Can't speak for the OP but I dont agree with whale hunting, but only because they are endangered. I like the idea of biodiversity.
Assuming you have already decided you are going to eat meat at all, I personally don't see the difference between hunting whales and any other non-endangered animal (say cows) for that purpose.
Interesting thought but here's one way how I know: I have a colleague who is a freakin math genius. We both work as developers the same large software project. I've seen enough of his code to know that there's nothing that he's doing that I don't already understand, and in most cases would have approached and solved in exactly the same way. In all the cases where I would have implemented it differently it pretty much comes down to personal choice with no clear advantage either way (yes I've also asked him to be sure I'm not missing something I dont understand). In short, there's nothing extra in his code due to his math knowledge. Yet occasionally I've done stuff in my code mostly around knowledge representation that he's asked about and said he learnt a lot from.
I avoided all math units on my CS course (by taking Psychology instead). I didn't find any dependency on the math I missed in any of the other CS units at all, (or anything I've done in my subsequent career) so in my life at least math or the lack of it has had no actual relevance at all.
I don't know if not taking any Math at all is even an option at your school, but if it is, its the solution I would advise taking. I personally found that doing Psychology was actually a lot more useful/relevant to CS than you would first think, it gave me some real insight into stuff such as how the brain processes things, knowledge representation techniques, and how we process vision. All would be directly relevant to writing software that needs to do the same or similar things.
>> Also, you won't be able to do anything much more advanced than a Helo, World application without memory and runtime issues.
Sorry but this is pure bullshit. Other than Boolean algebra my formal math sucks but that doesn't have any effect on my ability to write stuff like device drivers or complex apps effectively.
Thats because thanks to an asinine immigration policy, a large percentage of the "citizens" in the UK are themselves 1st gen. immigrants from the same countries/religions as the people that perpitrate these attacks.
Is there any evidence that there was any delay at all?
Seems to me once you have the intelligence to make and use a spear, it ill only be days at most before you're gonna try throwing it, at least partly because throwing whatever you have in your hand is what you would automatically do if you've got some pissed-off large animal (such as one thats just been prodded with a pointy stick) chasing you.
The government's sole purpose of this action is to put into place more mechanisms to extract new taxes. The standard way all elected governments of the world get away with sticking it to the people with more unfair laws is to play the long game and start really small.
The gov knows that once the basic mechanism is in place, it is irreversible, consequently they initally make it sound harmless and agree to anything to get it in place (even initially giving up any benefit, such as that all the collected taxes all get returned to the big companies) because the gov know they can gradually tweak the new mechanism's parameters later when the spotlight isn't on them. This is government tactics 101, people.
Most of the posts here are making arguments and suggesting actions that were exactly the same as the ones that generated loud complaints on Slashdot when it was about Microsoft using proprietary crap to lock out Linux/Open Source.
I don't like Microsoft at all, but supporting Google acting more like them is no answer either.
We should also control access to grinding wheels, coz you know, they can be used to make knives that hurt people. We should also control ownership of screwdrivers and all other tools, because they can be used to make WMDs that are used by terrorists.
I think you mean "Case in point", and I think you have cause and effect backwards.
Its not that they are fast programmers who happen to somehow also write good code when given a limited time; rather Its exactly because they take the time up front to write robust code that they can get games out fast with minimal bugs, due to the subsequent lack of hidden extra time costs that most managers dont understand so never account for, such as subsequent rework needed.
>> If you are smart enough to win such competitions, you are likely a quick study who can learn new skills rapidly.
But I would also guess, way more likely to be an arrogant dick who doesn't play well with others. Most business do not want 'stars', they just want compliant code monkeys that simply follow orders.
Yeah you just exactly demonstrated the point I was badly trying to make, that not enough people emphasise or even realise how productive doing a thorough job is, rather than doing a superfcial one.
....all those competitions do is find the fastest programmers.
Fast usually means hacky. it definitely does not equal good, but unfortunately many managers dont understand that concept because they all subscribe to the "make it fit in my microsoft project plan" mindset.
Sadly, In this culture, poorly engineered and buggy software and the corresponding very costly rework have just become accepted as unavoidable even though its actually not.
Its actually much cheaper in real (but unfortunately largely hidden) costs to take the time to get it right before you deliver to the customer.
I'll take the programmer who loses these competitions because they took the time to do a robust job thanks.
The last thing you want to do is cover for him without letting your boss know that's where a percentage of your time is going, otherwise you will appear to be slow/unproductive on your own work.
Let your boss know how much effort you are putting into catching his mistakes.
It might not be a bad idea to make sure they know by letting a few of the bigger ones slip through, preferably timed to coincide with the time you take vacation and they will notice, so they actually feel the pain of you not being there to filter his crap.
How widespread is it for companies to actually be the creators of the virusses just to create fear/demand for their antivirus products? ( By creating a virus, I mean everything from naming of non-existent virusses right through to actually developing real virusses).
To all slashdot submitters: If you are going to post articles about amazing new tech please stop trying to gain interest by making it sound like you can buy it right now when its actually still in the wet dream phase.
>> The company's goal was to think about how 3D printers might look in 5 years,...because that is how long it will probably be from now before this becomes available as a product you can actually buy.
âoeToday, people obviously use coins. They use bits of metal and bits of paper. "
Really? I doubt it. I for one hardly ever even carry cash. I always just use my debit card.
I honestly dont see the difference between this and a debit card as this system still uses a "broker" in the middle that knows the value of your account. other than this is more limited in its use (to $10).
Only If they came up with a way to eliminate the need for an account with the man in the middle then it would be a replacement for cash.
I have some first-hand evidence tha music has always been a performance art, and so has a lot less value as a recording. The intrinsic value of a recording is also MUCH lower than the record companies are tying to sell it for. In any economy with such a difference between selling price and actual value, the bubble eventually always bursts, however the record comapnies are living in denial. They are fighting to keep an already broken economic bubble alive by duct-taping up the cracks with DRM. The ultimate end is still inevitable, and unavoidable, that the music will find its own value, hence the current existence of "piracy".
My dad is a professional musician (drummer). He doesn't care about people recording/copying his music, in fact he welcomes it. Why? Because he is an incredible drummer that has taken multiple decades to develop his playing skills and he focusses on doing live events because that is where he shines and can blow people minds. Not via some MP3 file. He considers people copying hs music good for him as he sees it as spreading his name and good advertising for his live gigs.
Perhaps if musicians focussed more on being able to play their instruments well in a live setting where you can charge ticket money, instead of trying to make large amounts of money for the rest of their lives off of artificially monopolizing maybe a few hours work it takes a good musician to write and record a track, they might come to a better undersanding about where their own value as a creative/productive musician and that of their recorded music really lies in society.
Slashdot Mirror
Can't speak for the OP but I dont agree with whale hunting, but only because they are endangered. I like the idea of biodiversity.
Assuming you have already decided you are going to eat meat at all, I personally don't see the difference between hunting whales and any other non-endangered animal (say cows) for that purpose.
Interesting thought but here's one way how I know:
I have a colleague who is a freakin math genius.
We both work as developers the same large software project. I've seen enough of his code to know that there's nothing that he's doing that I don't already understand, and in most cases would have approached and solved in exactly the same way. In all the cases where I would have implemented it differently it pretty much comes down to personal choice with no clear advantage either way (yes I've also asked him to be sure I'm not missing something I dont understand). In short, there's nothing extra in his code due to his math knowledge. Yet occasionally I've done stuff in my code mostly around knowledge representation that he's asked about and said he learnt a lot from.
I avoided all math units on my CS course (by taking Psychology instead). I didn't find any dependency on the math I missed in any of the other CS units at all, (or anything I've done in my subsequent career) so in my life at least math or the lack of it has had no actual relevance at all.
I don't know if not taking any Math at all is even an option at your school, but if it is, its the solution I would advise taking. I personally found that doing Psychology was actually a lot more useful/relevant to CS than you would first think, it gave me some real insight into stuff such as how the brain processes things, knowledge representation techniques, and how we process vision. All would be directly relevant to writing software that needs to do the same or similar things.
>> Also, you won't be able to do anything much more advanced than a Helo, World application without memory and runtime issues.
Sorry but this is pure bullshit. Other than Boolean algebra my formal math sucks but that doesn't have any effect on my ability to write stuff like device drivers or complex apps effectively.
My Windows box seems to get updates pretty much every day or two.
>> Now, why has the fist submarine (the original design) a floatability problem?
"floatability". Nice. Maybe the word you're looking for is "buoyancy".
Thats because thanks to an asinine immigration policy, a large percentage of the "citizens" in the UK are themselves 1st gen. immigrants from the same countries/religions as the people that perpitrate these attacks.
What, if any, are the advantages that a user would notice of GNU/Hurd over Gnu/Linux?
Is there any evidence that there was any delay at all?
Seems to me once you have the intelligence to make and use a spear, it ill only be days at most before you're gonna try throwing it, at least partly because throwing whatever you have in your hand is what you would automatically do if you've got some pissed-off large animal (such as one thats just been prodded with a pointy stick) chasing you.
The government's sole purpose of this action is to put into place more mechanisms to extract new taxes. The standard way all elected governments of the world get away with sticking it to the people with more unfair laws is to play the long game and start really small.
The gov knows that once the basic mechanism is in place, it is irreversible, consequently they initally make it sound harmless and agree to anything to get it in place (even initially giving up any benefit, such as that all the collected taxes all get returned to the big companies) because the gov know they can gradually tweak the new mechanism's parameters later when the spotlight isn't on them. This is government tactics 101, people.
Most of the posts here are making arguments and suggesting actions that were exactly the same as the ones that generated loud complaints on Slashdot when it was about Microsoft using proprietary crap to lock out Linux/Open Source.
I don't like Microsoft at all, but supporting Google acting more like them is no answer either.
Are their releases really called CPUs?
If so, that is so amazingly stupid it appears actually designed to confuse.
If anyone can print a cannon, Cannon can.
That alone doesnt see to be even sightly effective enough.
We should also control access to grinding wheels, coz you know, they can be used to make knives that hurt people.
We should also control ownership of screwdrivers and all other tools, because they can be used to make WMDs that are used by terrorists.
I think you mean "Case in point", and I think you have cause and effect backwards.
Its not that they are fast programmers who happen to somehow also write good code when given a limited time; rather Its exactly because they take the time up front to write robust code that they can get games out fast with minimal bugs, due to the subsequent lack of hidden extra time costs that most managers dont understand so never account for, such as subsequent rework needed.
>> If you are smart enough to win such competitions, you are likely a quick study who can learn new skills rapidly.
But I would also guess, way more likely to be an arrogant dick who doesn't play well with others. Most business do not want 'stars', they just want compliant code monkeys that simply follow orders.
>> Don't you think a programmer who can churn out working code in a short span can do "properly engineered code" when the need arises?
Possibly but not usually, as it tends to be a polar opposite mindset.
Yeah you just exactly demonstrated the point I was badly trying to make, that not enough people emphasise or even realise how productive doing a thorough job is, rather than doing a superfcial one.
....all those competitions do is find the fastest programmers.
Fast usually means hacky. it definitely does not equal good, but unfortunately many managers dont understand that concept because they all subscribe to the "make it fit in my microsoft project plan" mindset.
Sadly, In this culture, poorly engineered and buggy software and the corresponding very costly rework have just become accepted as unavoidable even though its actually not.
Its actually much cheaper in real (but unfortunately largely hidden) costs to take the time to get it right before you deliver to the customer.
I'll take the programmer who loses these competitions because they took the time to do a robust job thanks.
The last thing you want to do is cover for him without letting your boss know that's where a percentage of your time is going, otherwise you will appear to be slow/unproductive on your own work.
Let your boss know how much effort you are putting into catching his mistakes.
It might not be a bad idea to make sure they know by letting a few of the bigger ones slip through, preferably timed to coincide with the time you take vacation and they will notice, so they actually feel the pain of you not being there to filter his crap.
How widespread is it for companies to actually be the creators of the virusses just to create fear/demand for their antivirus products? ( By creating a virus, I mean everything from naming of non-existent virusses right through to actually developing real virusses).
To all slashdot submitters: If you are going to post articles about amazing new tech please stop trying to gain interest by making it sound like you can buy it right now when its actually still in the wet dream phase.
>> The company's goal was to think about how 3D printers might look in 5 years, ...because that is how long it will probably be from now before this becomes available as a product you can actually buy.
âoeToday, people obviously use coins. They use bits of metal and bits of paper. "
Really? I doubt it. I for one hardly ever even carry cash. I always just use my debit card.
I honestly dont see the difference between this and a debit card as this system still uses a "broker" in the middle that knows the value of your account. other than this is more limited in its use (to $10).
Only If they came up with a way to eliminate the need for an account with the man in the middle then it would be a replacement for cash.
I have some first-hand evidence tha music has always been a performance art, and so has a lot less value as a recording. The intrinsic value of a recording is also MUCH lower than the record companies are tying to sell it for. In any economy with such a difference between selling price and actual value, the bubble eventually always bursts, however the record comapnies are living in denial. They are fighting to keep an already broken economic bubble alive by duct-taping up the cracks with DRM. The ultimate end is still inevitable, and unavoidable, that the music will find its own value, hence the current existence of "piracy".
My dad is a professional musician (drummer). He doesn't care about people recording/copying his music, in fact he welcomes it. Why? Because he is an incredible drummer that has taken multiple decades to develop his playing skills and he focusses on doing live events because that is where he shines and can blow people minds. Not via some MP3 file. He considers people copying hs music good for him as he sees it as spreading his name and good advertising for his live gigs.
Perhaps if musicians focussed more on being able to play their instruments well in a live setting where you can charge ticket money, instead of trying to make large amounts of money for the rest of their lives off of artificially monopolizing maybe a few hours work it takes a good musician to write and record a track, they might come to a better undersanding about where their own value as a creative/productive musician and that of their recorded music really lies in society.