Comments for Algorithm Blogs http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs Algorithms, for the heck of it Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:49:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Ethics in Programming by lorg http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForAlgorithmBlogs/~3/Ml63aP1WnWE/ lorg Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:49:11 +0000 http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/?p=511#comment-39406 David: At no point have I made a "blanket indictment of advertising and marketing"! On the contrary, I'm advertising my own website, http://plnnr.com ... However, it seems to me that some people would consider advertising evil no matter what. I don't. Maybe the placement in the list was a bit misleading, but my intention was to give a list of jobs in which anyone could find at least one job he/she wouldn't take. Also, even jobs that I don't like and are on the list are not an indictment. For example, personally, I don't like DRM too much and would prefer avoiding work in this area. Still, I consider DRM to be an honest work. I also consider "lawful interception" legitimate. Lastly, the list is far from a complete. There are more jobs I can think of that can make their way inside. David:
At no point have I made a “blanket indictment of advertising and marketing”! On the contrary, I’m advertising my own website, http://plnnr.com …
However, it seems to me that some people would consider advertising evil no matter what. I don’t. Maybe the placement in the list was a bit misleading, but my intention was to give a list of jobs in which anyone could find at least one job he/she wouldn’t take.

Also, even jobs that I don’t like and are on the list are not an indictment. For example, personally, I don’t like DRM too much and would prefer avoiding work in this area. Still, I consider DRM to be an honest work. I also consider “lawful interception” legitimate.

Lastly, the list is far from a complete. There are more jobs I can think of that can make their way inside.

]]> http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/ethics-in-programming/comment-page-1/#comment-39406 Comment on Ethics in Programming by David R. MacIver http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForAlgorithmBlogs/~3/8xfNuvwj3qE/ David R. MacIver Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:11:57 +0000 http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/?p=511#comment-39398 I'd possibly refine your first question to "Would you refuse to use the product yourself?" - I've worked on several products which I have no ethical problem with but which I'm not in the target market for. Made it hard to retain interest sometimes, but it certainly wasn't an ethical issue. I'd also disagree with the blanket indictment of advertising and marketing (and, to a lesser extent, SEO): There are a lot of very bad examples of them, but they're not inherently evil. Ultimately good advertising is a service to the recipient of the advert as well as the person doing the advertising. It helps them find useful and interesting things which they otherwise might not have. Of course you don't want to get involved in misleading or intrusive adverts, but that's just a sign that the domain in question has its own ethical standards which you need to apply when working in it. I’d possibly refine your first question to “Would you refuse to use the product yourself?” – I’ve worked on several products which I have no ethical problem with but which I’m not in the target market for. Made it hard to retain interest sometimes, but it certainly wasn’t an ethical issue.

I’d also disagree with the blanket indictment of advertising and marketing (and, to a lesser extent, SEO): There are a lot of very bad examples of them, but they’re not inherently evil. Ultimately good advertising is a service to the recipient of the advert as well as the person doing the advertising. It helps them find useful and interesting things which they otherwise might not have. Of course you don’t want to get involved in misleading or intrusive adverts, but that’s just a sign that the domain in question has its own ethical standards which you need to apply when working in it.

]]> http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/ethics-in-programming/comment-page-1/#comment-39398 Comment on Ethics in Programming by lorg http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForAlgorithmBlogs/~3/5BeFUCmI-yc/ lorg Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:33:35 +0000 http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/?p=511#comment-39314 R: You're right, although different people would consider this less gray, and more of a black white issue. Avi: 1. Thanks for the compliment... 2. So if you're not a science major, and you're a bit more experienced in "thinking, discussing and reading" about this - what do you think? R:
You’re right, although different people would consider this less gray, and more of a black white issue.

Avi:
1. Thanks for the compliment…
2. So if you’re not a science major, and you’re a bit more experienced in “thinking, discussing and reading” about this – what do you think?

]]> http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/ethics-in-programming/comment-page-1/#comment-39314 Comment on Ethics in Programming by avi http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForAlgorithmBlogs/~3/4jLZ4iFMxXU/ avi Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:47:39 +0000 http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/?p=511#comment-39311 Nice post, nice wonderings. It's sometimes funny though to see science majors stumble upon moral issues and react somewhat like teenagers, as they have little experience thinking, discussing and reading about such subjects. Nice post, nice wonderings.
It’s sometimes funny though to see science majors stumble upon moral issues and react somewhat like teenagers, as they have little experience thinking, discussing and reading about such subjects.

]]> http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/ethics-in-programming/comment-page-1/#comment-39311 Comment on Ethics in Programming by R. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForAlgorithmBlogs/~3/r-aK6ZGq7xA/ R. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:40:19 +0000 http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/?p=511#comment-39305 You get further into the gray zone when the context changes; for instance, is hacking OK when the target is an individual criminal? a criminal organization? a terrorist organization? an enemy country? a malevolent exterrestrial life form? You get further into the gray zone when the context changes; for instance, is hacking OK when the target is an individual criminal? a criminal organization? a terrorist organization? an enemy country? a malevolent exterrestrial life form?

]]> http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/ethics-in-programming/comment-page-1/#comment-39305 Comment on Computation over Zp in Python by lorg http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForAlgorithmBlogs/~3/2qQE7NoDEwI/ lorg Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:29:19 +0000 http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/python/computation-over-zp-in-python/#comment-38880 Yes, I know of it. At the time I think I also knew of it already but didn't use it yet. These days I also don't use it though, as I haven't needed it, except one time. At that time, I was made aware of sage's capabilities only after solving the problem. (Actually, by a comment to this blog on this post: http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/python/computing-large-determinants-in-python/ ) Yes, I know of it.
At the time I think I also knew of it already but didn’t use it yet.
These days I also don’t use it though, as I haven’t needed it, except one time. At that time, I was made aware of sage’s capabilities only after solving the problem.
(Actually, by a comment to this blog on this post: http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/python/computing-large-determinants-in-python/ )

]]> http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/python/computation-over-zp-in-python/comment-page-1/#comment-38880 Comment on Computation over Zp in Python by Ofir http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForAlgorithmBlogs/~3/bYolqxQ4sYw/ Ofir Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:13:57 +0000 http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/python/computation-over-zp-in-python/#comment-38869 hmmmmm I know this is a really old post, but are you familiar with http://www.sagemath.org/ ? It's essentially a python-based matlab. hmmmmm I know this is a really old post, but are you familiar with http://www.sagemath.org/ ?
It’s essentially a python-based matlab.

]]> http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/python/computation-over-zp-in-python/comment-page-1/#comment-38869 Comment on Small Programming Challenge no. 5 – Generating a Permutation by Naccache http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForAlgorithmBlogs/~3/AUIz7Hvbbwg/ Naccache Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:07:15 +0000 http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/?p=493#comment-38162 There are plenty of algorithms for doing this and even a book written on how to do it called "constructive combinatorics" by Stanton and White. There are plenty of algorithms for doing this and even a book written on how to do it called “constructive combinatorics” by Stanton and White.

]]> http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/small-programming-challenge-no-5-generating-a-permutation/comment-page-1/#comment-38162 Comment on Python Gotchas 1: __del__ is not the opposite of __init__ by B.Moore http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForAlgorithmBlogs/~3/zfiInnwVahY/ B.Moore Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:40:55 +0000 http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/?p=438#comment-38014 It seems to me that the __del__ function must have a purpose and be necessary, otherwise why would the people who maintain and develop python keep the function around. I encountered this issue today and thanks to this article I resolved my problem. I realize now the proper way to use the __del__ deconstructor would have been to initialize all of the properties that I would be affecting on the first lines in the __init__ constructor. If I were a better coder and followed the most primitive standard of declaring and initializing variables first and at the top of my code I would't have seen this issue at all. Anyway good post and great commentary from everyone ;-) It seems to me that the __del__ function must have a purpose and be necessary, otherwise why would the people who maintain and develop python keep the function around.

I encountered this issue today and thanks to this article I resolved my problem. I realize now the proper way to use the __del__ deconstructor would have been to initialize all of the properties that I would be affecting on the first lines in the __init__ constructor.

If I were a better coder and followed the most primitive standard of declaring and initializing variables first and at the top of my code I would’t have seen this issue at all.

Anyway good post and great commentary from everyone ;-)

]]> http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/python/python-gotchas-1-__del__-is-not-the-opposite-of-__init__/comment-page-1/#comment-38014 Comment on Must Have Python Packages by Raj http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForAlgorithmBlogs/~3/DvSKIU7jYR8/ Raj Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:41:17 +0000 http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/?p=125#comment-37048 How about sage: http://sagemath.org/ Thanks, Raj How about sage:

http://sagemath.org/

Thanks,
Raj

]]> http://www.algorithm.co.il/blogs/index.php/programming/python/must-have-python-packages/comment-page-1/#comment-37048