alt.folklore.computers Google Group

Re: history of RPG and other languages, was search engine history

2010-03-21T07:31:47Z

So "driving in Boston" should be "banned in Boston"??? ;-)

Re: history of RPG and other languages, was search engine history

2010-03-21T07:30:51Z

I interpret Eric's statement here about Florida drivers... as
referring to a lot of retired older folks who should have given up
driving long ago. These folks are *not* the only poor drivers, but
Florida has a surfeit of such people.

Re: byte orderm was history of RPG and other languages

2010-03-21T07:27:03Z

And think about reading a core dump. You go to an address and
probably would *like* to find those four hex bytes in an order
than you could just convert (without swapping things around).
After all, dumps are printed in "address order".
(Okay, maybe few use core dumps now, but "back when" it would be a

Re: history of RPG and other languages, was search engine history

2010-03-21T07:23:37Z

Mel wrote:
It's like left and right hand screws. They both work... but
damn!!! Someone *decide* on *one* standard and let's all use it!!!

Re: history of RPG and other languages, was search engine history

2010-03-21T07:20:23Z

I realize that, Joe. But I can see how someone might mis-remember
a machine labeled "PDP-11/70" as "PDP-11/780". After all, there is
only that one little digit difference. :-)

Re: history of RPG and other languages, was search engine history

2010-03-21T07:19:10Z

Because of some of the strange things the PDP-11 does with byte
ordering, it is sometimes referred to as "middle-endian".
ISTR that the PPC chip has a pin that allows you to select whether
it stores words big-endian or little-endian. I am using a PPC Mac
also, and I really like the 68000 architecture too.

Re: Idiotic programming style edicts

2010-03-21T07:03:13Z

I don't believe so -- but it was in a hunk which was pretty well
protected anyway.
No string classes, just raw malloced data. So far as I know.
Something like! I'm curious, but not curious enough to try to strip
it down to a reproducer.
-s

Re: Idiotic programming style edicts

2010-03-21T04:24:56Z

Was this a multi-threaded program? It wouldn't have surprised me at all
for a multi-threaded program, especially one using some sort of string
class. Another thread could have done all sorts of things with the heap
between the call to free() and the call to memcpy(), including creating
copies of data currently being processed as temporary objects of string

Re: byte orderm was history of RPG and other languages

2010-03-21T04:47:59Z

Remember, the 360 performed packed decimal arithmetic as well as
binary arithmetic.
Let's consider an IBM 1401 computer. Here, the memory consisted of 6-
bit characters, individually addressed. Character strings were stored
- as they are on little-endian computers as well as big-endian
computers - as a series of individual characters with the first

Re: B.C. and A.L.

2010-03-21T03:49:15Z

A Linux user would tell you that you have seen false evidence, concocted
by left-wingers to justify the teaching of computer science in schools.
Even Richard Dawkins, staunch opponent of Linux, computer scientist,
Creation denialist, and author of Modern Operating Systems, does not
argue the existence of VMS.

Re: B.C. and A.L.

2010-03-21T03:25:00Z

It's a matter of faith, son. Put your trust in Linux. Let it into your
heart as your lord and saviour. Cast aside the wicked teachings of
computer scientists. And lobby your local school boards for equal time
to be given in school classrooms to both computer science and the
teachings of Linux, so that our children may grow up right-minded and

Re: The 2010 Census

2010-03-21T03:57:35Z

I suspect #1 is not true, if for no other reason than because the
higher income groups are likely to have a larger proportion of their
income as capital gains and dividends. The tax rate on capital gains
is significantly lower than the rates on income, and both capital
gains and dividends are completely exempt from the FICA and Medicare

Re: B.C. and A.L.

2010-03-21T03:42:09Z

In article <slrnhqam68.isa....@gatekeeper .vic.com>,
And yet cal fails to show 30 days in February 1712, even when aliased to
ncal and called with -s SW.

Re: B.C. and A.L.

2010-03-21T03:02:57Z

Computer scientists would have you believe that Torvalds himself evolved
from lesser beings. Linux users point out that computer scientists
conveniently overlook the actual historical evidence. The only reliable
historical record that the world has is the World Wide Web, wherein can
clearly be found Scripture that is written by Torvalds Himself, the

Re: The 2010 Census

2010-03-21T00:29:42Z

That was what the one photo I noticed of a human drawn rickshaw. Part
of the web site it was on mentioned it was illegal.
JimP.