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Showing posts from August, 2020

Core memory simulator

The exceptional video series on Apollo guidance computer restoration by CuriousMarc inspired me to create a simple simulation of how core memory works. Magnetic-core memory was the memory form used in space applications and any computer systems from the fifties all the way to the seventies.  https://jompanakumpana.fi/corememory/

DIY vs. dependency

I recently pulled an apparently small item from the backlog. It was to add a guided tour, a showcase of the essential features of the app. Naturally, I search for an open-source library that would do the job, and Bob's your uncle. There are a few alternatives to pick from. Yet, they seem just not quite fit the need here. All of them require excessive changes to the existing implementation instead of just plug and play. In cases like these, how do I draw the line, when to use a library, when to DIY. First of all, I have a high do it yourself threshold.  I generally think that almost any reasonably used OS library is a better option than DIY. You probably are a worse developer in the domain of the library than the community behind it. You also have not yet run into all those corner cases and weird bugs that come biting you back. Even if the dependency may bring something you don't need, I see it as a worthwhile trade-off. I'll skip the frameworks vs. libraries debate here. If...