Hopelessly Lost And Desperate Newbie

[Cameron Laird]

In article <3FCF4732.475184A1 at engcorp.com>,
Peter Hansen  <peter at engcorp.com> wrote:
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>This sounds far too much like homework for me to want to give any direct 
>answer, but even if it's not homework, you really ought to do a few things
>to get better responses here.
>
>One is to make at least a token effort to solve the problem yourself, and then
>if you can't quite figure it out, post a snippet of your "best effort" to 
>show that you are actually trying.  Nobody wants to help someone who doesn't
>try.  (Not entirely true, actually, since in this newsgroup there'll always be
>someone who does help anyway. :-)
You mean, by pointing out that Python-coded solutions
to generalizations of this problem have already been
posted publicly?  It might well be easier for Afgncaap5
to create his or her own, than to track down where those
are.
>
>Secondly, explain exactly what is giving you trouble.  Is it a particular
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>Thirdly, while the problem description seems clear enough, it really seems
>like either a homework problem or perhaps an attempt to create more spam
>support tools... either of which should scare off most people from giving you
>the answer on a silver platter.  At least try to explain why you are "desperate"
As usual, Peter's level-headed follow-up merits reiter-
ation.  My own comment:  in honor of Dijkstra, I'll
propose that computing is unique in the breadth of con-
ditions which supplicants believe "I'm having a little
trouble" covers.
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-- 

Cameron Laird <claird at phaseit.net>
Business:  http://www.Phaseit.net