Chipping the web: December 16th
December 16th, 2008 6:00:11 pm pst by 
Sterling Camden
- Eliminating the Programmer
Been there, done that, came to the same conclusions — twenty years ago. So why are people still trying to solve this non-problem?
Thanks, Reg.
Tags: none - Aiyeeee 7.0: Microsoft browser threat on the loose
Did you really need one more reason to ditch Internet Exploder?
Tags: none - Zzz-mail: What happens when sleepwalkers go online – Telegraph
I sometimes program in my sleep — judging from some of my past bugs.
Thanks, John.
Tags: none - We are gods with anuses: another look at “terror management theory.”
Brilliant, with enough interesting links to use up your whole day.
Tags: none - computer terms: spelling and pronunciation
"You say LINE-ux, but I say LIN-ux…"
Tags: none
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Actually, I usually say “FreeBSD”.
Which I assume is pronounced “Free bee ess dee” rather than “Freebzd”
You assume correctly.
Regarding your first item: Working in engineering I find the same inability to learn lessons from the past – new generations of engineers and designers are constantly trying to reinvent the wheel and in the process they ignore the tried and true methods developed since the industrial revolution.
So true — it’s a common antipattern for which some form of automated detection is needed.
I was fortunate to learn that lesson early on. When I was 14, I had a fascination with inventing new technologies for automobiles. My initial impetus was the desire to create a method of propulsion that didn’t rely on oil (this was during the oil crisis of the early 70s — will we EVER learn?). Unfortunately, I didn’t have the engineering background to avoid making some very naive mistakes (discovering entropy was a real eye-opener). My father told me that he believed I would someday invent great things, but he advised me to study how other people had attempted the same problem so I wouldn’t have to re-learn what they had already discovered. “It’s OK to invent new ways of doing things, but first look at the old ways and ask yourself why they did it that way.”
Unfortunately the advent of the computer age has been a double edged sword for engineering since it arrived along with the advent of management.
So while it is true that much of the menial work has been simplified by CAD and data-base engineering, we are now plagued with ‘value-for-money-operators’ who can use the equipment but have no basic concept of ‘good practice’/'procedure’ – that which allows us to avoid those ‘past solved’ problems.
Yes — the myth still circulates that technology will eliminate the need for brains. The reality is that technology simply enables brains to work at a higher level while spending less time concerned with repetitive details.
We can no more expect any specific language or IDE to enable brainless lackeys to create great software than we can expect all the technology in the world to enable a monkey to compete at Lemans.
At the risk of sounding like a dewey-eyed old man:
We’re all doomed ;]
I’m not quite that pessimistic. I still have hope that we will someday learn this lesson — just as we learned that slavery doesn’t work. Oh, wait…
> we learned that slavery doesn’t work. Oh, wait…
On that note, I rather like these Tax Freedom Day greeting cards I found. I may have to get some.
Those are great! Just in case anyone is under the illusion that we’re more than 70% “the land of the free”.
The reference to April is just for federal tax freedom day. Most of us spend another couple months (give or take) in slavery to our respective states, depending on state taxes.
Fortunately, there is no state income tax in Washington, though the state and local sales tax of 8.75% means that about a month’s income goes to the state.
Don’t forget gas taxes, shipping taxes, property taxes, gift taxes, vehicle registration taxes, and so on. A lot of taxes that you might think don’t apply to you get passed on through product and service prices, too.
Now I’m really depressed. Property taxes come to about half a month for me. Gas taxes couldn’t be more than a couple hundred dollars a year. Vehicle registration is only about $50. But I hate to think of all the taxes that are built into product pricing.
M B A
Mindless Burocrappy Administrators
Good one, Stu. Also, “Meetings Beget Authority”
Coincidentally, I think I was coming up with an alternate meaning for MBA in a new SOB entry (How is an economy like technology?) at the same time you came up with yours.
Great minds, etc.
[...] a comment at his own Weblog (Chip’s Quips), my friend Sterling had this to [...]