Clean, elegant, efficient, flexible,
(oops, I mean) cryptic, frustrating, limited, WYSI-NOT, relic from the 70's
When I first moved to unix from VAX/VMS, ( circa 1989 ) I was used to working in pure text mode with the "EDT" editor, so straight text didn't bother me...
But, that blasted 'vi' editor: [ begin rant ]
I recall thinking: What does 'vi' stand for anyway: VIolent, VIcious, VIctomize,
VIcerate, VIlan, VIce-versa, VIrus, or just plain VILE !
I was used to plain-text editors that understood function keys, numeric keypad options, and would behave when you pressed the Page-Up key.
In "vi" under older SunOS, even arrow keys didn't work!
Who decided that h-j-k-l should be used instead of arrows !?!?
Except, of course that you had command mode, and insert mode, so when you forgot where you were, and started typing text, (while looking at the keyboard, since I'm a lousy touch typist), it really messed up your source code.
And may the gods be merciful if you accidently hit the caps lock key! [ end rant ]
So, I found other software for my editor, called SEDT and was happy (for a while). But, then I began working on dozens of different unix machines, and couldn't compile my nice new editor and install it on all of them, so I had to go back to learning 'vi' enough to survive in unix.
After a while, I noticed that working 'vi' actually got faster, and when my fingers got used to the keys, I actually had more flexibility than using the old cursor & function keys that I had been used to. (mind you, I still long for some of them)
But for most folks, I would say, keep going with 'vi' for now, and even try a few of these: clicky
As I said: Sometimes I like vi, sometimes not.
On the other hand, when trying to post vi "command strings" above,
slashdot's post review algorithm complained and told me
"Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!
Reason: Please use fewer 'junk' characters."
...and I had to remove the "vi" examples as 'junk characters'.
I'm thinking this says something about the occasional cryptic "vi" key combinations.
Tho other people comment: "If you want a real editor, go for emacs" I haven't tackled that one enough to be fluent/comfortable... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ :wq $ exit
If the smart people stop reproducing with the short people, then the divergence will still happen.
HMMmmmmmm.... That depends on whether I interpret your reference
to "short people", as meaning "people lacking in height/stature"
or "people lacking intelligence". The first one of those makes it a
TWO variable equation, with associated preferences, and the second one
created a ONE variable equasion, with preferences to associate with people of similar status (resulting in divergance/polarazation and fewer "average" people in the middle over time).
Well, As-Far-As-I-Know:
[typed with tongue-in-cheek]
If the smart people stop reproducing with the short people,
Then you will just wind up with progressively fewer tall short people. (providing that those are the ONLY parameters you define)
If on the other hand, the "smart" people DO reproduce, but only with
the "tall" people, then...
The pre-existing smart AND short people, won't be able to find "smart"
people (of any height) to reproduce with, and will therefore be limited
to reproducing with tall but not so smart people. This would theoretically result in average height, average intelligence people.
From this "average" group of people, genetics, chance, and standard deviation would result in some taller and some shorter people. Theoretically, the influence of one smarter parent would also help educate most of these children, to become "smarter than your average bear"... despite the fact that some had more "natural" ability than others due to genetic disposition.
The net result of this, would be that existing short+smart people would have smarter than average children of average to varying heights.
If the smart people persist in their refusal to reproduce with short people, then over dozens of generations, you will wind up with a population of short and stupid people, because all of their smart descendants will want to leave the group of sorties, and possibly meet/mate with taller people.
Meanwhile the smart and tall people can reproduce with any other tall people (either smart or not),
but might pick the attractive ones, regardless.
In this scenario, it is the stupid people in each group, who are free to mate with absolutely anybody they want to (and who finds THEM attractive)...so they are "free agents" and spread across the board.
This soon results in a major shortage of tall+stupid people, to mate with the short intelligent ones!! (since short+smart people refuse to reproduce with each other, and can't attract tall+smart people, they have to either become extinct, or reproduce with tall non-smart people)
Now, since the tall+smart people have married the most attractive tall people across the board... short+smart people are left with tall+stupid+ugly people as mates. (who are in short supply, and high demand by short+smart people)
Eventually, you have a genetic bias AGAINST intelligence among the short people. Since all smart sorties are forced to marry tall+dim, the smart sorties eventually become extinct. There are progressively fewer "average height" people in the middle, and the separate group of tall people of varying intelligence, won't have much to do with the sorties, except for the occasional tall+stupid individual, who thinks that one of the sorties is cute enough to marry, despite the fact that she and her entire sortie family are dim-witted.
Now, if you meant that the "short people" were short on brains, or lacking intelligence (instead of height) then:
The smarter people just refuse to marry the stupid people, and height/stature isn't built into the equation.
This means that smart people reproduce with other smart people, regardless of height, leaving the stupid people to reproduce with each other.
Over time, you have a divergence in the middle, where smart people tend to have children with the POTENTIA
I have worked more than my share of 8:AM to 2:AM shifts, getting 3 hours of sleep and being back at work again at 8:AM... While this May get you through an OCCASIONAL deadline, I've found that working late on a regular basis has very little reward/bonus/promotion/etc. In fact, many bosses aren't even around to notice the extra effort you are putting in to your job, since they went home long ago. Some will mistake detication for free productivity - and just keep handing you enough work to make sure you keep eating lunch and dinner at your desk, and forfit a personal life.
Instead, I suggest that it is EVERY employee's responsibility to maintain an active communication stream (even PR) with his boss, and co-workers. Document what you do. Make the documentation readily available/obvious. Send an UN-solicited status report email to your boss at LEAST once per month, twice is better. The fact that the boss got something extra that was NOT asked for should make it stand out, and instantly suspect -but this is actually for YOUR benefit, not just the boss. Include some form of *question* about your work in the email, asking how to procede, or priorities, whatever... Because of that question, the boss has to at least acknowlege that you sent the message, and s/he read it. If you don't get a reply, mention it in the hall or on the phone a day later, when you are talking about something else. After a few of these, the boss figures you are involving them in the decision process - and your subsequent emails DO get read with a little more detail - in case there were other questions.
Include a simple list of current tasks, and recent accomplishments. Including priority expected hours, requirements, problems, deliverables. If the boss wants to change the priority, OK- if not, then they have implied agreement with your current plan of action, in writing, which reduces disputes later.
BE productive, but don't be taken for granted.
You will get more milage from being 20 minutes EARLY to work each day, than staying late three days per week and working 10 extra hours. Being there a bit early, creates that image of relaible & eager -- but if you were working hard till 3:am and were 10 minutes late the next morning, they ignore the extra 5+ hours of work, and make a mental note that you were late.
Bummer- but that's life, (and they werent paying for late hours anyway, were they...)
In fact, make it a firm policy to finish what you are working on 10 min before the end of your day, spend 5 min documenting things, 5 min to tidy up or pack your stuff, and then cheerfully LEAVE! (with the unspoken implication that you have already planned things after work)
Now that you have THAT working schedule in place- the boss has to specificly ASK you to work late, and perhaps even pre-schedule, since you may have other plans right after work. If the boss ASKs you to put in the extra hours, then it's no longer free volunteer labor, and you might expect to be paid too... or at least have comp-hours added for time off later. (well, you can hope)
Now- to make this work requires some personal DICIPLINE. Make the job hours PRODUCTIVE, not just THERE for nine hours.
Time management is KEY, visibility helps, deliverables rule.
when you get there early, don't spoil the effect by grabbing coffee/gosiping/web-surfing/or writing ling winded replies like this one on SlashDot.
use those 20 minutes to get moving before other people in the office. Communicate early, with a few emails, or voice messages left for people before they were in the office. By the time they arrive, YOU already have some momentum, and are harder to interrupt/sidetrack.
Don't waste time mid day, by letting calls go long, chatting in the break room, or getting pulled in to impromptu "meetings" that start as "got a minute", and wind up running half an hour.
If YOU already have a plan/focus/task, then when "Bob" drops by to i
Some of these I do for money, others for self amusement.
I'll let you decide which is which !
Just because I'm a computer tech / Oracle DBA / Unix Geek / Net Admin for most of the week, doesn't mean that I can't have fun doing something that doesn't involve a keyboard...
If a friends water line breaks -
Good excuse to rent a Back Hoe, and spend the
weekend playing "Tonka Toys" while tearing
up his front yard, to trace & replace his pipes.
If I've spent too much time smothered in computer code lately, and feel the need for grease under my fingernails-
there's always something mechanical to be done
like replace those C.V. joints that have worn
out on the car, or change the timing belt,
or replace squeaking brake pads for a quick fix.
If the computers have REALLY gotten on my nerves
then it could result in a complete tear-down
and overhaul of both motorcycles, then new paint!
On the other hand, Carpentry can be a good relaxer
I'm in the middle of building custom kitchen
cabinets for my girlfriend's Mom's house, due
to aggrivation over Cisco "nOtwork" issues.
Just start with the dimensions, and make your
own plans, then uupp out the a table saw, and
combine with creativity & lumber- voila !
With hardly any notice, some of the best stress relief
and "group therapy" I've found, is Dance.
In particular, Contra Dance. See the web site
at www.contradance.org for a good example,
or photos at www.pbase.com/bobbennett/dance
Live bands, 200+ people, all ages from 17 to 70
and a new girl twirling into you arms every
60 seconds or more !
Of course, Swing, waltz, etc. are fun too -
Massage can be fun / theraputic for the masseuse
as well as the one being massaged.
a few years ago, I had been a licensed EMT
ambulance attendant - and later found that
the sam eknowlege of human anatomy was quite
usefull in giving theraputic massage. If you
visualize well, you can just about see all
of the muscles, joints, tendons, and nerves
that you are workign with & around. Go another
step, and you can relax the same muscles in
you own body that you are working through on
someone else's physique.
Hit & Run Home Building (Habitat for Humanity)
If you want to do something good with your spare
time, and work out any frustrations you may have
by pounding on something with a hammer, while
learning something new at the same time-
Then "Habitat" may be for YOU--
Join lots of other people, who take Saturday
and just go build houses for fun. The finished
homes are sold to low income families, who
can get a modest but new home, that included
some of the sweat equity and design of their own!
see: www.habitat.org with more details.
Inventing would have to be one of my favorite creative
hobbies. The ultimate "think outside the box"
brain buzz - where even the box may not yet exist!
Teach yourself to look at the puzzles, challanges,
and shortcomings of the every day world- and
see room for improvement. Decide how that can
be engineered, what is really practical instead
of just dreaming. What are the best design
options for structure, utility, cost, materials
ergonomics, flexibility, manufacturing, etc.
This can be a GROUP activity as well- finding
friends with MANY different backgrounds and talents,
to contribute more perspectives. Decide what
is needed, and how to make it happen !
And YES- my spare time STILL includes learning more
about computers. Extra features to use, new
languages, utilities, hardware, protocol
Slashdot Mirror
(oops, I mean) cryptic, frustrating, limited, WYSI-NOT, relic from the 70's
When I first moved to unix from VAX/VMS, ( circa 1989 ) I was used to working in pure text mode with the "EDT" editor, so straight text didn't bother me...
But, that blasted 'vi' editor: [ begin rant ]
I recall thinking: What does 'vi' stand for anyway: VIolent, VIcious, VIctomize, VIcerate, VIlan, VIce-versa, VIrus, or just plain VILE !
I was used to plain-text editors that understood function keys, numeric keypad options, and would behave when you pressed the Page-Up key.
In "vi" under older SunOS, even arrow keys didn't work! Who decided that h-j-k-l should be used instead of arrows !?!? Except, of course that you had command mode, and insert mode, so when you forgot where you were, and started typing text, (while looking at the keyboard, since I'm a lousy touch typist), it really messed up your source code. And may the gods be merciful if you accidently hit the caps lock key! [ end rant ]
So, I found other software for my editor, called SEDT and was happy (for a while).
But, then I began working on dozens of different unix machines, and couldn't compile my nice new editor and install it on all of them, so I had to go back to learning 'vi' enough to survive in unix.
After a while, I noticed that working 'vi' actually got faster, and when my fingers got used to the keys, I actually had more flexibility than using the old cursor & function keys that I had been used to. (mind you, I still long for some of them)
But for most folks, I would say, keep going with 'vi' for now, and even try a few of these: clicky
As I said: Sometimes I like vi, sometimes not. On the other hand, when trying to post vi "command strings" above, slashdot's post review algorithm complained and told me
I'm thinking this says something about the occasional cryptic "vi" key combinations.
HMMmmmmmm.... That depends on whether I interpret your reference
to "short people", as meaning "people lacking in height/stature"
or "people lacking intelligence". The first one of those makes it a
TWO variable equation, with associated preferences, and the second one created a ONE variable equasion, with preferences to associate with people of similar status (resulting in divergance/polarazation and fewer "average" people in the middle over time). Well, As-Far-As-I-Know:
If the smart people stop reproducing with the short people,
Then you will just wind up with progressively fewer tall short people.
(providing that those are the ONLY parameters you define)
If on the other hand, the "smart" people DO reproduce, but only with
the "tall" people, then...
In fact, many bosses aren't even around to notice the extra effort you are putting in to your job, since they went home long ago. Some will mistake detication for free productivity - and just keep handing you enough work to make sure you keep eating lunch and dinner at your desk, and forfit a personal life.
Instead, I suggest that it is EVERY employee's responsibility to maintain an active communication stream (even PR) with his boss, and co-workers. Document what you do. Make the documentation readily available/obvious. Send an UN-solicited status report email to your boss at LEAST once per month, twice is better. The fact that the boss got something extra that was NOT asked for should make it stand out, and instantly suspect -but this is actually for YOUR benefit, not just the boss. Include some form of *question* about your work in the email, asking how to procede, or priorities, whatever... Because of that question, the boss has to at least acknowlege that you sent the message, and s/he read it. If you don't get a reply, mention it in the hall or on the phone a day later, when you are talking about something else. After a few of these, the boss figures you are involving them in the decision process - and your subsequent emails DO get read with a little more detail - in case there were other questions.
Include a simple list of current tasks, and recent accomplishments. Including priority expected hours, requirements, problems, deliverables. If the boss wants to change the priority, OK- if not, then they have implied agreement with your current plan of action, in writing, which reduces disputes later.
BE productive, but don't be taken for granted.
Bummer- but that's life, (and they werent paying for late hours anyway, were they...)
In fact, make it a firm policy to finish what you are working on 10 min before the end of your day, spend 5 min documenting things, 5 min to tidy up or pack your stuff, and then cheerfully LEAVE! (with the unspoken implication that you have already planned things after work)
Now that you have THAT working schedule in place- the boss has to specificly ASK you to work late, and perhaps even pre-schedule, since you may have other plans right after work. If the boss ASKs you to put in the extra hours, then it's no longer free volunteer labor, and you might expect to be paid too... or at least have comp-hours added for time off later. (well, you can hope)
Now- to make this work requires some personal DICIPLINE. Make the job hours PRODUCTIVE, not just THERE for nine hours.
Time management is KEY, visibility helps, deliverables rule.
Some of these I do for money, others for self amusement.
I'll let you decide which is which !
Just because I'm a computer tech / Oracle DBA / Unix Geek / Net Admin
for most of the week, doesn't mean that I can't have fun
doing something that doesn't involve a keyboard...
If a friends water line breaks -
Good excuse to rent a Back Hoe, and spend the
weekend playing "Tonka Toys" while tearing
up his front yard, to trace & replace his pipes.
If I've spent too much time smothered in computer code
lately, and feel the need for grease under my fingernails-
there's always something mechanical to be done
like replace those C.V. joints that have worn
out on the car, or change the timing belt,
or replace squeaking brake pads for a quick fix.
If the computers have REALLY gotten on my nerves
then it could result in a complete tear-down
and overhaul of both motorcycles, then new paint!
On the other hand, Carpentry can be a good relaxer
I'm in the middle of building custom kitchen
cabinets for my girlfriend's Mom's house, due
to aggrivation over Cisco "nOtwork" issues.
Just start with the dimensions, and make your
own plans, then uupp out the a table saw, and
combine with creativity & lumber- voila !
With hardly any notice, some of the best stress relief
and "group therapy" I've found, is Dance.
In particular, Contra Dance. See the web site
at www.contradance.org for a good example,
or photos at www.pbase.com/bobbennett/dance
Live bands, 200+ people, all ages from 17 to 70
and a new girl twirling into you arms every
60 seconds or more !
Of course, Swing, waltz, etc. are fun too -
Massage can be fun / theraputic for the masseuse
as well as the one being massaged.
a few years ago, I had been a licensed EMT
ambulance attendant - and later found that
the sam eknowlege of human anatomy was quite
usefull in giving theraputic massage. If you
visualize well, you can just about see all
of the muscles, joints, tendons, and nerves
that you are workign with & around. Go another
step, and you can relax the same muscles in
you own body that you are working through on
someone else's physique.
Hit & Run Home Building (Habitat for Humanity)
If you want to do something good with your spare
time, and work out any frustrations you may have
by pounding on something with a hammer, while
learning something new at the same time-
Then "Habitat" may be for YOU--
Join lots of other people, who take Saturday
and just go build houses for fun. The finished
homes are sold to low income families, who
can get a modest but new home, that included
some of the sweat equity and design of their own!
see: www.habitat.org with more details.
Inventing would have to be one of my favorite creative
hobbies. The ultimate "think outside the box"
brain buzz - where even the box may not yet exist!
Teach yourself to look at the puzzles, challanges,
and shortcomings of the every day world- and
see room for improvement. Decide how that can
be engineered, what is really practical instead
of just dreaming. What are the best design
options for structure, utility, cost, materials
ergonomics, flexibility, manufacturing, etc.
This can be a GROUP activity as well- finding
friends with MANY different backgrounds and talents,
to contribute more perspectives. Decide what
is needed, and how to make it happen !
And YES- my spare time STILL includes learning more
about computers. Extra features to use, new
languages, utilities, hardware, protocol