Checking a Number for Palindromic Behavior

[Lie Ryan]

rurpy at yahoo.com wrote:
> On 10/21/2009 01:40 AM, Lie Ryan wrote:
>> rurpy at yahoo.com wrote:
>>>>> 1) It may look like a homework problem to you but it
>>>>>  probably isn't.
>>>>>  Seehttp://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/msg/8ac6db43b09fdc92
>>>> Homework comes in many forms - school driven homework should be
>>>> treated the same as self driven research, IMO. You're not doing it to
>>>> be told the answer, you're likely doing it to learn.
>>> As I said in point (5), you are not in a position to
>>> decide how someone else best learns, even if your guess
>>> that the question is homework, contrary to the evidence
>>> in the url, is correct.
>> Yes we do. If the person wanted a direct and straight answer (like most
>> cheaters) for such a simple question (like integer palindrome), googling
>> takes less time and efforts compared to posting to a mailing list.
> 
> In that particular case, yes.  However many problem are
> much more difficult to search for.  You're also assuming
> that every poster is a perfect decision-maker when deciding
> how to seek help.  Sorry, people are not as perfect as you
> think.

Read again: "for such a simple question"

>> this implies that he wanted explanations which
>> can only be provided with the more interactive newsgroup instead of a
>> relatively static websites.
> 
> No it doesn't imply any such thing.  It is exactly this
> narrowness of focus, this inability to see alternate
> explanations, that is leading you to think that
> providing hints is the single one and only right
> way of responding to any simple question on this list.
> 
> They may post here because, ...(ready for this?)...
> they want a direct answer to their question!

Whooaa, I didn't know that...

Baaakaaa...

They should just say if they want to.

>>>>> 3) You are not responding only to the original poster;
>>>>>  there are many other silent readers who are interested
>>>>>  in the answer and whom you are depriving of knowledge
>>>>>  by refusing to answer.
>>>> MRAB provided a perfect answer - anybody who wants to know more, or
>>>> could not connect the dots, can always ask for more information.
>>> No.  Forcing people to beg for bits and pieces of an answer
>>> one at a time, doled out by a cabal of elite "gurus", is
>>> humiliating and a disincentive.  If you can answer the question,
>>> do so without all the farting around.  If you don't want too,
>>> or you feel answering in bits and pieces is helpful, fine, do
>>> that, but don't object to someone else providing a direct
>>> answer.
>> Yes we have the right to complain,
> 
> Of course.  This is usenet (or a very open mailing list
> depending on your perspective.)  You can complain or
> say anything you want.  As can I.  However people will
> pay attention to you or not based on the degree of sense
> you make (in an ideal world) or based on other group-
> dynamic things (in an imperfect world) or a combination
> of both (in the real world).

I have nothing to say about that, just let others decide.

>> Giving direct answer is too tempting for an OP that originally wanted to
>> try to solve by their own. It is too easy to copy and even the most
>> determined would have a difficult time to resist.
> 
> Baloney.  When I ask a question in any forum I read
> all the answers (although I might only skim those that
> are duplicative, off-topic, or otherwise less relevent
> to my goals).  I extract from them all the information
> I can.  And if two answers provide the same information,
> what's your problem?  Are you angry that someone else
> provided a more effective answer than you thus devaluing
> your effort?  Sorry, but that's just life.  If it's
> any consolation though, I for one note and appreciate
> all responses, even if they are duplicative or even wrong.

Effective for one day does not mean it is also effective for the next 
forty-two years.

Education is a long term goal, not just a short-sighted, short-term goal 
like to get the highest mark in the exam or finishing an assignment with 
the best mark in the class.

>> When that happen, the OP is not interested in studying about
>> the solution anyway and hints are useless.
> 
> Again, a completely unjustified conclusion.

Can you justify your own conclusion then? If you haven't realized, the 
burden of proof is on you who opposes the current long-standing ethics.

>> As a metaphor, which one do you think is better in the long term:
>> charities or microcredits?
> 
> Both of course.  Why on earth would anyone think there
> is a simple, single, best answer for complex problems?

Nope, read again. On the *long term* (as I have stated in the question), 
microcredits is proven to be much more effective to solving poverty. In 
the short term, charities will have much quicker effect but not one that 
is lasting and in fact too much charities makes a lot more problems.

Education have time as much as your life-time, short term quickie answer 
is discouraged in favor of a longer lasting solution. OTOH, if the OP 
wanted to use the script in the workplace; that is a short term goal 
that can often be justified.

my .02