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fix minor issues.
author Robert McIntyre <rlm@mit.edu>
date Thu, 04 Sep 2014 16:03:29 -0700
parents b6cbdd5a9547
children 46bc0f596b91
comparison
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134:b6cbdd5a9547 135:04394e3857e2
49 indefinitely. (The program instance is like your mind and the 49 indefinitely. (The program instance is like your mind and the
50 computer it's running on is like your body). You might very well 50 computer it's running on is like your body). You might very well
51 be able to keep the physical computer infrastructure running for 51 be able to keep the physical computer infrastructure running for
52 forever by replacing hard drives / ram / CPUs, etc. However, 52 forever by replacing hard drives / ram / CPUs, etc. However,
53 since I designed the webserver to work for a month, it probably 53 since I designed the webserver to work for a month, it probably
54 has memory leaks, rare stochastic bugs, or other build in limits 54 has memory leaks, rare stochastic bugs, or other built in limits
55 / constraints (think log files or some date rollover shenanigans) 55 / constraints (think log files or some date rollover shenanigans)
56 that will ultimately kill the webserver server even with eternally 56 that will ultimately kill the webserver even with eternally
57 perfect hardware. Do you really expect that a webserver 57 perfect hardware. Do you really expect that a webserver
58 engineered to work for 1 month will run for 10 years? In fact, if 58 engineered to work for 1 month will run for 10 years without
59 I put in the extreme effort to make it that robust, I've wasted 59 catastrophically crashing? Not even Apache can do this! In fact,
60 time that I could have spent on other projects by pursuing an 60 if I put in the extreme effort to make it that robust, I've
61 unnecessary engineering goal. Likewise, human minds have only 61 wasted time that I could have spent on other projects by pursuing
62 an unnecessary engineering goal. Likewise, human minds have only
62 ever run for at most 122 years before they are destroyed due to 63 ever run for at most 122 years before they are destroyed due to
63 hardware degradation. Fixing the hardware doesn't change any 64 hardware degradation. Fixing the hardware doesn't change any
64 software bugs that are almost certainly present in the human 65 software bugs that are almost certainly present in the human
65 mind. Think of all the pathological things that can go wrong with 66 mind. Think of all the pathological things that can go wrong with
66 a webserver, multiply it by a million, and that likely how 67 a webserver, multiply it by a million, and that likely how
160 161
161 - marsupial stimulation :: You take a freshly pouched marsupial baby, 162 - marsupial stimulation :: You take a freshly pouched marsupial baby,
162 and show it videos and other interactive things while it matures 163 and show it videos and other interactive things while it matures
163 in the pouch. What mental effects would this have? 164 in the pouch. What mental effects would this have?
164 165
165 - dynamic re-keying :: Some older ways of tuning insturments sound 166 - dynamic re-keying :: Some older ways of tuning instruments sound
166 better, but we use the even-tempered scale today because it makes 167 better, but we use the even-tempered scale today because it makes
167 it easier to switch keys. With electronic music, why not make 168 it easier to switch keys. With electronic music, why not make
168 key-annotations and dynamically re-tune the piece to sound good 169 key-annotations and dynamically re-tune the piece to sound good
169 in the current key? Coule be done as a midi+annotation -> midi 170 in the current key? Could be done as a midi+annotation -> midi
170 compiler for experimentation. 171 compiler for experimentation.
171 172
172 - death always implies damage :: is is possible for a corpse to differ 173 - death always implies damage :: is is possible for a corpse to differ
173 from a living person only in the fact that one is dead and the 174 from a living person only in the fact that one is dead and the
174 other is alive? NO! A corpse must always have some sort of 175 other is alive? NO! A corpse must always have some sort of
177 - inner eye :: Surgically install a bunch of tiny cameras inside a 178 - inner eye :: Surgically install a bunch of tiny cameras inside a
178 person. Then, you can activate them all and get a 179 person. Then, you can activate them all and get a
179 picture of your internal organs for diagnostic 180 picture of your internal organs for diagnostic
180 purposes. 181 purposes.
181 182
182 - chaos rails :: should make a visulazation of the homoclinic tangle, 183 - chaos rails :: should make a visualization of the homoclinic tangle,
183 it's truly beautiful. 184 it's truly beautiful.
184 185
185 - context gobbler :: this would be in "inside-out macro" that takes 186 - context gobbler :: this would be in "inside-out macro" that takes
186 the context (like you use for things like error, continuations, 187 the context (like you use for things like error, continuations,
187 and friends) and transforms it to something else. Maybe useful? 188 and friends) and transforms it to something else. Maybe useful?