Yeah, and who cares if their actions will mean poverty-stricken Somalis won't get money they desperately need. Who cares if the UN is unable to perform their aid functions there.
Obviously not the Bush administration. Their idea of "social responsibility", if they have one, doesn't cross the border.
Same as the college I attended. They are two different disciplines. The discussion is about the difference between "computer science" (what I studied) and "software engineering". (Computer engineering is more about hardware--though most of my friends taking it in school wound up with programming jobs.)
But I agree with you about rigour. The engineering discipline is very structured and is geared (d'oh--pun not intended) towards real-life applications of science and how to build a bridge so it doesn't fall down even if (blah) and even in the case of (nyah). Computer science has traditionally not had that focus for the whole trip (we had to take one course on the subject... It was a third-year course). The point of software engineering as a degree instead of just a course is to introduce that systemic rigour all the way through.
this is a major step forward - turning software engineering from an art into a science.
It's already a science. It's called "computer science". Engineering is something else.
Another term for engineering is "applied science". (My brother-in-law has a B.ASc. and a M.ASc. He's an electrical engineer.) Since mathematics is a form of philosophy, which is an art more than anything else, and is a foundation for science, I'd say science is applied art.
So where does "computer science" and "software engineering" fit in? Well, as computer scientists, we don't really follow the scientific method, so we're not really scientists. We're more like engineers, but we don't have to follow the same rigid course layout (at my alma mater, anyway) and we don't get to be P.Eng's.
Whatever. I don't think it will seriously affect my career path--I work with a lot of engineers who took programming jobs. We make the same money and do the same work. The difference? Sometimes they don't know how to write efficient code, because that's not what they studied. Oh, and sometimes they were those little iron rings.
And one last thing on Michael's statement--it's already a science. And like any science, it will always intrinsically be art.
No, but you could approach 100% accuracy by running the calculation multiple times and choosing the most popular answer. Sorta like math by popular vote. Which is still better than what happened in Florida last year.
Of course, the calculation that tabulates the responses and calculates which is the most popular will only choose correctly 99.8% of the time... lather, rinse, repeat!
My favourite method *for CD-ROMS only* is 3-hole binder sheets. They hold four per side. They're a little pricey, but they aren't faux leather (gag), they fit on a shelf, you can use the same methods of organization as you do with all your other binders... hopefully the price will come down, but I find them the best solution.
Of course, for music cd's, I just keep them in their cases. I have too much music that comes in special cases (ie. not jewel cases)--where you can't just take out the insert. Plus I like to browse my collection on a shelf, standing up--don't ask me why.
This is total "legal creep". They win an inch, they try for the mile. These guys are gonna be nipping at the heels of progress until they've virally infected every technology out there. Scary stuff.
That was an enjoyable interview, and I always hated Wesley Crusher. But I especially hated his ugly mother. But I really liked Wil's character in Stand By Me, and thought it was played very well.
One thing though:
Finding new and preferably disgusting ways to degrade a friend's mother was always held in high regard.
Nice try on slipping that in, Wil--but it wasn't your line! It was spoken by the narrator, played by Richard Dreyfuss. The subtleties are piling up!
In terms of techspertise (I think I just made that up!) the economic downturn is good for government. The Canadian gov't is licking their chops cos with the recession they can finally afford some good tech people.
And sometimes, what's good for government is good for us all. This economic dry patch might be good for the industry in the long term, starting with a beefed-up US patent office.
Really? Myself, I'm doing a sixteen-hour day at work so I can finish off a project before I take vacation. Yes, it's a huge tragedy, it's scary and we just might be looking at the opening shots of war. Everybody at work's been following the developments. Somebody had a small radio and we listened Bush's address. But we went about our business, because--apart from giving blood or money, mourning and praying, if you're into that--if you don't live near one of the crash sites, there isn't a lot you can do.
Give the guy a break. Just because he's posting a submission doesn't mean he's forgotten or is over the shock and sadness of what happened.
I'd like to commend Slashdot for rallying the crowd to give blood. I'm sure CmdrTaco and the rest did a lot for those directly affected by the attacks by that simple measure.
dlek.
Re:Would it still have the rights of wooden paper?
on
E-Paper Moves Closer
·
· Score: 1
Judging from the SSSCA and the way such things are going, the e-paper will have to have an embedded fingerprint scanner to enforce copyright restrictions. If you hand the paper to a friend, it will scan his thumbprint, alert the DMCA Police, and blow his hand off.
So if somebody tries to hand you e-paper, it probably would be a good idea to have a six-foot stick handy.
Potential damage to reputation: Silly criticism. An intended aim of the license. Like the GPL, this license assumes that free and open should be free and open to everyone for every purpose, even those you find distasteful. "Oh my god, someone is using my GPL'ed program called grep to search for abortion providers in the phone book!"
I don't agree that this is a silly criticism. Look at the Windows95 launch, and how they used "Start Me Up" by the Rolling Stones. While the Stones did sell the rights for this song to Microsoft, the average Slashdotter-slash-musician here would be completely aghast--and have absolutely no recourse.
The software world doesn't have a concept of "selling out" (well, we do, but generally it's a positive thing: "You sold your company to a behemoth for 50 mil? Good job!"). In the music world, particularly pop music, this is a huge thing. Fans are everything--you make music for your fans. If your fans think you're a corporate shill, or they get your songs pummelled into them constantly by obnoxious commercials, and can't stand to listen anymore--you're going to lose your fan base. And who are you making music for anyway?
Neil Young ("This Song's For You") would be turning in his grave, if he was dead yet.
I agree with you about the "hands-off" savings, but still not sure about the cost of having a server--see I'm assuming if you don't colocate, you'll share a server. So if you share with four other people, you're taking up 1/5 the space you would with having your own box. So costs per share should be lower. The overhead is still there, and the same per server, but less per share of the server.
So maybe they're comparable... which would be a pleasant surprise.
I agree that colocation is preferred, but I find it hard to believe that it is cheaper for a company to provide rack or shelf space, network cable, air-conditioned rooms, and overweight security guards, than to provide some extra mail handling and storage on a server they're already running. Cost seems to be an issue.
Unfortunately, when you share space, you aren't going to have control--you'll have to pester them to change your config, such as to add more e-mail addresses. And automatic message forwarding and vacation notices may not be possible. If you can find a place where they'll actually give you shell accounts...;)
Personally, I'd think about beefing up your requirements with a phat web server and other stuff (hmm, maybe an EFNet node?;) until you have no choice but colocation.
And any good geek would find this rationale enough to go with the superior, albeit more expensive, solution. 8)
Slashdot Mirror
Yeah, and who cares if their actions will mean poverty-stricken Somalis won't get money they desperately need. Who cares if the UN is unable to perform their aid functions there.
Obviously not the Bush administration. Their idea of "social responsibility", if they have one, doesn't cross the border.
But I agree with you about rigour. The engineering discipline is very structured and is geared (d'oh--pun not intended) towards real-life applications of science and how to build a bridge so it doesn't fall down even if (blah) and even in the case of (nyah). Computer science has traditionally not had that focus for the whole trip (we had to take one course on the subject... It was a third-year course). The point of software engineering as a degree instead of just a course is to introduce that systemic rigour all the way through.
It's already a science. It's called "computer science". Engineering is something else.
Another term for engineering is "applied science". (My brother-in-law has a B.ASc. and a M.ASc. He's an electrical engineer.) Since mathematics is a form of philosophy, which is an art more than anything else, and is a foundation for science, I'd say science is applied art.
So where does "computer science" and "software engineering" fit in? Well, as computer scientists, we don't really follow the scientific method, so we're not really scientists. We're more like engineers, but we don't have to follow the same rigid course layout (at my alma mater, anyway) and we don't get to be P.Eng's.
Whatever. I don't think it will seriously affect my career path--I work with a lot of engineers who took programming jobs. We make the same money and do the same work. The difference? Sometimes they don't know how to write efficient code, because that's not what they studied. Oh, and sometimes they were those little iron rings.
And one last thing on Michael's statement--it's already a science. And like any science, it will always intrinsically be art.
-dlek
No, but you could approach 100% accuracy by running the calculation multiple times and choosing the most popular answer. Sorta like math by popular vote. Which is still better than what happened in Florida last year.
Of course, the calculation that tabulates the responses and calculates which is the most popular will only choose correctly 99.8% of the time... lather, rinse, repeat!
Will it work on the bad jokes submitted as responses to this article?
(Like this one?)
My favourite method *for CD-ROMS only* is 3-hole binder sheets. They hold four per side. They're a little pricey, but they aren't faux leather (gag), they fit on a shelf, you can use the same methods of organization as you do with all your other binders... hopefully the price will come down, but I find them the best solution.
Of course, for music cd's, I just keep them in their cases. I have too much music that comes in special cases (ie. not jewel cases)--where you can't just take out the insert. Plus I like to browse my collection on a shelf, standing up--don't ask me why.
This is total "legal creep". They win an inch, they try for the mile. These guys are gonna be nipping at the heels of progress until they've virally infected every technology out there. Scary stuff.
One thing though:
Nice try on slipping that in, Wil--but it wasn't your line! It was spoken by the narrator, played by Richard Dreyfuss. The subtleties are piling up!
dlek
And sometimes, what's good for government is good for us all. This economic dry patch might be good for the industry in the long term, starting with a beefed-up US patent office.
dlek
Give the guy a break. Just because he's posting a submission doesn't mean he's forgotten or is over the shock and sadness of what happened.
I'd like to commend Slashdot for rallying the crowd to give blood. I'm sure CmdrTaco and the rest did a lot for those directly affected by the attacks by that simple measure.
So if somebody tries to hand you e-paper, it probably would be a good idea to have a six-foot stick handy.
That shouldn't have been modded down. That's bloody funny.
I don't agree that this is a silly criticism. Look at the Windows95 launch, and how they used "Start Me Up" by the Rolling Stones. While the Stones did sell the rights for this song to Microsoft, the average Slashdotter-slash-musician here would be completely aghast--and have absolutely no recourse.
The software world doesn't have a concept of "selling out" (well, we do, but generally it's a positive thing: "You sold your company to a behemoth for 50 mil? Good job!"). In the music world, particularly pop music, this is a huge thing. Fans are everything--you make music for your fans. If your fans think you're a corporate shill, or they get your songs pummelled into them constantly by obnoxious commercials, and can't stand to listen anymore--you're going to lose your fan base. And who are you making music for anyway?
Neil Young ("This Song's For You") would be turning in his grave, if he was dead yet.
- dlek
So maybe they're comparable... which would be a pleasant surprise.
Unfortunately, when you share space, you aren't going to have control--you'll have to pester them to change your config, such as to add more e-mail addresses. And automatic message forwarding and vacation notices may not be possible. If you can find a place where they'll actually give you shell accounts... ;)
Personally, I'd think about beefing up your requirements with a phat web server and other stuff (hmm, maybe an EFNet node? ;) until you have no choice but colocation.
And any good geek would find this rationale enough to go with the superior, albeit more expensive, solution. 8)