feraldarryl
5 HN mentions · mentioned in 5 months, 2010–2026
1:19 · 772K views · Feb 16, 2007
A one-minute Monty Python sketch, 'How to Do It', which tells viewers how to rid the world of all known diseases in a deliberately glib way.
Used as a joke reply in threads with 'how to' titles, not as a recommendation.
5 comments from Hacker News
If I had stopped reading after a couple of paragraphs, I would not have been aware the article contained any "actionable advice." Likewise if I had stopped after 3 paragraphs or four or even five. It is only after six paragraphs of putting the student in their place - instead of just linking to StackOverflow's own prose describing good questions - that "First, turn on all compiler warnings" makes an appearance. Is this good advice? Not really. Manipulating compiler setting is a homework task in itself for a student. What could be simpler than setting compiler warnings? It's all right here: [LINK] However, there's a bit of a logical error in this method. [0] Apparently what a student is supposed to do after turning them on is return to stackOverflow and ask another question. Well at least the author recognizes that turning on compiler warnings isn't really progress toward debugging except in the sense that debugging consists of asking questions on StackOverflow. Yet in fairness, it is hard to call this bad advice to a student struggling to finish an assignment given the next piece of "helpful advice" is: "If your program still has a bug, obtain a rubber duck." The reason I struggle with this being better or worse than the first piece of advice is that at least rubber ducks don't make sport of trolling students with homework questions. [1] According to the article, obtaining a rubber duck will allow the student's code to compile. All that's left is to refactor, write some tests
Monty Python's "How to Do It" skit: this video "... this week on 'How to Do It' we're going to learn how to play the flute, how to split the atom, how to construct box girder bridges and how to irrigate the Sahara and make vast new areas cultivatable, but first, here's Jackie to tell you how to rid the world of all known diseases." How to play the flute: "Now, how to play the flute. (picking up a flute) Well you blow in one end and move your fingers up and down the outside."
Just write a regulation that every game developer has to make a great game, not charge too much, support it for years, and give it away for free as soon as it's not popular. That way, we'll only have great games and archives of great free games. this video
What a terrific article! I found a video on how to play the flute, split an atom, how to construct a box girder bridge, and how to irrigate the Sahara desert and create vast areas of viable farmland, and finally how to cure all known diseases. this video
Monty Python's "Today on how to do it" sketch is the classic of the genre maybe? Definitely a worthwhile minute out of your day. this video