Computer Science: "an Alzheimer's patient who has forgotten more than he knows."

Re:Computer Science: "an Alzheimer's patient who has forgott... by timf on Sunday July 05, 2009 @10:10PM (#688989)

> Really, whatever can be done now with a computer was in principle doable in 1965

Why are people so attached to this line of reasoning... it's like saying whatever can be done now with an automobile was in principle doable in 1920 because the laws of mechanical engineering haven't changed. Cars now are "just" faster and have a few more doohickeys on them.

It's sort of a tautology once you make the paradigm in question all-encompassing enough. I would love to see mind-erasing advances in CS, too... but the lack of them does not mean that smaller and continually useful advances aren't happening and aren't worth discussing/praising.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Computer Science: "an Alzheimer's patient who has forgott... by msie on Sunday July 05, 2009 @10:39PM (#689034)

Really, whatever can be done now with a computer was in principle doable in 1965

Yes, but in 1965 we couldn't read your snooty LiveJournal entries.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Computer Science: "an Alzheimer's patient who has forgott... by dan_the_welder on Monday July 06, 2009 @03:52AM (#689307)

And you expect people to take your opinion seriously when you are posting it on Live Journal while wearing a Horned Viking Helmet.

I've worn a Horned Viking Helmet, sometimes it is really the only option, however I've never posted on Live Journal as it is never the only option.

Live Journal exists only as a punchline and a repository for the musings of tween goths. Only to be replaced by Twitter in the fullness of time.

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Re:Computer Science: "an Alzheimer's patient who has forgott... by asciilifeform on Sunday July 05, 2009 @10:37PM (#689026)

> Cars now are "just" faster and have a few more doohickeys on them

Good example! What part of this statement is false? Oh yeah, the "faster."

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Computer Science: "an Alzheimer's patient who has forgott... by timf on Monday July 06, 2009 @12:08AM (#689126)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_speed_record

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_production_car

(these pages actually lead to some great wikipedia tangents, thanks for landing me there ;-))

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Computer Science: "an Alzheimer's patient who has forgott... by asciilifeform on Tuesday July 07, 2009 @12:33PM (#691795)

Forget land speed records.

My point was that 1920s cars would be perfectly adequate at maintaining the maximum legal speed on nearly any modern US road. And mileage has scarcely improved at all.

[ Parent | on HN ]