[PD-dev] outlet_anything() & threads [OT]

[Chris McCormick]

On Thu, May 18, 2006 at 11:53:40PM -0400, Mathieu Bouchard wrote:
> On Wed, 17 May 2006, Hans-Christoph Steiner wrote:
> 
> > I disagree.  For me practice is much more important than theory. There
> > are endless theoretical issues with software, yet it generally works.  
> > For example, the old theories of software development say that the linux
> > kernel development model does not work.
> > Theories should be based on observation.
> 
> Theories that aren't based on observation (and/or logical proofs from
> axioms) aren't theories by any scientific standard. They're called
> speculations.

This is true. To me what Hans is talking about is one of the distinctions
between engineering and science. A scientist must make sure that
his theory holds together in all ways possible, and must test it in
reality. An engineer just needs to know what works for a particular
and specific application. Hans seems more interested in an engineering
solution than a scientific one.i

Theory can be extremely useful; two times already I have had an engineer
try to convince me that they can come up with a generic algorithm to
solve in polynomial time what I classified as an NP-hard problem. Next
time I am betting beer on it.

Best,

Chris.

-------------------
chris at mccormick.cx
http://mccormick.cx