Author Archives: jcs

Why Numbering Should Start At 0

Posted on 2024-11-25 by jcs

As many of you know, Edsger W. Dijkstra was an important and prolific mathematician and computer science. He was responsible for, among other things, the widely used shortest path algorithm. One oddity of his work was that a substantial part … Continue reading →

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The Only Computer Science Book Worth Reading Twice

Posted on 2024-11-24 by jcs

Longtime Irreal readers know that I consider Abelson’s & Sussman’s Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (SICP) arguably the best computer science book of all time. There’s Knuth’s The Art of Computer Programming of course but for the average software … Continue reading →

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Plugins Again

Posted on 2024-11-23 by jcs

I thought we had settled this once and for all but apparently not. Over at the Emacs subreddit, sudhirkhanger asks about VS Code’s extension system as compared to Emacs’. He’s “blown away” at how great the VS Code plugin system … Continue reading →

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Some Configuration To Solve Common Problems

Posted on 2024-11-22 by jcs

Remember how, when you first started using Emacs, there were all those strange defaults that just didn’t seem right. The worst one, for me, was scrolling. I hated the way the screen would jump when you got near the top … Continue reading →

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Styling Text In Org Mode

Posted on 2024-11-21 by jcs

As most of you know, I follow Charles Choir’s work and often use and recommend his apps. I especially like his Casual Apps, which generally make dealing with little used features easier. I was, therefore, eager to read his latest … Continue reading →

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Sorry, No Posts Yesterday Or Today

Posted on 2024-11-20 by jcs

The Irreal bunker is in the midst of a family health emergency and I haven’t had time to prepare the usual drivel for your amusement. Everything seems to be settling down so I’m hopeful that the bunker and the Irreal … Continue reading →

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Digital Vs. Analog Notes

Posted on 2024-11-18 by jcs

Over at The Art Of Not Asking Why, JTR has a couple of posts that explore his struggle with deciding between digital and analog note taking. None of you will be surprised where I come down on the issue—I’m all … Continue reading →

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Getting Car Sick With Lisp

Posted on 2024-11-17 by jcs

Just a quickie today. Over at the Lisp subredit, breck says that he used to program in Lisp but got car sick. It’s a pretty weak pun but the commenters took up the challenge and kept the ball rolling. DrownNotably … Continue reading →

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Writing A Book

Posted on 2024-11-16 by jcs

Over at Parenthetically Speaking, there’s an interesting post on why you should write a book. It’s mainly aimed at academics but its lessons apply to anyone who has something to share. That’s actually a lower bar than you might think. … Continue reading →

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On Standing Desks And Received Wisdom

Posted on 2024-11-15 by jcs

Some of you may have noticed that I can occasionally be cantankerous—I prefer to think of it as being charmingly eccentric—about certain topics. Whatever you call it, there’s no denying that I’m inclined to view any subject that could be … Continue reading →

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