I'm almost convinced that programmers are afflicted with 'ADD' as a side effect. It's very easy to get bored with a programming task (especially one that is boilerplate) so we go off on a tangent trying to automate the process of writing boilerplate code.
I find that when spending too much time looking at the same code, it starts becoming 'vague' and I feel as if I'm in a fugue. It's akin to the same thing as writing a story or some e-mail and thinking that you've misspelled the words 'it' or 'and'. It may very well be correct, but it looks foreign and you try to fix something that isn't broken. At that point, it's time for a mental break.
I actually tend to take at least three breaks a day for about five to ten minutes each. The first two, I read Slashdot; usually around 10:00am and the other right before lunchtime. I don't eat out often, but I do pick up lunch and then around 4:00pm, I check out the latest 'IT' curiosity posted on The Daily WTF http://www.thedailywtf.com/. I also check Slashdot again right before I leave so I don't miss some of the few gems posted here.
A lot of IT shops have their eye on Web browsing, but they usually won't pay mind to it unless you're not producing or you have a tendency to frequent sites that raise an eyebrow or two (hint: pr0n sites tend to fall in that category). I do like to visit sites geared towards developers, such as GotDotNet http://www.gotdotnet.com/, CodeProject http://www.codeproject.com/, CodeGuru http://www.codeguru.com/ and the latest "up and coming" Krugle http://www.krugle.com/ code search engine. Sometimes visiting those sites will give a tidbit or two that is useful; you may run across some code or solution to a problem that interests you. Also, you may end up learning something that you'll run into in the future. (Coders tend to re-invent the wheel if they don't have the code handy; however, if the code is there, they tend to add spinning rims to it.)
Adding a bit of diversity to the routine helps keep you on the edge and refreshed to approach a problem in a new light.
They gave us all a years worth of ID theft tracking service at a cost to the gov't of $(several millions?).
If a class action law suit against the VA for this debacle is successful it will cost them a lot more than that.
I suppose the next time I get a statement from the Government, I'll find out that my Social Security funds in which I've invested since I've been of working age are now only going to net me about, uh, 50% of what I put into them, instead of the 76% they quoted on the last statement.
It seems like they not only invest my 'forced' savings unwisely, it's used to pay for all the SNAFUs accrued.
There is probably a pattern in the rate of increase of the suicide rate.
I wonder how differences in the number of steps changes the ant's final destination. As a kid, I was one of those avid watchers of ant-lions who either saw an ant get trapped or take many steps (usually in that cylindrical cone of a pit) to possibly emerge and continue on its merry way.
In the case where scent was not an option and the ant was disoriented; not only by both the change of direction in the ant-lion cone, but the many (and very many) steps it would take to escape the trap, I would imagine that it would probably not make it back to the rest of its brethren.
While a little off-topic, it seems you can discern the pattern of the buyer aside from the sniping aspect. (i.e. when to catch them sniping most).
Others also recognize other patterns that net them the most per item sold, by doing things such as splitting up china sets into constituent part, only selling birthstones in the months they are applicable, etc.
Actually, the sound of magnetic tape is nice and doesn't scratch as easily. I remember when 8-track was the bomb! Even when those bastards invented cassette tapes, they may have been smaller, but they didn't have a mobius strip! Your music wasn't cool unless it was on a mobius strip. Also, if you remembered the pattern of the songs on each track, you only had to hit the right track button to get to the song you wanted. No fast forward or rewinding.
2-XL was the first robot to use 8-track tapes ---you could play games with him too! He would tell jokes, ask trivia questions and play games, like Xylex. 8-track not only gave us music on mobius strips, but A.I. too!...and the red flashing lights, saying... buy... more... 8-tracks.
Well, the scars will probably be most prominent, until there becomes some forward movement on protecting the rights of "scarred" individuals who have finger scars.
I'm going to start a new company called "Tag Your It", where I start by making everyone 'It' and then requiring them all to tag the tagging stone. Rules of the game states, "you must be all thumbs".
The same taxes, tarrifs, mule-carried bits that the phone company has been dredging off of people for years. Ever take a vacation? I bet if you left your house for a month, you would probably still spend no less than $39.95 US for a phone you have never used.
Now, let's just add to that convenience by adding DSL service, as well as caller ID, call blocking, call forwarding, etc. etc.
Now, let's also add "phone number preservation" along with every other little charge of which they can think. We choose to be slaves to a number (and it's a pain to learn a new one each time for convenience) but tend to stick with it out of comfort.
Now, add on surcharges for 911 and for "cross boundary lines" and city taxes and district taxes and county taxes and.... I wonder at times when I see those stakes in the ground noting "Zoning Hearing". For all I know, a state could have been split into about thirty zones and each carrier could be charged for a signal that crosses each.
Gotta love government and its way of squeezing money out of people in a very creative fashion. Of course, they're just following the trend nowaday and going after the larger herd of sheep; the younger cell-phoners.:)
...ever stop to think about that tag on your underpants? Oh, and the next time your doctor orders an endoscopy, tell him not to go for the "full excursion".
If there is a company that won't look at you because you have a 3.9 GPA instead of a 4.0, you probably don't want to work there anyway. Far more important are the projects and activities you do outside of class. I know I would rather hire someone with a 3.0 GPA and open source development on their resume, than a 4.0 student who hasn't done anything outside of class.
I tend to agree with that advice. In fact, lots of other employers do. Several colleges and universities nowadays allow students to replace bad grades with good ones. (i.e. if you take a class three times and fail it, the fourth time you get a 'B', it goes on your transcript and the rest is forgiven.)
I went to a school where your GPA considered all of your grades, regardless of how many times you took the course. If you took electromagnetics the first quarter and got an 'F', then got an 'A' the next, you still ended up with a 2.0 average, even if you had an epiphany and understood how it worked.
Some employers look at things like 'withdrawals' or courses taken for 'evaluation' (i.e. pass/fail) along with the number of times a course was taken and the grades earned.
There is a lot you can learn from a transcript, actually. A high number of withdrawals spread out over time could mean an individual is not suitable for approaching a challenge. A high number of 'evaluation' courses means the person could just be 'mediocre' in that arena.
Each of them, with Microsoft having probably the largest 'geek' database on the planet, is trying to encroach on the realm of another. The first letters of each of their names makes the acronym "GYM", which reminds me of the time sweaty jocks were fighting over who was going to humiliate the cornered 'nerd' first.
Well, they have data, they have also examined it (most likely in many different facets)... and patterns do actually tend to make things easier for people who want to make the most money off the 'herd'. The interesting thing is that those big three have enough data from the populace to ensure that our children will already have bought into what they're planning to market (whether it is vaporware or not).
Will there be an advantage if Microsoft purchases Yahoo!? Sure, but I don't think that will actually affect those using search engines. Google is ahead of the game and they 'started' with the best marketing tactic in the computer world. Actually having a useable product. Yes, nowadays they do have beta applications, but that's expected. I do, however, like the idea of presenting a working product to the world (even if incomplete) as opposed to selling a bunch of 'ideas' and powerpoint presentations.
Slashdot Mirror
Yes, but that's for us to know and him to find out.
So why have the number of "ice-cream" men been diminishing over the years?
Mr. Smith, we've just notified your employer that you have an unhealthy addiction to Slashdot. Your internet access has been revoked.
I find that when spending too much time looking at the same code, it starts becoming 'vague' and I feel as if I'm in a fugue. It's akin to the same thing as writing a story or some e-mail and thinking that you've misspelled the words 'it' or 'and'. It may very well be correct, but it looks foreign and you try to fix something that isn't broken. At that point, it's time for a mental break.
I actually tend to take at least three breaks a day for about five to ten minutes each. The first two, I read Slashdot; usually around 10:00am and the other right before lunchtime. I don't eat out often, but I do pick up lunch and then around 4:00pm, I check out the latest 'IT' curiosity posted on The Daily WTF http://www.thedailywtf.com/. I also check Slashdot again right before I leave so I don't miss some of the few gems posted here.
A lot of IT shops have their eye on Web browsing, but they usually won't pay mind to it unless you're not producing or you have a tendency to frequent sites that raise an eyebrow or two (hint: pr0n sites tend to fall in that category). I do like to visit sites geared towards developers, such as GotDotNet http://www.gotdotnet.com/, CodeProject http://www.codeproject.com/, CodeGuru http://www.codeguru.com/ and the latest "up and coming" Krugle http://www.krugle.com/ code search engine. Sometimes visiting those sites will give a tidbit or two that is useful; you may run across some code or solution to a problem that interests you. Also, you may end up learning something that you'll run into in the future. (Coders tend to re-invent the wheel if they don't have the code handy; however, if the code is there, they tend to add spinning rims to it.)
Adding a bit of diversity to the routine helps keep you on the edge and refreshed to approach a problem in a new light.
Now it's the invading code in the 'software' that's supposed to be hardware. Not even the BIOS is safe anymore.
I suppose the next time I get a statement from the Government, I'll find out that my Social Security funds in which I've invested since I've been of working age are now only going to net me about, uh, 50% of what I put into them, instead of the 76% they quoted on the last statement.
It seems like they not only invest my 'forced' savings unwisely, it's used to pay for all the SNAFUs accrued.
There is probably a pattern in the rate of increase of the suicide rate.
I wonder how differences in the number of steps changes the ant's final destination. As a kid, I was one of those avid watchers of ant-lions who either saw an ant get trapped or take many steps (usually in that cylindrical cone of a pit) to possibly emerge and continue on its merry way.
In the case where scent was not an option and the ant was disoriented; not only by both the change of direction in the ant-lion cone, but the many (and very many) steps it would take to escape the trap, I would imagine that it would probably not make it back to the rest of its brethren.
Any free videos from the Barbizon School of Modeling?
While a little off-topic, it seems you can discern the pattern of the buyer aside from the sniping aspect. (i.e. when to catch them sniping most).
Others also recognize other patterns that net them the most per item sold, by doing things such as splitting up china sets into constituent part, only selling birthstones in the months they are applicable, etc.
It's a 'candiru' with laser beams.... er, a camera on its head. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candiru
Actually, the sound of magnetic tape is nice and doesn't scratch as easily. I remember when 8-track was the bomb! Even when those bastards invented cassette tapes, they may have been smaller, but they didn't have a mobius strip! Your music wasn't cool unless it was on a mobius strip. Also, if you remembered the pattern of the songs on each track, you only had to hit the right track button to get to the song you wanted. No fast forward or rewinding.
...and the red flashing lights, saying... buy... more... 8-tracks.
2-XL was the first robot to use 8-track tapes ---you could play games with him too! He would tell jokes, ask trivia questions and play games, like Xylex. 8-track not only gave us music on mobius strips, but A.I. too!
Well, the scars will probably be most prominent, until there becomes some forward movement on protecting the rights of "scarred" individuals who have finger scars.
But does that leakage clean up after itself?
I'm going to start a new company called "Tag Your It", where I start by making everyone 'It' and then requiring them all to tag the tagging stone. Rules of the game states, "you must be all thumbs".
Also, do you know how old that gummy bear is? You might be touching an under-aged gummy bear.
One might have a gummy bear fetish. (hrmpphph they are tasty.....)
ass-scratchers still at large, too many fingers on the loose. Phone companies seek to loosen that restriction through higher taxes.
Uh.. aren't you elite enough to wear those fancy white gloves?
Fingers today only, next month, we charge an arm and a leg!
Actually, we need water more than air. Air is going to be sold at a premium above your H20 subscription.
The same taxes, tarrifs, mule-carried bits that the phone company has been dredging off of people for years. Ever take a vacation? I bet if you left your house for a month, you would probably still spend no less than $39.95 US for a phone you have never used.
:)
Now, let's just add to that convenience by adding DSL service, as well as caller ID, call blocking, call forwarding, etc. etc.
Now, let's also add "phone number preservation" along with every other little charge of which they can think. We choose to be slaves to a number (and it's a pain to learn a new one each time for convenience) but tend to stick with it out of comfort.
Now, add on surcharges for 911 and for "cross boundary lines" and city taxes and district taxes and county taxes and.... I wonder at times when I see those stakes in the ground noting "Zoning Hearing". For all I know, a state could have been split into about thirty zones and each carrier could be charged for a signal that crosses each.
Gotta love government and its way of squeezing money out of people in a very creative fashion. Of course, they're just following the trend nowaday and going after the larger herd of sheep; the younger cell-phoners.
Read my lips: "NO NEW TAXES". We'll just raise the old ones. :)
...just wait until she wants the cut of the profits you've been raking in.
...ever stop to think about that tag on your underpants? Oh, and the next time your doctor orders an endoscopy, tell him not to go for the "full excursion".
I tend to agree with that advice. In fact, lots of other employers do. Several colleges and universities nowadays allow students to replace bad grades with good ones. (i.e. if you take a class three times and fail it, the fourth time you get a 'B', it goes on your transcript and the rest is forgiven.)
I went to a school where your GPA considered all of your grades, regardless of how many times you took the course. If you took electromagnetics the first quarter and got an 'F', then got an 'A' the next, you still ended up with a 2.0 average, even if you had an epiphany and understood how it worked.
Some employers look at things like 'withdrawals' or courses taken for 'evaluation' (i.e. pass/fail) along with the number of times a course was taken and the grades earned.
There is a lot you can learn from a transcript, actually. A high number of withdrawals spread out over time could mean an individual is not suitable for approaching a challenge. A high number of 'evaluation' courses means the person could just be 'mediocre' in that arena.
Ok, here we have Microsoft, Yahoo and Google. All three are well known for their contributions to the 'computing' and internet world.
Google: Search Engine, Applications.
Yahoo: Social Networking, Advertising.
Microsoft: Operating Systems, Applications.
Each of them, with Microsoft having probably the largest 'geek' database on the planet, is trying to encroach on the realm of another. The first letters of each of their names makes the acronym "GYM", which reminds me of the time sweaty jocks were fighting over who was going to humiliate the cornered 'nerd' first.
Well, they have data, they have also examined it (most likely in many different facets)... and patterns do actually tend to make things easier for people who want to make the most money off the 'herd'. The interesting thing is that those big three have enough data from the populace to ensure that our children will already have bought into what they're planning to market (whether it is vaporware or not).
Will there be an advantage if Microsoft purchases Yahoo!? Sure, but I don't think that will actually affect those using search engines. Google is ahead of the game and they 'started' with the best marketing tactic in the computer world. Actually having a useable product. Yes, nowadays they do have beta applications, but that's expected. I do, however, like the idea of presenting a working product to the world (even if incomplete) as opposed to selling a bunch of 'ideas' and powerpoint presentations.
I tend to think that Google would be unaffected.