LOL Ted! That's a great quote for fortune()! On Sat, 2005-09-03 at 01:06 +0100, Ted Harding wrote: > On 02-Sep-05 Sean O'Riordain wrote: > > I can't lay my hands n it at the moment - its around here somewhere, > > but in "Numerical Methods That Work" by Forman Acton, the author > > points out that "the result of computation should be insight, not > > numbers".... > > > > ps. an excellent book if you haven't seen it. > > https://enterprise.maa.org/ecomtpro/Timssnet/products/TNT_products.cfm > > > > cheers, > > Sean > > No doubt you're correct -- but I associate it with Richard Hamming > (title page of "Numerical Methods for Scientists and Engineers" as > I recall -- yes, for me too "it's around here somewhere" -- another > really excellent book) where he words it: > > "The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers." > > to which he adds: > > "The purpose of computing numbers is not yet in sight." > > By the way, the Washington Post/Minneapolis Star Tribune article is > somewhat reminiscent of a short (15 min) broadcast on BBC Radio 4 > back on October 18 2004 15:45-16:00 called > > "Microsoft Powerpoint and the Decline of Civilisation" > > which explores similar themes and also frequently quotes Tufte. > Unfortunately it lapsed for ever from "Listen Again" after the > statutory week, so I can't point you to a replay. (However, I > have carefully preserved the cassette recording I made). > > We are not, of course, going Off Topic here. If, in R, you can not > indefinitely extend a tangent, then it's time to extend R. > > (Oh dear, I feel a fortune coming on ... ) > > Best wishes to all, > Ted. > > > On 02/09/05, Achim Zeileis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> On Fri, 2 Sep 2005 12:27:45 -0500 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >> > >> > > >> > > -----Original Message----- > >> > > From: ... Robert Baer > >> > > Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 11:30 AM > >> > .... > >> > > .... It is wrong to blame ANY tool for our own shortcomings! > >> > > >> > Surely a fortune! > >> > >> thx, added to the devel-version of fortunes. > >> > >> But allow me one remark: Although the above is certainly true, there > >> are > >> computational tools that help us better to realize or avoid our own > >> shortcomings whereas others will make it harder to arrive at the right > >> conclusions. > >> I agree that PowerPoint cannot be blamed for the crash of the space > >> shuttle, but I also see the point that the way presentations are > >> generated in PowerPoint (or graphics in Excel) can easily tempt people > >> into producing presentations/graphics that conceal what is important. > >> This is certainly not an excuse, but I think some criticism (even > >> if phrased a bit provocatively) should be allowed. > >> > >> just my EUR 0.02. > >> Z > >> > >> > David L. Reiner > >> > > >> > ______________________________________________ > >> > [email protected] mailing list > >> > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > >> > PLEASE do read the posting guide! > >> > http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html > >> > > >> > >> ______________________________________________ > >> [email protected] mailing list > >> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > >> PLEASE do read the posting guide! > >> http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html > >> > > > > ______________________________________________ > > [email protected] mailing list > > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > > PLEASE do read the posting guide! > > http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861 > Date: 03-Sep-05 Time: 01:00:24 > ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------ > > ______________________________________________ > [email protected] mailing list > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > PLEASE do read the posting guide! http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
______________________________________________ [email protected] mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide! http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
