Hmm, I prefer Java over C and assembler because although I can write highly stable and secure code in C/asm, the effort to sustain the required level of paranoia and navel-gazing is for most code better directed elsewhere to visible benefits. I write code that actually has respected security crazies and bank auditors telling me to lighten up a bit, yes really!, but I'm still perfectly capable of making a mistake.

However, I'm inclined to think that whoever wilfully lets code out the door without appropriate bounds checking and incredible scrutiny of all input should face some kind of punishment.

(I dislike C++ because it combines the traps of C/asm with some novel ones of its own, but fools programmers into thinking that they are in a safe programming environment... Yes, I did a lot of C++ design and coding in mission-critical applications too!)

Rgds

Damon

There's a Downing Street in NYC, last time I looked, but it was a sewing materials and/or repair shop IIRC.

I'm downing my expectations of Americans understanding British idiom.

Rgds

Damon

Compared to identical prints on other printers that I've seen I'd rate it "medium".

After some delay getting it (I think Maplin was overwhelmed by interest) and some teething issues (Maplin just shoved the assembled unit into a cardboard box without proper packing so it arrived quite bent out of shape in places) and allowing for one continuing defect that I've worked around, I'd say it's a good little workhorse for the money especially considering that it's still pretty bleeding edge tech.

Rgds

Damon

You can't throw nice 2D printers around either and expect them not to suffer.

The process is not as painful as you think.

Myself and one other on the OpenTRV (opentrv.org.uk) project work to get OpenSCAD files and fromt hat we produce STL and many of us (maybe just short of 10) print from that same STL on lots of different printers with different setups without significant difficulty.

Yes, my 3D printer is a bit 'beta'y and slow, but it does work, and is now reliable and easy to use.

Rgds

Damon

I have the Velleman K8200 and for the OpenTRV project (opentrv.org.uk) that I'm working on we've been able to print the enclosures and well as designing the hardware (and making and stuffing PCBs) and the software in the same distributed fashion, and easily outsource to third parties for larger runs (hello Thames Valley Rep Rap User Group TVRRUG; thank you again).

It's been fun and helped us to control more aspects of the product while still in prototype phase.

Rgds

Damon

In binary... Possibly electric sheep too, while they dream.

Rgds

Damon

My brother (with PhD from top university) was an EPO patent examiner, and I don't think he could have afforded his travel arrangements (a fair way apart from his family) on minimum wage!

Rgds

Damon

Thank you: interesting.

Rgds

Damon

You'd be very likely to cause some, eg on motorways.

Rgds

Damon

To be clear; I'm entirely prepared to believe that the first 1000 hours of anyone's driving are their worst.

But I suggest that the first 1000 hours of an 18 year old's driving are likely much worse (from a safety/accident point of view) than the the first 1000 hours of a 40 year old's driving, on average.

For example, I know which I'd be more likely to trust with other complex and risky activities that don't require particular muscle strength or speed, but where responsibility and general life experience help, eg including running a business or a government office!

Rgds

Damon

Hi

I think that's complete nonsense (straw man arguments) and a counsel of despair, and/or maybe an excuse never to do bother anything right yourself until everyone around you is perfect. And I don't imagine that you are completely selfish like that in all your other actions.

And, guess what, altruism and good behaviour in general doesn't have to be absolutely simultaneous to work.

Rgds

Damon

[citation required]

Well, except that I expect most 40 year olds to be a little better at judging/taking risks, and somewhat less driven by roller-coaster hormones and emotions.

Thus those 1000 hours should be safer for all concerned.

However, I'm quite happy to be shown to be wrong if you've got the numbers to prove it.

(I also am driving less in part by making sure that I'm in a position to use public transport and control my hours, but I'm in the UK and have never owner a car, though I've driven here and in the US and elsewhere in the EU.)

Rgds

Damon

Quite the reverse: shows just how much individuals can make a difference by, for example, avoiding flying (or at least travelling long distances) for no sufficiently good reason.

I haven't flown in years and and don't feel I'm missing much. We take family holidays fairly close to home by train though be may now ... ahem ... push the boat out and take a decent ferry ride this year to give the kids a taste of another country. We're still managing to be close to carbon-negative at home for primary (6t less CO2 per year than a few years ago) and I'm not going to waste those savings on a mindless travel binge.

Rgds

Damon

I can only tell you that some pretty smart people are running that show and I did my computing MSc with the CEO, and he certainly knows his stuff.

It's not a guarantee of course, IMHO it improves the odds.

Rgds

Damon

The product/site is Entropay:

https://www.entropay.com/

(so-named given my obsession with constructing a good entropy pool to draw the random new card IDs from, amongst other things!)

Rgds

Damon