Far from making programmers an endangered species, AI will release them from the grunt work that stifles innovationWhen digital computers were invented, the first task was to instruct them to do what we wanted. The problem was that the machines didn’t understand English – they only knew ones and zeros. You could program them with long sequences of these two digits and if you got the sequence right then the machines would do what you wanted. But life’s too short for composing infinite strings of ones and zeros, so we began designing programming languages that allowed us to express our wishes in a human-readable form that could then be translated (by a piece of software called a “compiler”) into terms that machines could understand and obey.Over the next 60 years or so, these programming languages – with names such as Fortran, Basic, Algol, COBOL, PL/1, LISP, C, C++, Python – proliferated like rabbits, so that there are now many hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of them. At any rate, it takes quite a while to scroll down to the end of the Wikipedia page that lists them. Some are very specialised, others more general, and over the years programmers created libraries of snippets of code (called subroutines) for common tasks – searching and sorting, for example – that you could incorporate when writing a particular program. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2024-05-11 15:00:29 UTC ]
If you’re an analog person living in a digital world, it’s easy to fear that you might get left behind in the future. So, don’t let that happen. Learning to code is easier than ever, thanks to resources like this 14-part code training bundle. And with this end-of-year special, you can get... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2022-12-19 08:00:00 UTC ]
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Chances are good you know someone who has subscription fatigue from the many digital services that have become essential in our lives. Or maybe you have a loved one getting a new game console or some other exciting new hardware. In either case, we’ve pulled together a number of digital gifts and... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-12-14 14:18:30 UTC ]
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As well as being centres for learning and community, libraries can be great locations for arts and crafts sessions. One Rioter shares ways to set up creative meetings in your local library. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-12-12 11:30:00 UTC ]
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Amid all the stories of shitbag Proud Boys shutting down drag queen story hours at libraries, here’s a nice bit of news about libraries saying a very polite “fuck off” to Kirk Cameron, former Growing Pains star and current Christian film mogul whose latest effort was the anti-abortion... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-12-08 17:19:04 UTC ]
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It’s been a bumper year for gaming on the go. For a spell, it kinda felt like Nintendo was the only name in town, but it’s since become one of the more exciting corners of gaming. Today, there are handheld options for everything from AAA to Indie to retro and beyond. Whatsmore, the current... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-12-07 18:00:03 UTC ]
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Google’s interactive Doodle today celebrates the life and accomplishments of video game pioneer Gerald “Jerry” Lawson on what would have been his 82nd birthday. The Doodle lets you play five retro pixel-art platformers in your browser — with two even letting you play as Lawson. The Doodles’... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-12-01 18:15:43 UTC ]
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The Internet is getting weird again. Twitter’s recent stumbles under new ownership have surprisingly shined a quick light on the world of federated and decentralized social networking services, like Mastodon. These services are peer-to-peer or community-run networks, depending on the... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2022-11-30 11:45:00 UTC ]
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For Giving Tuesday, all donations on DonorsChoose will be matched, making your donation go twice as far! Help fund a classroom library today. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-11-29 14:56:07 UTC ]
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Streaming services are getting more expensive, and it doesn’t help that it seems like all the good stuff is spreading out a lot more. If you’re feeling the cable-style pinch of increasing prices and ever-expanding subscriptions, you should check out this deal on Hulu. You can get access to the... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2022-11-23 11:00:00 UTC ]
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"Democracy’s future is diminished when people’s access to power, information, a diversity of voices and the ability to influence policy are restricted," the ULC document states. "As cornerstones of democracy it is incumbent upon libraries to stand up against all efforts to impede the democratic... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-18 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks now include freebies from an erstwhile rival. The company now offers Ultimate subscribers three-month free trials of Apple Music and Apple TV+ to newcomers for either media service. You can stream tunes in the background while you're playing Halo... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-11-16 16:50:43 UTC ]
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Lately, we’ve been writing a lot about the relentless attacks on libraries by craven gangs of “concerned parents” mobilized by Republican rhetoric and Facebook, so today it’s my pleasure to shine the light on some more fun library news. For the past month, in honor of its 125th birthday, the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-11-14 15:09:34 UTC ]
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Llibraries are well-placed to help people deal with some aspects of financial pressure. One Rioter shares how libraries are helping in the cost of living crisis. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-11-14 11:30:00 UTC ]
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It's a major Apple update day, as the company is rolling out new versions of its iPhone, iPad and Mac operating systems. While iPhone users at large have already had a taste of iOS 16, this will be the first time that most folks will get their hands on iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura.Apple delayed... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-10-24 17:08:44 UTC ]
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Yes, we’ve got full reviews of Google’s new flagship phones as well as its first smartwatch. The phones fare better than the wearable, but we are on the seventh generation of Pixel smartphones, so that’s to be expected.In addition to new software features and Tensor G2 chip, the Pixel 7 Pro gets... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-10-13 11:15:44 UTC ]
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It should soon be much easier to access your iPhone's photo collection on a Windows-based PC. Microsoft is updating Windows 11 with the option to directly view iCloud photo libraries in the Photos app — you won't need your browser, just an iCloud app from Microsoft's store. So long as your... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-10-12 14:17:46 UTC ]
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The Right to Read Act was introduced in Congress October 6. Here's what it is and how it could impact libraries and book bans nationwide. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-10-10 14:39:31 UTC ]
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The number of video streaming services available has increased dramatically over the past few years as everyone decides they want a piece of the pie. The days when Netflix was your only option are long gone now, and while that’s great for all of us itching to discover our next favorite TV show,... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-10-06 13:15:17 UTC ]
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The Right to Read Act would authorize up to $500 million in Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grants as as well as investing in recruiting state-certified school librarians. And crucially, the legislation also reaffirms that "First Amendment rights apply to school libraries," a direct... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
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There’s no shortage of reasons to love libraries, and here’s another: a new survey from the UK shows a significant number of them are planning to serve as “warm banks” this winter for people who need to take shelter from the cold. Sarah Shaffi reports today for The Guardian that, from a survey... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-09-28 18:53:02 UTC ]
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