Petit Computer #1

Petit Computer Journal#1

What is Petit Computer?

If you have been following Nintendo DSi development, then you'd know that SmileBoom has developed a downloadable computer program called Petit Computer. This is a development environment to create your own games on Nintendo DSi using BASIC. The idea is that you will write your own programs, and instead of buying other people software, you just write your own program. It's that easy! No more useless junk!

Why would you want to do that? In the beginning of computer history, there was simply no computer program available. You can either hire expensive professionals, or write your own program. Most people who grew up with early Personal Computer would write their own program. There are old magazines that tells people how to program their computer.

Later in the development of personal computer, softwares have become very complicated. Programming a computer is no longer within the realm of hobbyist computer. I still remember the disbelief that a C development system is 4 Gigabytes. Just how complicated can writing a computer program be? Very, very complicated!

And yet, most people do not need complicated programs. It does not take a rocket scientist to write a simple Blackjack program. Or create a maze. Or word search program. I did Sudoku program in one afternoon.

You don't need ridiculous amount of education in other to write useful program. You don't even need to write one. You can simply read what other people have done, and run their program on your Nintendo DS.

In short, Petit Computer is what Nintendo DSi homebrew, had it officially be done by Nintendo. Notice I said Nintendo DSi. That's because even though it's billed to be compatible with Nintendo 3DS, it doesn't take advantage of that platform. You can of course use Nintendo 3DS to run the program, but it's not necessary. If you don't have the device yet, I suggest the XL version. You won't have to squint at the small screen, and you can actually tap the keys with your fingernails, instead of stylus.

What's the difference between this and other BASIC?

SmileBasic, the BASIC language of Petit Computer, is very different from other BASIC languages. Most people are probably familiar with MS QBasic. Well, the difference between the two is that if you put this command "A=10:A=A/10:PRINT A" into Petit Computer, you'd get a "1". With QBasic, you'd get a "10".

Haha, joking aside, there is quite a big difference with the other BASIC. For one thing, this version of BASIC is very primitive when it comes to program structures. There is only FOR-NEXT loop. There is no such thing as WHILE-WEND, REPEAT-UNTIL, SWITCH-CASE. Rumor has it, you can't even GOTO out of the FOR-NEXT loop because you will corrupt the stack. That is strange. I will need to check for that. I think what happens is that the stack will run out because you cannot nest loops too deep.

Another difference is that SmileBasic is heavily tied into the Nintendo DSi hardware. This means sprites, background pictures, music synthesizers. Very powerful capabilities that is available for your use. You can easily make a Mario level game. Really.

The flip side to it is that if you aspire to make "modern" program such as the ones made by Visual Basic, then you are out of luck. This style of BASIC is old-style. Looking at the keywords of the language, I can't help to think that maybe this version isn't too friendly for beginners. Too much closely resembling Assembly Language/Machine Language. And you know what they say about Machine Language. If you cannot think in terms of Hexadecimal, then you may as well give up.

How hard is it to program a computer?

Paraphrasing an old joke:
Typing the program: $10.
Knowing what to type: $9990.

Computer programming is one of the easiest, if not the easiest job around. The qualification of that is IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. Do people know what they're doing? Surprisingly enough, no.

That's actually normal. Unless you're doing routine database programming, you probably will have to dissect the problem enough to come up with a solution. The problem you're solving is unique because if it's a common problem, then other people would have solved it already. Therefore, your problem solving skill must be top-notch.

The good news is, as a beginner, you don't have to be an expert solver. You're just starting out! By definition, other people have trodden the path before you, and you are going through familiar territory. If you get stuck anywhere, a simple question to the appropriate forum will suffice to get you going. There are plenty of tutorials on the Net. I plan to make some myself.

Do you need to be good at Math? No, you don't. I know I'm bucking the convention here, but we're talking about hobbyist computer programming. If you can balance your checkbook, then you can write computer program. If you know how to use spreadsheet program. You definitely have all the skills required. Higher level math is only necessary if you aspire to be a software ENGINEER. For hobbyist level, the most important skill needed is "Show and Tell". Really.


Should I really do this?

Why would you spend your time writing computer program on a very primitive system when you can have the world given to you by the latest and greatest in computer programming technology? How about Python? Ruby? Aren't they so great? Yes, they are, if you want to be productive.

If, however, you want to have fun and make games on Nintendo DSi, then this is the system to use! Not despite it being primitive, but because of it. Remember that old style 8 bit Apple, Atari, Commodore computer are rather primitive, and those computers were very useful. It doesn't take much to write useful programs.

I regularly write programs in Small Basic because it's fun. I will write programs in Smile Basic because it's fun. Remember: computer programming is easy, IF you know what you're doing. So the trick is, to first learn what you need to know in order to write the program, then write the program. By then, it'd be easy.

This is especially true with drag and drop programming. Let's take, for example, Macromedia Director. It's a very powerful platform, to be sure. But do you really learn how to program? Or do you learn to do use the package? Take away Director, and given Basic, can you replicate what you did with Director? Doubt it. Take away Basic, can you replicate what you did with Director? In my case, it took only 2 days, including learning the Director!

I hope I have convinced you to do this. If not, well, there's always Small Basic. :)

Small Basic Programming Challenge#1

'Programming Challenge#1
'Microsoft Small Basic
'Harry Hardjono
'July 2012
'

text1="I'm singing in the rain!"
text2="The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
text3="a SMALL misfortune"

t1="abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
t2="ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"

Tin=text1
UpperLower()
Tin=text2
UpperLower()
Tin=text3
UpperLower()

Tin1=text3
Tin2=text2
Cin="SMALL"
CharIndex()
If Cout="" then
TextWindow.WriteLine("Not found!")
else
TextWindow.WriteLine(Cout)
endif

Tin1=text3
Tin2=text2
Cin="Small"
CharIndex()
If Cout="" then
TextWindow.WriteLine("Not found!")
else
TextWindow.WriteLine(Cout)
endif

Tin=text1
MakeAlpha()
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tout)
Tin=text2
MakeAlpha()
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tout)
Tin=text3
MakeAlpha()
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tout)

Tin=text1
IsPangram()
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tout)
Tin=text2
IsPangram()
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tout)
Tin=text3
IsPangram()
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tout)


Tin1=text1
Tin2="AEIOU"
StringOut()
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tout)
Tin1=text2
Tin2="aeiou"
StringOut()
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tout)
Tin1=text3
Tin2="qwrtypsdfghjklzxcvbmn"
StringOut()
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tout)


Filename=Program.Directory+"\hangman.txt"
FileSlurp()
For i=1 To Array.GetItemCount(FileData)
TextWindow.WriteLine(FileData[i])
endfor

Sub FileSlurp
'Read a file and assign it to an array
'Input Filename (string)
'Output FileData (array)
FileLength=Text.GetLength(File.ReadContents(Filename))
FileData=""
FL=0
FS_i=1
While FL < filelength
  FileData[FS_i]=File.ReadLine(Filename,FS_i)
  FL=FL+Text.GetLength(FileData[FS_i])+2
  If FileData[FS_i]="" Then 'Fudge for blank lines in file
    FileData[FS_i]=" "
  EndIf
  FS_i=FS_i+1
Endwhile
EndSub



Sub UpperLower
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tin)
Text_Lower()
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tout)
Text_Upper()
TextWindow.WriteLine(Tout)
EndSub


Sub Text_Lower
  'Make Tin string lowercase
  'Input Tin (string)
  'Output Tout (string)
  Tout=""
  For TL_i=1 To Text.GetLength(Tin)
    tchar=text.GetSubText(Tin,TL_i,1)
    tindx=text.GetIndexOf(t2,tchar)
    If tindx>0 Then
      tchar=text.GetSubText(t1,tindx,1)
    EndIf
    Tout=Text.Append(Tout,tchar)
  EndFor
EndSub


Sub Text_Upper
  'Make Tin string uppercase
  'Input Tin (string)
  'Output Tout (string)
  Tout=""
  For TL_i=1 To Text.GetLength(Tin)
    tchar=text.GetSubText(Tin,TL_i,1)
    tindx=text.GetIndexOf(t1,tchar)
    If tindx>0 Then
      tchar=text.GetSubText(t2,tindx,1)
    EndIf
    Tout=Text.Append(Tout,tchar)
  EndFor
EndSub

Sub CharIndex
  'Given 2 strings and a char, find the corresponding char from location t1 at t2
  'return "" if not found. return char/string otherwise
  'Input Tin1 = in index string
  'Input Tin2 = out index string
  'Input Cin = character / string
  'Output Cout = character/string
  tindx=text.GetIndexOf(Tin1,Cin)
  If (tindx=0) Then
    Cout=""
  Else
    Cout=text.GetSubText(Tin2,tindx,text.GetLength(Cin))
  EndIf
EndSub

Sub MakeAlpha
  'Given a string, pick out all alphabet. Store in UPPERCASE
  'Input Tin = string (text)
  'Output Tout = string (alphabets)
  Tout=""
  For MA_i = 1 To Text.GetLength(Tin)
    tchar=text.ConvertToUpperCase(text.GetSubText(Tin,MA_i,1))
    tindx=text.GetIndexOf(t2,tchar)
    If tindx>0 Then
      tindx=text.GetIndexOf(Tout,tchar)
      If tindx=0 Then
        Tout=Text.Append(Tout,tchar)
      EndIf
    EndIf
  EndFor
EndSub


Sub IsPangram
  'Given a string, see if all alphabets is represented
  'Input Tin = string(text)
  'Output Tout = string "TRUE" if yes. "FALSE" if false
  Tin1=text.ConvertToUpperCase(Tin)
  Tout="TRUE"
  For IP_i=1 To Text.GetLength(t2)
    tchar=Text.GetSubText(t2,IP_i,1)
    tindx=text.GetIndexOf(Tin1,tchar)
    If (tindx=0) Then
      Tout="FALSE"
    EndIf
  EndFor
EndSub

Sub CharOut
  'Given 2 strings return string of char found in Tin1, but not in Tin2
  'return string
  'Note: No character upper/lower conversion is done.
  'Input Tin1 = main index string
  'Input Tin2 = sub index string
  'Output Tout = character/string
  Tout=""
  For CO_i=1 To Text.GetLength(Tin1)
    tchar=text.GetSubText(Tin1,CO_i,1)
    tindx=text.GetIndexOf(Tin2,tchar)
    If (tindx=0) Then
      Tout=Text.Append(Tout,tchar)
    EndIf
  EndFor
EndSub

Sub StringOut
  'Given 2 strings return string of char found in Tin1, but not in Tin2
  'return string
  'Note: Convert all char to UPPER
  'Note: Calls CharOut(), MakeAlpha()
  'Input Tin1 = main index string
  'Input Tin2 = sub index string
  'Output Tout = character/string
 
  Tin1=text.ConvertToUpperCase(Tin1)
  Tin2=text.ConvertToUpperCase(Tin2)
  CharOut()
  Tin=Tout
  MakeAlpha()
EndSub

Programming Challenge#1

Programming Challenge#1
One Hour Programming Project
July 25, 2012

1. Upper and Lower caps.
given a string:
Make string all caps.
Make string all lower caps.
Example:
a SMALL misfortune (original text)
a small misfortune (lower caps)
A SMALL MISFORTUNE (upper caps)


2. Find location of char/string in another string
given 2 equal length string
find the location of a char in text 1
Find the character in same location in text 2
Example:
a SMALL misfortune (text 1)
The quick brown fox (text 2)
Result for searching A (char)
q
Result for searching SMALL (string)
e qui


3. Alphabets
given a text string (text 1)
and a substring (text 2)
Find:
1. all letters in the text string
2. Determine if text string is pangram (all letters used)
3. all letters in text 1 string, NOT in text 2
Example:
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. (text 1)
AEIOU (text 2)
Result:
1. THEQUICKBROWNFXJMPSVLAZYDG
2. TRUE
3. THQCKBRWNFXJMPSVLZYDG

Bonus challenge: Load a text file and display the content to the screen.
Extra Challenge: Assigning each line to an array.

How much is it, exactly?

How much is it, exactly?

There is a news report saying that millions of kids simply don't find school very challenging. From USA Today, July 10, 2012, it has been found that among other things, 37% of fourth-graders say their math is "often" or "always" too easy. This has been cited as proof that kids need to pushed harder to reach their maximum potential.

To which, I say, if 37% is too much, how much is desirable? The article didn't say.

There is a common pattern that basically ignores the other side. Blame it on TV, on politicians, on schools, or whatever. The fact is, there aren't that many people who says, "If that isn't it, then what is?"

I lost count of the number of arguments who says "I am sooo big. You are sooo small!"

And my response is always, "How much exactly? How do you know? Do you have any data that backs your assertion?" I am sad to say that 9 out of 10 does not have any answer whatsoever. I'm not saying their answer is faulty, but that they have no answer.

This, among other things, indicates to me the lack of empathy, and courtesy, and common sense. Just how hard is it to ask the question, and answer it?

Very hard, it turns out.

There is a kickstarter project by DreamQuest Games called "Alpha Colony". It tries to update Dan Bunten's M.U.L.E. game to current high standard. Admirable goal. It asks for $500,000. Ouch! A lot of people, rightly so, thinks that is too high. DreamQuest's response? "Half the money goes toward expenses, including licensing and advertising. The other half goes toward multi-platform development."

That kind of distribution isn't strange. It is pretty standard. I was thinking "They need to learn how to develop for multi-platform more efficiently." Followed by, "What do they need advertising budget for? Kickstarter provides all the funds!" Followed by, "How much exactly do they need to develop multi-platform? How much cost is advertising, and how much is licensing?"

See how it clarifies the picture? When pushed, DreamQuest said that they are willing to explain how their costs structure is calculated. I think that's the wrong response. The right response, IMO, would be "If $500,000 is too much for top-quality, multi-platform, licensed game, then how much do you think is reasonable?"

See how simple it is? Once you arrived at reasonable figure, then you can do graduated features. For example: $100,000=good gameplay on PC. $200,000=multi platform. $350,000=Premium art. $500,000=Animation, and voice acting. That's no problem at all. Licensing, can be arranged as percentage (you may need to give more percentage if you're not giving them advance, but that's part of doing business.)

As I type this, Alpha Colony gathers $100,000 funding, failing short $400,000. Imagine had they asked that simple question. They'd be successful by now!

Another comparison is Kickstarter project "OUYA". $99 open platform networked console. The design is by Ives Behar. It is beautiful! As I'm typing this, the project gathers funding at a rate close to 1 million dollars PER DAY!

Quite a big difference, wouldn't you say?

I wish OUYA developers much success. The world can use an open development console like that. Then again, I can think of an already existing solution that reads like what OUYA is promising: Raspberry Pi.

This is a Linux-based computing (Android is planned for the future) that costs $35! Add $30 controllers and you get $34 dollars for Wifi, bluetooth, and extra storage.

Plus, it runs Linux, which is very open, programmable, and easy to develop. Support is easy to come by. What's the difference between OUYA and Raspberry Pi? No difference that I can see!

Manufacturing such technology is very difficult, indeed. Raspberry designers kept making compromises in order to keep the price down. Can OUYA developer says the same thing? Doubt it.

I hope I'm wrong with this and that OUYA will delivers above expectation. However, my guess is that OUYA will end up buying Raspberry Pi by the bulk, cheap plastic stamp controllers, and put the console in a very pretty cardboard box designed by Ives Behar. It will also run Linux with Android feature promised as a future upgrade.

See how specific info can tell you what the most likely path is? The more specific data that you can get, the better off you are.

Back to the original question: If 37% "too easy" isn't right, then what is? The article has a slant that they want less people to find it too easy. Personally, I want more people to find it too easy. 50% too easy, 50% too hard, is a good balance to get. Math is cumulative, and a good foundation now is priceless in the future.

Nasty People

Have you ever tried to have an argument with a totally unreasonable person? Very frustrating, wasn't it? Yet, it happens all the time. This last one was absolutely horrible, and when I was reflecting upon it, the full extent of horror revealed itself, and it's not pretty.

First of all, I will refer to have read a certain kind of BOOK. Specifically, Anthony Weston's A Rulebook for Argument. It is a small, concise guide to have a reasonable argument. It also details a few logical fallacies that unreasonable people love to use. I tell everybody to read it and use it. So far, no luck.

There are 2 people involved here, I will mention person A and person B. This is not the complete conversation. I remove certain passages, especially near the end, due to ramblings and decency. I do preserve the lines as much as possible.

Person A: Solving the problem of unaffordable healthcare by requiring everyone to buy healthcare is like trying to solve homelessness by requiring everyone to buy a home.

Me: We already did that with SS retirement. I wonder why they didn't just extend Medicare for everybody. 30% admin fee of insurance for care adds up to a lot of money! I sure want to buy cheap, government back health care than expensive private ones.

Person A: Cheap government healthcare will turn into rationed government healthcare.....no thanks

[So far so good. I agree with Person A. Cheap government healthcare = rationed healthcare. I don't like it either, but that's what we have right now with Medicare. I pay money into it, and it's rationed to 65 years old or older, and only hospital stay unless you want to pay extra for MediGap.]

Person B: Ya want expensive healthcare? It's coming soon....... Government run healthcare isn't free....WE WILL PAY FOR IT>>>>>> DUH !

[This is the unreasonable person. You can tell right away by his tone of voice. "Ya want" instead of "You want", "DUH" which implies that what he says is common knowledge. (ad populus) This has all the superiority complex written all over it.]

[His claim (even though he phrased it as a question) that I want expensive Health Care is false. I specifically mentioned that I want cheap health care. What is wrong with this guy? Does he somehow equates "I want cheap" into "I want expensive"? I'm surprised he didn't say "rationed healthcare" is "unlimited healthcare". Same logic. Why did he pick on me?]

[So we have several statements:
False statement: You want expensive healthcare.
Maybe False statement: It's coming soon.
True, but irrelevant statement: Government run healthcare isn't free.
False statement: We will pay for it.
]

Me: We WILL pay for it? Last time I check they take out Medicare from my paycheck. We are paying for it now! I think Person A is right. Rationed is much more probable. Take a look at VA hospital situation if you want to see how it goes.

[I concentrate on the last statement. When somebody blatantly twisted my word into his own agenda, I don't bother. It's bottomless misery. This knowledge is gained by hard experience. Some people don't care about the truth. They just want to pick a fight with somebody for no reason.]

[I mention Medicare tax, which this person has been paying, but somehow completely ignore the fact. Ignoring clear facts when it invalidates your claims isn't a good trait to have. A normal person would have apologized for this oversight.]

Person B: I meant we are going to pay MORE.........way more, those of us that work that is. He said it would reduce healthcare costs, and steadily it has risen for all policies.

[He didn't apologize. Also notice a new line of reasoning coming out of nowhere: "He said it..." Who's he? None of the text above mentioned anybody claiming to reduce healthcare costs. This is an unexpected jab from the left field. Notice how he put in statement that may be true, but totally irrelevant? This trick on putting in irrelevant materials is an old trick that posers use. By "posers", I mean people who pretends to be somebody else, usually a much better person that the poser. In my experience, this process will take anywhere between 30-45 minutes to exhausts itself. In the meantime, said poser will have covered anything and everything under the sun...except the relevant topic.

Dubious claim: I meant we are going to pay WAY MORE.
There are several factors here.
1. The implicit agreement that right now, we aren't paying a lot, or at least reasonable fee.
2. That sometime in the future, the fee will radically increase.
3. Congress will do nothing to prevent this from happening.
4. Healthcare will have runaway cost, and that isn't happening right now.

I can tell you that there is a lot of grumbling right now that health insurance costs are climbing rather high. But they are all in the private sector side. The government side is still on the cheap side, just not available (being rationed).

However, his statement did pique my interest. A few questions comes to mind: How much more this will get? How soon will this happen? and What is the probability/confidence factor of this happening within that said time frame and level?Whenever somebody say "MUCH, MUCH more", I always ask "How much more EXACTLY?"
]

Me: Road tax < Toll Road fee. State College < Private College. I don't see how you can say Government Health Care will cost more than private ones. [snip] As far as paying more, that's a given. But how much more compared with privatization? Have you any resource to back your statement or are you going by unconfirmed hearsay?

Person B: [sarcasm deleted] Please name me one Government Institution that is efficient or cost saving, [snip] Rationing? You and the government can keep it, I don't want any part of it. Costs are going up now, my friends that pay for it tell me so.[snip] As most Democrats feel....believe everything you hear him say and none of what you see with your own eyes. Hope America wakes up before it's too late. Car companies, college tuition, now me and my doctor.....keep the change.

[I am having trouble following this train of thought. He was rambling, especially at the end. It gives me headache to try to follow through his reasoning. Read that last sentence again, and if you can decipher the meaning, please tell me. I can't make any sense out of it. Here goes:"Car companies, college tuition, now me and my doctor.....keep the change."

Basically, there are several nouns, followed by an imperative "keep the change". I don't see the connection at all. There is no verb. What is he trying to say? Looking at the preceding sentence "Hope America wakes up" didn't help. The sentence before that didn't help either. I believe he simply regurgitate random things, literally. Why? I don't know. But some curmudgeon likes to do that for no reason.

Insult: Please name me one Government Institution that is efficient or cost saving
The order of the sentences is correct. I gave him TWO examples how government is more efficient than private institution, and he followed by asking me to give him ONE example. Unless you are a contestant in Jeopardy!, it is considered extremely rude to follow up an answer with the question! This is a blatant attempt to erase my statement. This may work on unrecorded conversation, but on message board for all to see, this is just silliness.

False claim: Rationing? You and the government can keep it, I don't want any part of it.
What makes you think I want rationing? In fact, this statement "I wonder why they didn't just extend Medicare for everybody." actually shows that I DO NOT want rationing. I simply agreed with Person A that rationing is likely. I never endorse it. By falsely claiming that I want it, he makes it look like I'm some ignorant fool. This is an indirect attack on me. In my experience, this is what somebody does when he wants to do personal attack in an attempt to discredit a person. Very difficult to defend in normal face-to-face conversation. With recorded text? It can easily be shown false.

Hearsay: Costs are going up now, my friends that pay for it tell me so.
Yes, that is hearsay. Unless you can tell me exactly how much costs are going up, I'm going to call it hearsay. Anyway my statement "As far as paying more, that's a given. But how much more compared with privatization?" has just been tossed away. I already said that costs are going up. Why is he saying costs are going up, AFTER I said costs are going up? This is just like asking the question after getting the answer. Another insult. Also notice that he never answered my question: HOW MUCH MORE?

False statement: As most Democrats feel....believe everything you hear him say and none of what you see with your own eyes.
This God-like attribute is usually connected with Obama, but notice that he never mention the name? In any case, I'm not a Democrat. I'm an Independent. Notice how he randomly assign labels on me? This is so that he can claim that I am a sheep, blindly obeying somebody's statement, which is not true at all. This labeling is blatant attempt to manipulate opinions, which if you haven't read THE BOOK, is very effective.
]

Person B: Cheap government healthcare hehehehe, think again.

[I don't see how he can make this statement. Go back to the beginning. Specifically:
Me: We WILL pay for it? Last time I check they take out Medicare from my paycheck. We are paying for it now! I think Person A is right. Rationed is much more probable. Take a look at VA hospital situation if you want to see how it goes.
Person B: I meant we are going to pay MORE.........way more,

The previous exchange has shown that we have cheap government health care right now! It's called Medicare! Hello? Does he just randomly toss statements left and right without thinking whatsoever? Oh, what am I talking about? Of course he does!

Me: Gosh, you are so negative. You don't want this. You don't want that. Are you some kind of old curmudgeon? Because, as I see it, you ARE going by unconfirmed hearsay.

Person B: I wouldn't call my personal experiences with the VA as "hearsay". Another democrat argument, when you can't win the argument just start calling people names....... And personally, your opinion of me is less than meaningless. [sarcasm deleted]

[This is another misdirection. Typical of ramblings and/or deflection when it comes to the truth. Notice another democrat labeling. 
Misdirection: I wouldn't call my personal experiences with the VA as "hearsay" 
Nor did I say that. I was referring specifically to your friends' claim, of which you never actually see the figure yourself.

Leading: Another democrat argument,
False accusation: when you can't win the argument just start calling people names
Interesting that he says that, because I have shown that he's the one losing the argument, mostly because he's rambling. I also notice that he use the "Democrat" label on me. Do I call him names? Nope. I did ASK A QUESTION, whether or not he's a curmudgeon.

As to the question, he could have answered these way:
1. No, and here's why... I'd probably believe him.
2. Yes, and I'm sorry. I'd probably forgive him.
3. Not answer at all. It'll be an open question.
He didn't do any of that. What he did was:
4. Rambling, misdirection, heavy sarcasm and insults - which is exactly what a genuine curmudgeon would do.
]

At this point I knew that further communication is meaningless. Not because I lost the argument, but because he is being unreasonable, unwilling to listen, and unwilling to be wrong. He's insulting, and blames his defects on me. I do not need to consult a dictionary to understand that "less than meaningless" are words designed to hurt, not communicate. I could have said a lot of nasty things, but I didn't. I did pull out my computer to confirm my initial assessment of him, just because my blood boils. It was confirmed.

Me: Curmudgeon status: Confirmed. I have better things to do. Bye now! :)

Later on, Person A intercede on Person B behalf.

Person A: Calling Person B a curmudgeon is like calling a turd a rose. Nothing could be further from the truth. Simply having a negative opinion about something does not a curmudgeon make.[snip] I am all for good debates, but let us please be respectful with no name calling. That, to me, is a sign of losing an argument.

[Oh great. Another idiot in the art of rhetoric. Why can't people read THE BOOK?!
I have laid down the foundations why I think Person B fits a curmudgeon, and all that is ignored in favor of only one thing: a negative opinion. 

Are you kidding, Person A? Do you not read what was written? It's more than that!

This got snipped, but his claim that VA will not help Person B's cancer may be accurate, but insurance or no, private hospitals are required to help a person regardless of money. It just means Person B will be paying for it for the rest of his life.
]

Me: So, then, when Person B is calling me a Democrat, even though I'm Unaffiliated Independent, does that mean he's losing the argument? I'm not so stupid as not to know what hearsay/insult/sarcasm is. Sometimes good message can be sour, if the delivery is done poorly. Until Person B can clean up his language, I will keep calling him a curmudgeon, and rightly so.

Person A: so let me get this straight, you use a computer program to determine whether someone is negative or annoying? [snip] as far as calling you a democrat, I believe he is pointing out that you calling names instead of proving your point or providing facts is a typical tactic of many democrats. Just because someone may not be able to deliver the message in a flourish of brilliant verbage, does not automatically make their argument null. [snip]

[
Hidden assumption: so let me get this straight, you use a computer program to determine whether someone is negative or annoying?
I didn't realize this at first, but there is a hidden assumption here.

There are two possibilities:
1. What happened: I felt insulted. Anger has a way to distort perception. To be fair, I use objective calculation. Thus, I confirm my initial perception with a computer.
2. What is assumed: I am stupid. I therefore subject my will to a 2 bit machine to tell me what to do.

If you know me, then you know that assuming #2 is a GREAT INSULT to me, and if I stop at un-friend you at facebook, consider yourself very, very lucky!
]

[as far as calling you a democrat, I believe he is pointing out that you calling names instead of proving your point or providing facts is a typical tactic of many democrats.

Sigh. This statement is why I think we are premature in withdrawing flexible leather strap as educational implement, since I believe he needs one. But since we are in Modern times, let me just say this:


"You quack like a duck, sir. Not that I'm labeling you a duck, or calling you a duck. But you look like a duck, act like a duck, and quack like a duck!"

Get it?

I noticed he failed to mention Person B employed that very tactic!
]

Me: Yes, I use a computer. How else would you know the truth? Yes, rationed health care like Canada and VA aren't good. Do you somehow miss that? Very annoying to be criticized for believing something you don't believe. I don't believe that's a mark of a good man. You don't do that, Person A. Why is Person B doing that to me? He doesn't have to be brilliant (isn't that a straw man argument?), just not insulting or ignoring facts. Look, do me a favor and read Anthony Weston's A rulebook for Argument. If after readling it, you still think Person B is not being insulting, I will take your word. How's that?

[Here I was referring to Person B's constant derisions/ignorance, but I am too polite in these matters.]

Person A: I will leave it at this. No computer program is going to show intent. One of the problems with FB is that intent, tone and personal contact are missing. I do know Person B, and insulting is not his intent I am sure, however his experience sure carries a lot of weight with me. we are not all professional debaters, just people trying to make our way through.

[
1. I will leave it at this. No computer program is going to show intent.
This is when I suspect there is a hidden assumption.

2.  One of the problems with FB is that intent, tone and personal contact are missing.
True enough. But it doesn't take a genius to notice that his vocabulary changes. Also, the constant misdirection cannot be misinterpreted either.

3. Hearsay: I do know Person B, and insulting is not his intent I am sure, however his experience sure carries a lot of weight with me.
Did you ask Person B to make sure? No? Hearsay.

4. we are not all professional debaters, just people trying to make our way through.
This is a polite way of saying he will never read THE BOOK. Got it loud and clear, buddy. Sigh.

]

Me: That is true. And I will take your word that Person B has no intention to insult me. Then again, I have insulted many people *unintentionally*. So will you accept the fact that Person B may have insulted me unintentionally? When there is strong clashes of opinions, that is when I use the program to see who is the most opiniated. It works.

[
Even at this late term, I'm still willing to forgive Person B's transgressions. The hope, of course, that Person A will tell Person B that he has insulted me unintentionally, and apologize for it. 

Well, so far that hasn't happened. There is only one conclusion, then. Person B *intentionally* insulted me. Looking at the exchanges above, I don't see how it can be interpreted differently.
]

[
When there is strong clashes of opinions, that is when I use the program to see who is the most opiniated. It works.
I said this just to clarify which of the two assumption applies.
]



Alright. What do we have here?
Person A is reasonable, and accurate, even though he hasn't read THE BOOK. Person B is an old irascible grump, who has no qualms of ignoring facts, deriding people, twisting words, make false and ridiculous assumptions, and generally misleading people.

He also makes claims that are vague and generic, the kinds that cannot be fingered as false. Obviously, he cannot stand criticism. He cannot handle being wrong.

He also is willing to blame his defects on other people, as to make his faults other people, thus shifting the spotlight of blame away from himself.

Wait a minute.

This feels familiar.

Where have I seen this pattern before?

Ah.

I have it!

Here are the patterns:
1. Unwilling to listen
2. Unwilling to be wrong
3. Blames his defects upon other people
4. Drag in any irrelevant subjects to the discussion
5. Scream, yell, and behave abusively. (throwing tantrum)

We didn't exactly get to step 5, but all the signs point there.

The pattern fits that of Invalidators, as described by Jay Carter, in his book "Nasty People." Go read it. Go read THE BOOK, and go read this book.

Nasty People. Invalidators. Figures. Sigh.
Person B=Invalidator.

To Person B:
Now that I know what you are, I hope you understand that the time of forgiveness is past, and that any future attempt to apologize will be seen as deceitful manipulation attempt on your part. Go read Nasty People book for explanation. Thank you for understanding, and sorry that this happened.

Small Basic Noise Checker

'Noise Checker - wxv722-6
'Uses Dictionary.GetDefinition(word) - Need internet access
'Harry Hardjono
'July 2012 - adjective and adverb marker. Good for filtering nasty posts. :)
' just change color red and yellow to black.
'Updated with dict.txt
'
Str="abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
ReadDictFile()
inputtext=""
DataFile=""

While (inputtext<>" ")
TextWindow.WriteLine("  ")
TextWindow.WriteLine("Enter file name: ")
FileDir=text.Append(Program.Directory,"\")
WT="1=black;2=white;"
WriteText()
DataFile=File.ReadContents(text.Append(FileDir,Textwindow.read()))
inputtext=text.Append(DataFile," ")
counteradv=0
counteradj=0
counterunk=0
counterwrd=0
For i=1 To Text.GetLength(inputtext)
  If (Text.GetIndexOf(Str,Text.GetSubText(inputtext,i,1))=0) Then    'Not word
    If (Word<>"") Then
      GetDictWord()
      If (DictWord="") Then
WT="1=white;2=black;"
WriteText()
      Else
        fword=DictWord
        adjloc=text.GetIndexOf(fword,"adjective")
        advloc=text.GetIndexOf(fword,"adverb")
        unkloc=text.GetIndexOf(fword,"unknown")
        rploc=text.GetIndexOf(fword,")")
        If (adjloc0) then  'adjective
WT="1=red;2=black;"
WriteText()
counteradj=counteradj+1
      ElseIf (advloc0) then  'adverb
WT="1=yellow;2=black;"
WriteText()
counteradv=counteradv+1
      ElseIf (unkloc0) then  'unknown
WT="1=white;2=black;"
WriteText()
counterunk=counterunk+1
        Else
WT="1=black;2=white;"
WriteText()
counterwrd=counterwrd+1
        EndIf
      EndIf
      Word=""
    EndIf
    TextWindow.Write(Text.GetSubText(inputtext,i,1))
  Else 'Word
    Word=Text.Append(Word,Text.GetSubText(inputtext,i,1))
  EndIf
endfor

ShowNoiseRatio()
EndWhile

WriteDictFile()

'===============================
'Program ends here
'===============================

Sub  ShowNoiseRatio

NR=Math.Round(1000*(counteradj+counteradv)/counterwrd)/10
NRT="Noise Level Interpretation"
If (NR<5) then
  NRT="Text is very clean."
ElseIf (NR<10) then
  NRT="Text is relatively clean"
ElseIf (NR<15) then
  NRT="Can use less noise."
ElseIf (NR<18) then
  NRT="Somewhat noisy."
ElseIf (NR<20) then
  NRT="Noisy. Very Noisy."
ElseIf (NR<23) then
  NRT="You're being annoying on purpose, aren't you?"
ElseIf (NR<28) then
  NRT="Are you kidding me? I have to wash my eyeballs after this!"
ElseIf (NR<32) then
  NRT="Is there a World War out there? Gettouttahere!"
ElseIf (NR<50) then
  NRT="This is so bad, I will not dignify it with a response!"
else
NRT="This high level of noise is impossible! Impossible!"
endif

TextWindow.WriteLine("")
TextWindow.Write("Noise ratio is ")
TextWindow.WriteLine(NR)
TextWindow.WriteLine(NRT)

endsub


  Sub WriteText
        TextWindow.BackgroundColor=WT[1]
      TextWindow.ForegroundColor=WT[2]
      TextWindow.Write(Word)
      TextWindow.BackgroundColor="black"
      TextWindow.ForegroundColor="white"
  EndSub
   
Sub GetDictWord
      If (HashWord[Word]="") Then
        tword=Dictionary.GetDefinition(Word)
        If (tword="") then
          tword="Unknown. (unknown) "
        EndIf
        tline=Text.GetSubText(tword,1,1+Text.GetIndexOf(tword,")"))
        HashWord[Word]=tline
      EndIf
      DictWord=HashWord[Word]
      'TextWindow.WriteLine(DictWord)
  EndSub
 
  Sub WriteDictFile
    FileDir=text.Append(Program.Directory,"\dict.txt")
    File.WriteContents(FileDir,HashWord)
  EndSub
 
  Sub ReadDictFile
    FileDir=text.Append(Program.Directory,"\dict.txt")
    HashWord=File.ReadContents(FileDir)
EndSub  
   

Medicare, ObamaCare, and the Supreme Court

Recently, the Supreme Court decided that Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) is a type of tax and therefore legal. I understand that taxes are legal, but I'm having trouble understanding the rationale that ObamaCare is a tax?

Mind you, I'm also having trouble understanding Interstate Tax as Sales Tax. If you purchased goods from Mail Order, then you need to pay sales tax on it, even if the seller is on another state. That part I can understand. What I cannot understand is how the money goes to the buyer's state, instead of the seller's state. Doesn't that make it a buy tax? Buy tax is also known as tariff, quota, import tax, duty tax. That kind of tax is designed to compete with unfair foreign market forces and/or to compensate for cost of doing business with such market. I can understand that. What I cannot understand is how an "import" tax suddenly becomes a "sales" tax? How does that work?

So, ObamaCare is a tax? Let's see. Social Security is a tax, and I'll get it back when I'm 65. Medicare is a tax and I'll get it back when I'm 65. Speeding tickets is a fine, and I'll never get it back no matter how well I drive afterwards. Pollution fine is a fine because I never get anything back no matter how clean afterwards I become. Therefore, a "Tax" is not a "Fine".

From what I gather, ObamaCare is a fine. If you do not have health insurance, then you need to pay a fine, collected at tax payment. But that fine will not get me health care. It's money down the drain! What is needed, IMO, is that if I don't have health care, then the government will forcibly enforce me in some kind of Government Health Care plan, and charge me appropriate premium for it. I am all for extending Medicare to everybody! How about Medicare plan C: Affordable Care for All?

But that's not ObamaCare, and therefore I'm confused how this is a tax. I believe even Obama himself does not consider ObamaCare a tax. So, how is a fine become a tax? I don't understand!

I certainly hope that there isn't some shady dealing involved here. "Is that a threat?" "It's an 'advice'"

There is something that I repeat quite a lot: "There is no Net."

That is something that greedy Hollywood studios do when they want to foist the money off the starving actors. I believe it results in Unions heavily regulating the industry. The scam works like this:

You pay actors pittance and promise to pay a percentage of the sales. The actors agreed, with the condition that it is a percentage of Revenue, which is easily verified, instead of Profit, which the actors have no control of. And the agreement is signed that the actors will get a percentage of "Net Revenue".

What is Net Revenue? Well, it's the money left over after the whole Gross Revenue minus the Distributors take. Except that the studio aligns themselves with the Distributors. The practical result is that Net Revenue = Profit, or very close to it. Therefore, "There is No Net!"

That, of course, is unethical. Legality notwithstanding, that is not something you do to people if you want to be popular!

So, the question is, is ObamaCare a tax? or a fine? And how can I enroll in cheap Medical insurance that is Medicare even though I'm not yet 65?