These areas are overwhelming male, how many of them can't get a date, never get married and never have kids. Ever seen a single fireman, who can't get a date. Not likely.
Working in a male dominated workplace has nothing to do with problems in finding a mate. It had more to do with your lifestyle.
Fact is that most of us male computer programmers have problems interacting with people, including each other. We are drawn to computers, and other technical professions because it helps us avoid working with other people.
Even if 50% of programmers where female it wouldn't change anything! There would still be a ton of lovesick geeks, because even though you work with them you don't know how to talk to them.
If you don't have social skills then you won't have many friends. If you don't have many friends you have a much harder time finding a date.
Being a java web developer, and using struts to build 3 different applications I have to say that enough is enough.
Struts is a very simple web framework, which will do several things for you. Dramatically increase the size of your app. Limit the functionality of your app. Makes the code hard to read and follow. Just about everything runs though the struts config file.
The only benefit I see with struts is that is provides some clean definitions for code. (A place for display, a place for validation, a place for the work to be done) And gives you some tags to help with internationalization. (Just help mind you, if you need to have a totally different layout for a different language then, well you're screwed.)
I would only use struts again if I was writing an application that was to be localized and translated, and was working on a large team. Otherwise a well written set of JSP's will get the job done faster and will be easier to read.
I have seen many a software project disregard performance, features, and development speed all in the name of maintainability.
We can't use JSP's, there hard to maintain! We can't use Javascript, it's loosely typed! We have to use an Object Broker, SQL is not maintainable!
All the projects that I have been on where code maintainability has been the primary goal have one thing in common. They all failed.
If you spend all of your time worrying about how the code looks, you will never finish the project. Talk to people who have built successful software. (The ones that sold millions of copies.) Very few of them are proud of the code the wrote, but they are happy with the product.
The focus should always be on product quality, not code quality.
but only after she was making money running her own show (Selling remote controlled cars). This is a very important point.
So many kids get jobs in school doing things they don't like, (Restaurant, Gas Station, etc) but they don't try to make money doing what they like. Why not do what you like? You're not going to make a ton of money anyways, so why not make it doing something you like.
Start up a business, do something you enjoy. Don't worry about being old enough, or the possible legal obligations, just do it! Sure it can fail, but once you learn how to make money on you're own your set. There's no need to jump though these bureaucratic hoops once you can make your own way.
This is off topic, but the parent post got me thinking.
I moved out of my home when I was 18. I wasn't kicked out, but I was told it was important to go and encouraged by my parents to do so. The thought being that the sooner I learned how to make it on my own the better off I would be.
So I worked some crappy jobs, went over my head in debt to pay for school, got my diploma and got a job. Things where very tight, all I did was live in crappy conditions and pay off debt. Fast forward 6 years things are better. I was finally able to get a house, and I have a little bit of savings.
Compare that to some of my friends that never had to move out and face the real world. Most of them still live at home, make more money then me, and have enough in the bank to buy a large house with cash. They are generally happier, and have less stress. Also since they have never had to have a job to survive they have been able to take risks with there careers, which has enabled them to make more.
Is there any point to going out and living on your own? What's the upside of leaving before your 21, or even 30?
Successful software projects have great leaders. Leaders that understand what needs to be built and what doesn't, what can be done and what can't, and who works well on what. Good leaders are accountable, have the respect of there people, and know there shit.
If you're leading a software project and reading books like these your project is already screwed.
It's kind of like uptime. A server that has 99% uptime is much cheaper then a server with 99.9999% uptime.
An offshore developer can develop software but there are some problems. It takes longer to change the software as it's developed, some communication problems exist, and most importantly a remote developer can't understand the problem from where you are sitting.
For some applications these problems are not a big deal, when the work is well defined and straight forward you don't need the perks of an onsite programmer. But when you need to have a developer understand what you want developed, an onsite developer is well worth the extra cost.
You need to find out what tool is best for the job. Picking the wrong one can be quite costly. Running a mission critical accounting system on a cheap clone PC is a bad idea, but so is using an IBM zSeries 900 solely for tracking your appointments. Pick the right tool for the job.
That the screenings are not needed. Sure we need to keep guns and explosives off of planes, but that's it.
The real security was put into place on Sept 11. The security system was installed flight 93 on that day. Once we learned what the hijackers where going to do the strategy failed. As we saw on Sept 11 and since then is that passengers are going to take action if threatened, because they know it's there best shot at surviving.
I say cut back on the screenings a tad, we are only hurting the innocent.
I have worked on many projects over the years and I have discovered a relationship between the quality of the code and the success of the project.
The lower quality of code, the more likely the product will ship and sell.
The higher quality of code, the more likely the product will never get done, and will never sell.
When I say low quality code I don't mean some monkeys slapping away at a keyboard, not knowing the slightest thing about programming. I mean smart programmers who know there shit, but they are not bothering to design the most readable, designed, code. They are simply working to build the product as fast as possible.
High quality code is where you have meetings about variable naming conventions, code having to pass review before being checked in, and mandatory unit tests for every function.
I believe the reason for this is that programmers often forget that the code is not the product. People will never see the code, and do not care about it. It is not what they buy.
The biggest thing that pissed me off with horizons is that when I was done playing after a few months I had to phone in person to cancel the billing. This is just awful. I can sign up online quick and easy, but to cancel, well I have to phone in wait in the queue and then talk to an agent to get my billing canceled.
If you can sign up online, you should be able to cancel online. Period.
The only jobs that computers have replaced are the crappy jobs that people don't want to do. Now I know that everyone wants a job, and wants to make good money. The jobs I'm talking about are the ones that no one would ever do for free, and only do it because it pays good money. For example if I opened up a company where I paid people to eat dog poop, but I paid them $1000 an ounce, people would line up to take the job.
These are the jobs that are being automated and replaced by machines, because people don't want to do them and its cheaper then paying people. (Repetitive, mind dulling, stinky, work)
If you enjoy doing your work, (Not the paycheck, but the work itself) no machine is going to take your job away, because no machine will do a better job.
There are of course exceptions to this, as there are to everything.
The reason that people pay for stuff isn't just to be cooler, (But I admit it is part of it) it's to be able to enjoy the game.
Take EQ for example, as you gain levels the games becomes easier and more fun to play, you start off in the games weak, poor and slow. Little snakes kick your ass. You can't really travel outside your zone (Without encountering certain death) and you don't even have a fraction of your classes true abilities. And since the vast majority of players are high level you can't even find people to play with. This sucks.
Compare that with a high level character. You can travel wherever you want, only the highest level mobs are a problem, and even then you can almost always escape death. You can travel anywhere, there are tons of people you can group with, you can easily afford to buy stuff from other players (Since its easy to make 100pp + an hour compared with a couple of silver when you start out.) Its simply more fun! Much of the tedium is removed.
I just wish all the levels where like that, and not have to invest 100+ hours that I don't have.
Does the customer need to buy his own paper for him to install the book on?
Customer: I'd like to buy the 'Atrocity Archives'. Clerk: Ok, that will be $10.95, please provide me with some paper to install it. Customer: What? I didn't know I had to have paper, doesn't it come with the book? Clerk: Absolutely not! Your only buying the story, not the paper, there's a paper store right next to us, you could pick up some for just $5. Customer: What, no, no I don't want to pay that, can you just install it on this napkin? Clerk: Hmm that napkin does not meet the minimum requirements for the book, you might have some problems. Customer: Damn it! Install it on the napkin or no sale. Clerk: Ok, (ZAP) there you go. Customer: Great... what I can't read it, the print is too small. Clerk: Sorry no refunds after the book is installed.
Selling software and hardware together makes since. However only for a small range of software. There will always be a need for personal computers, but right now a lot of people have them that don't need them.
I love games that involve physical training, and I hope to see many, many more titles like these. This opens up new doors to geeks by offering them a way to learn a new ability that isn't strictly mental.
I can only speak for myself, but learning any form of athletics is extremely difficult for me, mostly because learning requires other people. And I am so awkward and uncoordinated that is humiliating for me to even try.
Games like this allow me to learn the way I like to, alone where I am free to make mistakes. It also provides a completely unbiased measurement of progress. (Nothing says improvement like a new high score!)
Because this site is left leaning, and anti Bush. It dosen't make news here when Rush Limbaugh wins a big award.
Michael Moore? Thats front page.
Don't worry about the price of gas
on
Out of Gas
·
· Score: 1
The current spike in prices is being caused by an unstable situation in the Middle East. It's not due to a shortage of oil. While this problem may last for a while it will correct itself in a number of ways.
The situation in the Middle East will stabilize.
If prices stay this high for a while, this will fund more and more research into developing known reserves that are currently too expensive. (Deep off shore wells that would cost 2 - 10 Billion to make). There will be so much money to be made in oil that big companies will put almost endless amounts of funds into producing more. Over several years this will drop the price.
Also if prices stay high more and more effort will go into finding more oil. There are plenty of places to look, and technology bets better at finding it all the time.
As for alternative fuels I really don't any change, because the incentive to replace oil is already there. Anyone who comes up with a practical alternative, (IE just as good as oil without the mess, and its cheaper) will be very, very rich. But the problem is that oil is a great resource, and it is still (even at these prices) cheap! I still pay more in car insurance each month then I do for gas. In fact Oil/Gas is the cheapest par of owning my car! (2000 Neon)
It's a vast and diverse country, however before moving to Canada you should pick the province that best suits your personality.
East Coast (Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI ) Do you like to Drink? Do you prefer to work summers and take winter off? Don't mind if the women aren't very attractive? The east coast is for you!
Québec
Are you looking for a place that's like Europe, but with half the class? Then say Bonjour to Québec!
Ontario
Do you miss Clinton? Are you gay? Like working for the government? Are you the smartest person you know? Then the logical choice is Ontario.
Manitoba
Like hating where you live? Being unemployed? Do you enjoy being eaten alive by mosquitoes in the summer and frozen solid in the winter? Then man its time to go to Manitoba.
Saskatchewan
Can't read? Sick of all the trees and hills messing up your views? Then welcome to the flatlands.
Alberta
Are you a redneck? Sick of being surrounded by hippies all the time. Want to support a winning hockey team? Then Alberta's the ticket cowboy.
British Columbia
Are you high? Do you want to be? Then dude! Hit the west coast man!
Slashdot Mirror
I'm in IT, and my girlfriend is a psychologist. What does that mean for our potential kids. Even odds?
What about construction? Factory work?
These areas are overwhelming male, how many of them can't get a date, never get married and never have kids. Ever seen a single fireman, who can't get a date. Not likely.
Working in a male dominated workplace has nothing to do with problems in finding a mate. It had more to do with your lifestyle.
Fact is that most of us male computer programmers have problems interacting with people, including each other. We are drawn to computers, and other technical professions because it helps us avoid working with other people.
Even if 50% of programmers where female it wouldn't change anything! There would still be a ton of lovesick geeks, because even though you work with them you don't know how to talk to them.
If you don't have social skills then you won't have many friends. If you don't have many friends you have a much harder time finding a date.
Halfway done?! You must be kidding!
Being a java web developer, and using struts to build 3 different applications I have to say that enough is enough.
Struts is a very simple web framework, which will do several things for you.
Dramatically increase the size of your app.
Limit the functionality of your app.
Makes the code hard to read and follow. Just about everything runs though the struts config file.
The only benefit I see with struts is that is provides some clean definitions for code. (A place for display, a place for validation, a place for the work to be done) And gives you some tags to help with internationalization. (Just help mind you, if you need to have a totally different layout for a different language then, well you're screwed.)
I would only use struts again if I was writing an application that was to be localized and translated, and was working on a large team. Otherwise a well written set of JSP's will get the job done faster and will be easier to read.
I have seen many a software project disregard performance, features, and development speed all in the name of maintainability.
We can't use JSP's, there hard to maintain!
We can't use Javascript, it's loosely typed!
We have to use an Object Broker, SQL is not maintainable!
All the projects that I have been on where code maintainability has been the primary goal have one thing in common. They all failed.
If you spend all of your time worrying about how the code looks, you will never finish the project. Talk to people who have built successful software. (The ones that sold millions of copies.) Very few of them are proud of the code the wrote, but they are happy with the product.
The focus should always be on product quality, not code quality.
Just don't let that get in the way of living your life.
but only after she was making money running her own show (Selling remote controlled cars). This is a very important point.
So many kids get jobs in school doing things they don't like, (Restaurant, Gas Station, etc) but they don't try to make money doing what they like. Why not do what you like? You're not going to make a ton of money anyways, so why not make it doing something you like.
Start up a business, do something you enjoy. Don't worry about being old enough, or the possible legal obligations, just do it! Sure it can fail, but once you learn how to make money on you're own your set. There's no need to jump though these bureaucratic hoops once you can make your own way.
This is off topic, but the parent post got me thinking.
I moved out of my home when I was 18. I wasn't kicked out, but I was told it was important to go and encouraged by my parents to do so. The thought being that the sooner I learned how to make it on my own the better off I would be.
So I worked some crappy jobs, went over my head in debt to pay for school, got my diploma and got a job. Things where very tight, all I did was live in crappy conditions and pay off debt. Fast forward 6 years things are better. I was finally able to get a house, and I have a little bit of savings.
Compare that to some of my friends that never had to move out and face the real world. Most of them still live at home, make more money then me, and have enough in the bank to buy a large house with cash. They are generally happier, and have less stress. Also since they have never had to have a job to survive they have been able to take risks with there careers, which has enabled them to make more.
Is there any point to going out and living on your own? What's the upside of leaving before your 21, or even 30?
Successful software projects have great leaders. Leaders that understand what needs to be built and what doesn't, what can be done and what can't, and who works well on what. Good leaders are accountable, have the respect of there people, and know there shit.
If you're leading a software project and reading books like these your project is already screwed.
It's kind of like uptime. A server that has 99% uptime is much cheaper then a server with 99.9999% uptime.
An offshore developer can develop software but there are some problems. It takes longer to change the software as it's developed, some communication problems exist, and most importantly a remote developer can't understand the problem from where you are sitting.
For some applications these problems are not a big deal, when the work is well defined and straight forward you don't need the perks of an onsite programmer. But when you need to have a developer understand what you want developed, an onsite developer is well worth the extra cost.
You need to find out what tool is best for the job. Picking the wrong one can be quite costly. Running a mission critical accounting system on a cheap clone PC is a bad idea, but so is using an IBM zSeries 900 solely for tracking your appointments. Pick the right tool for the job.
please don't go.
But I would recommend a long comma.
That the screenings are not needed. Sure we need to keep guns and explosives off of planes, but that's it.
The real security was put into place on Sept 11. The security system was installed flight 93 on that day. Once we learned what the hijackers where going to do the strategy failed. As we saw on Sept 11 and since then is that passengers are going to take action if threatened, because they know it's there best shot at surviving.
I say cut back on the screenings a tad, we are only hurting the innocent.
I have worked on many projects over the years and I have discovered a relationship between the quality of the code and the success of the project.
The lower quality of code, the more likely the product will ship and sell.
The higher quality of code, the more likely the product will never get done, and will never sell.
When I say low quality code I don't mean some monkeys slapping away at a keyboard, not knowing the slightest thing about programming. I mean smart programmers who know there shit, but they are not bothering to design the most readable, designed, code. They are simply working to build the product as fast as possible.
High quality code is where you have meetings about variable naming conventions, code having to pass review before being checked in, and mandatory unit tests for every function.
I believe the reason for this is that programmers often forget that the code is not the product. People will never see the code, and do not care about it. It is not what they buy.
Wing Commander. Just awful.
The biggest thing that pissed me off with horizons is that when I was done playing after a few months I had to phone in person to cancel the billing. This is just awful. I can sign up online quick and easy, but to cancel, well I have to phone in wait in the queue and then talk to an agent to get my billing canceled.
If you can sign up online, you should be able to cancel online. Period.
I think what your doing is great, and that more developers should give it a try.
But I have one question.
Are you making money? Are you making more then the average programmer who works for a corporation?
I'd love to do what you do, but I'm not sure if I could pay the bills.
By definition, anything a geek is good at is nether a sport or popular.
The only jobs that computers have replaced are the crappy jobs that people don't want to do. Now I know that everyone wants a job, and wants to make good money. The jobs I'm talking about are the ones that no one would ever do for free, and only do it because it pays good money. For example if I opened up a company where I paid people to eat dog poop, but I paid them $1000 an ounce, people would line up to take the job.
These are the jobs that are being automated and replaced by machines, because people don't want to do them and its cheaper then paying people. (Repetitive, mind dulling, stinky, work)
If you enjoy doing your work, (Not the paycheck, but the work itself) no machine is going to take your job away, because no machine will do a better job.
There are of course exceptions to this, as there are to everything.
The reason that people pay for stuff isn't just to be cooler, (But I admit it is part of it) it's to be able to enjoy the game.
Take EQ for example, as you gain levels the games becomes easier and more fun to play, you start off in the games weak, poor and slow. Little snakes kick your ass. You can't really travel outside your zone (Without encountering certain death) and you don't even have a fraction of your classes true abilities. And since the vast majority of players are high level you can't even find people to play with. This sucks.
Compare that with a high level character. You can travel wherever you want, only the highest level mobs are a problem, and even then you can almost always escape death. You can travel anywhere, there are tons of people you can group with, you can easily afford to buy stuff from other players (Since its easy to make 100pp + an hour compared with a couple of silver when you start out.) Its simply more fun! Much of the tedium is removed.
I just wish all the levels where like that, and not have to invest 100+ hours that I don't have.
Does the customer need to buy his own paper for him to install the book on?
Customer: I'd like to buy the 'Atrocity Archives'.
Clerk: Ok, that will be $10.95, please provide me with some paper to install it.
Customer: What? I didn't know I had to have paper, doesn't it come with the book?
Clerk: Absolutely not! Your only buying the story, not the paper, there's a paper store right next to us, you could pick up some for just $5.
Customer: What, no, no I don't want to pay that, can you just install it on this napkin?
Clerk: Hmm that napkin does not meet the minimum requirements for the book, you might have some problems.
Customer: Damn it! Install it on the napkin or no sale.
Clerk: Ok, (ZAP) there you go.
Customer: Great... what I can't read it, the print is too small.
Clerk: Sorry no refunds after the book is installed.
Selling software and hardware together makes since. However only for a small range of software. There will always be a need for personal computers, but right now a lot of people have them that don't need them.
I love games that involve physical training, and I hope to see many, many more titles like these. This opens up new doors to geeks by offering them a way to learn a new ability that isn't strictly mental.
I can only speak for myself, but learning any form of athletics is extremely difficult for me, mostly because learning requires other people. And I am so awkward and uncoordinated that is humiliating for me to even try.
Games like this allow me to learn the way I like to, alone where I am free to make mistakes. It also provides a completely unbiased measurement of progress. (Nothing says improvement like a new high score!)
Because this site is left leaning, and anti Bush. It dosen't make news here when Rush Limbaugh wins a big award.
Michael Moore? Thats front page.
The current spike in prices is being caused by an unstable situation in the Middle East. It's not due to a shortage of oil. While this problem may last for a while it will correct itself in a number of ways.
The situation in the Middle East will stabilize.
If prices stay this high for a while, this will fund more and more research into developing known reserves that are currently too expensive. (Deep off shore wells that would cost 2 - 10 Billion to make). There will be so much money to be made in oil that big companies will put almost endless amounts of funds into producing more. Over several years this will drop the price.
Also if prices stay high more and more effort will go into finding more oil. There are plenty of places to look, and technology bets better at finding it all the time.
As for alternative fuels I really don't any change, because the incentive to replace oil is already there. Anyone who comes up with a practical alternative, (IE just as good as oil without the mess, and its cheaper) will be very, very rich. But the problem is that oil is a great resource, and it is still (even at these prices) cheap! I still pay more in car insurance each month then I do for gas. In fact Oil/Gas is the cheapest par of owning my car! (2000 Neon)
5. Bored Nerds at work, who will click on an ad just for some mild entertainment.
It's a vast and diverse country, however before moving to Canada you should pick the province that best suits your personality.
East Coast (Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI )
Do you like to Drink? Do you prefer to work summers and take winter off? Don't mind if the women aren't very attractive? The east coast is for you!
Québec
Are you looking for a place that's like Europe, but with half the class? Then say Bonjour to Québec!
Ontario
Do you miss Clinton? Are you gay? Like working for the government? Are you the smartest person you know? Then the logical choice is Ontario.
Manitoba
Like hating where you live? Being unemployed? Do you enjoy being eaten alive by mosquitoes in the summer and frozen solid in the winter? Then man its time to go to Manitoba.
Saskatchewan
Can't read? Sick of all the trees and hills messing up your views? Then welcome to the flatlands.
Alberta
Are you a redneck? Sick of being surrounded by hippies all the time. Want to support a winning hockey team? Then Alberta's the ticket cowboy.
British Columbia
Are you high? Do you want to be? Then dude! Hit the west coast man!