HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jimf@centerline.com (Jim Frost)
Subject: Re: Indentation
Organization: CenterLine Software, Inc.
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 14:59:42 GMT

guido@cwi.nl (Guido van Rossum) writes:
>but can you explain (without flaming) what
>you find so bad about layout-dependent semantics?

RPG is a classic example.

Scoping-by-indentation is probably ok so long as your scope nesting
doesn't get too deep, but I think it'd get a bit tough to read if you
have a line complex enough to extend beyond some number of characters
(eg the width of your screen or printer).

Having used both free-form and layout-dependent languages I'll take
free-form and try to make they layout obvious, thank you.

jim frost
jimf@centerline.com
From: haynes@cats.ucsc.edu (Jim Haynes)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
Subject: Re: Your co-worker may be an alien
Date: 13 Aug 92 20:22:52 GMT
Organization: University of California; Santa Cruz
NNTP-Posting-Host: hobbes.ucsc.edu


I don't have a copy, nor did I see the article, but I remember there was a
play based on the title of the article, with a title something like
"Uh oh, one of your co-workers may be a space alien say scientists."
The radio announcer always had a hard time doing a commercial for the play
without cracking up.
-- 
haynes@cats.ucsc.edu
haynes@cats.bitnet

"Any clod can have the facts, but having opinions is an Art."
        Charles McCabe, San Francisco Chronicle
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,comp.unix.misc
From: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner)
Subject: Re: The need for an assembler (was: Favorite CPU)
Reply-To: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner)
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 19:22:17 GMT

In article <Bt8Gt6.EBH@sunic.sunet.se> bygg@sunet.se (Johnny Eriksson) writes:
>In article <bqt.714224577@Minsk> bqt@Minsk.docs.uu.se (Johnny Billquist) writes:
>
>! Nope, you don't need to know how a microwave oven works to heat
>! a chees burger. To call this cheesburger perfect is a lie every
>! day though. To get a perfect cheesburger, get yourself a cow,
>! a knife, a fryingpan or an open fire. Cut and chop the meat from
>! the really good parts of the cow, and cook it.
>! Don't heat it in a microwave, that produces something edible, not
>! something perfect.
>! Then there is the question of cheese as well...
>
>You should be able to get that from the same cow.
>
>(Seems like we just switched from assembly to disassembly... :-)
>
>! Johnny Billquist
>
>--Johnny Eriksson

Most cows I know about are female for the milk, but are castrated males
for the meat.  Since this was regarding perfection in food, I don't
recommend using the same cow.

Obviously my experience in assembler language leads me to this conclusion;
hll people wouldn't care where their meat comes from :-).

cjl

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
From: spc@pineal.sci.fau.edu (Sean 'Captain Napalm' Conner)
Subject: Re: ancient typographical errors
Organization: Florida Atlantic University, but who cares?
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 19:06:18 GMT

In article <1992Aug16.195754.7078@chiton.ucsd.edu> cdl@chiton.ucsd.edu (Carl Lowenstein) writes:
>Last night I was teaching my NeXT how to do anagrams, following the
>lead of Jon Bentley's _Programming Pearls_, Column 2.  Then I set it
>to work on "/usr/dict/words".  I found a surprising pair:
>
>	synaptic snyaptic
>
>In a few quick probes today I have found the non-word "snyaptic" to
>be present in /usr/dict/words for SunOS4.1.1, Ultrix4.1, Ultrix1.2.
>And of course NeXTstep2.1, where I first found it.
>
>Any other takers?  How old do you suppose this one is.  With a bit of
>time I could resurrect /usr/dict/words from 6th Edition Unix to look.
>
>	carl
>
>-- 

  I found it on our SGI system (IRIX 4.0.1).  Hmmm, did anyone ever
check the list to see if all the words are correct?

  -spc (Considering how much of Unix is copied from version to version,
	you just might find it in the first version of the online
	dictionary ... )


Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
From: neeri@iis.ethz.ch (Matthias Neeracher)
Subject: Re: The need for an assembler (was: Favorite CPU)
Organization: Integrated Systems Laboratory, ETH, Zurich
	<id.6WFS.0NK@ferranti.com> <1992Aug18.052636.23004@news.columbia.edu>
	<1992Aug18.153447.3104@auto-trol.com>
	<1992Aug19.205606.4808@ecl.psu.edu>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 10:38:15 GMT

In article <1992Aug19.205606.4808@ecl.psu.edu> bjj@ecl.psu.edu (Bryan J. Jensen) writes:
>In article <1992Aug18.153447.3104@auto-trol.com>, davgot@auto-trol.com (David Gottner) writes:
>> 
>> This discussion comes up at least once a year in some newsgroup or another.
>> Basically it's the old "C shouldn't be used because C code is buggier than
>> other code"
>> 
>> This attitude IMHO is entirly incorrect.  It is easy to write hard to
>> maintain, buggy, cryptic code in **any** language.  C, Ada, assembler,
>> Pascal, you name the language.
>
>Politically Correct applies to languages too I guess.  The democrats
>would be proud of you.  You are claiming that no aspect of a language
>affects code reliability.

I don't see where he claimed that. He merely claimed that reliability cannot be
*enforced* with languages. And what could be more politically correct than a
language named after an emancipated woman (Except maybe the [Malcolm] X window
system :-) ?

Matthias

-----
Matthias Neeracher                                   neeri@iis.ethz.ch
        "I came to the conclusion that sex is a sublimation
         of the work instinct" -- David Lodge, _Small World_
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
From: john@mullet.gu.uwa.edu.au (John West)
Subject: Re: Bogosort
Organization: University Computer Club --- Perth, Western Australia
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 03:52:30 GMT

peterk@public.sub.org (Peter Kittel) writes:

>If you search for a really slow algorithm, go and disassemble the ROM of
>the Commodore Plus/4. It had some "database" software built in. When it
>had to sort, it did it not in memory but on the floppy (you know, slooooow
>1541). But anyway, the results were exceptionel: For 80 (yes, eighty)
>data records it needed 4 hours with constant crunching of the poor
>floppy device. With 90 records, we stopped this torture after 8 hours
>and decided to put a notice on red paper in every box to avoid record
>numbers beyond 80... (I still wonder how they achieved this marvel,
>never had the time to look through the ROM.)

You have GOT to be JOKING! This sounds like quite an achivement - I'd like to
know more. Anyone out there got a Plus/4 and the time and patience to figure
out what its doing? Hmm... pulls out bc... thats 2 seconds/operation for n^2
operations. If they go to disk for every record, keeping nothing in memory,
I could believe 2 seconds for each operation (I've owned a 1541 too)

John West
-- 
For the humour impaired: Insert a :-) after every third word
From: sjr@afterlife.ncsc.mil (Stephen J. Roznowski)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
Subject: Re: Need a copy of Creation of World in IBM JCL
Date: 22 Aug 92 13:36:09 GMT
Organization: The Great Beyond

Geoff Lane writes:
>
>I used to have a listing of an IBM JCL job which described the creation of
>the world in terms of IBM JCL commands.  Does anyone have a copy they can
>send me?

I don't have this, but this request prompted me to dig through my old
files for this IBM programming annoucement and type it in. (Author
unknown)

Enjoy.

[Do any similar ones exist??]

===========================================

IBM
--------------------------------------------------------------
Data Processing				Date: January 30, 1979
Division

		** Programming Announcement **
NEW OPERATING SYSTEM

	Because so many users have asked for an operating system
of even greater capability than VM, IBM announces the Virtual
Universe Operating System - OS/VU.

	Running under OS/VU, the individual user appears to have
not merely a machine of his own, but an entire universe of his
own, in which he can set up and take down his own programs, data
sets, systems networks, personnel, and planetary systems.  He
need only specify the universe he desires, and the OS/VU system
generation program (IEHGOD) does the rest.  This program will
reside in SYS1.GODLIB.  The minimum time for this function is
6 days of activity and 1 day of review.  In conjunction with
OS/VU, all system utilities have been replaced by one program
(IEHPROPHET) which will reside in SYS1.MESSIAH.  This program has
no parms or control cards, as it knows what you want to do when
it is executed.

	Naturally, the user must have attained a certain degree
of sophistication in the data processing field if an efficient
utilization of OS/VU is to be achieved.  Frequest calls to non-
resident galaxies, for instance, can lead to unexpected delays
in the execution of a job.  Although IBM, through it wholly-
owned subsidiary, the United States, is working on a program to
upgrade the speed of light and thus reduce the overhead of
extraterrestrial and metadimensional paging, users must be careful
for the present to stay within the laws of physics.  IBM must
charge an additional fee for violations.

	OS/VU will run on any IBM 10101 equipped with Extended
WARP Feature.  Rental is twenty million dollars per cpu/nanosecond.

	Users should be aware that IBM plans to migrate all existing
systems and hardware to OS/VU as soon as our engineers effect one
output that is (conceptually) error-free.  This will give us a
base to develop an even more powerful operating system, target
date 2001, designated "Virtual Reality".  OS/VR is planned to
enable the user to migrate to totally unreal universes.  To aid
the user in identifying the difference between "Virtual Reality"
and "Real Reality", a file containing a linear arrangement of
multisensory total records of successive moments of now will be
established.  It's name will be SYS1.est.

	For more information, contact your IBM data processing
representative.
-- 
Stephen J. Roznowski	(sjr@afterlife.ncsc.mil)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,comp.unix.misc
From: peter@ferranti.com (Peter da Silva)
Subject: Re: The need for an assembler (was: Favorite CPU)
Organization: Xenix Support, FICC
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 18:41:38 GMT

I said someone who says he's an assembly (or any other specific language)
programmer is a poor sort of programmer.

Jerry objected that programmers don't get to choose what languages they're
exposed to.

I pointed out that for a few hundred dollars you could buy a personal computer
and dozens of language implementations...
In article <id._VFS.0AK@ferranti.com> peter@ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
> If you want to continue to eat regularly, it's worthwhile spending a little
> of your own money on a personal computer that'll expand your horizons.

In article <1992Aug20.000833.14289@ttinews.tti.com> hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath) writes:
> My first job in the business expanded my horizons plenty.

And goes on to describe how he learned dozens of languages while on the job,
out of necessity...

> Sure, I can do anything I want on my home system.  Maybe, some day, I'll
> write The Great American Program (in The Great American HLL, which I'll
> also write) and retire.  Until then, the people who write my paycheck get
> to call the tune.

Jerry, I honestly have no idea what I've said that you're objecting to. Every
thing you've said simply reinforces my point: a programmer who doesn't know
a variety of languages, and who can't learn new ones quickly, is a poor sort
of programmer indeed. Whether he's an "assembly programmer", a "C programmer",
a "COBOL programmer", or whatever.

BECAUSE the people who pay the piper call the tune.

Are we in violent agreement, or am I missing something subtle here?
-- 
Peter da Silva                                               `-_-'
$ EDIT/TECO LOVE                                              'U` 
%TECO-W-OLDJOKE Not war?                        Have you hugged your wolf today?
Ferranti Intl. Ctls. Corp.      Sugar Land, TX  77487-5012       +1 713 274 5180
From: sgoldste@usc.edu (Fogbound Child)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
Subject: ancient typos
Date: 17 Aug 1992 16:50:04 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: aludra.usc.edu

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
Subject: Re: ancient typographical errors

In article <1992Aug16.195754.7078@chiton.ucsd.edu> cdl@chiton.ucsd.edu (Carl Lowenstein) writes:
>Last night I was teaching my NeXT how to do anagrams, following the
>lead of Jon Bentley's _Programming Pearls_, Column 2.  Then I set it
>to work on "/usr/dict/words".  I found a surprising pair:
>
>	synaptic snyaptic


Snyaptic - (adj) of, like, or portaining to the point at which a nervous
           impulse passes from one neuron to another during the process
           of making snide comments about Unix. Also spelled Sniaptic.
           See also: snicker, snycker, snooker.


> [...]

___Samuel___
-- 
_________Pratice Safe .Signature! Prevent Dangerous Signature Virii!_______
Guildenstern: Our names shouted in a certain dawn ... a message ... a
              summons ... There must have been a moment, at the beginning,
              where we could have said -- no. But somehow we missed it.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
From: zrepachol@cc.curtin.edu.au (Paul Repacholi)
Subject: Re: Non Unix-OS's
Organization: Curtin University of Technology
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 10:34:24 GMT

In article <20064@nntp_server.ems.cdc.com>, tbruseha@kafka.ems.cdc.com (Tom Brusehaver) writes:
...
> many arguments that IBM did it with a system with a future, but lets
> face it, if IBM wasn't the name on the box, the PC would have been an
> also ran, and we would have something better on the desktop today.
> 
> 

Ah, how quickly they forget... The SMC was never an also-ran. Non-starter would
have been a better descripion. My memory is general increduality that even IBM
could pick such a dog of a system.

~Paul
From: rhg@cpsolv.CPS.COM (Richard H. Gumpertz)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
Subject: Re: Favorite CPU
Keywords: Burroughs, ALGOL, MCP
Date: 21 Aug 92 14:03:57 GMT
Organization: Computer Problem Solving, Leawood, Kansas, USA

In article <1992Aug07.212531.14134@allegro.com> sieler@allegro.com (Stan Sieler) writes:
}One last thing...has there *ever* been another multi-processor machine that,
}*while running*, could be "split" into two entirely independent machines,
}and then rejoined?  We routinely did this with our dual CPU B7700 in the

This was done routinely with Multics.  We took processors in and out all the
time for running hardware PM and for testing new versions of the system.

-- 
  ==========================================================================
  | Richard H. Gumpertz        rhg@CPS.COM       VOICE&FAX: (913) 642-1777 |
  | Computer Problem Solving, 8905 Mohawk Lane, Leawood, Kansas 66206-1749 |
  ==========================================================================
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,alt.folklore.urban
From: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner)
Subject: Re: Your co-worker may be an alien
Reply-To: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner)
Organization: Columbia University
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 02:31:45 GMT

In article <1992Aug17.230253.5263@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> bwatson@nyx.cs.du.edu (bruce watson) writes:
>
>Zontar, The Thing from Venus, 1966 is an uncredited remake of It Conquered
>the World, 1956. You're right, John Agar and it was produced by
>Larry Buchanan (best known for Mars Needs Women, 1966).

Zontar, the Thing from Venus is rated 1/2 * by Steven Scheuer.

It Conquered the World stars Peter Graves, better known for the Discovery
Channel, and such winners as Killers from Space and Red Planet Mars and
Mission Impossible (this {insert media type here} will self-destruct in 5
seconds, good luck Jim!).  (And more obscurely, Fury.)

Mars Needs Women stars Tommy Kirk, better known for his Disney pictures, and
Yvone Craig, better known for being Lord Garth's girlfriend on StarTrek on
the insane asylum planet, or playing Batgirl in the Adam West series.  Adam
West himself was not only Batman there, he played in such movies as Robinson
Crusoe on Mars and Mara of the Wilderness.

It seems that a small number of relatively type-case actors played in a lot
of these mostly '50's cheapo SF movies.

cjl

obMovieTrivia: Peter Graves is the brother of James Arness, of Gunsmoke, and
who played the title role in the Thing (from another world).
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
From: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner)
Subject: Re: Unnormalized FP and a PDP-11 bug (Re: Algorithm for bit finding)
Reply-To: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner)
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 07:55:33 GMT

In article <1992Aug12.075553.1@zodiac.rutgers.edu> leichter@zodiac.rutgers.edu writes:
>
>(My favorite story of a simliar problem is on the CDC 6000 series.  They
>use 1's complement arithmetic, and when you load a B register, you can't
>really load a constant - you load contant plus some other B register.  No
>problem:  B0 is always 0, so you add it.  Except that in one's complement
>there is also -0 (all 1 bits), and the arithmetic unit tries very hard never
>to generate -0 as an output.  In fact, 0+(-0) is 0.  So you can't load -0 that
>way!  The trick is to realize that the REAL identity for addition on this
>machine is -0, and get that into a register (using bit-wise operations) for
>use in place of 0 when loading data that isn't really numbers.)

In a one's complement machine that merely has end-around carry, it is
impossible to generate a result of +0 unless the operation starts with it.
Simple addition and subtraction that numerically cancel always yield -0,
so you have to handle it.  I know of many program bugs traceable to the
simple fact that a test for negative versus positive has entirely different
meanings on one's and two's complement machines.  You really have to "switch
gears" here :-).

cjl

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,comp.unix.misc
From: samw@bucket.rain.com (Sam Warden)
Subject: Re: What has AI done for me lately?
Organization: Rick's Home-Grown Un*x
Date: 22 Aug 92 22:14:33 GMT

barmar@think.com (Barry Margolin) writes:

>One problem the AI industry has, though, is that its boundaries always
>change.  I've heard AI defined as "things we don't yet know how to program
>a computer to do", so once we get things working it ceases to be AI.
 
You mean, AI is `our' version of the _occult_?    8-)

-- 
 
samw@bucket.rain.com (Sam Warden) -- and not a mere Device.
 
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
From: hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath)
Subject: Re: You know when you're hacking too long when...
Organization: The Cat Factory
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 19:07:35 GMT


You wake up in the middle of the night, see the glowing night sights on
your pistol and try to read the time off them.

(As long as I don't reach for the clock radio when a burglar breaks in, I
can live with it).

The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe, M.A., CDP, aka: hollombe@polymath.tti.com)
Head Robot Wrangler at Citicorp                   Turn the rascals out!
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.   (310) 450-9111, x2483     No incumbents in '92!
Santa Monica, CA  90405
From: koos@kzdoos.hacktic.nl (Koos van den Hout)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
Subject: Re: You know you've been hacking too long...
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 20:18:52  -1
Organization: Koos z'n Doos (BBS)
NewsSoftware: Rnf 0.6b

>And the walkman did not appear to stay in place! We could all see both
>the LED and the walkman move around, only the LED wasn't moving the same way
>the walkman was.....
>
>Please, TRY THIS YOURSELVES! I can understand that it seems unbeleivable,
>but if you just switch off all lights, and try this, you will see what I'm
>talking about! (I hope. If not, I'm going crazy. Along with three of my
>friends.....)

I know that effect, it seems to have something to do with a different 'fadeout'
of your eyes for different amounts of light. I get it with looking at the
computerscreen and moving my head or looking at a stereoset with a whole set
of indicators in the dark (and moving my head).

Are you by any chance wearing glasses ? Maybe it has to do something with
wearing glasses or the associated state of the eyes. I do wear glasses all day.

                                        Grtx. KH

| Koos van den Hout                        Internet koos@kzdoos.hacktic.nl |
| Student Computer Science                   Fido Sysop @ 2:500/101.11012  |
| SysOp BBS Koos z'n Doos (+31-3402-36647)  300/1200/2400N81 ANSI/AVT/TTY  |
| I want my 14k4 V32b V42b faxmodem !!! (My order is being processed...)   |
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
From: pclink@cheops.qld.tne.oz.au (Rick)
Subject: Re: Computers killing people? (WAS Re: 9 track data storage???)
Organization: Telecom Australia, TNE Computer Support Services
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 23:25:17 GMT

 [ original posting about printers infecting Iraqi defence computers ]

 [ responses saying that the IBM-PC has a bidirectional parallel port ]

I seriously doubt that the Iraqis would be using IBM PC's to run their
War Room.  Mine has problems enough running Wing Commander.

Rick.

[PS: regarding infecting computers with printers: this subject was beaten
	 to death some time ago - the general consensus was that it was a
	 joke derived from an Infoworld article]
Xref: sparky alt.folklore.computers:12533 comp.unix.misc:3226
From: ralf@ark.abg.sub.org (Ralf Stephan)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
Subject: Re: Zuse Computers
Date: 14 Aug 92 15:10
Organization: Private Coherent 4.0.1 site Augsburg/Bavaria/Germany

xexeo@dxlaa.cern.ch (Geraldo Xexeo) writes:
> 
> Any of you  used or know were Zuse computers can be seen?

If I'm not mistaken, the "Deutsches Museum" in Munich should have one
machine.  Anyway, this museum is a must for any technology lovers out there.


--ralf
-- Telepathy is just a trick:  once you know how to do it, it's easy. (nh)
Xref: sparky alt.folklore.computers:12669 alt.3d:875
From: rick@tekig1.PEN.TEK.COM (Fredrick Wilson)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,alt.3d
Subject: Re: 'Movement' on light and dark screen background.
Date: 17 Aug 92 21:48:36 GMT
Followup-To: alt.folklore.computers
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.

In article <1992Aug14.201730.8489@ccu.umanitoba.ca> grnbrg@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Brian Greenberg) writes:
>In <BswnIE.Dpt@world.std.com> bmarcum@world.std.com (Bill Marcum) writes:
>
>>Speaking of screen color, I've noticed somthing interesting on a computer
>>where I work.  The screen display has alternating lines of red and light-blue
>>text on a dark-blue background.  I wear very thick glasses, and as I move my
>>head, the red letters seem to move around while the light blue letters stand
>>still.
>
>>Bill Marcum  bmarcum@world.std.com  b.marcum@genie.geis.com
>
>This is probably caused by the fact that the human eye perceives the red
>wavelengths slightly [faster|slower] than the blue.  This may cause apparent
>movement if you shake your head.
>
>This theory was used in a Pepsi (?) commercial during the superbowl a few 
>years ago to produce a 3d effect;  the glasses you had to wear had one lens
>clear, and the other tinted (Not red and blue style). Objects moving from
>left to right on the screen looked 'closer' than objects moving from right
>to left (Or the other way 'round.  Not sure).
>
>Any alt.3d people want to elaborate?
>
>Brian

That superbowl halftime show and commercials used the Pulfrich (sp?)
effect.  It depends on horizontal motion and one eye's view being darker
than the other.  Color does not effect it.



      Rick   Wilson             Rick Wilson       Cross-eyed STEREO
      --------------           --------------
     |       O      |         |      O       |
     |    O         |         |     O        |    rick@sable.pen.tek.com
     |              |         |              |    Tektronix
     \    _     O   |         |\    _  O     |    Beaverton, Orygun
     |\  /      _   |         | \  /   _     |
     | \/   \  /    |         |  \/\  /      | 
      --------------           --------------      

Dumb
text
to
fool
dumber
read-
news
program
Xref: sparky alt.folklore.computers:12731 comp.unix.misc:3276