11. 2006 November

11.1 Monday, November 6

1. ``C++ and Perils of Double-Checked Locking. [12]

11.2 Friday, November 10

11.2.1 Real-time programming

I was reading some distributed, real-time algorithms last night (in [106], chapter 6, for my own programmer enjoyment). Thinking about real-time programming, I think I have Gene's Definition of Real-Time Programming:

Real-time programming is the cost of transforming computer hardware from slightly inadequate for a task to barely adequate for that same task.

Example: Task is to perform 1,000 trigonometric floating- point operations per second (maybe so an anti-missle system can figure the direction in which to fire its missiles).

• If the hardware you must use is a 1 MHz, 8-bit processor (such as a 6502) which performs all floating point operations in software, you will need Real-Time Programming, but ...

• if the hardware is a 4 GHz, 64-bit CPU which performs floating point in hardware, you just have to write an efficient program.

11.3 Sunday, November 17

11.3.1 Casino Royale

I'm listening to the news right now, & they are going on about Casino Royale (2006). They point out that this is the first James Bond movie (since the first, I guess) in which everything is different. Everything is different. Everything except the theme song, they say.

But they're forgetting one very important other way in which ``Casino Royale'' isn't new.

It's a remake. Casino Royale (21967).

Some day I will go postal. I'll go postal because I hate Microsoft Word, but I'll go postal at people with short memories.

11.4 Tuesday, November 14

1. ``Web 3.0''. By Jeffrey Zeldman. alistapart.com. [434]