Good point. There are also notable quality differences with analogue VGA signals, as my EPIA-MII is notably blurry at 1280x1024 TFT, compared to an absolutely crisp picture from a Geforce2. I think with DVI even a "low quality" output would be better, as the pixels are addressed more or less separately.
Introducing whitespace introduces ambiguity, at least visually to
the programmer. I say that's a step backward.
I fail to see how whitespace is somehow inherently ambiguous. The
problem I mentioned is sort of related to ambiguity with whitespace,
but its origins are in generally sloppy programming (you can get into
similar trouble with braced languages as well).
In Python, each line of a block has to be indented in the same way. If
you do just that, there is no ambiguity.
If you use both indentation and braces, there is redundancy, which is not a good thing in general. People like to indent code, so in Python it is made a part of the language.
People use indentation to easily perceive blocks of code. Computers 'prefer' braces for the same goal. But programming languages are meant for the human coder, therefore it's better to use a human way of block delimiting. If you want to serve the machine, use assembler.
The only problem I've come across with Python's whitespace usage is when tabs and spaces are mixed in the same block. It's pretty bad as it makes debugging hard: to a human, the indentations may look the same, but to the computer, a tab can be different from the corresponding number of spaces.
However, it's a pretty pathological case which can be avoided by being generally clean and consistent. Python enforces cleanliness and consistency, which I think is a Good Thing.
I've had worse experiences when losing a brace in braced languages, than with the above problem in Python. This is of course subjective; but it ties in with my observation that Python is much more human-readable because of fewer punctuation characters. It's closer to a natural language or pseudocode, which should be something like a holy grail for programmers.
I don't like the idea of my computer doing tasks for me out of the blue just because it saw a pattern of me doing them in a particular way.
I don't like the idea either, as I think it would stifle creativity. I don't want to get stuck in some comfortable local minimum of usability, if there is a better and more interesting way around the corner.
I'm worried about creativity, as I use computers (Linux, of course) to make music. Often a new method of user interfacing can give way to new ideas in the actual work you're doing.
I sort of agree, because it leaves more power for the reader. In other words, viewing a movie is a weaker experience, because so much has already been done for him/her.
By looking at the change in resonance frequency, they are measuring the mass, not the weight. Therefore the results are the same on any planet, space station, etc. But can you call this procedure weighing?-)
In any case, formatting breaks the standard/idea of email as plain text. It assumes that the recipient is using a graphical/HTML client. It's the same kind of thinking that everyone is using MS Word, so it's ok to send information in the form of.DOCuments. Which is fine if you absolutely know how your recipient is going to read the message, but not a nice assumption to make in general.
I use Gentoo but I prefer to compile MPlayer from CVS. I know there is an option for GUI, and I know my way around USE flags, thank you very much. Or, as we say in Finland: Syö jalkas!
so, does this mean the old chestnut deleting the partition, re-partitioning then reinstalling windows doesn't effectively shred the data now?
No, it doesnt. Partition and filesystem information is destroyed, but a lot of the actual contents remains on the hard disk platters. Like when you delete something in DOS, only the filesystem entry is erased, and it can be recovered. This is the same thing, but instead of the file you consider the entire disk.
Of course, some data is necessarily overwritten when you install a new OS. But the 'empty space' may still contain precious information.
Does anybody like that glitz? Just because it's
video do they think they have to copy TV aesthetics?
I, for one, happen to like the following aspect of TV aesthetics:
There are no user interface elements on the screen, because it is devoted to the video itself. There are buttons on the DVD/video player, the TV set, and the remote, but not on the screen.
MPlayer gets this right by not having a GUI in the first place. There is the keyboard somewhere below the screen, just like there's a DVD/video player near the TV screen. In addition I can use a remote if I like. It just makes sense.
You should apply shred to the entire disk or partition. That way the filesystem details don't make any difference. Absolutely everything is overwritten.
Good point! I'm running Linux quite exclusively, and I'm considering different possibilities of advertising Linux on the lid of my (cheap x86) laptop. I'm thinking of a black Tux silhouette on the silver background, or something similarly non-intrusive.
Actually, I think software originated as Free, from its beginnings in academia. It was only later that the idea of selling proprietary, closed software was 'invented'.
Why would a company develop software for 99% of a market, when instead they could be writing software for a whopping 1% of the market?? It's a consiracy!!
My post may not have been quite clear, but my point remains that nobody is forcing people to use Windows.
If a software company is developing for Windows only, it means some level of commitment/connection to Microsoft. They are supporting Windows at the expense of other platforms. I can choose not to support that company, because I don't want any connection with them either.
My point is not about the market forces, it's about supporting the spirit of freedom and Right Things.
Slashdot Mirror
Good point. There are also notable quality differences with analogue VGA signals, as my EPIA-MII is notably blurry at 1280x1024 TFT, compared to an absolutely crisp picture from a Geforce2. I think with DVI even a "low quality" output would be better, as the pixels are addressed more or less separately.
I fail to see how whitespace is somehow inherently ambiguous. The problem I mentioned is sort of related to ambiguity with whitespace, but its origins are in generally sloppy programming (you can get into similar trouble with braced languages as well).
In Python, each line of a block has to be indented in the same way. If you do just that, there is no ambiguity.
People use indentation to easily perceive blocks of code. Computers 'prefer' braces for the same goal. But programming languages are meant for the human coder, therefore it's better to use a human way of block delimiting. If you want to serve the machine, use assembler.
The only problem I've come across with Python's whitespace usage is when tabs and spaces are mixed in the same block. It's pretty bad as it makes debugging hard: to a human, the indentations may look the same, but to the computer, a tab can be different from the corresponding number of spaces. However, it's a pretty pathological case which can be avoided by being generally clean and consistent. Python enforces cleanliness and consistency, which I think is a Good Thing.
I've had worse experiences when losing a brace in braced languages, than with the above problem in Python. This is of course subjective; but it ties in with my observation that Python is much more human-readable because of fewer punctuation characters. It's closer to a natural language or pseudocode, which should be something like a holy grail for programmers.
I don't like the idea either, as I think it would stifle creativity. I don't want to get stuck in some comfortable local minimum of usability, if there is a better and more interesting way around the corner.
I'm worried about creativity, as I use computers (Linux, of course) to make music. Often a new method of user interfacing can give way to new ideas in the actual work you're doing.
I think Taco should put a target out there so we can all win free dupes...
That's funny, considering Prince is his real first name. How greedy can the record companies get?
I sort of agree, because it leaves more power for the reader. In other words, viewing a movie is a weaker experience, because so much has already been done for him/her.
By looking at the change in resonance frequency, they are measuring the mass, not the weight. Therefore the results are the same on any planet, space station, etc. But can you call this procedure weighing?-)
Perhaps it has something to do with the viewing distance?
In any case, formatting breaks the standard/idea of email as plain text. It assumes that the recipient is using a graphical/HTML client. It's the same kind of thinking that everyone is using MS Word, so it's ok to send information in the form of .DOCuments. Which is fine if you absolutely know how your recipient is going to read the message, but not a nice assumption to make in general.
Seriously, I'm already fed up with the supposed jokes of today, but this must be the lamest of the lame.
I use Gentoo but I prefer to compile MPlayer from CVS. I know there is an option for GUI, and I know my way around USE flags, thank you very much. Or, as we say in Finland: Syö jalkas!
No, it doesnt. Partition and filesystem information is destroyed, but a lot of the actual contents remains on the hard disk platters. Like when you delete something in DOS, only the filesystem entry is erased, and it can be recovered. This is the same thing, but instead of the file you consider the entire disk.
Of course, some data is necessarily overwritten when you install a new OS. But the 'empty space' may still contain precious information.
You mean this? http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
BINGO!
I'm talking about the LIRC software for remote controllers, of course.
I, for one, happen to like the following aspect of TV aesthetics:
There are no user interface elements on the screen, because it is devoted to the video itself. There are buttons on the DVD/video player, the TV set, and the remote, but not on the screen.
MPlayer gets this right by not having a GUI in the first place. There is the keyboard somewhere below the screen, just like there's a DVD/video player near the TV screen. In addition I can use a remote if I like. It just makes sense.
You should apply shred to the entire disk or partition. That way the filesystem details don't make any difference. Absolutely everything is overwritten.
No, it didn't, but it should have appeared.
Good point! I'm running Linux quite exclusively, and I'm considering different possibilities of advertising Linux on the lid of my (cheap x86) laptop. I'm thinking of a black Tux silhouette on the silver background, or something similarly non-intrusive.
I for one use a windowmanager for.. umm.. managing my windows. Plain X does not have virtual desktops, for example.
Actually, I think software originated as Free, from its beginnings in academia. It was only later that the idea of selling proprietary, closed software was 'invented'.
My post may not have been quite clear, but my point remains that nobody is forcing people to use Windows.
If a software company is developing for Windows only, it means some level of commitment/connection to Microsoft. They are supporting Windows at the expense of other platforms. I can choose not to support that company, because I don't want any connection with them either.
My point is not about the market forces, it's about supporting the spirit of freedom and Right Things.
Possibly... but Linux programmers would probably use some kinds of standard, which would be portable across many more platforms.
I want to be freeee!
Nobody is forcing you to use Windows. You can be MS-free right now, if you want.
If you like a game that's only available to Windows, you basically have two choices: