Research is exciting. But should routine be automated?

For 2023 (and 2024 ...) - we are now fully retired from IT training.
We have made many, many friends over 25 years of teaching about Python, Tcl, Perl, PHP, Lua, Java, C and C++ - and MySQL, Linux and Solaris/SunOS too. Our training notes are now very much out of date, but due to upward compatability most of our examples remain operational and even relevant ad you are welcome to make us if them "as seen" and at your own risk.

Lisa and I (Graham) now live in what was our training centre in Melksham - happy to meet with former delegates here - but do check ahead before coming round. We are far from inactive - rather, enjoying the times that we are retired but still healthy enough in mind and body to be active!

I am also active in many other area and still look after a lot of web sites - you can find an index ((here))

The first time you do something, it's research and exciting. The second time, it's development and it's fun. The third time, you're a technician and you get pleasure in making sure the job is done efficienctly. And the fourth time, you're just turning the handle and wondering how you can automate the task so you don't have to do it the fifth time.

Not quite my philosophy, but I enjoy the variation of "new" and moving stuff forward, and I prefer to automate repetitive tasks rather than spend my time repeating things. The words come from Clifford Stoll, who I came across as author of "The Cuckoo's egg" where his investigation of a small accounting error on a Berkely timeshare system lead him into the early world of international computer security. Chris emailed me a youtube link - [here] - of Clifford giving a talk. Interesting to watch ...

Of course, much of what I teach is about researching and developing methods and algorithms, and then automating the techniques learned ... so I guess I share an element of Clifford's philosophy even if I don't think I could put on quite such as show as he does. "The Cuckoo's Egg ... together with over 700 other books ... may be found in our library at Well House Manor when you come on a Training Course with us.

(written 2011-09-14)

Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles

G907 - Well House Consultants - Recruitment and Career Development
  [116] The next generation of programmer - (2004-11-13)
  [198] A new skill may not be quick and easy - (2005-02-02)
  [253] Finding the right holes - (2005-03-21)
  [285] What career opportunities for web designers - (2005-04-20)
  [389] Tough Love - (2005-07-25)
  [408] Can an older person learn a programming language - (2005-08-10)
  [503] 10 years C# knowledge please - (2005-11-23)
  [585] Looking for Python staff - (2006-02-01)
  [587] Job vacancy - double agent wanted - (2006-02-02)
  [722] I'm answering a job applicant - (2006-05-16)
  [729] Career development advice - (2006-05-23)
  [751] Want to be a technical trainer in the UK? - (2006-06-08)
  [759] Watch your Google profile - (2006-06-13)
  [849] Staff Meeting - (2006-08-30)
  [1963] Best source to learn Java (or Perl or PHP or Python) - (2008-12-28)
  [1967] LinkedIn - Thrice Asked, and joined. - (2008-12-30)
  [2109] Why most training fails ... - (2009-03-30)
  [2255] Past PHP delegates / others - coding help needed for next 3 months - (2009-06-23)
  [2294] Can you learn to program in 4 days? - (2009-07-16)
  [3490] How not to call when job seeking ... - (2011-10-20)
  [3594] Back to Uni - (2012-01-26)
  [3740] Looking and Learning - even on Holiday - (2012-05-22)

G208 - Well House Consultants - Library
  [167] Upgrade to the Library - (2005-01-03)
  [669] The best Open Source library in town - (2006-04-04)
  [924] The LAMP Cookbook - Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP / Perl - (2006-11-13)
  [2943] Our facilities to support Well House Consultants Courses - (2010-09-02)
  [3259] Our library in Melksham - (2011-04-23)

Back to
Python for loops - applying a temporary second name to the same object

Previous and next
or
Horse's mouth home

Forward to
Pressing ^C in a Python program. Also Progress Bar.

Some other Articles

Take the dog on a lead - do not carry her. Perl references.
Getting more log information from the Apache http web server
A demonstration of how many Python facilities work together
Pressing ^C in a Python program. Also Progress Bar.
Research is exciting. But should routine be automated?
Python for loops - applying a temporary second name to the same object
Melksham to become a part of Trowbridge?
Light bulbs
Moving from scripting to Object Orientation in Python
Sorta sorting a hash, and what if an exception is NOT thrown - Ruby

4759 posts, page by page

Link to page ... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96 at 50 posts per page

This is a page archived from The Horse's Mouth at http://www.wellho.net/horse/ - the diary and writings of Graham Ellis. Every attempt was made to provide current information at the time the page was written, but things do move forward in our business - new software releases, price changes, new techniques. Please check back via our main site for current courses, prices, versions, etc - any mention of a price in "The Horse's Mouth" cannot be taken as an offer to supply at that price.

Link to Ezine home page (for reading).
Link to Blogging home page (to add comments).

You can Add a comment or ranking to this page

Like this? ??