...making Linux just a little more fun!

### Talkback:135/bisbee.html

[ In reference to "The Geekword Puzzle " in LG#135 ]

Nguyen Thai Ngoc Duy [pclouds at gmail.com]
Sat, 3 Feb 2007 10:53:16 +0700

Hi there, Just want to say thank you for putting this up again. LG #134 dropped this section and I was so disappointed because I look forward to it every month. It is fun playing with terms and find out lots of holes in my knowledge. Thank you again.

    --
    Duy

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Samuel Bisbee-vonKaufmann [sbisbee at bu.edu]
Sat, 3 Feb 2007 18:59:14 -0500 (EST)

On Sat, 3 Feb 2007, Nguyen Thai Ngoc Duy wrote:

    > Hi there,
    > Just want to say thank you for putting this up again. LG #134 dropped
    > this section and I was so disappointed because I look forward to it
    > every month. It is fun playing with terms and find out lots of holes
    > in my knowledge.
    > Thank you again.

blush You are quite welcome! I feel honored that people are actually taking part in the puzzle (was not sure if anyone would really take a stab at it) and that you would miss it.

The reason #134 did not have a geekword was I was in the middle of studying for and taking my final exams for the fall semester (I am currently an undergraduate at Boston University). There was also something about final papers, but the whole month turned into one big blur for me.

If you have any input on making the puzzle better, sub-topics of FOSS/Linux that you would like to see, etc. then please let me know. I am always open to suggestions.

Depending on the amount of time I have next month I may try to write a 15x15 (standard size) grid. However, a puzzle that size would probably be a once in a blue moon deal as my schedule tends to be rather tight these days.

Thank you again and I hope that you continue to enjoy the geekword,

    --
    Samuel Kotel Bisbee-vonKaufmann | "A computer once beat me at chess, but
       Boston University, Undergrad. | it was no match for me at kick boxing."
       OFTC.net, Network Operator    | -Emo Philips

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Thomas Adam [thomas.adam22 at gmail.com]
Sun, 4 Feb 2007 00:14:48 +0000

On Sat, Feb 03, 2007 at 06:59:14PM -0500, Samuel Bisbee-vonKaufmann wrote:

    > If you have any input on making the puzzle better, sub-topics of
    > FOSS/Linux that you would like to see, etc. then please let me know. I am
    > always open to suggestions.

How exactly are you determining the questions? Do you have a stock list of questions you're somehow arbitrarily using each month, or do you have some other method of working?

I've been casually glancing at the crossword, and intrigued by some of the clues, insofar that they're occasionally hit and miss, but that could be just me. (Why so many people use `echo ... | sed | awk` when awk can do it all is beyond me.

Intersting, nevertheless.

-- Thomas Adam

    --
    "Wanting to feel; to know what is real.  Living is a lie." -- Purpoise
    Song, by The Monkees.

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Samuel Bisbee-vonKaufmann [sbisbee at bu.edu]
Sat, 3 Feb 2007 19:38:21 -0500 (EST)

On Sun, 4 Feb 2007, Thomas Adam wrote:

    > On Sat, Feb 03, 2007 at 06:59:14PM -0500, Samuel Bisbee-vonKaufmann wrote:
    >
    >> If you have any input on making the puzzle better, sub-topics of
    >> FOSS/Linux that you would like to see, etc. then please let me know. I am
    >> always open to suggestions.
    >
    > How exactly are you determining the questions?  Do you have a stock list
    > of questions you're somehow arbitrarily using each month, or do you have
    > some other method of working?
    >

This is more easily explained if I recant my whole process: (1) Create the grid in a spreadsheet file. (2) Write the answers into the spreadsheet. This, as you can imagine, is the hardest and most time consuming part. (3) Write the clues based on the answers. Sometimes I will already have a clue in mind for an answer, sometimes not. (4) Check for errors. *shifty eyes*

As you can see I am creating all clues and answers fresh for each issue. The only "list" I might use is a wordlist when I need to apply regexp to my vernacular, but my brain does not want to do so itself. Most of the non-software/technical names that you will see in the geekword are a result of this; for example, 1D in LG #133. However, I try to limit my usage of wordlists to near zero, preferring the classic art and feel of writing purely from the brain (many crossword puzzle authors these days would call that "insane").

    > I've been casually glancing at the crossword, and intrigued by some of
    > the clues, insofar that they're occasionally hit and miss, but that

Could you please give me an example?

    > could be just me.  (Why so many people use `echo ... | sed | awk` when
    > awk can do it all is beyond me.
    >

I think this is because sed tends to be synonymous with string replacement on the command line. I only do it in the puzzle because I want people to be made aware of both programs. In the future I will see if I can just use both programs elsewhere in the puzzle, allowing more concise clues. However, I would not consider using `sed | awk` "wrong", but just a different, potentially longer, approach.

Thanks for the input,

    --
    Samuel Kotel Bisbee-vonKaufmann | "A computer once beat me at chess, but
       Boston University, Undergrad. | it was no match for me at kick boxing."
       OFTC.net, Network Operator    | -Emo Philips

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Benjamin A. Okopnik [ben at linuxgazette.net]
Sat, 3 Feb 2007 22:54:16 -0500

On Sun, Feb 04, 2007 at 12:14:48AM +0000, Thomas Adam wrote:

    >
    > Why so many people use `echo ... | sed | awk` when
    > awk can do it all is beyond me.

Me, I wonder why people do it in AWK when Perl is available. Although doing it in assembler would be even better. On the other hand, a Turing machine using black and white jellybeans would be even more elegant. Or perhaps everyone should just be forced to use Boole's pivoting wooden slats - choice and preference be damned, there's only one right way to do it!

...or not. I happen to like living in a world where there are multiple paths to accomplishing a positive result.

    --
    * Ben Okopnik * Editor-in-Chief, Linux Gazette * http://LinuxGazette.NET *

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