On Tuesday 14 November 2006 11:37, Randall R Schulz wrote:
> I cannot reconcile what you wrote here with what your wrote in the
> previous post: That programs are text and that by writing a program
> you've created patentable mechanisms.
Good point... I need to clarify just a bit... the world view has changed
since you and I were in school (some of the other posts were trying to get at
this) and consequently the {MATH - PROGRAMMER} connection is not as distinct
today (if at all) like it was 15 or 20 years ago.
Today there are quite literally thousands of "programmers" that do not
understand mathematics concepts 101 and yet they write profound software text
files. These folks are *not* being educated in mathematics as a theoretical
science; rather, they are being trained with the skills necessary to move
data fields from one business app to the other. Yes, some degree of logic and
at least an ability to count are requirements... but many "programmers" today
are being taught differently than you and I were taught; in my opinion they
are being *trained* instead of being *educated* (and there is a profound
difference).
In my last couple of years at IBM I was beginning to notice this effect;
2002 timeframe. I was frankly appalled at the lack of math and language
skills of new-hires coming into the department. Oh they could copy and tweak
a java script with the best of them, and manipulate a "Lotus Notes Database".
However, they had trouble communicating clearly in writing, and were
seriously deficient in mathematics skills (and I don't mean arithmetic). And
forget completely about trying to code a dual circular linked list of
pointers to template class objects and have very many of them be able to
support it... they just didn't get it. I remember one time trying to get a
particular department to use my server concept (Linux RH at the time) for
support and mission critical deployment.... and I was told they just couldn't
because they did not posses the required Unix skills! (and we all know what
they meant by that-- they only had M$ windoze development environment skills
or less) Oh don't get me wrong... we had top notch comp sci grads that DID
have the knowledge... but many did not. The point being that in my view ALL
programmers should have the background---period--- however, that has nothing
to do with whether software text symbols (as text, ascii ebcidic-whatever)
should be considered part of the logic mechanism (patentable), or should be
considered (as my viewpoint holds) only a copyright text source. Most
programmers today are software text authors (or redactors) and not only do
not have the sufficient background (my opinion) but could also care less...
as long as they can pound out the text and their boss is happy with the
delivery dates.
--
Kind regards,
M Harris <><
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