4 ms·

On the other hand, the computer scientist might still be fiddling with trying to achieve the "correct" architecture long after the self taught guy's software is

by MortenK 13y ago

On the other hand, the computer scientist might still be fiddling with trying to achieve the "correct" architecture long after the self taught guy's software is in production, and earning money.

ctdonath 13y ago
Robots were instructed to bring the backup central mission module from the shielded strong room, where they guarded it, to the ship’s logic chamber for installation. This involved the lengthy exchange of emergency codes and protocols as the robots interrogated the agents as to the authenticity of the instructions. At last the robots were satisfied that all procedures were correct. They unpacked the backup central mission module from its storage housing, carried it out of the storage chamber, fell out of the ship and went spinning off into the void. This provided the first major clue as to what it was that was wrong. Further investigation quickly established what it was that had happened. A meteorite had knocked a large hole in the ship. This ship had not previously detected this because the meteorite had neatly knocked out that part of the ship’s processing equipment which was supposed to detect if the ship had been hit by a meteorite. The first thing to do was to try to seal up the hole. This turned out to be impossible, because the ship’s sensors couldn’t see that there was a hole, and the supervisors, which should have said that the sensors weren’t working properly, weren’t working properly and kept saying that the sensors were fine. The ship could only deduce the existence of the hole from the fact that the robots had clearly fallen out of it, taking its spare brain - which would have enabled it to see the hole - with them. - Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless To wit: gaping holes in one's understanding can be chronically problematic when what should be in the gaping hole includes that which lets one know that there is, in fact, a gaping hole. One may be capable of proceeding nonetheless (resulting in the rest of the quoted-from book), but with great difficulty. Of course, arguing over whether Stupid A is stupider than Stupid B is stupid. Better to be neither the self-taught dysfunctional nor the fully-trained dysfunctional. TFA wasn't condemning the self-taught, it was condemning the arrogant self-taught who don't, can't, and won't recognize that there may be a better and simpler way.

by MortenK 13y ago

On the other hand, the computer scientist might still be fiddling with trying to achieve the "correct" architecture long after the self taught guy's software is in production, and earning money.

ctdonath 13y ago

Robots were instructed to bring the backup central mission module from the shielded strong room, where they guarded it, to the ship’s logic chamber for installation. This involved the lengthy exchange of emergency codes and protocols as the robots interrogated the agents as to the authenticity of the instructions. At last the robots were satisfied that all procedures were correct. They unpacked the backup central mission module from its storage housing, carried it out of the storage chamber, fell out of the ship and went spinning off into the void. This provided the first major clue as to what it was that was wrong. Further investigation quickly established what it was that had happened. A meteorite had knocked a large hole in the ship. This ship had not previously detected this because the meteorite had neatly knocked out that part of the ship’s processing equipment which was supposed to detect if the ship had been hit by a meteorite. The first thing to do was to try to seal up the hole. This turned out to be impossible, because the ship’s sensors couldn’t see that there was a hole, and the supervisors, which should have said that the sensors weren’t working properly, weren’t working properly and kept saying that the sensors were fine. The ship could only deduce the existence of the hole from the fact that the robots had clearly fallen out of it, taking its spare brain - which would have enabled it to see the hole - with them. - Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless To wit: gaping holes in one's understanding can be chronically problematic when what should be in the gaping hole includes that which lets one know that there is, in fact, a gaping hole. One may be capable of proceeding nonetheless (resulting in the rest of the quoted-from book), but with great difficulty. Of course, arguing over whether Stupid A is stupider than Stupid B is stupid. Better to be neither the self-taught dysfunctional nor the fully-trained dysfunctional. TFA wasn't condemning the self-taught, it was condemning the arrogant self-taught who don't, can't, and won't recognize that there may be a better and simpler way.