At first I was dismayed at how my comment was getting no love ... but then sure enough ... :-)

This is old news folks.

Frederick P. Brooks Jr. wrote an excellent paper (No Silver Bullet: Essence and Accidents of Software Engineering) back in 1987 (link: http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~cah/...) that highlights how so much of the complexity that exists in software is *accidental*. This problem is in no way specific to Java, but the language and the supporting eco-system of conventions, libraries and the various supporting "enterprise" tools certainly contribute to the situation. As a language that champions OOP (note: the paper calls out OOP specifically), it makes sense that Java's mainstream-status would lend itself towards being a poster-child for Accidental complexity.

Having worked in the software industry, on various Java code bases, for the past decade: I have observed this curious phenomenon first-hand, repeatedly. It really is quite unfortunate, as it is very possible to write elegant, and concise Java code: one simply has to adopt a more functional programming style and limit mutability within their code. The problem is: most Java developers who appreciate the value of functional programming and immutable design, have already moved on to other languages that have a syntax, standard library and an eco-system that is centered around these principles. I've moved on to Scala largely for this very reason: I grew tired of spending an hour frantically searching through a mountain of convoluted procedural code and XML configs: just to to see why a boolean flag I set was not "seen" by a particular class method.

ask an ye shall recieve: http://www.the-ear.net/review-...

Somehow, I think transporters where Picard has to shoot his other self twice, after each away mission (first, when he returns back to the ship, and then secondly from orbit -- or only the later if he wants to be a lazy ass) would sorta ruin the whole utopian vibe.

Of course, there was that episode with two Rikers but at least things didn't turn out as violent as they did in The Prestige.

Remind me not to ever piss you off.

computationally speaking, Microsoft's "Scroogled" Campaign it utter garbage.

Here's why (from a high-level technically stand-point):

Privacy is only truly violated when there exists some form of device IO of private information, in clear-text. For gmail to have code that performs in-memory comparisons of email text and advertisement content, to be considered a breach of privacy is complete crap. Yes, you can start nit-picking with issues such as whether buffers of data are not being left hanging around memory, or if gmail's method of requesting data from ad-servers can some how provide clues in logging files somewhere that could allow Googler #247 to infer that Johnny is sending emails about ant-farms. But, it all comes down to whether or not personal information is being written out somewhere for humans to read (whether indirectly or directly).

Having worked at software companies that jump through all kind of hoops to ensure that data is sanitized ad naseum: I highly doubt that Google is allowing their employees, let alone third-parties to freely spy on users.

And that, in a nutshell, is why the 2nd Amendment ... isn't the 27th ... amendment.

... Especially for Pre-Calculus.

It's not until one takes Calculus that everything in Intermediate Algebra and Trigonometry all comes together, and actually makes sense. Now if $2,400 bought you a high-quality, well-taught series of online courses that cover Calculus I, II, Diff. Equations, Vector Calculus, and Linear Algebra --- *then* we're talking.

I can see paying as much as 3-4k for something like that.

Well, at least they can brag about small class-sizes and consequently the best teacher-student ratio among top-tier schools, worldwide.

You make a damn good point.

... SMS is overpriced anyway. That will give me another excuse to tell friends to stop texting me.

At least there isn't an electoral college involved.

I see: so if demand goes down, price goes up?

Good luck with that ...

It appears Martians have yet to ban single-use grocery bags ...

... officially marks the point in time where we have *literally* heard everything. From this point forward, stuff just begins to repeat.