Re^2: pack and unpack multiple arrays with one common repeat prefix

First ask yourself `How would I do this without a computer?' Then have the computer do it the same way.

That sounds like a really bad idea. That is using a computer to do it faster, not better.

Comment on Re^2: pack and unpack multiple arrays with one common repeat prefix

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Re^3: pack and unpack multiple arrays with one common repeat prefix by kennethk (Abbot) on Jun 15, 2017 at 22:22 UTC
If you are using different algorithms in your coding than in your life, one of the two is sub-optimal. If you know a better way to do it, why are you wasting precious seconds you could be sitting under a tree? #11929 First ask yourself `How would I do this without a computer?' Then have the computer do it the same way.	[reply]
Re^4: pack and unpack multiple arrays with one common repeat prefix by chacham (Prior) on Jun 15, 2017 at 22:43 UTC
That is like saying that a computer should play chess the same way a human does. Humans make mistakes, forget, and have limited time to crunch numbers. So, we have methods to help us do things. Computers do not have these shortcomings, and thus can do things that we wish we could do. Also, there are patterns a computer can "see" that an unaided human cannot. Computers are not just there to implement human algorithms as if they were macros. They are game changers, and should be used as such. Not that everything you do without a computer should be thrown out. Keep what works best, but make sure you utilize the computer for its strengths, not just its speed.	[reply]