1) 80% of software cost goes into maintenance. 2) Developers rarely stick with a position for more than 3-5 years.
It's more cost effective to have code that is easy to maintain, thus her focus on READABILITY. I can't tell you how many man-hours have been lost on our projects because our code is stupid and unreadable. Remember every time you've wanted to throw a brick at the guy before you? Yeah, that's stress that I really don't want yo be paying for on my project. Now:
3) Developers spend more time reading code than writing code. 4) Developers absorb code density faster via code examples than they do via documentation.
So, it's better to write self-documenting code, than to document highly analytical code. That means sensible variable/method names as well as collections/relationships that are relevant, at least where OOP is concerned.
Now, most business software is non-algorithmic, i.e. it isn't really computing so much as it is moving data around. The math isn't all that complex when the hardest thing you have to model is your database and the queries used to run it.
Considering all these things, I often hire programmers with better verbal skills, even at the expense of their analytical skills. Women tend to be more verbal than analytical, thus the authors conclusion. It's also easier to teach optimization and performance than it is to teach English grammar/syntax and how to "port" that to a programming language, and as outlined above, this is the part of the software that is not only the most expensive, but will give you the higher ROI over the life of that software. Enterprisey stuff can linger for tens of years, incurring maintenance costs all the while.
Now if the author had looked beneath the surface of what her gut (correctly) told her into the real cognition of what was going on, she might not have pissed off a bunch of insecure slashdot trolls. She might have even realized what was "better" about what she was seeing and how to train the rest of her staff to perform at that level.
Encouraging people to use a medium doesn't indicate you "get" that medium. You need to immerse yourself in it and really grok it's ins and outs, as well as it's pitfalls and strengths.
If he really got the web, he'd know better than to turn a bunch of anonymous trolls loose with permission to bandy about his name.
People who "get" the web understand that communities need to be groomed by moderators.
And this is exactly right. I would like to introduce into evidence the films A.I, Minority Report, and War of the Worlds. Spielburg is apparently allergic to source material which does not include a happy ending. Why he is still allowed near science fiction I am not sure.
GitS is one of the shining exemplars of speculative scifi. Spielburg has no interest in tough question, he just wants his storytelling to result in happy answers. The questions GitS asks are usually threatening in nature, and rely on their own philosophical scaffolding which is expanded upon exponentially in the SAC series. I have little to know confidence that Dreamworks in general will respect this. If they did, there wouldn't be a need to make it live action, itself a decision that seems completely bizarre to me. I thought Dreamworks wanted to challenge Pixar? THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!
I've got a sawbuck on everyman Tom Hanks being cast as Togusa, despite being completely unable to convey the idealism of the Rookie.
And the music will suck ass because there is only one Yokko Kano.
I hate Buffy AND Angel. I love BSG, and I've made many friends watch Firefly, and they totally get turned on to it. It really is on the same level as BSG (which I also like a lot), easily as sophisticated in its character development. It has a rich universe built up around it, with a lot of history that comes out over its short run, so it really kickstarts your imagination. The acting is fantastic, I've never seen such humor and believability in scifi characters.
We use Technologic Systems 5300 series. It's a good little SBC, and they have expanded their line to the 5500 which has USB/PCMCIA goodies. They also have no problems selling individual dev kits.
The provide a Linux distro for their devices which one of the engineers there rolled up from LFS. It works pretty well.
Whether or not Alderaan is a rebel outpost is irrelevant. Tarkin made it pretty clear that it was being used to demonstrate the power of the Death Star, which is why he chose it over Dantooine.
What would a "benevolent dictator" want with a weapon capable of destroying planets anyway?
Configurable editors comments...
on
VIM 6.0 is Out
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· Score: 0
I've actually sent suggestions to CowboyNeal to add a configurable option to turn off the editors comments on the front page stories.
Why should they escape moderation?
Ok, show of hands... how many people are seriously concerned about what editor CT uses, how he feels about Mac mice, or if he thinks everyone and their mother should be using apt-get?
Didn't think so.
Ok, now how many people are just interested in the stories or moderated user comments? Wouldn't you like to at least have the option to turn of the unmoderated prattle coming out of the editors?
Ya wanna know who the ultimate replacement for Mulder is? I'll tell ya... Special Agent Dale Cooper, of Twin Peaks Fame. I've thought this ever since we first started hearing the rumors about David. It just makes so much sense. I dunno if there are a lot of Twin Peaks fans on/., but if you know the character, then you know just how right I am. Completely different from Mulder, but still totally believable. Besides, it's not like Kyle McLaughlin (sp) is sooooooo busy with Sex in the City. He could save the franchise!
I think it's important to broaden our definition (just a little) of art in the game. We're not just talking about the visual media in the game. The "artness" of a game is conveyed through more than the textures on the models, or the lighting. Game developers are trying to convey an experience in the game, and this usually consists of elements more akin to literature or just basic storytelling. Even in games without story, (read: any 3D shooter) it is the gameplay that shapes the experience. I think that this is where a game can become a piece of art, in it's playability. When the game seamlessly disappears, and all you recall is the experience, then you have a work of art. If all you remember from playing DOOM is the adrenal fear that kept you glued to your monitor till 3am, and not actually how you played, then I'd say you have a classic.
Slashdot Mirror
Way to miss the forest for the trees everyone.
1) 80% of software cost goes into maintenance.
2) Developers rarely stick with a position for more than 3-5 years.
It's more cost effective to have code that is easy to maintain, thus her focus on READABILITY. I can't tell you how many man-hours have been lost on our projects because our code is stupid and unreadable. Remember every time you've wanted to throw a brick at the guy before you? Yeah, that's stress that I really don't want yo be paying for on my project. Now:
3) Developers spend more time reading code than writing code.
4) Developers absorb code density faster via code examples than they do via documentation.
So, it's better to write self-documenting code, than to document highly analytical code. That means sensible variable/method names as well as collections/relationships that are relevant, at least where OOP is concerned.
Now, most business software is non-algorithmic, i.e. it isn't really computing so much as it is moving data around. The math isn't all that complex when the hardest thing you have to model is your database and the queries used to run it.
Considering all these things, I often hire programmers with better verbal skills, even at the expense of their analytical skills. Women tend to be more verbal than analytical, thus the authors conclusion. It's also easier to teach optimization and performance than it is to teach English grammar/syntax and how to "port" that to a programming language, and as outlined above, this is the part of the software that is not only the most expensive, but will give you the higher ROI over the life of that software. Enterprisey stuff can linger for tens of years, incurring maintenance costs all the while.
Now if the author had looked beneath the surface of what her gut (correctly) told her into the real cognition of what was going on, she might not have pissed off a bunch of insecure slashdot trolls. She might have even realized what was "better" about what she was seeing and how to train the rest of her staff to perform at that level.
Encouraging people to use a medium doesn't indicate you "get" that medium. You need to immerse yourself in it and really grok it's ins and outs, as well as it's pitfalls and strengths.
If he really got the web, he'd know better than to turn a bunch of anonymous trolls loose with permission to bandy about his name.
People who "get" the web understand that communities need to be groomed by moderators.
And this is exactly right. I would like to introduce into evidence the films A.I, Minority Report, and War of the Worlds. Spielburg is apparently allergic to source material which does not include a happy ending. Why he is still allowed near science fiction I am not sure.
GitS is one of the shining exemplars of speculative scifi. Spielburg has no interest in tough question, he just wants his storytelling to result in happy answers. The questions GitS asks are usually threatening in nature, and rely on their own philosophical scaffolding which is expanded upon exponentially in the SAC series. I have little to know confidence that Dreamworks in general will respect this. If they did, there wouldn't be a need to make it live action, itself a decision that seems completely bizarre to me. I thought Dreamworks wanted to challenge Pixar? THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!
I've got a sawbuck on everyman Tom Hanks being cast as Togusa, despite being completely unable to convey the idealism of the Rookie.
And the music will suck ass because there is only one Yokko Kano.
Is it normal to transplant livers across blood types? This sounds like a nearly missed case of malpractice.
Looks to me like an HD TiVo would be able to tape shows on HBO and Showtime at the same time.
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but MythTV + IR blaster + STB simply won't provide that. Nor any dual-tuner functionality that isn't OTA afaik.
So which comment was "irrelevant" again?
You're right, DiMaggio and West are totally replaceable.
Idiot.
I hear HD-DVD and I thinks: "yeah, that'll probably play my existing DVD collection"
I hear Blu-Ray and I thinks: "um.... what?"
It doesn't really matter which drive is backwards compatible or not. It's all about association.
Your cynicism is so very precious.
Perhaps the goal of The Gates Foundation wasn't to make linux zealots like Microsoft?
I hate Buffy AND Angel. I love BSG, and I've made many friends watch Firefly, and they totally get turned on to it. It really is on the same level as BSG (which I also like a lot), easily as sophisticated in its character development. It has a rich universe built up around it, with a lot of history that comes out over its short run, so it really kickstarts your imagination. The acting is fantastic, I've never seen such humor and believability in scifi characters.
It is teh rawk.
The provide a Linux distro for their devices which one of the engineers there rolled up from LFS. It works pretty well.
just my 2 bits....
So I guess Zork and Adventure sucked too then?
Same gameplay, different media. The 'Choose Your Own Adventure' decision tree is the basis for TONS of games, regardless of genre or media.
Whether or not Alderaan is a rebel outpost is irrelevant. Tarkin made it pretty clear that it was being used to demonstrate the power of the Death Star, which is why he chose it over Dantooine.
What would a "benevolent dictator" want with a weapon capable of destroying planets anyway?
I've actually sent suggestions to CowboyNeal to add a configurable option to turn off the editors comments on the front page stories.
Why should they escape moderation?
Ok, show of hands... how many people are seriously concerned about what editor CT uses, how he feels about Mac mice, or if he thinks everyone and their mother should be using apt-get?
Didn't think so.
Ok, now how many people are just interested in the stories or moderated user comments? Wouldn't you like to at least have the option to turn of the unmoderated prattle coming out of the editors?
I think you mean April 20, 2001. But you're forgiven.
Star Wars II: The Search for Pot
Ya wanna know who the ultimate replacement for Mulder is? I'll tell ya... Special Agent Dale Cooper, of Twin Peaks Fame. I've thought this ever since we first started hearing the rumors about David. It just makes so much sense. I dunno if there are a lot of Twin Peaks fans on /., but if you know the character, then you know just how right I am. Completely different from Mulder, but still totally believable. Besides, it's not like Kyle McLaughlin (sp) is sooooooo busy with Sex in the City. He could save the franchise!
aesthetics class strikes again...