It basically *is* a lookup table that covers all possible values, but I wrote it a long time ago. (Hence why it returns 0L for non-sane inputs instead of throwing an exception.) A switch() is a lookup table. I could have used a public final static array and done my own bounds checking.

Here is how I do a factorial function. No recursion, no loops, no vectorization needed. It's in Java. Converting this basic idea to C is left as an exercise for advanced readers.

        static public long factorial( int n ) {
                switch( n ) {
                        case 0:
                        case 1: return 1L;
                        case 2: return 2L;
                        case 3: return 6L;
. . . cases 4 to 18 omitted to bypass slashdot filters . . .
                        case 19: return 121645100408832000L;
                        case 20: return 2432902008176640000L;
                }
                return 0L;
        }

> And trying to do it all yourself is a risk of never getting to market.

You don't have to maintain the compiler yourself. You just need to have source code to it, and a compiler that compiles it, for the life of your project. That way, if a newer version of the compiler breaks your project, as the original poster complained of, you always have a working compiler for the life of your project. Your compiler may not get any additional improvements. But having it work vs not work is much more important than incremental improvements.

> Google's new motto "Do as much evil as possible!"

That motto would result in an intellectual property lawsuit from Microsoft.

> . . . to repel water, ice insects and other debris . . .

Great. I just hate it when those ice insects hit my windshield.

Doesn't Silverlight require the computer to be infected with Windows?

I thought that 45 minute meetings in dark alleys were for when the cop is beating someone up enough to have them hospitalized.

> You married a lump of wood?

Hey now, there's nothing wrong with wood. Especially in the mornings. Wood in the mornings is best.

Yes morning wood saves electricity, but I worry about how much CO2 is in the smoke that goes up the chimney as the wood is burned in the stove.

It varies depending on whether there is enough natural lighting or whether artificial lights are used to grow the plants.

If WB sends false DMCA takedowns (under penalty of perjury) but it is done by a computer, then it's no big deal.

But if Google returns search results, done by a computer, that might (but not even necessarily) lead to infringing material, it's a national emergency.

> Penalty for infringing on copyrights: uncounted billions.

Uh, excuse me, sir. It was $75 TRILLION. Not mere Billions. Google it: RIAA $75 TRILLION.

Oh, wait, but this is about movies rather than music. Nevermind. It's all okay then. :-(

This may be more than the global GDP, but music is worth it. If you FEEELTHY pirates can't pay $75 trillion because there's not enough wealth on the planet, then you shouldn't listen to the music. Better yet, all music should be locked up where nobody can ever hear it again -- to protect the artists.

I would play with some guy in the arcade.

> I think MS has discovered a worse way to write code than using notepad! Bravo!

Um, sir, I think you have forgotten about Edlin.

What could possibly go wrong with trusting Microsoft with critical servers, and backing up your data?

See this: T-Mobile Sidekick Disaster: Danger's Servers Crashed, And They Don't Have A Backup

Sorry to reply to my own post, but to keep it on topic, let me add. . . . and so I am supposed to trust Microsoft with my source code in a cloud based visual studio? I would say "no thanks" if I were a user of VS.