| Re: Kudos to RSI [message #18473] |
Thu, 06 January 2000 00:00 |
davidf
Messages: 2866
Registered: September 1996
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Senior Member |
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Peter Mason (menakkis@my-deja.com) writes:
> You know, David, don't you, that this is like when you just want to go
> downtown and you think "not this time", so you load your new ATV with 4
> spare tyres, a trunk full of tools and spares, barrels of gas and oil,
> plenty of food and water, GPS and radios, a portable toilet, a portable
> TV and a sack full of Thorium, but then you carelessly whisper: "Hit
> me, Sydney driving experience."
Not at all. Sydney is a totally civilized place compared to
most of the places I visit. But Sydney is lovely for walking,
and the excellent public transportation system (I really like
the water taxis) will get you anywhere you need to go in
fine style.
I do notice a decided disregard for pedestrians, however.
The last time I was in Sydney I would take my exercise by
walking from my hotel in Coogee Beach to the University of
New South Wales, where I was teaching a course. I liked
to look at the Jackaranda (sp?) trees and the wonderful
birds in Sydney. (I once saw a tree, by the way, at the
Botanical Gardens there that must have held a million
dollars worth of Sulpher-Crested Cockatoos. Unbelievable!)
Anyway, I was trying to memorize a new story as I walked
along, and I may have been a little distracted. But more
than once I looked up at the last minute to see a car
barrelling down on me into a driveway with absolutely
no regard to the fact that there might actually be a
pedestrian on the sidewalk.
In the end, I figured it must have been a hold-over
from the Colony days when any bloke stupid enough to
be out in the broiling Australian sun on foot must
surely be a convict, and hence deserve to be run over!
Cheers,
David
--
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155
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| Re: Kudos to RSI [message #18484 is a reply to message #18473] |
Thu, 06 January 2000 00:00  |
davidf
Messages: 2866
Registered: September 1996
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Senior Member |
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Michael Lefsky (lefsky@home.com) writes:
> What is the "IDL Programming Credentials committee"?
You mean you have never heard of them either? I've been
telling these guys they need to hire a publicist to
get the word out.
This is just one of several committees put together by
the IDL Expert Programmers Association. Every January
they accept program submissions and issue credentials
to IDL programers. Credential categories range from
"What Is This, a Joke!?" to "Kick-Ass Programmer".
(Although as far as I know only one person has ever
earned the latter designation, and they had to use
some kind of triply sub-classed object in their program
to even get in the running. I thought it was pathetic.)
I've been stuck in the B-o-o-o-r-i-n-g category for
ages. I didn't really break out until I started
incorporating more objects into my programs.
The IEPA has a big invitation-only convention in
October, where they invite IDL programmers who come
to their attention (usually through some kind of posting
on the IDL newsgroup) to answer the secret IDL test
question. Those lucky programmers who get the question
right are inducted into the Society in an elaborate
ceremony at an unannounced (but lavish) location. You
get a secret handshake and everything. The questions
range from the esoteric, like "Which is the X direction
when you are in PostScript landscape mode?", to the
impossible, like "How do you get color output on a 24-bit
display?".
Normally the folks at the IEPA contact you, rather than
the other way around. But you can send e-mail to the
Chairman, Wily E. Coyote, Ph.D., at coyote@iepa.org.
I've heard he is always willing to help newbies out.
Cheers,
David
--
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155
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| Re: Kudos to RSI [message #18486 is a reply to message #18473] |
Thu, 06 January 2000 00:00 |
Peter Mason
Messages: 145
Registered: June 1996
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Senior Member |
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Michael Lefsky <lefsky@home.com> wrote:
> What is the "IDL Programming Credentials committee"?
They're all around us, lurking, waiting, "marshalling their mice"...
> David Fanning wrote:
>> I've been doing a LOT of IDL programming lately. In fact,
>> I think these programs (which rely heavily on object techniques)
>> are the best IDL programs I have *ever* written. When I submit
>> them to the IDL Programming Credentials committee later this month,
>> I wouldn't be a bit surprised if I get bumped up to the "Pretty Damn
>> Professional" category of programmer. Well, at least if I have
>> time to add a little more documentation to the code. :-)
You know, David, don't you, that this is like when you just want to go
downtown and you think "not this time", so you load your new ATV with 4
spare tyres, a trunk full of tools and spares, barrels of gas and oil,
plenty of food and water, GPS and radios, a portable toilet, a portable
TV and a sack full of Thorium, but then you carelessly whisper: "Hit
me, Sydney driving experience."
(Don't mind me, I'm just jaded and jealous, having still not braved
that object-oriented business :-) Thanks always for that great web
site you share with us.)
Cheers
Peter Mason
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
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| Re: Kudos to RSI [message #18490 is a reply to message #18473] |
Thu, 06 January 2000 00:00 |
Michael Lefsky
Messages: 9
Registered: October 1999
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Junior Member |
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What is the "IDL Programming Credentials committee"?
David Fanning wrote:
>
> Hi Folks,
>
> I've been doing a LOT of IDL programming lately. In fact,
> I think these programs (which rely heavily on object techniques)
> are the best IDL programs I have *ever* written. When I submit
> them to the IDL Programming Credentials committee later this month,
> I wouldn't be a bit surprised if I get bumped up to the "Pretty Damn
> Professional" category of programmer. Well, at least if I have
> time to add a little more documentation to the code. :-)
>
> Anyway, I just wanted to pass along sincere praise and thanks
> to the individual at RSI who thought it would be a good idea to
> include the .RESET_ALL executive command in the IDL 5.3
> version. This is the BEST thing to be added to IDL since
> widgets! It is saving me an unbelievable amount of time.
> I am very, very grateful.
>
> Just thought you would want to know. It is *almost* worth
> the cost of maintenance all by itself. :-)
>
> Cheers,
>
> David
>
> --
> David Fanning, Ph.D.
> Fanning Software Consulting
> Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
> Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
> Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155
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| Re: Kudos to RSI [message #18496 is a reply to message #18473] |
Wed, 05 January 2000 00:00 |
Liam E. Gumley
Messages: 378
Registered: January 2000
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Senior Member |
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Mirko Vukovic wrote:
>> (1) Unconsciously incompetent
>> (2) Consciously incompetent
>> (3) Consciously competent
>> (4) Unconsciously competent
>>
> If you look up in the dictionary under naive, you'll see ``Mirko''.
> Having said that, is (4) correct as it stands (amusing), or is there a
> mis-spelling?
(4) is correct as it stands.
Another way of writing it:
(1) I don't realize how dumb I am
(2) I realize how dumb I am
(3) I realize how smart I am
(4) I don't realize how smart I am
Cheers,
Liam.
--
Liam E. Gumley
Space Science and Engineering Center, UW-Madison
http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/~gumley
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| Re: Kudos to RSI [message #18500 is a reply to message #18496] |
Wed, 05 January 2000 00:00 |
davidf
Messages: 2866
Registered: September 1996
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Senior Member |
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Liam Gumley (Liam.Gumley@ssec.wisc.edu) writes:
> I look forward to seeing these new programs. I'm reminded of the four
> levels of competence:
>
> (1) Unconsciously incompetent
> (2) Consciously incompetent
> (3) Consciously competent
> (4) Unconsciously competent
>
> Regarding IDL competence, I hope to graduate to level (4) sometime this
> millenium :-)
Would this require knowing more than 50% of the IDL
functionality? :-(
Cheers,
David
--
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155
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| Re: Kudos to RSI [message #18503 is a reply to message #18496] |
Wed, 05 January 2000 00:00 |
Mirko Vukovic
Messages: 124
Registered: January 1996
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Senior Member |
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In article <387364A5.C90D5FE9@ssec.wisc.edu>,
Liam Gumley <Liam.Gumley@ssec.wisc.edu> wrote:
> David Fanning wrote:
>> I've been doing a LOT of IDL programming lately. In fact,
>> I think these programs (which rely heavily on object techniques)
>> are the best IDL programs I have *ever* written. When I submit
>> them to the IDL Programming Credentials committee later this month,
>> I wouldn't be a bit surprised if I get bumped up to the "Pretty Damn
>> Professional" category of programmer. Well, at least if I have
>> time to add a little more documentation to the code. :-)
>
> David,
>
> I look forward to seeing these new programs. I'm reminded of the four
> levels of competence:
>
> (1) Unconsciously incompetent
> (2) Consciously incompetent
> (3) Consciously competent
> (4) Unconsciously competent
>
If you look up in the dictionary under naive, you'll see ``Mirko''.
Having said that, is (4) correct as it stands (amusing), or is there a
mis-spelling?
Mirko
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
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| Re: Kudos to RSI [message #18504 is a reply to message #18496] |
Wed, 05 January 2000 00:00 |
Liam E. Gumley
Messages: 378
Registered: January 2000
|
Senior Member |
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David Fanning wrote:
> I've been doing a LOT of IDL programming lately. In fact,
> I think these programs (which rely heavily on object techniques)
> are the best IDL programs I have *ever* written. When I submit
> them to the IDL Programming Credentials committee later this month,
> I wouldn't be a bit surprised if I get bumped up to the "Pretty Damn
> Professional" category of programmer. Well, at least if I have
> time to add a little more documentation to the code. :-)
David,
I look forward to seeing these new programs. I'm reminded of the four
levels of competence:
(1) Unconsciously incompetent
(2) Consciously incompetent
(3) Consciously competent
(4) Unconsciously competent
Regarding IDL competence, I hope to graduate to level (4) sometime this
millenium :-)
Cheers,
Liam.
--
Liam E. Gumley
Space Science and Engineering Center, UW-Madison
http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/~gumley
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