YET ANOTHER form of email and they gave it a cute next, texting.
Not saying you don't touch an issue. You do. But SMS and Email differ significantly. SMS gets to your phone anywhere you are almost instantly and you only need a GSM. Email requires you to log on to a server using an IP-based protocol. SMS and Email share characteristics but differ sufficiently to be regarded as different products/services/techniques. You appreciate this best when you travel to forain countries. Somehow roaming GSM is available at reasonable prices by the data option almost never is.
Of course you're not in the mood to be kind. You're a prick.
I'm awfully sorry. I didn't know you were either an Apple fanboy or unaware of Steve's bastard idiosyncrasies or both. I should have posted anonymously so you could have continued your simple yet secure life because my existence as AC would have passed you by and I wouldn't have hurt your feelings.
Please make another attempt to understand evolution.
So what didn't I get?
My profane understanding is that evolution is based on survival of the fittest. That is, we mutate and 1) the better mutations result in more successful descendants which have a higher chance to survive where 2) lesser successful descendants which have a lower chance to survive. Mutation is hence the essence for evolution. Living forever means there will be a point where nobody will reproduce, no mutations will take place and we're at a stand still.
What's the weak point in my reasoning so far?
Perhaps I'm forgetting mutations we'll eventually inflict on ourselves. Sure, through nano technology, what else? I maintain that mutations must have a certain randomness to them in order to be able to achieve the inconceivable. Achieving the inconceivable is what got us to where we are. Or do you seriously think our predecessor species consciously considered better mates because the ultimate goal would be the homo sapience? IMHO there is no ultimate goal. We will, without a shadow of a doubt, evolve into something we ourselves are not able to understand right now. No gods, no magic but reasoning and simple mechanisms.
Now be a sport and provide my simple soul with specific criticism.
I'd opt for 120 healthy years. That'd be the time frame I need to do most things I want well.
I speak for myself when I say that I'm good to the world up to a certain dose. 120 years of me would already pushing the boundaries.
Once I read an interview with a scientist who wanted to live infinitely. He -clearly not being a mathematician- couldn't fathom that longer life span would translate in massively larger population. He also never considered continuity in evolution.
Yes, my kids will do things better than I have done. As theirs will do better than them. We mustn't want to isolate our species from evolution as that will result in our demise. We have good brains but we will need even better ones to cope with future events.
Out of spite I'd be happy to move into an Apple store to order a Samsung and to claim Apple's store is copying Samsung's. Just to get the equivalent of a bar fight started but then in a techno-ip setting.
Although IANAL I advocate to speed up drying using a spin dryer/centrifuge to speed up the process. It nowhere states that it's not allowed so we should go for it, just like dogs in the microwave.
Yeah, I'm a guy that always sleeps like a baby at night. I'm never hindered by any rational sentiments whatsoever.
I'd think pediatric surgeons would be good candidates for such a job.
Maybe. The difference between a surgeon and a lurker is that the surgeon can do something to comfort and possibly cure the patient. Watching atrocities should make you feel utterly helpless and hopelessly miserable I'd say.
Here in CH we have a similar or perhaps even worse situation. Anything we buy comes at a premium price for no apparent reason. Sure, we get the best products available -as most developed countries do- but service can be quite rough. As procedures are in place and mostly high end products are sold, there are very few defects and/or dissatisfied customers. When something breaks then the CH business are either inexperienced in dealing with such cases or only see their side of the coin and complain about loosing money. No kidding.
I accept 10 to 15% higher prices for luxury goods in CH. Anything above that triggers an order in DE, UK or US with me or a visit to DE.
The Swiss then tend to wine about Swiss business lost. Sure, the boys from the import cartels that mainly scratch their bottoms and push boxes will not get my money that easily.
Where are the investigative journalists? Where are the mainstream influential investigative journalists?
It appears Assange is not treated fairly but no mainstream influential investigative journalist seems to be bothered. In the media I consume I mainly read insipid articles that do not pose the main questions. Are investigative journalists waiting until the scoop is hot which will come when it might be a bit too late for Assange?
Would a flashmob free him from his current predicament?
But the 1 hour 45 minutes waiting, and the flight, can be spent reading, or watching a movie.
The other day we had an article about Google's self driven cars. A compelling solution would mean you could drive long distances and do something else than quality check your steering on the highway.
For long, boring trips I'd be chuffed to "drive" a self driving car.
A PhD doesn't really guarantee you anything. It can also be detrimental depending on what you want to do as some companies consider it too much or too expensive. You'll be better off starting in a Masters program and then deciding if you you really see a need or feel the desire to go for the PhD. A PhD is a LOT of work and time.
Really unless you plan to go into academia or hard core research I'd steer clear.
Indeed a wel balanced comment.
As a counterpoint, an excerpt of Rig Veda/Mandala 9/Hymn 112 may be appropriate here: "The male desires his mate’s approach, the frog is eager for the flood." In other words, one is drawn to its destine. Be is a flood, a mate or knowledge.
At this point I must confess to have come across more profane translations of "The male desires his mate’s approach", which are not all perfectly suited in polite society. Also, the rest of the hymn is bucket load of drivel.
Consider operation. Either hire a tape operator or get yourself a tape robot. Go for IBM as it has the longest track history in saving data to tape while it still remains available as file (OK, dataset if you're picky.)
Seriously though. This is/.. You're not supposed to know everything but you should be prepared to do some research yourself. Practically disk space is dirt cheap and you could keep all your data on it indefinitely. Tapes you should only use to backup and occasionally to restore (deleted file, disk broke down, etc...) files.
I wish to be driven about in a self-driving car. For hundreds of kms at hundreds of kmhs. In tightly packed convoys to save fuel even at mind boggling speeds. Sleeping comfortably in safety.
Except for the weekends. Then I wish to exhibit my driving prowess on mountain passes.
Anyway, what I find is if I give myself tiny projects to bite into so my mind doesn't wander then everything works out.
Rest assure, that works best for most people that are not in your condition. Most won't admit it though. Take small bites and realise them. Try to bring them together in abstracted form in order to see the bigger picture.
I don't envy you guys. Accidents are pretty rotten, what's done cannot be undone, events cannot be reversed, etc... I therefore hugely admire your perseverance in refusing to be let down by circumstances!
In the past years I have been several times in such a predicament. Huge amount of code and the function of the system is not completely clear. The original developers are gone, the system isn't well documented and only a handful of people know how how it should behave. As a matter of fact, tomorrow I will start coding on one system we can no longer support as hardware, OS and used libraries and frameworks are outdated and/or discontinued.
Reengineering and rewriting is usually the best option. However, you need skills and experience in order not to make the same mistake the previous developer did. Of course, management must trust and approve your actions.
A few dos:
* Learn at least UML use cases, components diagrams and sequence diagrams.
* Make use cases and check these with affected parties.
* Start of with a rough component model of the new system.
* Make a clear picture which nodes (hardware + OS), subsystems (units performing a function), software components (modules containing data, modules performing a function, etc...) and agents (users, triggers/schedulers) are involved.
* Draw the interactions between the subsystems and/or software components.
* Clearly document which interactions are on-line and which ones are batch/background/off-line.
* Specify interfaces. (Used file formats, protocols, software library interfaces if you will.)
* Slowly refine your model until you feel comfortable with it.
* Make a rough class model and keep usability and maintainability in mind. Backtrack if necessary.
* Divide software components between "dumb" containers of information (e.g. plain Java beans) and components performing functions (business logic if you wish.)
* Decide which interfaces to make public and which not.
* Describe restricted/private bits of code just enough for maintainers to understand them. And nothing more than that.
* Make as much unit as necessary for your components. Unit test enough functionality.
* Communicate your results regularly and refine your model where applicable.
* Define integration tests and do these very seriously.
* Define regression tests and perform these very seriously.
* Make involved parties accept parts of the system according to performed integration and regression tests.
* Try to plan gradual decommissioning of the legacy system.
* Document the system "enough". System architecture (from UML), references from architecture to code, installation manual and operational manual are the most important ones.
* Try to achieve longevity in the documentation. Abstract details and convince involved people that that is a good thing.
* Define 1st, 2nd and 3rd level support. Preferably you should remain 3rd level support to better enjoy sleep.
* Conform to standards and practices if they reduce discussion and enhance clarity.
* Use well established techniques. E.g. JPA and JAXB.
* Allow well established component manufacturers to make your programming life easier. E.g. Apache Commons.
* Be tidy.
A few don'ts:
* Avoid OO pattern overkill.
* Don't take the quick and dirty option too quickly. Those decisions will haunt you eventually.
* Avoid making everything public. Documenting and maintaining public interfaces is more expensive.
* Try to avoid big bangs.
* Avoid less well established component manufacturers. My next project did use components from less established component manufacturers and their sell by date has generously expired.
* Don't allow babling "architects" to make a mess of your system. But don't alienate them either.
I may have forgotten a few things but this is all stuff I consider even for smaller projects.
And if they were the child porn party? Would it still be censorship to ban their adds? Google have to draw a line somewhere and this is where they chose to do it.
You must be from the USA. You rationalize something related to sex by throwing in an extreme, illegal practice. No doubts left.
Buddy, sex isn't something to get all worked up about. It may come as a shock but both you and I are most likely products of normal sexual behavior.
I'll recap:
Plain sex isn't something that should raise the geek's brows.
Child porn is both illegal and highly despicable. It's a very abject thing because it violates children's development on many levels.
Mixing the two in order to promote a puritan point of view is tasteless.
While they'll hardly send pulses racing by today's standards, the lace-and-linen underpinnings predate the invention of the modern brassiere by hundreds of years.
Slashdot Mirror
We herald in the gastronauts.
I'll be back after a short break. Don't go changin'.
It would be nice to think that one day we'll reach a technological level that allows us to overtake Voyager 1. I'm not that hopeful though.
For me the Infinite Improbability Drive is a fact as we're only limited by our own imagination.
YET ANOTHER form of email and they gave it a cute next, texting.
Not saying you don't touch an issue. You do. But SMS and Email differ significantly. SMS gets to your phone anywhere you are almost instantly and you only need a GSM. Email requires you to log on to a server using an IP-based protocol. SMS and Email share characteristics but differ sufficiently to be regarded as different products/services/techniques. You appreciate this best when you travel to forain countries. Somehow roaming GSM is available at reasonable prices by the data option almost never is.
You're still a prick. Take a good long look in a mirror. And try growing up.
Lear to read. I never denied anything.
And I can grow up when I'm dead.
Of course you're not in the mood to be kind. You're a prick.
I'm awfully sorry. I didn't know you were either an Apple fanboy or unaware of Steve's bastard idiosyncrasies or both. I should have posted anonymously so you could have continued your simple yet secure life because my existence as AC would have passed you by and I wouldn't have hurt your feelings.
Yawn.
OSX Struggles To Beat Vista
My heart bleeds. Poor, sad and dead Steve... OTOH, the stories surrounding his death didn't really instil any love for OSX.
And no, I'm not in the mood to be kind and forgive.
Please make another attempt to understand evolution.
So what didn't I get?
My profane understanding is that evolution is based on survival of the fittest. That is, we mutate and 1) the better mutations result in more successful descendants which have a higher chance to survive where 2) lesser successful descendants which have a lower chance to survive. Mutation is hence the essence for evolution. Living forever means there will be a point where nobody will reproduce, no mutations will take place and we're at a stand still.
What's the weak point in my reasoning so far?
Perhaps I'm forgetting mutations we'll eventually inflict on ourselves. Sure, through nano technology, what else? I maintain that mutations must have a certain randomness to them in order to be able to achieve the inconceivable. Achieving the inconceivable is what got us to where we are. Or do you seriously think our predecessor species consciously considered better mates because the ultimate goal would be the homo sapience? IMHO there is no ultimate goal. We will, without a shadow of a doubt, evolve into something we ourselves are not able to understand right now. No gods, no magic but reasoning and simple mechanisms.
Now be a sport and provide my simple soul with specific criticism.
But which one is it? The Kelly or the Hackman variation? Tell me as I need to set my priorities and both propositions differ dramatically!
I'd opt for 120 healthy years. That'd be the time frame I need to do most things I want well.
I speak for myself when I say that I'm good to the world up to a certain dose. 120 years of me would already pushing the boundaries.
Once I read an interview with a scientist who wanted to live infinitely. He -clearly not being a mathematician- couldn't fathom that longer life span would translate in massively larger population. He also never considered continuity in evolution.
Yes, my kids will do things better than I have done. As theirs will do better than them. We mustn't want to isolate our species from evolution as that will result in our demise. We have good brains but we will need even better ones to cope with future events.
Out of spite I'd be happy to move into an Apple store to order a Samsung and to claim Apple's store is copying Samsung's. Just to get the equivalent of a bar fight started but then in a techno-ip setting.
Although IANAL I advocate to speed up drying using a spin dryer/centrifuge to speed up the process. It nowhere states that it's not allowed so we should go for it, just like dogs in the microwave.
Yeah, I'm a guy that always sleeps like a baby at night. I'm never hindered by any rational sentiments whatsoever.
I would eventually pay to have the locks replaced by another company.
I'd think pediatric surgeons would be good candidates for such a job.
Maybe. The difference between a surgeon and a lurker is that the surgeon can do something to comfort and possibly cure the patient. Watching atrocities should make you feel utterly helpless and hopelessly miserable I'd say.
Here in CH we have a similar or perhaps even worse situation. Anything we buy comes at a premium price for no apparent reason. Sure, we get the best products available -as most developed countries do- but service can be quite rough. As procedures are in place and mostly high end products are sold, there are very few defects and/or dissatisfied customers. When something breaks then the CH business are either inexperienced in dealing with such cases or only see their side of the coin and complain about loosing money. No kidding.
I accept 10 to 15% higher prices for luxury goods in CH. Anything above that triggers an order in DE, UK or US with me or a visit to DE.
The Swiss then tend to wine about Swiss business lost. Sure, the boys from the import cartels that mainly scratch their bottoms and push boxes will not get my money that easily.
Clever dick!
Sorry, couldn't resist an oldie...
Where are the investigative journalists? Where are the mainstream influential investigative journalists?
It appears Assange is not treated fairly but no mainstream influential investigative journalist seems to be bothered. In the media I consume I mainly read insipid articles that do not pose the main questions. Are investigative journalists waiting until the scoop is hot which will come when it might be a bit too late for Assange?
Would a flashmob free him from his current predicament?
Crap! Where's my courage?
The more descriptive TLDs are not something the xxx crowd wants.
I'd personally find .watersports slightly over the edge and I would gladly and absolutely avoid .caviar.
But the 1 hour 45 minutes waiting, and the flight, can be spent reading, or watching a movie.
The other day we had an article about Google's self driven cars. A compelling solution would mean you could drive long distances and do something else than quality check your steering on the highway.
For long, boring trips I'd be chuffed to "drive" a self driving car.
A PhD doesn't really guarantee you anything. It can also be detrimental depending on what you want to do as some companies consider it too much or too expensive. You'll be better off starting in a Masters program and then deciding if you you really see a need or feel the desire to go for the PhD. A PhD is a LOT of work and time. Really unless you plan to go into academia or hard core research I'd steer clear.
Indeed a wel balanced comment.
As a counterpoint, an excerpt of Rig Veda/Mandala 9/Hymn 112 may be appropriate here: "The male desires his mate’s approach, the frog is eager for the flood." In other words, one is drawn to its destine. Be is a flood, a mate or knowledge.
At this point I must confess to have come across more profane translations of "The male desires his mate’s approach", which are not all perfectly suited in polite society. Also, the rest of the hymn is bucket load of drivel.
Consider operation. Either hire a tape operator or get yourself a tape robot. Go for IBM as it has the longest track history in saving data to tape while it still remains available as file (OK, dataset if you're picky.)
/.. You're not supposed to know everything but you should be prepared to do some research yourself. Practically disk space is dirt cheap and you could keep all your data on it indefinitely. Tapes you should only use to backup and occasionally to restore (deleted file, disk broke down, etc...) files.
Seriously though. This is
I wish to be driven about in a self-driving car. For hundreds of kms at hundreds of kmhs. In tightly packed convoys to save fuel even at mind boggling speeds. Sleeping comfortably in safety.
Except for the weekends. Then I wish to exhibit my driving prowess on mountain passes.
Life gets sweeter by the day.
Anyway, what I find is if I give myself tiny projects to bite into so my mind doesn't wander then everything works out.
Rest assure, that works best for most people that are not in your condition. Most won't admit it though. Take small bites and realise them. Try to bring them together in abstracted form in order to see the bigger picture.
I don't envy you guys. Accidents are pretty rotten, what's done cannot be undone, events cannot be reversed, etc... I therefore hugely admire your perseverance in refusing to be let down by circumstances!
Excellent take on life. All the best.
In the past years I have been several times in such a predicament. Huge amount of code and the function of the system is not completely clear. The original developers are gone, the system isn't well documented and only a handful of people know how how it should behave. As a matter of fact, tomorrow I will start coding on one system we can no longer support as hardware, OS and used libraries and frameworks are outdated and/or discontinued.
Reengineering and rewriting is usually the best option. However, you need skills and experience in order not to make the same mistake the previous developer did. Of course, management must trust and approve your actions.
A few dos:
* Learn at least UML use cases, components diagrams and sequence diagrams.
* Make use cases and check these with affected parties.
* Start of with a rough component model of the new system.
* Make a clear picture which nodes (hardware + OS), subsystems (units performing a function), software components (modules containing data, modules performing a function, etc...) and agents (users, triggers/schedulers) are involved.
* Draw the interactions between the subsystems and/or software components.
* Clearly document which interactions are on-line and which ones are batch/background/off-line.
* Specify interfaces. (Used file formats, protocols, software library interfaces if you will.)
* Slowly refine your model until you feel comfortable with it.
* Make a rough class model and keep usability and maintainability in mind. Backtrack if necessary.
* Divide software components between "dumb" containers of information (e.g. plain Java beans) and components performing functions (business logic if you wish.)
* Decide which interfaces to make public and which not.
* Describe restricted/private bits of code just enough for maintainers to understand them. And nothing more than that.
* Make as much unit as necessary for your components. Unit test enough functionality.
* Communicate your results regularly and refine your model where applicable.
* Define integration tests and do these very seriously.
* Define regression tests and perform these very seriously.
* Make involved parties accept parts of the system according to performed integration and regression tests.
* Try to plan gradual decommissioning of the legacy system.
* Document the system "enough". System architecture (from UML), references from architecture to code, installation manual and operational manual are the most important ones.
* Try to achieve longevity in the documentation. Abstract details and convince involved people that that is a good thing.
* Define 1st, 2nd and 3rd level support. Preferably you should remain 3rd level support to better enjoy sleep.
* Conform to standards and practices if they reduce discussion and enhance clarity.
* Use well established techniques. E.g. JPA and JAXB.
* Allow well established component manufacturers to make your programming life easier. E.g. Apache Commons.
* Be tidy.
A few don'ts:
* Avoid OO pattern overkill.
* Don't take the quick and dirty option too quickly. Those decisions will haunt you eventually.
* Avoid making everything public. Documenting and maintaining public interfaces is more expensive.
* Try to avoid big bangs.
* Avoid less well established component manufacturers. My next project did use components from less established component manufacturers and their sell by date has generously expired.
* Don't allow babling "architects" to make a mess of your system. But don't alienate them either.
I may have forgotten a few things but this is all stuff I consider even for smaller projects.
And if they were the child porn party? Would it still be censorship to ban their adds? Google have to draw a line somewhere and this is where they chose to do it.
You must be from the USA. You rationalize something related to sex by throwing in an extreme, illegal practice. No doubts left.
Buddy, sex isn't something to get all worked up about. It may come as a shock but both you and I are most likely products of normal sexual behavior.
I'll recap:
While they'll hardly send pulses racing by today's standards, the lace-and-linen underpinnings predate the invention of the modern brassiere by hundreds of years.
(Emphasis mine.)
Talkin' about jumping to conclusions!