Subversion usability leaves a lot to be desired (although the book is really nice). For example, cd into a working copy that you've never seen before and try to determine its exact repository URL. Or, try making a branch without typing in the entire repository URL (assuming you even know it). Ugh.
Subversion and Visual Source Safe are the only two version control systems that I've ever had repository corruption problems with, so I'm biased against these.
For me, these days it's RCS or git for personal use, and git or CVS for group use, depending on the specific interaction pattern.
I love Canada, but I don't understand what the hell they could be thinking. Have they not noticed that conservatives have been in control of the USA for the last eight years and virtually demolished the country? Are they thinking that this would be a good model to follow?
Interesting. The last time I tried to download the "free" Windows compiler (1-3 years ago), it was a fairly arduous march, if I recall correctly. No documentation on how the pieces fit together, which libraries I needed for which things, etc.
On Debian/Ubuntu, I can just say
$ sudo aptitude install blah blah blah
and have the whole kit and kaboodle in one stroke.
Is there a good cheatsheet or web page out there that describes how to get a complete Windows environment on one's machine?
Yeah, it locked up my Windows box within a few minutes. Since it's Windows, there's no good way (for me) to debug it, so I guess I'll wait for the movie...
I have not generated Python source before, but I don't think it would be particularly difficult. I believe it's exactly the same as generating indented C. Instead of opening and closing braces, you generate EOL characters, and for both (indented) C and Python, you'll need to track indentation depth.
The syntax issue is not a minor thing for me. The fact that even function argument passing seems to be tacked on, rather than designed in, is a serious problem for me. Likewise, the fact that one cannot know how to parse the expression "x +2" (is that a unary or a binary '+'?) without knowing the definition of 'x' seems like a serious flaw in Perl's syntax.
Perl is in principle at least as powerful as Python, but its skin is just really unpleasant, to me.
Its funny, see I feel the same way about the other 'P' languages, why should I need to learn another language which does EXACTLY the same things as the one I am already a master of? There is just no compelling reason to use Python, PHP, or Ruby vs Perl. People being what they are, they will always reinvent the wheel, but frankly had all that effort gone into Perl development I have a feeling we'd have one single much better implementation of dynamic scripting...
I'm not entirely unsympathetic to this point of view. When I was younger I was up for any new language, but as I get older I'm definitely noticing a bias against the new, because of the risk that the effort won't pay off for me.
That said, for me, in terms of the aesthetics of programming languages, Python is so much nicer than Perl that I really have little choice.
I can understand your lament about the "wasted effort" of creating new languages, but the problem is that Perl's fundamental syntax is its most serious problem, and no amount of effort can change this. I hoped for a while that perhaps Perl would be modernized, but Perl 6 mostly heads off into the wrong direction, and I just don't see myself learning the 1800 page "Nutshell" book that it will require...
There are 250 BILLION lines of running COBOL code today. In fact there is more COBOL running out there than all the other code in all other languages combined (at least counting just business applications, but even counting everything this may be true)
I'm skeptical about this number, though I don't doubt that there's quite a bit of COBOL still live. And, of course, COBOL is extremely verbose.
Actually, though, I don't mind COBOL's existence. Maybe when I reach my dotage I'll take on a second career as a COBOL programmer. I've always regretted that I just missed the punched card era (I did once work with "virtual" punch cards), and I could see it as kind of meditative.
I really don't want to go back to Perl again, though...
As I recall, it was quite obvious to me around 1985 (when I first started paying attention to such things) that COBOL would be overtaken and die. Likewise, when I first started playing with Unix around that time, after years of VMS, it was completely obvious that VMS was finished.
Now, it is quite true that both of these were very popular in the job ads of the day and many people used them and advocated for them. To this day they are still used. But they are also pushing up daisies in the sense that its clear that their future will be one of decline and death.
Perl is dead, and has been for almost a decade. It may take many years for its inertia to spin down, but the die has been cast.
I decided quite a while ago that resistance was futile. Most details don't really matter, but it might be prudent to think about what would happen if you ever wanted to run for office or if the political winds shifted further to the right.
As for me, though, this is not a problem, because I love my country and especially that wonderful President of ours. God has truly blessed us to give us such intelligent, caring, and well-groomed leaders. My goal in life is to someday meet one of them so that I can adore him in person.
Doesn't really matter how much ram you have, long before you get a Gig of swap utilized the system is going to be trashing to the point of being unusable under any but lab conditions.
No--programs that are stopped or idle can be pushed out to swap, and depending upon what you have running on your system, this might be a lot of stuff.
C# is not the best language for all sorts of problems, but when it comes to banging out a GUI.exe for windows users to use quickly, I don't think there are better choices.
Yes, basically, if you're in a situation where you would been stuck with VB, you now have C#, which appears to be somewhat less unpleasant.
If you're not in such a situation, there doesn't seem to be any good reason to use this language.
At $1500 per patent filing, it's clearly in my interest to concentrate on patent filings, because nothing else I do for my employer pays me at this rate. And there's no shortage of stuff I can come up with that's at least as patentable as the stuff I read about--I'm pretty sure that the way I'm holding my hands as I type this is novel and non-obvious...
I don't have a link, but I'm pretty sure Nader opposes this sort of corporate handout/nonsense. And yes, I am considering voting for him (again) for just this reason.
(Well, also the fact that McCain and Obama both favor continuing the war...)
because it causes considerable suffering to a small minority of people
Actually, smoking ends up causing considerable suffering to a lot of people. The other things you mention may (and probably do) as well, though I'm less aware of the situation there...
Slashdot Mirror
Okay, mea culpa. That appears to be what I was looking for--not sure why I didn't see it before.
Subversion usability leaves a lot to be desired (although the book is really nice). For example, cd into a working copy that you've never seen before and try to determine its exact repository URL. Or, try making a branch without typing in the entire repository URL (assuming you even know it). Ugh.
Subversion and Visual Source Safe are the only two version control systems that I've ever had repository corruption problems with, so I'm biased against these.
For me, these days it's RCS or git for personal use, and git or CVS for group use, depending on the specific interaction pattern.
I'd like to have a Beowulf cluster of these shipping containers...
Or better yet, imagine a container ship filled with them--how many MIPS is that, anyway?
(Dyson sphere--here we come!)
P.S. Never underestimate the bandwidth of a Panamax freighter filled with Flash chips...
I love Canada, but I don't understand what the hell they could be thinking. Have they not noticed that conservatives have been in control of the USA for the last eight years and virtually demolished the country? Are they thinking that this would be a good model to follow?
Nobody but Apple uses it anyway--I think they're just surrendering to the inevitable here...
Perhaps the first thing you should do is write a package manager for Windows so you can be lazier in the future...
Why would I want to donate my time supporting a company I consider to be antisocial and ethically repulsive?
Anyway, thank you for the link.
Interesting. The last time I tried to download the "free" Windows compiler (1-3 years ago), it was a fairly arduous march, if I recall correctly. No documentation on how the pieces fit together, which libraries I needed for which things, etc.
On Debian/Ubuntu, I can just say
and have the whole kit and kaboodle in one stroke.
Is there a good cheatsheet or web page out there that describes how to get a complete Windows environment on one's machine?
Yeah, it locked up my Windows box within a few minutes. Since it's Windows, there's no good way (for me) to debug it, so I guess I'll wait for the movie...
I have not generated Python source before, but I don't think it would be particularly difficult. I believe it's exactly the same as generating indented C. Instead of opening and closing braces, you generate EOL characters, and for both (indented) C and Python, you'll need to track indentation depth.
The syntax issue is not a minor thing for me. The fact that even function argument passing seems to be tacked on, rather than designed in, is a serious problem for me. Likewise, the fact that one cannot know how to parse the expression "x +2" (is that a unary or a binary '+'?) without knowing the definition of 'x' seems like a serious flaw in Perl's syntax.
Perl is in principle at least as powerful as Python, but its skin is just really unpleasant, to me.
#2: Uh, sir, I'm not sure that figure will quite do it...
Dr. Evil: Well, okay, then. Two... Hundred... MILLION... Dollars!
#2: Yes, but you see, that really not so much money anymore. Congress spent more than that on their new gymnasium...
Dr. Evil: Alright. Try this then: Two... Hundred... BILLION...
(#2 nods)
Dr. Evil: ...Dollars. Alright--let's contact the press...
Its funny, see I feel the same way about the other 'P' languages, why should I need to learn another language which does EXACTLY the same things as the one I am already a master of? There is just no compelling reason to use Python, PHP, or Ruby vs Perl. People being what they are, they will always reinvent the wheel, but frankly had all that effort gone into Perl development I have a feeling we'd have one single much better implementation of dynamic scripting...
I'm not entirely unsympathetic to this point of view. When I was younger I was up for any new language, but as I get older I'm definitely noticing a bias against the new, because of the risk that the effort won't pay off for me.
That said, for me, in terms of the aesthetics of programming languages, Python is so much nicer than Perl that I really have little choice.
I can understand your lament about the "wasted effort" of creating new languages, but the problem is that Perl's fundamental syntax is its most serious problem, and no amount of effort can change this. I hoped for a while that perhaps Perl would be modernized, but Perl 6 mostly heads off into the wrong direction, and I just don't see myself learning the 1800 page "Nutshell" book that it will require...
Wrong just isn't a strong enough word for this.
There are 250 BILLION lines of running COBOL code today. In fact there is more COBOL running out there than all the other code in all other languages combined (at least counting just business applications, but even counting everything this may be true)
I'm skeptical about this number, though I don't doubt that there's quite a bit of COBOL still live. And, of course, COBOL is extremely verbose.
Actually, though, I don't mind COBOL's existence. Maybe when I reach my dotage I'll take on a second career as a COBOL programmer. I've always regretted that I just missed the punched card era (I did once work with "virtual" punch cards), and I could see it as kind of meditative.
I really don't want to go back to Perl again, though...
As I recall, it was quite obvious to me around 1985 (when I first started paying attention to such things) that COBOL would be overtaken and die. Likewise, when I first started playing with Unix around that time, after years of VMS, it was completely obvious that VMS was finished.
Now, it is quite true that both of these were very popular in the job ads of the day and many people used them and advocated for them. To this day they are still used. But they are also pushing up daisies in the sense that its clear that their future will be one of decline and death.
Perl is dead, and has been for almost a decade. It may take many years for its inertia to spin down, but the die has been cast.
I decided quite a while ago that resistance was futile. Most details don't really matter, but it might be prudent to think about what would happen if you ever wanted to run for office or if the political winds shifted further to the right.
As for me, though, this is not a problem, because I love my country and especially that wonderful President of ours. God has truly blessed us to give us such intelligent, caring, and well-groomed leaders. My goal in life is to someday meet one of them so that I can adore him in person.
That notwithstanding, researchers did suggest that stores could sell more Kalashnikovs by placing them next to the diapers...
...if the goal is to limit casualties.
...so that they won't die because they didn't have the utmost available acceleration with which to get out of the way.
Blah.
...and no regrets.
If not, you'll have to decide what you're really about.
...there's not much we can really do about this. Soon, if not already, they can either buy the manufacturers or just make their own stuff.
N.B. This really has nothing to do with Free Software or Open Source Software. They want the source, but aren't planning to release it generally.
Doesn't really matter how much ram you have, long before you get a Gig of swap utilized the system is going to be trashing to the point of being unusable under any but lab conditions.
No--programs that are stopped or idle can be pushed out to swap, and depending upon what you have running on your system, this might be a lot of stuff.
C# is not the best language for all sorts of problems, but when it comes to banging out a GUI .exe for windows users to use quickly, I don't think there are better choices.
Yes, basically, if you're in a situation where you would been stuck with VB, you now have C#, which appears to be somewhat less unpleasant.
If you're not in such a situation, there doesn't seem to be any good reason to use this language.
I'm definitely switching to Linux now...
At $1500 per patent filing, it's clearly in my interest to concentrate on patent filings, because nothing else I do for my employer pays me at this rate. And there's no shortage of stuff I can come up with that's at least as patentable as the stuff I read about--I'm pretty sure that the way I'm holding my hands as I type this is novel and non-obvious...
I don't have a link, but I'm pretty sure Nader opposes this sort of corporate handout/nonsense. And yes, I am considering voting for him (again) for just this reason.
(Well, also the fact that McCain and Obama both favor continuing the war...)
Actually, smoking ends up causing considerable suffering to a lot of people. The other things you mention may (and probably do) as well, though I'm less aware of the situation there...