# Extremeely basic programming question. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremeely-basic-programming-question/624300 "2012-06-06T18:48:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremeely-basic-programming-question/624300/221 "2012-06-13T23:53:50Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > _ **Ir** _computable When will this _ir_ nonsense halt!? ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremeely-basic-programming-question/624300/222 "2012-06-14T20:04:48Z")
> [@erislover](#): > > I don’t assume he’s anything. But surely the english language/internet posting interface has leaked some information about **TriPolar** ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremeely-basic-programming-question/624300/223 "2012-06-14T20:07:46Z")
More education for **Sicks**. This is what scintillating conversation between programmers sounds like. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremeely-basic-programming-question/624300/224 "2012-06-14T20:49:15Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > More education for **Sicks**. This is what scintillating conversation between programmers sounds like. HERE’s what scintillating conversation among programmers sounds like! Scene: Several programmers and one sys admin (me) encounter in hallway. Programmer 1 to me: You got a new haircut! [Why do people ALWAYS comment when someone gets a haircut?] Me: No, it’s the same old haircut I always get. Programmer 2: You got a new instance of an old haircut. Scene: Going to lunch with programmer buddies, one is giving me directions to the restaurant. Programmer to me: Get off the freeway at Matilda Av., turn right at end of off-ramp. It’s one of those off-ramps with the 180-degree turn in it, so a right turn actually puts you going north. Me: In other words, make a logical left turn from freeway onto Matilda Av. Programmer: You got it! TRUE stories! ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremeely-basic-programming-question/624300/225 "2012-06-15T13:32:49Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > More education for **Sicks**. This is what scintillating conversation between programmers sounds like. > [@Senegoid](#): > > HERE’s what scintillating conversation among programmers sounds like! > > Scene: Several programmers and one sys admin (me) encounter in hallway. > Programmer 1 to me: You got a new haircut! > [Why do people ALWAYS comment when someone gets a haircut?] > Me: No, it’s the same old haircut I always get. > Programmer 2: You got a new instance of an old haircut. > > Scene: Going to lunch with programmer buddies, one is giving me directions to the restaurant. > Programmer to me: Get off the freeway at Matilda Av., turn right at end of off-ramp. It’s one of those off-ramps with the 180-degree turn in it, so a right turn actually puts you going north. > Me: In other words, make a logical left turn from freeway onto Matilda Av. > Programmer: You got it! > > TRUE stories! Ha! Funny…my cousin (who actually IS a programmer) said that I’d be a good programmer because my sense of humor would fit in. I see now that was probably an accurate statement. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremeely-basic-programming-question/624300/226 "2012-06-15T17:50:15Z")
When I was a young programmer, the gold standard of programming aptitude testing was the B-Apt. (Berger Aptitude Test). [http://www.psy-test.com/Baptd.html](http://www.psy-test.com/Baptd.html) I see now they’ve expanded their line of aptitude tests. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremeely-basic-programming-question/624300/227 "2012-06-15T17:56:23Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > When I was a young programmer, the gold standard of programming aptitude testing was the B-Apt. (Berger Aptitude Test). > [B-APT Form D Aptitude Test](http://www.psy-test.com/Baptd.html) > > I see now they’ve expanded their line of aptitude tests. Ah! The programming analogue of the DLAB! Now I’ll probably obsess with finding a way to take it. I’m dying to know. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremeely-basic-programming-question/624300/228 "2012-06-15T18:29:27Z")
[quote=“Dr.Strangelove, post:198, topic:624300”] There’s been a language feature I’ve wanted for a long time but never seen: proper support for physical units. Units are awesome. …/QUOTE] The HMI (industrial controls) world includes a lot of this. No dimensional analysis, but many HMI tag records (basically a variable in this programming world) often include engineering units, as well as max and min for valid range. PLCs are only the last couple decades moving out of the “bits is bits” paradigm and including support for floating point, character strings, etc. Though Beckhoff twincat includes a time data type, so you need to include seconds, minutes or hours when you try to load a literal into it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extremeely-basic-programming-question/624300.md?page=11)