any code such person developed.
I'm not saying that either approach is wrong, or that we shouldn't use scripting languages - However, you can't go overboard porting all your applications to the new "new thing" just because it is going around the blogs. This year is probably Ruby, next year it may not.
Also, we shouldn't point fingers at "depth" guys just because they say "no" to "X," where x is in the set {PHP, Rubby, perl, etc, etc}. They have their reasons: budgetary reasons, political reason, maintanability reasons, etc, etc.
It's funny, every year something comes along that say "X is much better than J2EE." And we're not even done with PHP, and we already have Ruby. So, which one is the scriting language that makes you a better developer, is cheaper to implement, make you a super developer that never writes bugs into code? Right...
I say we should keep an open mind and embrase anything that makes you productive in the environment you want to work in. Scripting languages have their place, but it is not in large scale development engagments, where maintainable multi million dollar projects are involved. At least not yet - And I haven't come across any "depth" guys that would bet their careers on a scripting language, unless it's the inventor of it, or write books about. I don't do either (invent scripting language or write about them), hence, I don't complain - Plus the more diluted the market is, the better for some "depth" fanboys
Why don't we get a random generator to give us random April's fools day.
I.e. Every April 1st, will be different every year.
Now, that would a good April's fools joke: no predictability and we'll get 1/365 or 1/366 (leap year) probability of actually being on an April fools prank...
Web open-source scripting tools, such as PHP You can't make a fair comparison between the Java technology (whatever that means) and PHP.
PHP has its uses and Java has its uses. And Java is not a scripting language. Just because you can deploy a web site using JSP, you can't put Java in the same category as a web scripting language, me thinks.
"He's asked to help from Web designers the world over to build a new page for Microsoft to test IE7 with to make sure it does everything Web designers want it to."
Why would anyone ask such question? If IE7 were to catter to every single designer out there, the software will be vaporware for the rest of eternity.
A better challenge: make IE7 do everything it's supposed to do, as far a W3 standards go.
My request: "Can IE7 prepare my breakfast, while rendering HTML? Everyday?"
You are wrong! Everyone knows it It originated in China.
There is nothing remarkable nor notable about Mark - Just another computer guy who worked at M$ and was hired by a competitor and got himself fired within two weeks for blogging confidential information.
What I found notable, though, is the fact that the news of his firing is mentioned in hundreds of blogs and the fact that most net surfers (Technical, that is) know about him.
Also, notable is the fact that most people probably saw it comming, except him and that his firing was so "web public." I'm sure he is not the first (nor the last) person google fires, and defenitely not news worthy ouside of the bloggosphere, however, a tinge of irony is left in the mouth from the whole soap stiled story: "The do no evil company, who owns blogger.com fires employee for actually blogging."
I'm not taking sides, and I don't know the whole story. However, google is just another for profit corporation and it shouldn't be a surprise that it takes action when it sees its policies broken. It just that it really sucks for Mark (I don't personally know him) that he got fired from one of the best technology companies of the decade (At leats is appears to be from the outside).
And, in the web craze, if the Dancing Baby has a place in wikipedia, I think Mark deserves one too. It's his 15 minutes of web fame - Unfortunate, it wasn't for something notable - But, hey, there is not such thing as bad publicity...
As policy has it, all references to Mark Jen will be purged :)
Mark Jen @ wikipedia
It's called excellence. It comes through, when under pressure. You crack, you are not excellent - Live with it...
I don't follow any professional sports, but, when I used to watch (on TV) Michael Jordan playing basketball, you could actually see the difference between him and any other player - He performed consistently under any circumstances - He truly, was excellent at what he did - Is he still playing?
I really, truly wonder, if we needed to do research on that particular subject? I.e. The botton of the laptop is warm, even hot sometimes, I need to do research and figure out if the heat is transfered to whatever surface a "laptop" is placed on. And most importantly, does the human body get warmer with contact - And I'll throw in "scrutum" and "fertility" in my hypothesis and get an extra couple of thousands dollars for a couple of more study subjects.
Next reasearch item: What date was it, on July 4th, 2004? More specifically, what date was it?
I'm all for research, but, perhaps the money can be spent somewhere else. Just my 0.000002 cents.
BTW, it's not called a laptop - It's called a "notebook computer."
Google/MS/A9 = 153,000/48,951/41,500...
:) - return my site first.
Google and A9 - correctly
What would be freaky is that if search engines customized search results and display results depending on your preferences. I.e. I search for my name, so display sites related to "me" only - However, another person with the same search, would receive a different "me" type of results. You know what I mean, jelly bean?
Good to see M$ innovating.
Google must be pretty happy, as they are setting the standard for search engine Web UIs. I'd call the new search engine: MicroGooglelookalikeSoft Search Engine.
So, if the theather starts charging for people to play (and watch) via the movie screen, whould the RIAA have an issue with it? Or the makers of the game?
I read your post and it reads like a flame bait, so I'll bite...
I see that you class yourself to be a programmer only. Your knowledge of language dictates the cool stuff you write as a self proclaimed hacker. In your case, perhaps Perl and PHP. I don't think all hackers see themselves in that light. Wether Java is cool or uncool is a childish argument and it shouldn't really be discussed - Or if Windows is better than Linux - In thruth, who cares. There are things that each tool does very well.
Now, when it comes to writing/designing cool stuff, what really should drive the design and the implementation is the problem itself - NOT the "cool" programming language. I've written code in most languages liked by real hackers and the most unmantainable code I've seen has been written in Perl.
The point of Software Engineering is not to identify the "real hacker" in the group - Most projects based on that mentality fail, anyway. Software Engineering is about building Software System that are mantainable through the productive life of the system. Java is a tool that lends itself to implement true OO Engineering. Wether some Joe Shmo guy consider it cool, is irrelevant to my ability to architect "cool" system - Cool is a subjective term here. For mere programmers, scripting tools are fine, for Software Engineers, the product/business problem drives the implementation. And we are talking about business application that need to be upgradable, maintainable, and accessable most times of the days, Java seems to be tool of choice - At least for some years to come (10 or more). I trully doubt a multi-million dollar system would be awarded to Perl shop with 10 real hackers, if a Java shop with 2 or 3 top architects with good software engineers to implement the system is competing for the same project. Like the saying goes, to hammer, everything looks like a nail.
BTW, I'm not saying that Java is the only tool that can be used to architect and implement big systems, I'm just saying that CTO are investing in the technology and leaving scripting language for minor tasks...
Everyone is motivated by different things, so if writing lonely code that will be used once to do ONE cool thing is the real hacker way, then I am not a hacker - Giving value is my motto, not unmantainable obfuscated lines of code...The code is but a small part of anything - If one cannot see this, then one should stay a programmer for life...
This shouldn't be a surprise. The Olympics are a business - And a really lucrative one - Well, at least for the owners of the Olympics and for the transmitters of the events. I.e. NBC, et al.
Of course country leaders would like us to believe it is all about pratiotism, however, the reality comes through to let us know that it is all about the money. How else would anyone explain such ludricous gag orders: No personal accounts.
There are extremist views on the matter. For example Alan Sillitoe writes in his essay "Sport And Nationalism": "The Olympic torch is a flame of enslavement." At the time, we weren't as connected as we are now, and I doubt he forsaw the gag orders from "The Man" towards it's side show stars. His views are a bit extremist in the matter, as I think there is merit in competition. But, I don't believe it should be a matter of Nationalism nor Money.
When and athlete wins at any competition, it is his or her achievement and no one elses (Minus the steroids or enhancing drugs). Regardless of where the athletes come from, there shouldn't be any restrictions to their personal points of view. I mean, if they are letting themselves used as sideshows for the world to watch, they should have certain rights to their own thoughts and own oppinions. Blogs are just another form of comunication - What's next? No word of mouth accounts of the big race/fight/game/etc. until the games are over? What is this, reality TV or something?
Dude, you shouldn't go to McMaster for comp sci. Someone already said here, if you don't go to classes at Waterloo and manage to pass, then you really don't belong in any undergraduate school. Nor any school for that matter. You should just hang out and laugh at everyone else, since you'd have discovered the meaning of life. However, I didn't know and don't know (and unlikely will know) someone who didn't attend CS classes and managed to pass with As. 60s, sure...But not 90s...Ok, CS 134 being the exception...
:)
A University education shouldn't be viewed as training grounds for full time employment, because, it really isn't. Paying so much cash for a diploma/degree to work full time for a company is a waste of money. Essentially, you believe that the diploma/degree is your ticket to success and you are paying your dues to enter the work force. No such thing, man...It's the journey that counts, not the destination.
Go to lectures and maybe you'll figure it out - Or better yet, go to Waterloo. Even better, give me your money and I'll tell you what to read and what not to read
I get 7+ hours with my ThinkPad T40p - With the 9 cell battery. Yeah, it is a bit bigger and heavier, but it is not entirely ugly to look at and is not a big stretch. I recomend the ThinkPad T4X to anyone who asks about a good, reliable laptop - Overpriced? Well, it depends how you value the thing - I paid extra, however, I'm very satisfied.
Shouldn't this be the "new old" batmobile?
Food for thought...
As per Batmnan being played by "that" guy - I think he's too lispy...Oh well...
I'll admit I'm easealy amused, but, that IS FUNNY!
This is yesterday's news...It shouldn't appear on /. anymore...
I don't like to work on projects that involve other programmers. Since graduating from college (in 1993) I have never worked on such a project.
In software development the "me/I/my" code doesn't work well in large development projects or anything close to trying to implement any type software engineering practices. Once you start owning the code in the sense that you don't care who else reads it, the code is already non-useful for future enhancement.
Also, there are different reason one develops programs. On the one hand, there is the extension of the developer in the code, in the sense that it becomes art to be preserved for the duration of the program, and hence the ownership of the code in the form of ego gratification. On the other hand, and most importantly, is that the program is developed for someone else: a client (Paying or not, it makes no difference). There is always a stakeholder in the process, and coding unreadable code (I.e. only one developer can read it) is doing a disservice to the client and should advice that in the case that "you" decide to not work on the project any longer or your firm disappears, they will end up with a project that will need to be reworked by a new individual/group. That's an extra expense.
Again, since you put your code for thousands of reviewers, don't take anything said here too harshly. I'm sure we are only trying to help for you to become a better developer and more profitable.
In that note, buy any type of University level Software Engineering book and read (thoroughly) the OO design chapter - Software methodologies haven't changed much since '93, however, in 11 years there are many writers and developers who have written good books on our chosen trade...
As a breathing being, I'm tired of the reliance of air to survive, so I'm planning of creating a pill (or suppository) that liberates me from the old-fashion oxigen need. This will greatly reduce $ for space missions...
My ransome, I mean...grant requirements - Imagine Dr. Evil with pinky in mouth - "One, million dollars..."
What a horrible format to display the results. Never heard of the reader's need.
I agree with posts above - 100% Wi-Fi coverage is not necessary. I hate looking at a laptop monitor outdoors. You can't see anything anyway - And all that dust...
Malls, buildings, bus/train/plain statations YES
Parks/supermarkets NO