1/14    Why is NULL defined to be "0" in C++ instead of "((void *) 0)" like in
        C?  I have some overloaded functtions where one takes an integer
        parameter and the other a pointer parameter.  When I call it with
        "NULL", the compiler matches it with the integer version instead of
        the pointer version which is a problem.  Other funny effect is that
        sizeof(NULL) is different from sizeof(myPtr).  Thanks.
	...

4/04    Is there a good way to diff 2 files that consist of columns of
        floating point numbers, such that it only tells me if there's a
        difference if the numbers on a given line differ by at least a given
        ratio?  Say, 1%?
        \_ Use Excel.
           1. Open foo.txt in Excel.  It should convert all numbers to cells in
	...

4/29    Why were C and Java designed to require "break;" statements for a
        "case" section to terminate rather than falling-through to the next
        section?  99% of the time poeple want a "case" section to terminate.
        In fact some compilers issue warning if there is no "break;" statement
        in a "case" section.  Why not just design the languages to have
        termination as the default behavior, and provide a "fallthru;"
	...

7/19    In C or C++, how do I write the code of a function with variable
        number of parameters in order to pass the variable parameters to
        another function that also has variable number of parameters?  Thanks.
        \_ The usual way (works on gcc 3.0+, Visual Studio 2005+):
               #define foo(fmt, ...) printf(fmt, ##__VA_ARGS__)
           The cool new way (works on gcc 4.3+):
	...

3/7     I have a C question.  I have the following source code in two identical
        files t.c and t.cpp:
                #include <stdlib.h>
                int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                  const char * const * p1;
                  const char * * p2;
	...

2/4     random C programming/linker fu question.  If I have
        int main() { printf("%s is at this adddr %p\n", "strlen", strlen); }
        and soda's /proc/sys/kernel/randomize_va_space is 2 (eg; on)
        why is strlen (or any other libc fn) at the same address every time?
        \_ I don't pretend to actually know the right answer to this, but
           could it have something to do with shared libraries?
	...

2/12    I need a way to make a really big C++ executable (~200MBs) that does
        nothing.  No static initialization either.  Any ideas?
        \_ static link in lots of libraries?
        \_ #define a   i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0;
           #define b   a a a a a a a a a a
           #define c   b b b b b b b b b b
	...

9/28    http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html
        Java is #1!!! Followed by C, PHP, C++, Visual Basic, Perl,
        C#, Python, Javascript, then finally Ruby. The good news is
        Pascal is going waaaay back up!
        \_ C is still more popular than C++?  I feel much better about myself
           now.
	...

8/6     In C one can do "typedef int my_index_t;".  What's the equivalent in
        C#?  Thanks.
        \_ C#? Are you serious? Is this what the class of 2009 learn?
           \_ No.  I have to learn .NET code at work.  I am Class of '93.
           \_ python is what 2009 learns, see the motd thread about recent
              cal courses and languages
	...

7/20    For those who care btw, it looks like eclipse is now A Standard Tool
        at UCB ugrad cs, probably replaced emacs.  Furthermore, people get
        angry at seeing Makefiles, (since eclispe takes care of that).  I
        guess it's just a sign of the times.
        \_ The more people at my work use eclipse the less the code is
           managable in emacs.  I'm not sure which application's fault
	...

2/9     Monogamy is a form of sexual optimization
        http://infoproc.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-dating-game.html
        \_ http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/07/who-cares-about-unsexy-men.html
           \_ http://wwwhogivesashit.com
        \_ http://tinyurl.com/y8fbn2a
           What do women want? The guy that the other women want, it turns out.
	...

10/12   In the same spirit as below, I'm going to be in the Florida Keys
        for a few days Thanksgiving Week.  Any recs on what to do, where
        to stay, what to eat.  All I know about is going snorkeling.
        Also in Miami for a day and half, if you have any recs there.
        \_ http://csua.com/?entry=51778
        \_ You know how when you depart from an airport you need to pay
	...

3/3     Why smart people can't find dates:
        http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-alex-benzer/why-the-smartest-people-h_b_169939.html
        \_ Wow, that's even more stinker crap than that ladder poop people
           keep flinging around.
           \_ You can debate how original the "ladder theory" is, and there is
              some chain yanking, but the basic idea that a lot of people have
	...

1/23    So I was in Macy's today and noticed all their suits are 40% off.
        I was kind of thinking I need a new suit and was wondering which
        brand I should buy: Burberry, Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren or Calvin Klein?
        They all are about the same price. This is going to be my only suit,
        mostly for weddings and funerals. I will keep my old black wool suit,
        but since I put on 10 pounds, it doesn't fit as well as it use to.
	...

12/10   Saw a homeless guy today with a sign asking for money who had on
    a Wharton School of Business sweatshirt.
        \_ It's not Haas.
           \_ I did see a homeless guy in Las Vegas with a Cal hat on once.
              \_ How do you know he's a homeless guy and not some weird
                 social science major guy experimenting with the idea
	...

10/17   Mervyns announces liquidation of store inventory and closing down of
        all of its stores
        \_ I'm a man. Most motd surfers are men. And we care about
           Mervyns because... ?
           \_ Because most geeks shop at Sears, K-mart, and Mervyn's for
              clothes and not Armani, Zegna, and Bloomingdale's.
	...