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Quote: Used carefully, "With" can be a convenient shortcut; but it can be used badly. If you give people knives, they may whittle beautiful sculptures, but they are more likely to injure themselves or someone else.
The same can be said of almost every construct in any programming language.
I'll take my chances.
Using programming languages requires wisdom, a commodity that is, unfortunately, in very short supply.
David A. Gray
Delivering Solutions for the Ages, One Problem at a Time
Interpreting the Fundamental Principle of Tabular Reporting
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David A. Gray wrote: Using programming languages requires wisdom, a commodity that is, unfortunately, in very short supply.
Amen !
And, to use a musical analogy: imagine you are learning to play the violin and every six months the number of strings changes ... the shape of the instrument changes ... every year there is another way to play a double-stop ... every year the shape and acoustics of concert halls and practice rooms change ...
But, one might ask: is 'wisdom' a giant reservoir of pragmatic technique and hard-won insight ... bound to specific contexts and artifacts ... or, is 'wisdom' a deep understanding of organizing principles and algorithms. Well, the debate on that has been hot since Plato and Aristotle (episteme vs, techne) 
I favor what the ancient Greeks called phronesis, a "practical wisdom." Note this is sometimes translated as "prudence" because of its association with "virtue" (arete) in the Greek sources: I think that's misleading for the modern reader because of the association we have of "virtue" with morality. What arete meant for Plato and Aristotle ... imho, something very different than in the Judaeo-Christian tradition semantics of "virtue."
If only I had some ... 'wisdom'  ... perhaps I should say if only some 'wisdom' had me: "The truth is a snare: you cannot have it, without being caught. You cannot have the truth in such a way that you catch it, but only in such a way that it catches you." Soren Kierkegaard
«Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?» T. S. Elliot
modified 19-May-19 2:37am.
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I get a lot of useful information and links when I asked questions on this site.
I'm looking for an easy way to store my replies and internet links so I can refer back to them when I need to.
At the moment it's a case of copy and pasting into a text file.
Does anyone know of a useful program that makes it easy to quickly select text and store it in a text file. Maybe a program running in the background that could store the text to a certain text file or ask me what text file to add the text to.
Brian
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One simple way is to use the CP Bookmark system: at the bottom right of each message or question is a "bookmark" icon - it looks like a little ribbon - just click that and it adds it to a list. Clicking on "My Bookmarks" under the username dropdown at the top right of any page gives you tabs collections organised by type (Message, Tip, Article, ...)
Saves the hassle of copy and paste!
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Thanks Griff for the suggestion but it would might mean searching Code Project for a certain reply.
I like to keep my replies off line if possible.
Brian
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I used a wiki in the past, makes it easy to organize information. Combine that with C# Online Compiler | .NET Fiddle[^] and you can try some of the samples online.
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
"If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.
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Sorry Eddy I got your name mixed up with Bill in my reply.
I'm mainly looking for a off-line program to collect my text.
If I knew enough about C# I'd write a program that does this.
Brian
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Hi Brian, I am curious to ask you how old you are.
«Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?» T. S. Elliot
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I'm in my mid 60's Bill. Learning a new programming language does get bit more difficult when you are older. According to a recent servey 5% of people that learn a programming language are 60 or older.
I started learning to program soon after home computers were available and owned a TRS-80 that had the BASIC programming language.
I'm now interested to know why you asked my age.
Brian
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Glad to hear you are mature This body I am in is only 75; I took up programming in my forties after a career as a psychotherapist, academic, etc.
I asked because I am puzzled that you are, evidently, not using your browser's book-mark facility: that, and what I perceive as the pattern in your postings, led me to hypothesize you might be ... young. So much for my psychic powers
Every day I learn something, is a good day, and CP is a good place to ... learn something !
cheeers, Bill
«Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?» T. S. Elliot
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Hi Bill.
Good to meet an older programmer.
Well my mind still feels young and keen to learn.
How long have you been programming?
Brian
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Brian_TheLion wrote: Good to meet an older programmer.
We are a large demographic in CP. I do not know what %age.
Brian_TheLion wrote: Well my mind still feels young and keen to learn.
Ditto! I think that mental exercises like coding keeps the mind feeling young.
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I tend to rush into sending a reply before fully reading relies. I see now that you were in your 40's when you started to program back in the 1980's. Maybe you owned an Apple or TRS-80 computer back then.
Approx what age were you when you decided to learn C#? Did you have a knowledge of C or C++ first?
Learning new things is also good for the brain and helps prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Brian
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Hi Brian,
My first computer was a main-frame at UC Berkeley on which I ran some SPSS factor analysis programs. My first "personal" computer was a little octal training device, followed by a Radio Shack Color Computer
My little career (ultimately at Adobe) unfolded around programming in PostScript, which, of course, is inside printers.
Later, on both Mac and PC, I had experience developing a massive Excel/VBA program to simulate multi-lender power-plant financing and construction.
The moment C# with WinForms came out, I knew this was the right stuff, for me.
The earlier books on C# by Chris Sells, and Jesse Liberty, were invaluable for me. Later, Jon Skeet's book became my first call. You can't go wrong with (the more advanced) books by Michaelis and Lippert, and Andrew Troelsen.
cheers, Bill
«Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?» T. S. Elliot
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Interesting thanks Bill.
I use to write programs using QuickBasic in the 1990's. I wrote some programsfor my work at a communications company which speeded up things and reduced the work load.
There are times when I wonder if I picked the right language to learn so it's good that you are happy in choosing C#.
I'll take note of your book suggestions.
A good book is indeed very valuable.
Brian
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I started programming in 1966 - I kid you not. I learned C in my late 30s, C++ in my late 40s, and C# in my 60s. I am still learning, and not just programming. Never give up. It seems @BillWoodruff may be a year or so older than me.
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I arrived in California on January 1, 1966, with long hair, and a guitar Programming didn't happen for me until the mid 80's .... orbital re-entry from Tralfamadore took more than a decade.
I suspect that, at 75, I am a bit more past my use-by date than Thee, but, I am unequivocally certain that you are wiser !
To me the ideal state is expressed in this quote from Dali:Quote: “Every morning when I wake up, I experience an exquisite joy —the joy of being Salvador Dalí— and I ask myself in rapture: What wonderful things is this Salvador Dalí going to accomplish today?”
I would substitute "learn" for "accomplish."
«Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?» T. S. Elliot
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I never managed to grow long hair, or play the guitar well. So I turned my attention to important life skills such as smoking and drinking. Now as I approach my 74th (a couple of weeks hence) I try to spend more time learning useful stuff that I missed in my younger days.
As to wisdom, thanks for the vote of confidence, but I know I am far from wise.
We all (or most of us) contribute what we can here, and no one person's worth is greater than another's, apart of course, from @OriginalGriff, who knows everything there is to know.
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The one thing I do know is that I know nothing.
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Ah yes, the most important thing we learn.
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Of course, being both ne plus ultra, and, primo imter pares, you would have to say that 
It is my pleasure to follow, best as I can, your deep footprints leading toward the shrine of Goddess Techne !
«Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?» T. S. Elliot
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I didn't start programming until I brought a TRS-80 computer apart from usign programmable calculators around the early 1980's.
My first introduction to assembly language was to write the letter 'A' in the middle of the screen.
I had fun with disassemblers in finding out how computer programs worked and learn a few secrets of arcade games.
There were some great games in those days and you had to be skillful to fit you game in a 16k memory space for you had a large market to sell your game.
Typing in computer code from a computer magazine started to be a hobby of mine.
Brian
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Interesting Richard.
There would not be a lot around in 1966 to program on. It must have been a very large mainframe computers and maybe you used hole punch cards in those days.
If your approx 70yrs old then you must have been started learning at about 17yrs old in 1966 and maybe learning C in 1988.
I'm just starting to learn C# so I have a lot of catching up to do; but in knowing the basics of computers such as loops, logic etc helps.
Brian
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Yes, punched cards, paper tape, and programming by buttons on the front panel of the processor. I knew nothing about computers when I started my first job, but worked with a guy who taught me the basics. I only learned C# and .NET after I had retired, and there is still much I don't know about it.
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Just to continue the theme, I was 60 last February, so we could easily form an "Old Codegers" society in this forum ... 
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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