"Correct me if I’m wrong, but are they [Radiohead] hoping that one of these guys from the G8 is on a quick 15-minute break at Gleneagles and sees Annie Lennox singing “Sweet Dreams” and thinks, ‘Fuck me, she might have a point there, you know?’"
-- Noel Gallagher on Radiohead's politics
I agree with all of this. Lots of conversations between developers and actual users, with notecards and pens. Very similar to my own experience: nothing beats discussion for the kind of small-scale projects I've worked on. "It takes a whole village to write an application."
However, I have to wonder how poorly it scales... I wouldn't trust space shuttle development if it lacked extreme process control.
When does "takes a whole village" (development team) become "takes a city planner with hundreds of subordinates"?
We all know what we know, but we so often don't know what we don't know. Why is it lazy to admit that? I rather think it demonstrates humility and a willingness to learn.
This is a public forum, we're all volunteers here.
Personally, I'm okay with the occasional "Help me with best practices" post. I wouldn't want to read that stuff all the time, but it adds to the mix, when taken in small measures. Keeps me in touch with developments outside my immediate interests. Sometimes generates lively debate. Maybe helps other readers in the process, benefits the general welfare.
If you want to blame anyone, blame Slashdot editors for publishing this kind of thing.
Lack of pain receptors is a big problem for people who suffer from the condition. You can lean on a red-hot iron and not know your flesh is scalding until you smell roast meat.
This is somewhat analogous to lack of fear. You can find yourself in very dangerous situations and not care. This may have good consequences (overcoming adversity) and bad consequences (reckless behavior, getting yourself killed).
I'm waiting for neuroimaging gear to become cheap and portable. Then I'm gonna wear a rig that projects a holograph display, right above my head, so people will know what I'm thinking.
Okay, that's a lie. People won't know what I'm thinking, and I won't care. The important thing is that people stare at the pretty lights above my head, so I can more easily pick their pockets. It's like Jack Handey said:
Consider the daffodil. And while you're doing that, I'll be over here, going through your stuff."
You may be on to something here. And you've given me an idea.
How about taking one of those high-pressure water-spray trucks -- the kind that The Man uses to wash away street riots -- and filling the tank with perfume. The nozzle on that device might qualify as a truly special nozzle. And if not... at least the riot will smell nice.
Slashdot Mirror
"Disquieting content" is code for 4chan.org, right?
Probably true, alas.
Well said.
Laurentius de Voltolina meets Pac-Man
Pac-Man's Last Supper
"Correct me if I’m wrong, but are they [Radiohead] hoping that one of these guys from the G8 is on a quick 15-minute break at Gleneagles and sees Annie Lennox singing “Sweet Dreams” and thinks, ‘Fuck me, she might have a point there, you know?’"
-- Noel Gallagher on Radiohead's politics
Right on: you nailed it, clearly and succinctly and thoroughly.
Although you didn't take an outright "call to arms" tone, I hope the ideas you are propounding get the attention and action they deserve.
I agree with all of this. Lots of conversations between developers and actual users, with notecards and pens. Very similar to my own experience: nothing beats discussion for the kind of small-scale projects I've worked on. "It takes a whole village to write an application."
However, I have to wonder how poorly it scales ... I wouldn't trust space shuttle development if it lacked extreme process control.
When does "takes a whole village" (development team) become "takes a city planner with hundreds of subordinates"?
This is a fundamental problem: society versus individual.
Shall I be the man whose conformist behavior is rewarded by the team?
Or shall I defy convention, wield my ego as a business model, and attempt to impose my will on the group?
Amen to that.
This is a public forum, we're all volunteers here.
Personally, I'm okay with the occasional "Help me with best practices" post. I wouldn't want to read that stuff all the time, but it adds to the mix, when taken in small measures. Keeps me in touch with developments outside my immediate interests. Sometimes generates lively debate. Maybe helps other readers in the process, benefits the general welfare.
If you want to blame anyone, blame Slashdot editors for publishing this kind of thing.
Lack of pain receptors is a big problem for people who suffer from the condition. You can lean on a red-hot iron and not know your flesh is scalding until you smell roast meat.
This is somewhat analogous to lack of fear. You can find yourself in very dangerous situations and not care. This may have good consequences (overcoming adversity) and bad consequences (reckless behavior, getting yourself killed).
I would imagine that robots, in turn, think friendly babies are sentient.
What I want is bulletproof tendons and artificial clothing. How about it, science?
Made me chuckle. "Gonna dig it!"
I'm waiting for neuroimaging gear to become cheap and portable. Then I'm gonna wear a rig that projects a holograph display, right above my head, so people will know what I'm thinking.
Okay, that's a lie. People won't know what I'm thinking, and I won't care. The important thing is that people stare at the pretty lights above my head, so I can more easily pick their pockets. It's like Jack Handey said:
Consider the daffodil. And while you're doing that, I'll be over here, going through your stuff."
Amen to that, brother. If had mod points right now, you'd get +1 insightful.
I am not a number!
I am the aggregate of a huge array of numbers!
Someone please tell Professor X to "Find all the URL shorteners, and destroy them."
Earth-like planet, huh? I can't decide which Jack Handey quote works best:
"Whether they ever find life there or not, I think Jupiter [read: Earth-like planet] should be considered an enemy planet."
"I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it."
"It sounds more like a search device for a set of known US databases at the time."
That sounds about right.
It's been alleged that the PROMIS software was backdoored by American spy agencies (or somesuch) and sold abroad.
The Wikipedia article referenced above doesn't mention the backdoor allegations; you'll need to dig deeper (into less reliable sources?) for that.
"One point that irks me, though, is the contention that we're only now seeing this link. That, frankly, is bullshit."
Agreed. We should not be surprised: the general principle that "authority tends to breed more authority" is an old story.
Eisenhower warned us about the military-industrial complex.
Lincoln warned us about the banking/corporate complex and its corrosive effects on the Republic.
Earlier, we had the Alien and Sedition Acts, as you mentioned.
And of course there's that old saw: "Absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely."
Of course we learned something: "Think Happy Thoughts."
You may be on to something here. And you've given me an idea.
How about taking one of those high-pressure water-spray trucks -- the kind that The Man uses to wash away street riots -- and filling the tank with perfume. The nozzle on that device might qualify as a truly special nozzle. And if not ... at least the riot will smell nice.
"The flatbed truck equipped with special nozzles ..."
Hello -- "special" troll here with a special alert.
This perfume-dispensing nozzle is not special. It does what every other nozzle does: nozzle stuff. Nothing "special" about it.
If what you really mean is "I'm super-impressed by this nozzle, because it's doing nozzle stuff I've never dreamed of before," then say that instead.
Thank you for your cooperation.