Re: OT: my new PC rocks!!

From: Beth (BethStone21_at_hotmail.NOSPICEDHAM.com)
Date: 01/01/04 

Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2004 15:53:07 -0000

Ed Beroset wrote:
> If somebody in alt.lang.asm
> asks, "how should I write a program?" they're not as likely to get
> useful information as if they have done a bit of homework first and
are
> able to ask a more focussed question like, "How would I implement a
> linked list in assembly language?"

Actually, I would answer either question...and sometimes have answered
what the more "snobbish" around here might think of as "ignorant
questions"...you talk about "education" but what sort of teacher
refuses to answer questions because the questioner doesn't know
enough? Isn't that a "catch-22" in effect there?

"How do I do this?" / "I won't answer as you should know this already
before asking questions" / "But how can I learn what to do if you
won't answer my questions?" / "you should know it already...education
is very important" / "okay, okay...but if you refuse to educate me,
how do I get education?" / "You should have it already" / "Yes, but I
don't...so, please, pretty please with sugar on top, can you help me
get the education that, yes, I probably 'should' already have but
don't actually have?" / "I would not waste my time on someone who's
not willing to learn" / "I am, I _am_ willing to learn...please teach
me! I'm on my knees begging you here!!!" / "But you know nothing
already so you clearly are ignorant and aren't willing to learn" /
"Aaarrrghhh!!!" ;)

If I saw a "how should I write a program?" question then I'd answer
it...you know, that's far, far from being an "ignorant question", in
my opinion...this is, like, _the_ question...taking philosophically,
it's almost "what is the meaning of life?" in stature, just specific
to the art of programming..."How should I write a program?" is a
_damn_ good question...and if someone has been doing their homework
and still comes and asks such a question sincerely as an invite into a
discussion on whether things should be "global variables everywhere"
or "object-orientated" or "should we use or not use the HLL helpers in
ASM programs?" or "what is the best method, in people's opinions,
towards tackling the construction and development of a programming
project?"...

That's a _damn good intelligent question_ when meant in that
context...much like an idiot can ask "how long is a piece of string?"
in the context of them believing all string is the same length...and
that would be "dumb"...but if Socrates were to ask "how long is a
piece of string?" as a philosophical challenge to the very universe
itself as to its fundamental nature...the relationship of a physical
numerical reality to some philosophical abstract perception of that
reality...heck, then the question is well, well beyond my league and
evne in my most "fearless" mode, I wouldn't be sure whether to even
dare to attempt to enter such a deep conversation with Socrates
himself...

"There are _NO_ dumb questions, only dumb people"...that's not just a
joke, that's a reality...all questions are legitimate and even the
"dumbest" sounding questions in one context are almost leaps and
bounds of intelligence in other contexts...if a two year old asked
"How should I approach working on my cross-GUI compatibility library?"
then, bloody hell, the kid's beyond "an Einstein" here...where many
kids can't even speak, this kid's wanting to do stuff I'd approach
with caution! (Does happen, though...I forget which famous composer it
was that was writing full symphonies at age 6 and that sort of
thing...but, though very rare, it's not completely unheard of to have
some majorly impressive "wunder-kids" ;)...in this context, you may
very well have the most intelligent person who's ever stood on the
face of this planet on your hands from hearing that question...if I
ask it, then, well, it's not particularly impressive...just Beth being
"strange", as usual...if Steve Wozniak is asking it, you'd be like
wondering why he's gone all "dumb" all of a sudden, possibly worrying
for his mental health...

I would not not answer a question because it's "ignorant"...I mean,
isn't that sort of the whole point of asking questions? To enlighten
your ignorance with education that you're no longer ignorant of the
answers...and I'd even say that the more someone knows, the more and
more they are forced towards the simplest of unanswerable
questions...after centuries of discoveries and developments,
physicists is now almost a _philosophical_ practice (which is slightly
"deeply ironic" - as all things are, in the end - considering it's
meant to be the _physical_ science, where it gets the stem of its name
;)...Is time travel possible? Can I go back in time and kill my own
granny? Is there such thing as "free-will"? What exactly does "random"
actually mean? That's where the "leading-edge" of physicists is
spending its time...in Plato and Socrates' philosophical backyard
rather than Newton's "clockwork universe" (Einstein - and Planck
accidentally - killed Newton's "clockwork" universe with a pretty
devastating blow or two..._no-one_ understands quantum physics,
basically...it works...they know that...it's correct...that's
known...but what on Earth is actually going on and what it's all for
and that sort of thing is a total bloody mystery, as the leading
experts happily confirm...it's weird but it seems to work so, well,
"don't look a gift horse in the mouth" ;)...

Beth :)

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