I apologize for following a thread of conversation that seems to be getting more and more off the original topic and, seemingly, away from being helpful, but I think there is an important point here that is worth exploring just a little further.

I've been solving technical challenges my entire life and the why rarely ever matters

I would make the same statement except that I'd say the "why" is almost always critical to a good solution. Knowing the why drives the problem solving process in a direction that gives a best solution for the problem at hand in the current context. A silly example: you are driving a car and get a puncture. You could:

  1. Change the wheel for a spare wheel
  2. Call road-side service
  3. Flag a taxi
  4. Drive on the flat and destroy the wheel

Without context, without a "why", there is no sensible way to pick the best option. If you are in no particular hurry any of the first three look OK. If you are dressed to the nines for a dance, changing the wheel yourself is probably off the table. If you are five minutes from the airport and must catch a plane, maybe destroying the wheel is the only option, or maybe calling for a helicopter pickup is the thing that makes sense - even though that solution isn't in the list.

Knowing the "why" can allow options that a narrow problem statement misses. In the current thread there is lots of "how do I solve this problem", but no context to help us understand the big picture problem, or even to appreciate the immediate problem that is hinted at.

Optimising for fewest key strokes only makes sense transmitting to Pluto or beyond

In reply to Re^11: nesting loops help? by GrandFather
in thread nesting loops help? by shadowfox

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