Simplicity

[JKop]

But my english is very bad, I can't be sure.

Grammar and vocabulary is great, I understood your last
post perfectly.

-JKop

 

[Phlip]

Phlip posted:


I don't recall signing such a contract ;-)

There's dozens of bullshit rules out there.

You currently don't write code that others need to maintain, right?

 

[Gary Labowitz]

"BASIC (which stands for Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code)
went on to be the most widely used computer language in the world,
according to Kurtz, bringing computer technology to general audiences."

I don't think that this is a definitine answer: the "according to Kurtz"
seems to apply to "to be the most widely used computer language in the
world", not to "(wich stands for...". But my english is very bad, I can't
be sure.

I'm not quibbling with your parsing. But I was studying BASIC in 1956 (my
first year in college) and I think I remember seeing it referred to as
"Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code" then. I have always been
under the impression that this was it's acronym right from the start. (Built
my first computer in 1954, but it was hardwired and didn't have
programming.)

I'm only saying that this is my recollection; it has been 48 years, so take
it for what it might be worth.

 

[JKop]

Phlip posted:

You currently don't write code that others need to maintain, right?

Nope, self-sufficent, both me *and* my code.

-JKop

 

[=?ISO-8859-15?Q?Juli=E1n?= Albo]

I'm not quibbling with your parsing. But I was studying BASIC in 1956 (my

Are you sure? According to several sources Basic was designed and
implemented in 1963-64.

 

[Gary Labowitz]

(my

Are you sure? According to several sources Basic was designed and
implemented in 1963-64.

No, I'm not sure about most things before 1964 (April 7, when IBM launched
the S/360). The reason I identified 1956 was I rather distinctly remember
being in the Rockhurst College library and pulling out a programming book
which I thought was by Kemeny. All may be lost in the "fog of school," so I
won't stand by this. I was also a frequent visitor to the Linda Hall Library
(technical library) and studied many programming theory, history, and
application books there in the early 1960's, so I may have come across it
then and just mix it all up now. But I do stand by having always heard the
acronym.

[An aside: at that time I was heavily into mechanical translation of
languages, but gave up after following the lead of Yngve (Yale?) who
convinced me it was a dead end. I guess it was a right choice. They still
can't translate natural languages with a program.]

 

[Gary Labowitz]

Phlip posted:


Nope, self-sufficent, both me *and* my code.

How wonderful for you. Are you at a University?

 

[JKop]

Gary Labowitz posted:

[An aside: at that time I was heavily into mechanical translation of
languages, but gave up after following the lead of Yngve (Yale?) who
convinced me it was a dead end. I guess it was a right choice. They
still can't translate natural languages with a program.]

www.google.com/language_tools

Not perfect, but very good indeed.


-JKop

 

[JKop]

Gary Labowitz posted:

How wonderful for you. Are you at a University?

Nope, I'm what Americans would term a "High School Drop-
out". I starting Visual Basic when I was 12ish, then moved
on to C++ when I was 15ish, and now I'm 18. I work full-
time as an Office Administrator, doing invoices,
correspondance, and the like.

-JKop

 

[=?ISO-8859-15?Q?Juli=E1n?= Albo]

Library (technical library) and studied many programming theory, history,
and application books there in the early 1960's, so I may have come across
it then and just mix it all up now. But I do stand by having always heard
the acronym.

Prove the point will be easy, only is needed to find some document of the
early years that mentions the acronym. Demonstrate the contrary will be
harder.

[An aside: at that time I was heavily into mechanical translation of
languages, but gave up after following the lead of Yngve (Yale?) who
convinced me it was a dead end. I guess it was a right choice. They still
can't translate natural languages with a program.]

I also have always been sceptical about the possible fast progress in that
field, and in voice recognition.

 

[Jerry Coffin]

[ ... ]

I'm not quibbling with your parsing. But I was studying BASIC in 1956 (my
first year in college) and I think I remember seeing it referred to as
"Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code" then. I have always been
under the impression that this was it's acronym right from the start. (Built
my first computer in 1954, but it was hardwired and didn't have
programming.)

I'm only saying that this is my recollection; it has been 48 years, so take
it for what it might be worth.

In this case, your recollection is clearly flawed -- in 1956, BASIC
simply didn't exist. About the only thing I can think of at that time
that _might_ be open to being mis-remembered as BASIC would have been
one of the early versions of FORTRAN -- and even that's quite a
stretch.

 

[=?ISO-8859-15?Q?Juli=E1n?= Albo]

still can't translate natural languages with a program.]

www.google.com/language_tools

Not perfect, but very good indeed.

Yes, but if you think in the progress made in that field since the 60,
compared with other areas, the result seems very poor.

 

[Gary Labowitz]

"Gary Labowitz" <[email protected]> wrote in message

[ ... ]

I'm not quibbling with your parsing. But I was studying BASIC in 1956 (my
first year in college) and I think I remember seeing it referred to as
"Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code" then. I have always been
under the impression that this was it's acronym right from the start. (Built
my first computer in 1954, but it was hardwired and didn't have
programming.)

I'm only saying that this is my recollection; it has been 48 years, so take
it for what it might be worth.

In this case, your recollection is clearly flawed -- in 1956, BASIC
simply didn't exist. About the only thing I can think of at that time
that _might_ be open to being mis-remembered as BASIC would have been
one of the early versions of FORTRAN -- and even that's quite a
stretch.

Yes, too big a stretch. I was familiar with FORTRAN then. In fact, one of my
first assignments at IBM (1962) was to teach it. I also taught SPS,
Assembler, and Autocoder. The FORTRAN was for the 1620, and the engineers
loved it. [Don't quote me on any of this -- it might have been 1963! Ah,
1963. I was rewiring a 407 board for a bank in Joplin, MO, when Kennedy was
shot. I guess we all remember where we were for that event. That is, those
of us who were anywhere.]

 

[Phlip]

Nope, I'm what Americans would term a "High School Drop-
out". I starting Visual Basic when I was 12ish, then moved
on to C++ when I was 15ish, and now I'm 18. I work full-
time as an Office Administrator, doing invoices,
correspondance, and the like.

While your ability to program professionally cannot be determined from your
online attitude, if I were hiring I would look for candidates who have made
an investment in themselves. College provides the appearance of such
investment (whether or not it really happened). Playing with programming
languages, even if you have the "knack", does not qualify.

I would also look for team awareness, even among loners. If you actually
were ecologically self-sufficient, for example, you would live in a cabin
and grow a little garden out in front. If, however, you don't weed that
garden and keep pests out, your self-sufficiency will not sustain.

All software projects need sustainability, by any means necessary.

(There's nothing wrong with remaining a dilettante. Just don't expect this
newsgroup to sustain bad advice...)

 

[JKop]

While your ability to program professionally cannot be determined from
your online attitude

Look at my code.

, if I were hiring I would look for candidates who
have made an investment in themselves.

Please spare me the methaphors.

College provides the appearance
of such investment (whether or not it really happened).

There's plenty of ways one can invest in one's self. Some people can lift
500kg. Some people can do 270 degree splits. Some people can run 100m in
under 10 seconds.

Playing with
programming languages, even if you have the "knack", does not qualify.

Qualify for what?

I can program in C++. No two ways about it. Sure, an employer would like to
see qualifications, but I haven't got any. If I were to pursue a job in C++
programming, I could apply to take some sort of assesment to attain a
qualification which an employer would like.

I would also look for team awareness, even among loners. If you
actually were ecologically self-sufficient, for example, you would live
in a cabin and grow a little garden out in front.
Relevance?

If, however, you
don't weed that garden and keep pests out, your self-sufficiency will
not sustain.

Self-sufficency is relative. I might be stationary right now, but relative
to the sun I'm movin very fast indeed.

All software projects need sustainability, by any means necessary.
....

(There's nothing wrong with remaining a dilettante. Just don't expect
this newsgroup to sustain bad advice...)

I don't.


-JKop