Link Dump 2014-12-31

2014-12-31

Fewer links this time due to the holidays...

• Programming is magic: they both involve using seemingly incomprehensible esoteric languages to perform feats that the uninitiated do not understand and did not think was possible.

• Gradual typing is a middle ground between strongly- and weakly-typed languages. As someone with a significant interest in programming languages, this is actually really cool. The only thing I don't like about this idea is not mentioning type inference - which, I guess, also shows my artificial intelligence bias.

• A comment from Scott Aaronson about the suffering of (male) nerds has been making the rounds around the internet. A good argument against is how female nerds are shamed for wanting to have sex... and still suffer from institutional discrimination besides. Also, I have issues with the dick measuring contest that is comparing whether one outgroup is more oppressed than another.

• Also on gender: gender still matters precisely because you're asking why scientists mentioned they're female, and you don't do the same when they mention they're male. Among the less egregious comments.

• Over the last six months I've thought a lot about the traits that would make me advise someone to go to grad school, and what students can do to prepare for it. Apparently being accepted to grad school used to be easier, and didn't (de facto) require doing research as an undergraduate. I myself did two semesters of research, and taught a while bunch besides... not that most universities care that much about your teaching experience.

• Too often we lack the resolve to act to get what we really want. I suspect, though, that someone who regularly has the resolve to do so would be seen as monstrous by most people - ie. that we are unwilling to pay the cost of being willing to pay the cost.

• Why does technology only make us feel busier, when it's supposed to save us time?