No one denies that one can write bad code in any language, but the accusation still stands - languages can help or hinder understandability with their syntax. C++, and it's desire for backward compatibility with C, led to some really unfortunately syntactic decisions that make the code less legible. Operator overloading isn't very good for understanding of performance characteristics (Is this adding 2 ints or an array?). Memory management has provided code bulk (because not everything can be RAII) and the plethora of pointer idioms one must navigate if one has any sort of sizable codebase that has been maintained by many others over the years. Now add on features and libraries so broad and complex that organizations actually have their own dialects of C++ (or so I am told) that their employees are allowed to use. Need I go on?

Frankly, C++ has advantages in some places, but aiding in making code legible and understandable is not one of C++'s strong suits. And I've worked on (and probably helped generate) enough crappy C++ codebases to know of which I speak.

Bullshit. Mirroring is not the issue. Government data collection, though a problem in its own right, is not the issue. The problem is with the corporations controlling the network space throttling bandwidth to screw over customers. A simple solution would be taking the "free enterprise" out of long-haul communication infrastructure. A government monopoly couldn't do much worse than these deceitful assholes. Or, of course, regulating the shit out of them until they straighten up. But I'm sure I'm just getting tired of their corporate shenanigans.

I'm sorry. This joke was already used. Please find a new one and try again.

Imagine an all-you-can-eat buffet. Within reason, eat all you like... to a point...

Or maybe they could, you know... not lie and not call it unlimited when it isn't? Or in your world is not lying too great a burden on business?

Do you think the Chinese with their Great Firewall and monitoring aren't aware of every packet that goes across their network? You're asking us to believe that the Chinese love to let rogue agents from third parties use their gear and IP space even with all of the countermeasures they have in place? Maybe for cover. Thanks for your "insight"... I'll take Occam's Razor for $2000, Alex.

I don't see how eating my neighbor gets me parts for my Aibo - unless he has one, too.

I think you meant that "cannibalizing" (i.e., removing parts from other currently functional) Aibos might be the only way to get said parts - similar words, two VERY different meanings. Even so, functioning Aibos need not necessarily be cannibalized, as I'm sure there may be one or two broken Aibos lying about for parts, too.

I like to control how my music goes digital and when. That's why I only play my vinyl on my hipster turntable.

Welcome to TaskRabbit!

The aliens are just a plot twist. Even with aliens, the story has been, is, and, until we decide otherwise, will be "us against us".

I thought we weren't talking about the third world...

You forgot the Kiwis (Haven't they been absorbed into Aussieland yet!?). But yeah, I think that post got the other five countries in the world.

If you had six months and still couldn't pick up the "jargon" and "stuff outside my field", the trouble may be you (or you worked in a company full of assholes).

I've worked in various knowledge domains - security, medical systems, banking systems, electronic design automation, have only been formally trained in one of them, and needed to come up to speed with them to become effective in my job. I found I could become productive in most jobs within a month and came to be known as the computer guy with the most domain expertise within a year in each case. I did it by asking questions and listening - not only of people who were training, but the SMEs that worked at these organizations. But then I like domain swapping because I get bored easily.

It would be almost impossible to prove murder. The best you might get is negligent homicide, but even that's a tough sell. It's hard tying a direct causal line between non-vaccination and death, when so many other non-vaccinated children do not die. Yeah, from a medical point of view, it's negligence. From a legal viewpoint? Whole 'nother can o'worms.

No! You would reveal the Bat-secret of the null key Bat-encryption Bat-(R)-algorithm to the Joker!

I do not doubt your last sentence. Sub-mini tube circuits are often more gimmick than performance. I can see the transistor passing a lot more bandwidth with smaller components.