So you're going to point out flaws in an actual scientist's research methodologies, and you can't even fucking spell "dire"? JFC the kool-aid has gotten strong...

Stop

No. The only real question isn't if it'll be shown in theatres.

The only real question is: does Han fucking shoot first?

unwrap() is for prototyping; it's like a try/catch, but you just panic if something fails. Again, super handy for prototyping, but typically a mistake to use. Use try!() if you're writing a lib, or match (ie case switch) on the values returned by the function. Ones that can fail will usually return values wrapped in one of two enums: Err(val) or Ok(val). aka a Result The ones that can fail but don't return a Result will typicall return an Option... Same idea, data wrapped in one of two enums: None(), or Some(val)

... but is it cause and effect? Or effect and effect? Could the very high levels of cynical distrust be a result of some malady that eventually causes the dementia?

You can... But you'll find that you're almost instantly blacklisted by spam filters, unless you relay through a smart host and have your ISP setup a PTR record for your mail server. Here, have a handy link.

semantics

This is the key right here.

That being said, most people find this way of learning to be too difficult and they don't keep it up for long. However, if you can manage it, then the amount you actually learn and retain will be HUGE.

Too bad... fuck 'em.

Won't someone please think of the uteruses!!

Change and progress in academia!? ... Preposterous!!...

Again, the LodSys example mentioned by an AC just a few posts up flies in the face of the "it only matters if you become successful" argument. Sadly... =(

In the case where companies with a large patent portfolio are actually spending billions in R&D, I'd say you have a massive point, and that any claims made by anti-patent folks that patents are stifling innovation would be extremely difficult to substantiate... and that those claims may not even have any basis in fact.

However, in the case of companies with a large patent portfolio that do little to no R&D (with companies whose sole business case is patent trolling being the most obvious case), I would think that the claims made by anti-patent folks would need no substantiation at all...

Exactly.

Right now, the most attractive market (or means of distribution) for a "software tycoon in training" is the smartphone market (specifically Android and iPhone, since their distribution methods have the lowest overhead for the actual software authors).

The LodSys bullshit has definitely left me feeling a little gun-shy...

I don't think so.

The argument being made is that securing those rights (at least, using the current methods) doesn't actually promote that progress. So I suppose it could possibly be interpreted that the current system doesn't fulfill the intent of that portion of the constitution. Which might make the current process for obtaining a patent unconstitutional.

However, to claim that it makes patents themselves unconstitutional doesn't seem valid.... but, again, one could draw the conclusion (with a lot more evidence, I'd think) that progress in science and useful arts can't be promoted via granting parties exclusive rights to writings and discoveries at all... which would mean that the portion of the constitution that you quoted would have to be deemed as being sel-conflicting and therefore stricken from the constitution or amended... and while that claim might actually be true, I don't think getting it amended would be easier than revamping the patent system/process