swendoog
Joined 9 years ago
Joined 9 years ago
There are some decent options available. The "Autonomous" desk is great, I purchased JUST the legs and use an IKEA top to save money.
Now, I'm looking at the "Treadly" treadmill. Technically, this isn't an "under desk" treadmill, but it's the thinnest treadmill on the market and can be operated without the bars upright. So it's perfect for going under your desk, and then under a bed or a couch when you're not using it.
But having worked in many languages (Java, Swift, Scala, Dart, etc.) I have to say, I love C.
It has allowed me to work on some very cool robotics, and IoT projects. I've been able to learn a ton in the process about how computers work. Things like having to learn about how our FreeRTOS scheduler works, have been a fun process and provide some insight (albeit not 1:1) on how larger scale OS's work.
I feel like it's also made me a better programmer on the higher level stuff too. Hard to explain why though. It's not the kind of thing that makes obvious sense. It's not like knowing how to efficiently pack bytes into a struct, somehow helps you be a better Scala or iOS developer. That's just not the case. Rather, there's something about knowing the low-level stuff that just eases my mind when it comes to writing higher level code. I've always been the type of person that gets distracted by needing to know the deeper layer of how something works.
Even in undergraduate classes like biology, I needed to know HOW that mitochondria ACTUALLY handles metabolism. That's what I mean when I say that the lower level stuff "eases my mind". I can call a higher level function, or use some higher level framework, with a clear understanding of how it could (and probably) is implemented. That makes me a better developer, because I can stop asking questions and start making things.
I always was in awe of the low level stuff though, so I took every opportunity to move closer and closer to the hardware over the years. I'm now a firmware developer!
Point being, where there's a will there's a way. If you can align some DIVs, you can malloc() some memory and pack bytes efficiently in a struct :) It all comes down to where your interest is.
I think some of it may be that each job I've taken has forced me to change language / platform multiple times. I'm an iOS, android, C++, C, Java, and python developer. All on production level code. Never an expert of any.
"A 2009 Pentagon briefing summary of the program prepared by its director at the time asserted that “what was considered science fiction is now science fact,” and that the United States was incapable of defending itself against some of the technologies discovered"
Wait, what? What are the "technologies discovered"?
Myopic to say the least.
The world needs affordable housing, so don't get me wrong. But what's infuriating is how often the conversation stops there. It's always about building more housing and creating affordability programs for the poor. Meanwhile forgetting that even middle class workers are being priced out of the market!
When your middle class can't afford (or can barely afford) the cost of housing, your problem extends beyond just that class.
I don't believe in "trickle down" economies, where consolidation of wealth into the hands of a few "lifts everyone up". What I do believe is important - for everyone - is a healthy, educated, middle class. In a way, the health and success of your middle class is like a barometer for the health of your society as a whole. When your middle class cannot afford to buy a home, cannot afford to begin a family, and cannot afford to live at or above the quality of life of the generation before them something is wrong.
Yes, we need to help the poor. Yes, we SHOULD have programs for that. But the conversation all too often stops there, and market rates are taken for granted.
I wonder what we are missing in our crops that, if grown, would bridge this gap?
Natural. Selection.
Does such a person ever wake up, and wonder how the dice rolled so amazingly in their favor?
Or do they wake up and stand proud, recognizing that they are so successful because of their own hard work and intelligence?
Do they ever think about how insane life is that they ended up with 94 billion, while some people are starving?
I'm not making any moral projection here. I'm not saying there's anything right, or wrong, about that situation. I'm just genuinely curious what it feels like to be in their shoes.