Re: I need your experience - classification and comparison of languages

[docdwarf@panix.com]

In article <928495c6.0201211211.4192730d@posting.google.com>,
Stephen J Spiro <stephenjspiro@mail.com> wrote:
>docdwarf@panix.com wrote in message news:<a2h9h3$ggo$1@panix1.panix.com>...
>> In article <b9660815.0201210010.53b3266@posting.google.com>,
>> Yvan Radenac <yvan.radenac@equant.com> wrote:
>> >I am writing a small report about "Object oriented languages and their
>> >public implementations" for a course in Software Engineering.
>> 
>> Please do your own homework.
>> 
>> DD
>
>
>Not fair, Doc.  He is doing generalized research on an extremely wide
>field, in which he cannot possibly have personal expertise.  Given the
>topic, and in spite of the refernce provided by another post-er, it is
>sufficiently current and topical that there is probably very little in
>the literature which is relavant.  "Field research", such as inquiring
>of experts, is completely appropriate in such a case.

What is being done, it seems, is a scattershot approach of gathering data 
from sources which cannot be verified: 'Well, I asked the question on The 
Internet and a bunch of folks told me...'

Is this how one 'create(s) some tables to find the best choice for a kind
of software development'?  It seems like GIGO to me.

>
>When I was in college, I had a "major paper" topic for which I could
>not find a resolution.  I had done what I considered a very thorough
>analysis of the literature.  Finally, I realized that one of the
>frequent contributors on the topic was on the faculty of my school. I
>looked him up, and aked him if there was (yet) a firm determination of
>the Genetic Cause of Audiogenic Seizure Susceptibility in Mice. 
>Rather than tell me to do my own homework, he invited me to sit down,
>and told me what he knew.

You familiarised yourself sufficiently with the discipline to learn the 
name of a frequent contributor, you did nto wander about the school, 
pasting notes on bulletin-boards.

>
>I think, given the topic, Mr Radenac is entitled to the same courtesy.

I think, given the quantity of learning and initiative Mr Radenac has 
shown, 'Please do your own homework' is *most* courteous.  Were he given 
utterly spurious replies - 'Sure, the *best* way to deal with screen i-o 
is found in COBOL '68, honest!' - how would he know who is pulling the 
long bow... *unless* he does his own homework, first?

>
>{Just for the record, Doc, I usually back you up when you give that
>advice.  For someone who just hasn't paid attention in class, or
>hasn't cracked the book, it's FINE advice.  Mr Radenac's assignment,
>on the other hand, requires a legitimate search for expert opinion.}

Mr Radenac has not shown that he has paid any attention anywhere, except 
to the examples his textbook gave... or did you see something I didn't?

DD