Metablog

I have released a new version of my dynamic compressor with a nicer algorithm. It’s currently in a standalone program version, but I’m planning to release an Audacity plugin version as well.

Update: I’ve released the Audacity version too, which is much faster than before.

Computer science question. What would it take to make a language to describe both an interpreter and a compiler for an arbitrary language? So that you could have one program that takes the description of the target language and interprets that language, and have another program that compiles the target language? If such a specification language were possible, would writing compilers/interpreters in it be practically possible, and if so, how easy? I’m surprised that googling didn’t turn anything up along these lines.

There are languages where most implementations support interpretation and compiling, like Common Lisp, but in general it seems to be the exception.

What is the philosophical difference between interpretation and compiling? How would it be best characterized?

If you’re trying to get logged into another machine, and you put in some bad credentials, but Windows doesn’t ask you again for other credentials, saying “access is denied” or something, then go to your Services (Control Panel \ Administrative Tools \ Services) and restart the Workstation service. Try again, and Windows should ask you for your password again.

Keywords: user name, password, prompt, SMB, filesharing, cached credentials, network, log in problem, log on, security, access denied

You know the worst thing about depression? There’s nothing to fucking blog about! Unless you want to hear endless, repetitive whining, that is.

How much of the stability of our various economies relies on the relative rationality of the actors involved? I mean, it’s a common criticism leveled against economics that models fail to take into account ways in which humans are not rational actors. But this is a different point entirely. How much of the actual instability which we observe in economic systems is due to the stupidity of people? Could the housing bubble and current crisis have occurred in a world where people were more rational? Is trying to create economic stability hopeless with such irrationality to deal with?