Comments for The Eclectic

Comment on Why PDEng Sucks, Part 2 by Kyle

Kyle — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 17:44:40 +0000

Evan,

If all my reports will just be skimmed over, why not only submit a summary and save everyone a lot of time?

I’m assuming that at some point someone will actually read over the report, and when the time comes they’re not going to want to read “my first idea is… my second idea is… my third idea is…” generally if they actually read it they’ll be able to figure that out by themselves. If they want to read material in that format they can go back to kindergarden and read some of those books.

Comment on Why PDEng Sucks, Part 3 by fuckpdeng

fuckpdeng — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 19:33:44 +0000

5 years after all my interviewer will ask me ” so you looks like a bright guy, tell me what else did u learn and do during u coop term(hint: we want someone with variaty of characteristic),” and i would just out of the chair with my ass flying high and ‘proudly said’ :” during my work term, i worked, ate , sleep , and guess what, i also did PDENG!, so i’m i hired?’ (shouting)”What de fuck is pdeng?”

Comment on Ethical Decision Making: Reasons or Results? by white-raven

white-raven — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 12:05:37 +0000

I agree that the final result cannot be known when the decision is made.

You can think of it sort of like a cause and effect. The cause for why you chose what you did, and the desired effect of the decision. Going back to the daughter/mother example, some would say that, if reasons are more important, then the daughter should be taught not to steal because it is morally incorrect, not because it could get her arrested. That’s the reason. In either case, the desired result is that the child does not steal. The question is, which is more important?

Comment on Why PDEng Sucks, Part 2 by Evan

Evan — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 11:49:35 +0000

In fairness, as a real engineer your reports will generally be skimmed over by overworked business-suit types of questionable mental acuity, so it probably pays to use such a bone-headed redundant style.

Of course, schools always pull out the “this is how it works in the real world” excuse in a completely inconsistent and self-serving way, but sometimes it has validity.

Comment on Ethical Decision Making: Reasons or Results? by Evan

Evan — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 11:45:28 +0000

Hey Mark.
It seems intuitively obvious to me that the results are what matters. The problem is that nobody can completely know the results of anything, certainly not before it happens and not even really after. So in order to actually make decisions as a practical human being, you need some kind of moral code or set of practices. (Is this what you have in mind by “the reasons for choosing a given alternative”?)
I think the key is to constantly question and deconstruct your moral code, the way a scientist constantly questions and examines a theory. Only then can you have any confidence that your code is useful and helpful.

Comment on Why PDEng Sucks, Part 1 by Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 11:24:30 +0000

I hate their slow marking. I failed an assigment because I didn’t make explicit references to module content… and I found this out 5 modules later! So I’m gonna get exactly the same comment on those 5 modules. If they don’t provide rubrics or examples, how are we supposed to know what they want us to write?

Wtf is applied critical analysis anyways? I googled it and the first result was PDEng. Think you’re so inovative because you’re inventing new phrases?

Comment on Lenovo’s Linux-Compatible ThinkPads by Xivanari

Xivanari — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 14:43:56 +0000

Well, those stupid major computer companies should damned well start looking at a linux-user-friendly PC, because its popularity is growing in the world of users which are computer-literate. Maybe sometime in the future when the cry for a better non-windows PC becomes overwhelming (see: failure of vista) than Linux will sit down and make a possibly non-business solution cost effective for the average joe!

Comment on Why PDEng Sucks, Part 1 by Jon Warren

Jon Warren — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 00:26:50 +0000

I hate to say it…but there are 5 PDEng courses we have to take…not 4. And no, I do not have a gun or length of rope which you can borrow. I’m using them both.

The thing I hate the most is how useless constructive criticism is with making improvements in this course. Last term I nominated myself as the class PDEng rep and came up with a similar long list of improvements which could be made. I took them to the meeting and talked with McGregor and was systematically told how each of my points was wrong, and how I was a fool to think of such silly things. She has a front that says she’s open to suggestion, and that the course has its flaws…but in actuality it’s already been sealed in an airtight 6 inch thick steel crate, buried under 15 feet of nuclear attack resistant concrete and kevlar…and surrounded by a moat filled with dolphins wearing lasers. Surrounding this is an area swarming with dogs that have bees in their mouth, so when they bark at you bees fly out, and beyond that a mine field. Perhaps I’m getting off topic….

Comment on Silent Podcast by mara

mara — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 15:20:59 +0000

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I think this article was interest for you….

Comment on Blog Services: Insourcing Vs. Outsourcing by Keith L. Dick

Keith L. Dick — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 23:41:18 +0000

I think in the months to come we will be seeing all kinds of new options implemented into our Blog Services… I’m betting it just takes Blogger, WordPress, etc. time to listen to what users want and then time to code & test the stuff…

Could be interesting say, a year or so from now… hehe