12/10   SCO's claim of a DDOS attack probably false:
        http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20031210163721614

12/10   I never took a compiler class.  I would like to at least start to
        get some light reading on my own to get started.  Are there any
        "Compilers for Dummies" books out there?  The Dragon Book is too much
        for me.
        \_ The Dragon Book is too much for most people.  It seems to
           intentionally avoid clear explanation.
        \_ May want to check out Programming Language Pragmatics by Michael
           Scott.  My gf used it for her compiler class.  I haven't read
           it, just browsed through it, and it seems well organized, the
           writing clear, with things explained and motivated in
           a straight forward manner.  It's still a thick book but I think
           you can just read and read and get enlightened without
           getting stuck.  I wish I had it when I took cs164.
           \_ thanks.  I will do that.  I have read  other Programming
              Language book before, so it shouldn't be that bad.
                                                --kngharv

12/10   I am not a programmer so this question may be stupid.  What does
        @"A string (might be empty)" mean in a gcc?
        \_ The '@' character has no meaning other than '@' in standard C.  Look
           at the documentation for your nonstandard compiler.
           \_ What's the meaning of '@' in standard C?  I have no C book
              near me and I can't find it in the documentation either.
              \_ It isn't standard C syntax. If you post a code snippet with
                 a usage example maybe we can guess what it is.
              \_ Sorry I wasn't clear.  The '@' is not an operator, token, etc.
                 It's just another character, like '1' or '8' or '\' and has no
                 special meaning at all.  However, it *does* have a special
                 meaning in C#.  Specifically it means a verbatim string
                 literal.  See:
                 http://www.softsteel.co.uk/tutorials/cSharp/lesson4.html#3
        \_ Please give more context.  Otherwise it looks like the program
           may be run through a custom pre-processor (@ is expanded to
           something else) before being passed to gcc.
        \_ What's the source language? Objective-C?
        \_ I think @ means something in Objective-C... unicode string maybe?
           \_ Apparently an "NSString" object: http://csua.org/u/58b
           \_ It means several things in ObjC. @"..." is a way to
              create an NSString literal, but it's used in other places,
              e.g., @class to predeclare a class name, @interface ... @end
              is how you declare a class, etc.
              \_ Thanks.  Now I realize that the version of documentation
                 stored on my computer is outdated.  It does not define the
                 @"string" directive even though it is is already in use by
                 then.  Actually it is still not in the grammar section
                 of the current documentation as far as I see.
                 http://tinyurl.com/ytlp (developer.apple.com)
                 \_ What variant of C are you using exactly?
                    \_ I am reading some Objective C codes for Mac.  As there
                       is no standard whatsoever for Objective C, I should
                       really say codes for the gcc compiler that comes with
                       OS X.  I am confused why this compiler can
                       be called gcc: NSString is part of Cocoa, which
                       is not GPL or open source.
                        \_ NSString is part of GNUStep which is open src:
                           http://tinyurl.com/ytlw (gnustep.us)
                           Also there are some "standards" docs for the
                           language:
                           http://pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~burrellm/objc/objc.pdf
                       \_ It probably should be listed in the grammar, but
                          you will find it here: http://csua.org/u/58h
                          This static string syntax, I believe, is an ObjC
                          thing, and not an Apple extension (GNUStep
                 as far as I see.
                          docs refer to it too), but I couldn't test it
                          it out on soda, as I couldn't find the Foundation
                          header files.  http://csua.org/u/58i

12/10   http://www.abisource.com/information/news/graphs/godkills_bugs.jpg
        Work safe.
        \_ hasn't this been done to death?  yes, yes, every time you
           masturbate, god kills a kitten too.
        \_ they need PNG compression. JPG isn't right for everything.

12/10   REI sells warm base-layers/thermals for $65. What are other brands
        that are cheaper but just as effective? Thanks.
        \- you can search the walls logs for my comments on thermals.
           for heavy "expedition wt" i think it matters less, but for mid
           wt thermals, i'd recommend patagonia, although i am not sure
           they make thermals with zippers. i usually take one withs a
           zipper [moonstone] and one without. the patagonias are a bit
           pricey and i've never seen them significantly discounted.
           i dont recommend TNF thermals but you can get those cheep at
           the outlet. --psb

12/10   If you itemize deductions, you can deduct your total state tax
        paid, or just the amount withheld from your paychecks?
        \_ The amount withheld during 2003 for 2003, plus any payment (not
           total) you made during 2003 for 2002.  Any payment you made during
           2004 for 2003 will be deductible on your 2004 federal return when
           you file it during 2005.  BTW, personally I think it'd make things
           simpler if we just lower the fed and state tax rates by a little
           instead of making fed tax state-deductible and state tax
           fed-deductible.
           \_ Thanks.  But why do they do this?  Why not just make your
              total state tax deductable?
              \_ Because you need to finish your fed return before you start
                 your state return, and you don't know your state tax amount
                 until you finish your state return.  So you can't deduct your
                 state tax of a year in the fed return of the same year.
                 \_ I think you are wrong. They do it because you should
                    only get a deduction for the atual year that you made
                    the payment in. If you paid your state taxes on Dec 31,
                    you would get the deduction.
                    \_ Do you indeed need to finish your fed return before
                       you start your state return? If so, then it could be
                       both reasons.
           \_ The fed tax is state-deductable too?  Does someone make this
              up for the purpose of giving CPAs job security?
              \_ Oops!  I made it up.  I just checked my 2002 state form and
                 fed tax was not state-deductible.  Sorry.
                 fed tax was not deductible.  Sorry.

12/10   Real terrorist go unreported in the press. I guess white people
        don't rate news coverage:
        http://www.thememoryhole.org/terror/tyler-terror.htm
        \_ I LOVE GOVERNMENT. Politicians, faceless bureacrats and
           and big-government are my savior.  They should have been
           immolated like Waco.
        \_ Dude wasn't there some guy in Oakland with a bazooka?  i bet
           that didn't make big national news either.  Some Wack jobs in
           texas with some guns, a pipe bomb and some HCL don't constitute a
           credible terrorist threat, it just makes them Crazy Texans.  (let
           me tell you something else, they ain't the only ones).  It's not a
           conspiracy, the tri-lateral commission didn't tell the big news
           outlets not to run it.  It just isn't that big a deal.
           Now the fact that 14 cops when into a high school with guns drawn
           and drug sniffing dogs and start handcuffing kids and CAN'T find
           any drugs!, now that's surprising, that's news.  (from same site:
                http://www.thememoryhole.org/policestate/stratford-raid.htm
           I can see the headlines now:  "Local High School Doesn't Have any
           Drugs."  Local Stoner was said to remark
           "I tried to tell them, 'it's been bone dry for like days.  I've
           been trying to score and there's just no goods around for like
           all week'  but they just threw me to the ground and like acted
           like they were going to shoot me, it was a total bummer."
        \_ I LOVE GOVERNMENT. Politicians and big-government are my
           savior.  They should have been immolated like Waco.

12/10   Re: german vs french thread yesterday.  I decided to take german.
        I figure I'll spend most of my time in the netherlands and switzerland.
           -OP
        \_ Das! You will meet cute Bavarians girls who will yodel while you
           give her a lot of pleasure. Good choice.
        \_ German, unlike French or English, has the nice property that most
           words sound like they are spelled.
           \_ I doent no wot yur toking abowt!
              \_ Ai doent no eida.

12/10   Cute.
        http://switchboard.com/bin/cgirlookup.dll?SR=&TYPE=BOTH&at=510&e=642&n=7453
        \_ Wait.  Phillip Nunez is the Unabomber!?!?!
           \_ Yes. Shhhhh. -phillip
        \_ Shouldn't it be Evans Hall?
           \_ He moved. --phillip #1 fan

12/9    \_ Thanks for the great feedback!  Another DDR-related question -
           how does DDR MAX 2 compare to Konamix?  Worth upgrading to a PS2
           for? (got the PS1 just for DDR, thinking of upgrading for MAX
           and Karaoke Revolution)
           \_ around 70 songs in MAX2, freeze arrows, 60fps for the
              arrow movement, "light" mode (1-3 feet). songlists:
              http://www.ddrfreak.com/versions/listver.php
                                                           -oj

12/11   To whoever was asking me about languages, you could probably get
        around a lot of Switzerland with French alone, but to be honest
        you're better off using English all over Europe, as long as you try
        to not come across as a brash American tourist (just keep your
        voice down, you'll be surprised.)  -John
        \_ and for fuck's sake, leave that 10-gallon hat at home!
           \_ and your six shooters.
        \_ while true, the french, in particular, definitely appreciate
           when americans make an effort to speak french...no matter
           how lousy their accent/grammar is. try it and you'll see.
           \_ And despite the hate that gets thrown around on here, and
              contrary to cliche, most French people that I have met like
              Americans.  The media just tells you about the negative
              stuff.
        \_ How about faking a British accent and put up an attitude as if
           you're better than those bloody Yankees? Maybe you'll get more
           respect.
        \_ I found that lots of Italians don't speak English, but I was
           able to get by with my half-assed Spanish spoken with an
           Italian accent. -ausman
        \_ Just don't wear shorts, flip flops and a Hawaiian Shirt. Be
           culturally appropriate and no one will mistake you for an
           Ugly American.

12/11   Why not give the fence a chance?
        http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20031209-085525-4213r.htm
        \_ Because the wall basically divides the West Bank Palistines into
           two enclaves where Isreal controls movement between the two. It
           also assumes annexation of 50% of West Bank (the part with access
           to water and Syria) to Israel.
        \_ Yay!  Moonie Times link!  Why not post a freeper link and a
           national review online link while you're at it?
           \_ It is an opinion piece. Are you so threatened by the moonies
              that you cannot stand to even read their opinions?
              \_ There are conservative opinions worth considering, like
                 William F. Buckley, William Safire, George Will, and
                 Chief Justice Rheinquist.  Then there are conservative
                 opinions from uninformed whackos like the Moonies that aren't
                 even worth the effort required to stomach them.  They make
                 great birdcage lining, though.  --motd liberal
                 \_ Safire, Will, Rehnquist:  all dumbasses. -motd moderate
        \_ This editorial does not address at all the very good reasons to
           not have a wall, which a motd poster has summarized.
        \_ Question: What's Israel's justification for building the part of
           Wall that separates West Bank cities from Jordan, thus separating
           the West Bank from the only Arab neighbor? Does Israel expect to
           annex that strip of land?
           \_ perhaps trying to cut off west bank palestinian terrorists from
              support in other arab land?
              \_ Wasn't the wall supposed to prevent the terrorists from
                 crossing into Israel? Besides terrorist support, this wall
                 cuts the west bank from its only link to Arab world and this
                 will certainly have big economic and cultural ramifications
                 for West Bank. Keeping West Bank people poor and desperate,
                 will only breed even more hate and terrorists.
                 \_ Yes, it's for security reasons.  It's certainly not
                    vengeful collective punishment or a land grab.
                    \_ Actually, Sharon is waving the implied threat of
                       "If you Palestinians continue to act this way,
                       then you don't deserve this land, and the land will
                       end up as a negotiating chip at least."
        \_ Q: Why should Israel worry about the economic or cultural
           ramifications of this move on a bunch of people who's main
           desire is to kill Israelis?  The Palestinians have shown no
           desire to settle on any peace other than making all the Jews
           dead.
           \_ And we all know that the actions of a society's most extremist
              members accurately reflects the wishes of that whole society.
              Timothy McVeigh blew up the OK Federal Building, and all white
              midwesterners want to violently overthrow the federal government.
              \_ I believe by this point the entire palestinian society is
                 geared towards the destruction of israel and killing of jews.
                 There are certain individual palestinians who do not advocate/
                 support/participate in this, of course, but this doesn't
                 change the facts.  Just google for some information on official
                 palestinian schools, and the kinds of things their children
                 are being taught.  It's simply a monstrous situation.
              \_ Red Herring.  The difference is obvious.  The chosen
                 leader of midwesterners is not quoted as encouraging
                 midwestern children to strap bombs to themselves and blow
                 up washington.
                 \_ Which leader is that? Arafat renounced terrorism
                    years ago.
                    \_ And all the murders in jail claim innocence, what's
                        your point?
                        \_ People are not allowed to change? Circumstances
                           don't ever change? It would seem odd to me that
                           you would not want to bring your enemies over
                           to your side. Maybe you prefer to have enemies.
                           \_ That would be fine if it were possiable.
                              It's pretty obvious that Arafat is not
                              working for peace.  Or he would have signed
                              the numerous agreements he's had.  Besides
                              if the Palestinians wanted a peaceful
                              leader, they would switch leaders.  Not keep
                              the same one who's "changed."
                           \_ Which is more dangerous, an enemy on the
                              other side of a wall, or an enemy on "your
                              side?"
           \_ ^The Palestinians^the radical Palestinian elements
           \_ Yup.  Sang niggers the lot.  Just nuke em and get it over with.

12/11   Glenn Reynolds (aka Instapundit, aka Instahack) gets the smackdown:
        http://shock-awe.info/archive/001213.php

12/11   That damn liberal media is at it again:
        http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20031211_1708.html
        \_ Can I get a shout-out from the war-profiteering crowd in the back?

12/11   What's the best way to pick up a British accent besides watching
        Monthy Python and the Flying Circus?
        \_ There's a rare brain disorder...
        \_ you might first want to decide WHICH british acent you want to pick
           up, as there's several different ones.

12/11   http://www.legaltorrents.com (5G of CC music)
        \_ What's CC music?
           \_ Contemporary Christian, got it.
           \_ Creative Commons

12/11   We been polluting for 8000 years:
        http://tinyurl.com/yt8e (cnn.com)
        \_ Interesting research, but I'm not sure how this changes anything.
           The rate of change since the industrial revolution is unprecedented.
           \_ not even true, there were huge fires that wiped out billions of
           acres that produced tons of green house gases, way more than
           the industrial revolution produced.. go read a book or something

12/11   Getting back to the language question, I've decided to fake British
        accent. It's much easier to learn than German and I can get around
        quite easily without being treated like a damn Yankee.
        \_ Pretend to be Canadian, it's easier.
           \_ Eh.
        \_ Brit: "You're English?  Brilliant!  What part?
           You: "Um.  What part are YOU from?"
           \_ Tally-ho! Jolly good show! I'm from the northern part of
              Lexington and I graduated from Cambridge University
               \_ Oh, good-- I mean, brilliant, I'm from far away from there--
                  Francisco... ingham... shire... upon Berkeley... wood.
        \_ Or you can pretend your Scottish- Angus McCloud from North
           Kilttown.
           \_ No foolin'!  I'm from North Kilttown!
        \_ Just sew a Maple Leaf on your backpack and say you're from
           Vancouver.  Lots of wiggle room there.
           \_ brilliant!  Do they talk like us there?
              \_ Yeah, mostly.  Just remember to say "zed" instead of
                 "z" and don't over-do the "eh" thing.

12/11   Are the Swiss Guards at the Vatican related to the military in
        Switzerland in any way?
        \_ STFW:
           http://reference.allrefer.com/encyclopedia/S/SwissGua.html
           http://www.italiansrus.com/articles/swissguards.htm
           (Read: sort of. They are required to have basic military training
           in the Swiss army, but are a separate group.)
        \_ Yes.  They have to have gone through military training, and are
           dispensed from the normal reserve duty (and have to be Catholics.)
           We think they're all repressed homosexuals.  -John
           \_ That would be a convenient explanation for the outfits.

12/10   http://www.mnftiu.cc/mnftiu.cc/war28.html

12/10   Report: Poor People Pretty Much Fucked
        http://www.theonion.com/3948/news1.html

12/10   The Humorless MOTD censor suffers from:
        OCD: .
        Extreme retardation:
        Psychosis:
        A botched lobotomy:
        Sheltered upbringing: .
        All of the above: ..

12/10   Man, how come nobody mentioned astyle?