If the only programming languages you know are along the lines of C++ and Java, then I'd suggest moving down to lower-level languages rather than up.
I know a lot of people who have mostly just been exposed to the Javas and VBs of the world, on systems with virutally no constraints on speed or memory resources. Consequently, they don't really know anything about how computers actually work. Nor do they have much experience in programming "tightly" where needed.
Maybe it's just me having a "get off my lawn!" moment, but a few weeks spent writing Assembler for a simple, 8-bit chip would probably do them a world of good. At the very least, some good old-fashioned bit-twiddling and pointer-fiddling using non-OOP, 100% portable C would fit the bill.
What the 2000 paper is calling "choice overload" was already identified nine years prior by Douglas Coupland as "option paralysis". He defined it as "the tendency, when given unlimited choices, to make none.
First of all, flight plans are not required unless you're flying on instruments.
Second, in a case like this, it really doesn't make much sense to file one, IMHO. From the sound of it, he was simply flying around looking at various dry lake beds. There was no set destination, nor even a set route probably. He was going to return right back to his home airport. This was essentially a local "sightseeing" flight, and I've never filed a flight plan for one of these, personally. Even if he did fill in a shell of flight plan, the only benefit would have maybe been mobilizing search and rescue a few hours earlier than they otherwise were. They still wouldn't have any better of an idea of where to find him if he had no predetermined path or destination.
Actually, even better than a flight plan for VFR pilots is to get flight following. It's surprising that he didn't at least get this. Maybe radar coverage out there is too spotty.
Also odd is that we apparently have to record of a distress call and/or an emergency transponder squawk. This indicates to me that, if he did have a problem in the air, it was so sudden and/or catastrophic that he didn't have time to send out a mayday. Or it could mean that he landed purposefully on one of these dry lake beds without any problems, but had a problem taking back off.
I'd like to see the figures too. I'm sure it's a significant percentage since it's practically the only MMORPG out there for the Mac. It's not like we Mac users are dropping WoW for City of Heroes or anything. We're kinda stuck.
(And don't forget, the machinima for the South Park WoW episode was done on a Mac.)
Now I really, really liked the LOTR movies a lot. "Braindead" was a hoot, and "Heavenly Creatures" was absolutely brilliant. But those are all films with a very different story and tone than "The Hobbit".
So is Jackson really the best person to get for what is, after all, a "lighter" work? There are, after all, other directors who would probably do a great job with "The Hobbit", and maybe a better one too. (Brad Bird might be an interesting choice, f'rinstance.)
(At this point, I had a great argument about how you wouldn't get the guy who directed "Casino Royale" to do "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" simply because both books were written by Ian Fleming. Then I discovered that they actually did do that back in the 60's. Still... you get my point.)
My Honda Element came stock from the factory with an 1/8" mini jack right there on the dash. (Next to the cigarette lig... er, I mean... "power plug", so I can charge my iPod at the same time.)
And, as laudable as this breast-cancer-awareness effort is, that's the message that's getting lost in all this. I don't mean to downplay breast cancer. But I wonder if that's really where our awareness efforts should go. Is there any woman out there who doesn't know that A) breast cancer exists or that B) they should be on the lookout for signs of breast cancer?
In fact, I bet if you were ask anyone (male or female) what the #1 killer of women is, most would incorrectly say "breast cancer". All this awareness is kind of backfiring in a way. So, I'll say it again, in case anyone missed it:
Ladies, pink web pages aside, the average woman is more likely to die of heart disease.
Of course, the same healthy lifestyle choices (healthy diet/get some exercise/don't smoke/etc.) that help reduce the risk of heart disease also can reduce the risks of all types of cancer.
Three Words About Netflix...
on
DVDs By Mail?
·
· Score: 1
Selection, selection, and selection.
If it's on DVD (and it's not pr0n) NetFlix probably has it. Sure, not having to traipse to Blockbuster is a plus, but being able to see the movies I want to see is a bigger one.
BTW, in my first 12 months with NetFlix, I wound up renting 76 movies. Some I turned around in a day, others I kept for weeks. In the end, I'm looking at around $3.15 per rental, which ain't too shabby.
Now that I've upped to 4 out at a time, and now that my movies go to Duluth, GA instead of all the way over to San Jose, I'll easily top 100 for the second year. I don't think Blockbuster has even 50 DVDs I'd want to see.
Slashdot Mirror
If the only programming languages you know are along the lines of C++ and Java, then I'd suggest moving down to lower-level languages rather than up.
I know a lot of people who have mostly just been exposed to the Javas and VBs of the world, on systems with virutally no constraints on speed or memory resources. Consequently, they don't really know anything about how computers actually work. Nor do they have much experience in programming "tightly" where needed.
Maybe it's just me having a "get off my lawn!" moment, but a few weeks spent writing Assembler for a simple, 8-bit chip would probably do them a world of good. At the very least, some good old-fashioned bit-twiddling and pointer-fiddling using non-OOP, 100% portable C would fit the bill.
JJ
I'll tell you what Nanaimo is the real capital of: Yummyness
JJ
Best. Headline. Ever.
Guess I'll have to finally upgrade my EZ-Bake oven.
What the 2000 paper is calling "choice overload" was already identified nine years prior by Douglas Coupland as "option paralysis". He defined it as "the tendency, when given unlimited choices, to make none.
Not a scientific study, but still...
(More Couplandisms)
- JJ
For what it's worth, so does Carter.
- JJ
First of all, flight plans are not required unless you're flying on instruments.
Second, in a case like this, it really doesn't make much sense to file one, IMHO. From the sound of it, he was simply flying around looking at various dry lake beds. There was no set destination, nor even a set route probably. He was going to return right back to his home airport. This was essentially a local "sightseeing" flight, and I've never filed a flight plan for one of these, personally. Even if he did fill in a shell of flight plan, the only benefit would have maybe been mobilizing search and rescue a few hours earlier than they otherwise were. They still wouldn't have any better of an idea of where to find him if he had no predetermined path or destination.
Actually, even better than a flight plan for VFR pilots is to get flight following. It's surprising that he didn't at least get this. Maybe radar coverage out there is too spotty.
Also odd is that we apparently have to record of a distress call and/or an emergency transponder squawk. This indicates to me that, if he did have a problem in the air, it was so sudden and/or catastrophic that he didn't have time to send out a mayday. Or it could mean that he landed purposefully on one of these dry lake beds without any problems, but had a problem taking back off.
- Jeff
Um, you mean a Ouija board?
JJ
Thanks a lot. I was literally 30 minutes away from watching last Wednesday's episode, you miserable asshat.
- JJ
Actually, online, it's as if they're peering through a series of tubes.
- JJ
I'd like to see the figures too. I'm sure it's a significant percentage since it's practically the only MMORPG out there for the Mac. It's not like we Mac users are dropping WoW for City of Heroes or anything. We're kinda stuck.
(And don't forget, the machinima for the South Park WoW episode was done on a Mac.)
- JJ
Now I really, really liked the LOTR movies a lot. "Braindead" was a hoot, and "Heavenly Creatures" was absolutely brilliant. But those are all films with a very different story and tone than "The Hobbit".
So is Jackson really the best person to get for what is, after all, a "lighter" work? There are, after all, other directors who would probably do a great job with "The Hobbit", and maybe a better one too. (Brad Bird might be an interesting choice, f'rinstance.)
(At this point, I had a great argument about how you wouldn't get the guy who directed "Casino Royale" to do "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" simply because both books were written by Ian Fleming. Then I discovered that they actually did do that back in the 60's. Still... you get my point.)
- Jeff
My Honda Element came stock from the factory with an 1/8" mini jack right there on the dash. (Next to the cigarette lig... er, I mean... "power plug", so I can charge my iPod at the same time.)
In fact, I bet if you were ask anyone (male or female) what the #1 killer of women is, most would incorrectly say "breast cancer". All this awareness is kind of backfiring in a way. So, I'll say it again, in case anyone missed it:
Ladies, pink web pages aside, the average woman is more likely to die of heart disease.
Of course, the same healthy lifestyle choices (healthy diet/get some exercise/don't smoke/etc.) that help reduce the risk of heart disease also can reduce the risks of all types of cancer.
That's sacred dogcow.
Arrrrrghhhhh...
MOOF!
Selection, selection, and selection. If it's on DVD (and it's not pr0n) NetFlix probably has it. Sure, not having to traipse to Blockbuster is a plus, but being able to see the movies I want to see is a bigger one. BTW, in my first 12 months with NetFlix, I wound up renting 76 movies. Some I turned around in a day, others I kept for weeks. In the end, I'm looking at around $3.15 per rental, which ain't too shabby. Now that I've upped to 4 out at a time, and now that my movies go to Duluth, GA instead of all the way over to San Jose, I'll easily top 100 for the second year. I don't think Blockbuster has even 50 DVDs I'd want to see.