For that matter, why are we still defining code chunks via brackets instead of the indentation that's already there?
Like in Python?
The reason that I still like my curly-braces is that I don't want the meaning of my code to change just because somebody (me?) changed the whitespace.
I'll second this.
I worked in the exhibit department of a science museum for several years, and it's simply amazing how much abuse everything gets.
We did most of our exhibit building in-house, because contractors, even exhibit design firms, just couldn't be convinced of how bullet-proof museum exhibits need to be.
Besides making sure that you have robust infrastructure, make sure that your kiosks are designed for a war zone. And make sure that you have lots of spare parts.
TFA - Whats the best hack for c++ to let it be cross platform?
Everyone - Use this mish-mash of open source libraries and/or reinvent the wheel when you have to with interfaces and separate code files for OS specifics.
Me - Use a language and SDK that is MADE FOR CROSS PLATFORM COMPATIBILITY. JAVA JAVA JAVA
JAVA has cross platform sockets
JAVA has cross platform threads
JAVA has cross platform gui
C++ has header files... F**K HEADER FILES
C++ has pointers to pointers... F**K MEMORY MANAGEMENT
C++ makes you feel smart when you get something to actually work correctly... F**K YOUR EGO
+1
To keep a software system interesting to users, you need a constant flow of new features.
No - that attitude is what is wrong with most software.
What users really want is for the basic functionality to work well, be stable and performant.
Only then should new features be considered, and considered carefully.
I tried out the search engine linked above (sitetruth.com).
I understand that it's alpha, but I'm seriously under-impressed. It gave my site a negative rating for two things. One - no street address on the site - there is actually a full address at the bottom of every single page on the site. Two - no valid secure certificate - Uh, yeah. I don't sell anything, nor do I collect any information from users. Why should I have an SSL cert? WTF?
I think that if you call it "sitetruth", it should have some truth in it.
while the article is lame, the subject is not.
More important than what you need to get into your zone (because I think we all know how this works for our own needs), is how do you explain this to others who do not understand "the zone"?
The hardest part for me is getting others to respect my zone. They just don't understand. For kids, you can't really blame them. You just have to stay out of sight and out of mind. But for the adults, they often just don't get it.
The biggest "zone breakers" are interruptions of any kind or duration. Having to stop for even one minute to take a call or acknowledge a communication can break your flow completely and it can take time to get back into gear. I think there have even been studies showing it takes some 15 minutes average to get back.
And of course this applies to anyone doing something highly creative or thoughtful.
I used to work in a development shop where there was a single outside-facing phone number, and each person had an extension.
When a call came in for "Fred", the receptionist would use the intercom feature to loudly announce to Fred "you have a call", rather than just ringing his extension.
If Fred wasn't at his desk, she would just say "Fred...Fred...are you there Fred?" several times, until everyone in the vicinity of Fred's desk was interrupted (it was an open floor-plan).
When that didn't work, she would make the announcement on the PA system, thereby interrupting everyone in the building.
I tried to explain to the receptionist, and to the owners of the company, that interrupting every programmer (and having them take, on average 15 minutes to recover) every time a phone call came in was counter-productive. Of course, they just didn't get it.
Did I mention that I used to work there?
Ummmm...yeah...that makes me feel better. Medical devices are apparently developed by "dime a dozen" programmers....woot!
prunes
Drunken mistakes aside, drinking relaxes me to the point where I can get really creative and get a lot of stuff done. Only if I could drink at work...
Yes, "Inside my head" was what I was thinking too, when I read the question.
Basic physical requirements are:
- relative quiet
- endless supply of hot beverages - good coffee is best, though the rot-gut stuff from the bottom of the pot will do in a pinch, as will good strong tea..
- a bathroom (see above)
Quiet, instrumental classical music makes it a perfect environment - ambient if I can get it, headphones if I have to.
On the other side, productivity killers include:
- phones ringing (esp. if I need to answer one)
- people talking (esp. if they expect an answer)
- constant interruptions for status updates
If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error. -- John Kenneth Galbraith
