David McClain <dbm_at_refined-audiometrics.com> writes Re: generating self-contained dlls: sf or swiftx?
[..]
> However... I must say I did not understand your little joke about using
> a plastic fork on your Dell monitor.

Then it wasn't very good. Unfortunately, explaining will take quite a few
bytes.

>> The same is true of programming languages. Your DOES> words create
>> single-parameter functional closures -- a higher level concept to be
>> sure, but once you experience programming from higher up, you see things
>> a bit more clearly down below...

> True, but if my new LCD monitor has a loose part inside, I open the
> clam shell with a plastic fork instead of sending it to the Dell repair
> shop across country :-)

A few months ago I wanted a new computer but really dreaded the endless
hassle of setting one up from spare parts. So I ordered one
pre-assembled. Who builds his own computer nowadays? These times are
over!

Literally everything was wrong, parts were missing, OS with wrong
language and teaser software installed, no original CD's... I called
the manufacturer and I got the strong feeling that they thought that
people ordering assembled computers were technically illiterate and
that their deliveries could be scavenged for parts that they wouldn't
know to use anyway. It did scare them quite a bit that I apparently
knew what they were supposed to have delivered and how. They sent over
the rest real quick.

That "rest" included a new monitor. Uh oh: It proved to have 2 screws
loose and a piece of metal bumping around in the plastic clam shell
case (I was afraid of electrical shortcircuit and didn't even turn it
on). If you ever studied it, you will notice that LCD monitor cases
are "seamless." There are no screws and no visible latches, and they
have big stickers on it with "no serviceable parts inside." In my
initial state of mind I gave up and wanted to repack the monitor,
load it on my bike and bring it to the postoffice. Oh no, that was
not allowed: I first needed permission to give it back, print
stickers and pack all kind of stuff AND send it back within 8 days.
And then wait two weeks for repair and bring it back from the
postoffice on my bike again...?

So I felt triple abused, by the monitor OEM, by the OS that refused
to change language without CD and behaved like an commercial TV
channel, and by the shop trying to rip me off and discouraging me
to do something about it.

That's when I revolted and pried open the case (*), disregarding the
"no-serviceable parts" stickers and the shop redtape hooligans.

(*) Google told me it can be done by running a tiny piece of plastic
around the groove hidden in the clamshell seam. Luckily there are
still some hardware hackers around that ferret out how to do these
kind of things.

I interpreted your statement as "languages have grown up and are
much better nowadays, need no handholding and can comfortably hide
behind high-level concepts that we don't need to understand to be
able to use them." (Forgive my oversensitivity in this respect.)

Well, my little plastic DOES> and insisting to know how a compiler
works still seems to get me to places. I'd better not give up that
approach anytime soon!

I told you it wasn't very good, but it's not a shaggy dog story either.

-marcel

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Received on Sun Jan 31 2010 - 11:55:59 PST