I served in the Persian Gulf during my active duty years in the Navy. I am now retired fortunatley. These days however, there is no way I would go back to that region for any reason or any amount of money. There is widespread hatred of Americans in the region, and anyone western is a target. The situation was bad when I was there, and now it is so much worse, I can't even imagine. Having made it through my Gulf tour without incident, I consider myself lucky, but having got back here safely, I'll never ever go back, not for any reason, or any amount of money. Believe me whatever the're paying you it isn't worth it. Its not really fun in that part of the world, so a best case scenario in you won't have much fun, the worse is you could end up shipped backed in a plastic bag. I'd say do no go, what would it be like for you're family if you were killed over there just for a job? There are other jobs, no job is worth dying for. Obviously the political situation in the middle east is only deteriorating, stay home, don't be a statistic, don't risk putting yourself family through what could happen. You saw the news today, I'd think that would speak for itself.
Mark
It is worth noting that Senator Hatch has a long history of supporting legislation that tramples upon constitutional rights and civil liberties, this man is definitley an enemy of your rights and the constitution, anyone in Utah really needs to remember to vote and get this bastard out of Office. He has waged war on the Bill of Rights long enough. M
Apparantly the EU doesn't understand that free speech is written into our constitution, and its not up to 'shrub, the Congress or anyone else to circumvent the constitution. Granted our constitutional rights are under constant attack by the current un-elected regime, but it is up to us as citizens to be ever vigilant. You cannot take away right from one group, without taking away everyones rights. The true test of a free society is how well it tolerates views that are abhorrent to the majority.
MM
Actually, in the US Navy and other branches of the service radio messages all always in all caps. These were a pretty routine part of life on ship (for Officers / admin personnel etc) We would compose the messages on a PC w/ word processor, print hard copy, then have approved by CoC. Radio men would send them out encrpyed, hard copies were always kept for paper trail. A ship my send dozens or even hundreds of these a week, so the're quite common. There are a few who may need cap locks who aren't programmers.
M
Things you can do with Java no one talks about....
on
Hardcore Java
·
· Score: 2, Informative
- Write and compile Direct X based 3D code to win32 (for video games, physics sim etc.)
- Write and compile code for 68K asm, ARM etc, for various types of portable devices (much cleaner source than C/C++)
- Write very fast and efficient server side apps to run on Mac OS X.
But I'm sure its much more fun and easier to slander Java than do something useful with it. I'll resuming coding now...
Mark
As a former college instructor, I do see a serious problem with this. Even though reading and grading reports, essays etc is very time consuming it does allow the instructor to see how the students thinks and writes, and it allows the instructor to provide feedback to the students. By using computer grading, the problem of assigning a grade is solved, but it seems to me it largley undermines the whole point of the writing exercise in that it eliminates a very important aspect of the student/instructor relationship, and degrades the learing process. After all the goal of a writing exercise is to allow the student to learn, not just to assign a numerical value to the student's work. Currently I write educational software, however it seems the purpose of automation should be to free up time and resources such that the student and instructor have more interation, rather than this type of solution which replaces the student instructor interaction.
Mark
As came up in the previous Java desktop discussion, there is some ambiguity as to the use of the word Java, Sun now considers Java to be a brand, just like GM has brands of Chevy and Oldsmobile, thus the Java desktop doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Java the programming language. Being a Java programmer myself, it may be hard to live the fact with our favorite language is now a pseudonymn for a corporate brand, but we need to call spade a spade. For Sun Java is a name they use to sell product and doesn't necessarily have anything to do with a programming language.
Mark
Mark
Slave labor, a caste system, no workers rights and no environmental protection, proctetionist trade policies (their markets are not open to most US goods) I'm sure if we implemented all that here, are work force would also be 'successful'. Fortunatley, the current administration is doing everything they can to bring about India/Chinalike working conditions in the US.
M
Just plain old googling seems to work well for recipes, there are many, many recipe sites, many small personal sites with good recipes I just google for 'recipes for..' whatever I want to cook, and then surf through and bookmark the ones I want to use. Also its good to surf through different recipes and see which ones fit the ingredients you have.
M
I think the current tools exist to produce code that is way less buggy. For instance much of the industrial code I have seen written in Java poorly uses the OO capabilities of Java, and this in itself causes more bugs and maintainability problems. It seems fairly rare that the existent OO languages and tools are well used at least at the application developer level. So I think the problem is really more with the abililty of developers to use proper and well implemented OO methodology. It also seems as though the design process is flawed in that class designs etc., are often done with a priori with insufficient in depth understanding of the process that is being modelled, this is usually because management insist upon having an immutable design before development starts and often before the problem and proceeses the code is being written for is sufficiently understood. Bottom line is you can hand anyone a scapel, but it doesn't make them a surgeon. Skilled developers with a good understanding of the underlying process they are coding for will produce better qualilty and maintainable code. Because it is developer skill that is the issue, not tools the current race-to-the bottom to off shore all devepment to the lowest bidder and lowest developer skill will inherently produce less maintainable, buggier code. The solution to less buggy code is to use skilled programmers wha really understand and can use the available OO techniques (ie NOT offshore, NOT H1-B etc.). I think it also helps if the developers have some understanding of the field for which they code ie medical, financial etc. When you go with the lowest bidder, you get what you pay for/rant)
MM
Don't see the point either, since.NET is just a cheap rip off of J2EE, why not use J2EE instead? runs great on Unix, Linux, and Darwin, also there are a number of really good open source platforms (such as Tomcat). Why waste time validating M$ BS when you can use a better, more widely accepted and proven technology. Also you can compile to native code for you're favorite xxxux platform, why use.NET at all?
MM
Since the Indians don't write miantainable code anyway, I don't see how turning over a bunch of poorly written, un-maintainable code to a third party after the the vendor has failed to deliver will do much good. It would be far better to hire a couple of highly skilled reliable programmers to do you're project. The approach of trying to produce good code by hiring many low skilled off shore programmers is bound to produce poor results. I know this sounds troll, but have yoe ever seen WIPRO code, it is horrendous and unmaimtainable. Hiring laywers when you should be hirng good reliable (not off shore!) programmers is a watse of money.
MM
I've developed a couple of data driven apps on Palm OS that interact with backend databases using jdbc, I've used these with both Oracle and MySQL. The MS approach sounds rather heavy wieght, you can use Waba on the client side, and you can serialize the data which allows the data transactions to be very fast and efficient. XML seems a poor choice for the PDA environment being how it requires much nore band width and CPU cycles than Object serialization.NET seems to heavy and clunky for even the PC environment, much less the PDA environment. The M$ dumbed down heavy weight solution seems a poor choice for devices with limited resources. Of course you can compile Waba - Java jdbc apps for CE, so why one would use a proprietary solution, seems lees than obviuos. Just a rant, but as a PDA developer it really doesn't make sense to use a proprietary solution that only runs on CE which has less than a 20% market share for PDAs anyway.
MM
They do the impossible for the ungrateful and incompetent. Our troops deserve a good leader, not some chump who sends them in to an occupation under the pretense of that it will be a 'Cake walk', now that they've got the bastard its time for them home, let the Halliburton execs get shot-up instead.
M
Slashdot Mirror
I served in the Persian Gulf during my active duty years in the Navy. I am now retired fortunatley. These days however, there is no way I would go back to that region for any reason or any amount of money. There is widespread hatred of Americans in the region, and anyone western is a target. The situation was bad when I was there, and now it is so much worse, I can't even imagine. Having made it through my Gulf tour without incident, I consider myself lucky, but having got back here safely, I'll never ever go back, not for any reason, or any amount of money. Believe me whatever the're paying you it isn't worth it. Its not really fun in that part of the world, so a best case scenario in you won't have much fun, the worse is you could end up shipped backed in a plastic bag. I'd say do no go, what would it be like for you're family if you were killed over there just for a job? There are other jobs, no job is worth dying for. Obviously the political situation in the middle east is only deteriorating, stay home, don't be a statistic, don't risk putting yourself family through what could happen. You saw the news today, I'd think that would speak for itself. Mark
It is worth noting that Senator Hatch has a long history of supporting legislation that tramples upon constitutional rights and civil liberties, this man is definitley an enemy of your rights and the constitution, anyone in Utah really needs to remember to vote and get this bastard out of Office. He has waged war on the Bill of Rights long enough. M
Apparantly the EU doesn't understand that free speech is written into our constitution, and its not up to 'shrub, the Congress or anyone else to circumvent the constitution. Granted our constitutional rights are under constant attack by the current un-elected regime, but it is up to us as citizens to be ever vigilant. You cannot take away right from one group, without taking away everyones rights. The true test of a free society is how well it tolerates views that are abhorrent to the majority. MM
Actually, in the US Navy and other branches of the service radio messages all always in all caps. These were a pretty routine part of life on ship (for Officers / admin personnel etc) We would compose the messages on a PC w/ word processor, print hard copy, then have approved by CoC. Radio men would send them out encrpyed, hard copies were always kept for paper trail. A ship my send dozens or even hundreds of these a week, so the're quite common. There are a few who may need cap locks who aren't programmers. M
They must have outsourced to India, I'm sure they got a great deal on cheap code. M
My swamp land will make me rich!
- Write and compile Direct X based 3D code to win32 (for video games, physics sim etc.) - Write and compile code for 68K asm, ARM etc, for various types of portable devices (much cleaner source than C/C++) - Write very fast and efficient server side apps to run on Mac OS X. But I'm sure its much more fun and easier to slander Java than do something useful with it. I'll resuming coding now... Mark
Everyone just ate 5 more Turkeys a week, we could elimate eliminate the need for foriegn oil, eat Turkey for the USA! M
As a former college instructor, I do see a serious problem with this. Even though reading and grading reports, essays etc is very time consuming it does allow the instructor to see how the students thinks and writes, and it allows the instructor to provide feedback to the students. By using computer grading, the problem of assigning a grade is solved, but it seems to me it largley undermines the whole point of the writing exercise in that it eliminates a very important aspect of the student/instructor relationship, and degrades the learing process. After all the goal of a writing exercise is to allow the student to learn, not just to assign a numerical value to the student's work. Currently I write educational software, however it seems the purpose of automation should be to free up time and resources such that the student and instructor have more interation, rather than this type of solution which replaces the student instructor interaction. Mark
As came up in the previous Java desktop discussion, there is some ambiguity as to the use of the word Java, Sun now considers Java to be a brand, just like GM has brands of Chevy and Oldsmobile, thus the Java desktop doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Java the programming language. Being a Java programmer myself, it may be hard to live the fact with our favorite language is now a pseudonymn for a corporate brand, but we need to call spade a spade. For Sun Java is a name they use to sell product and doesn't necessarily have anything to do with a programming language. Mark Mark
SLAVE LABOR, sure slave labor is good for capitalism, that doesn't make it acceptable. M
Slave labor, a caste system, no workers rights and no environmental protection, proctetionist trade policies (their markets are not open to most US goods) I'm sure if we implemented all that here, are work force would also be 'successful'. Fortunatley, the current administration is doing everything they can to bring about India/Chinalike working conditions in the US. M
Just plain old googling seems to work well for recipes, there are many, many recipe sites, many small personal sites with good recipes I just google for 'recipes for..' whatever I want to cook, and then surf through and bookmark the ones I want to use. Also its good to surf through different recipes and see which ones fit the ingredients you have. M
WE the Mac owners wish to be a small and exclusive club. (Too bad I can't afford the new G5) MM
Having to choose between booze and electricity.
I think the current tools exist to produce code that is way less buggy. For instance much of the industrial code I have seen written in Java poorly uses the OO capabilities of Java, and this in itself causes more bugs and maintainability problems. It seems fairly rare that the existent OO languages and tools are well used at least at the application developer level. So I think the problem is really more with the abililty of developers to use proper and well implemented OO methodology. It also seems as though the design process is flawed in that class designs etc., are often done with a priori with insufficient in depth understanding of the process that is being modelled, this is usually because management insist upon having an immutable design before development starts and often before the problem and proceeses the code is being written for is sufficiently understood. Bottom line is you can hand anyone a scapel, but it doesn't make them a surgeon. Skilled developers with a good understanding of the underlying process they are coding for will produce better qualilty and maintainable code. Because it is developer skill that is the issue, not tools the current race-to-the bottom to off shore all devepment to the lowest bidder and lowest developer skill will inherently produce less maintainable, buggier code. The solution to less buggy code is to use skilled programmers wha really understand and can use the available OO techniques (ie NOT offshore, NOT H1-B etc.). I think it also helps if the developers have some understanding of the field for which they code ie medical, financial etc. When you go with the lowest bidder, you get what you pay for /rant)
MM
Don't see the point either, since .NET is just a cheap rip off of J2EE, why not use J2EE instead? runs great on Unix, Linux, and Darwin, also there are a number of really good open source platforms (such as Tomcat). Why waste time validating M$ BS when you can use a better, more widely accepted and proven technology. Also you can compile to native code for you're favorite xxxux platform, why use .NET at all?
MM
it sucks, need we say more.
Since the Indians don't write miantainable code anyway, I don't see how turning over a bunch of poorly written, un-maintainable code to a third party after the the vendor has failed to deliver will do much good. It would be far better to hire a couple of highly skilled reliable programmers to do you're project. The approach of trying to produce good code by hiring many low skilled off shore programmers is bound to produce poor results. I know this sounds troll, but have yoe ever seen WIPRO code, it is horrendous and unmaimtainable. Hiring laywers when you should be hirng good reliable (not off shore!) programmers is a watse of money. MM
In grad school, I studied fluid mechanics, a pint at time, in Begium. Now I just write code. http://www.vki.ac.be/
Since when did the truth ever get in the way of a good story? (just ask G.W.) MM
Damnit Jim we're rocket scientist, not web engineers!
I've developed a couple of data driven apps on Palm OS that interact with backend databases using jdbc, I've used these with both Oracle and MySQL. The MS approach sounds rather heavy wieght, you can use Waba on the client side, and you can serialize the data which allows the data transactions to be very fast and efficient. XML seems a poor choice for the PDA environment being how it requires much nore band width and CPU cycles than Object serialization .NET seems to heavy and clunky for even the PC environment, much less the PDA environment. The M$ dumbed down heavy weight solution seems a poor choice for devices with limited resources. Of course you can compile Waba - Java jdbc apps for CE, so why one would use a proprietary solution, seems lees than obviuos. Just a rant, but as a PDA developer it really doesn't make sense to use a proprietary solution that only runs on CE which has less than a 20% market share for PDAs anyway.
MM
They do the impossible for the ungrateful and incompetent. Our troops deserve a good leader, not some chump who sends them in to an occupation under the pretense of that it will be a 'Cake walk', now that they've got the bastard its time for them home, let the Halliburton execs get shot-up instead. M
This is especially silly since these are tropical fish, and cannot survive in the wild in CA, too cold. MM