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> Yeah, for me the fun is in figuring out how to get
> something done, on paper, and jotting all kinds of notes,
> and then half-implementing it in the computer where I am
> buffeted with obstacles that have little to do with the
> task I'm trying to accomplish it... and then leaving it.

Sadly hilarious and familiar.

The latest instance for me was how 99% of the terminal browser I wrote was straightforward, easily accomplished via debug and trial/error.

But attempting to grok resolving relative links? *Nightmare.*

So many conflicting opinions in search results, so much indecipherable documentation (including the related RFC's) and/or source code.

I got so desperate that some old scripts I'd written that invoked node (as in node.js) had me wondering if I could just pass a base URL and a relative URL to a node-based script (as in "#! /usr/bin env node"), which could instantiate a URL object, and then console.log(url.toString()) (url being the instantiated object), and I'd suddenly be resolving relative links correctly.

And guess what, it works!

BUT... (y'all knew that was coming)....

Since a page I'm processing to display can have scores of relative links, invoking node.js repeatedly was far too heavy an operation, basically crucifying the overall usability.

Yes, I could have created a server awaiting base/relative inputs, thus instantiating a running node.js just once. But, seriously, a web server just to resolve relative URL's correctly?

So I went with the advice of guidance on the topic of relative link resolution that seemed the clearest, that I imagined probably covered the most cases, and hammered on that until I got something that's been mostly working.

So while that had something to do with what I set out to do, it felt like something that should have been easy, and yet wound up taking an ungodly amount of time, and incurring the bulk of the overall frustration.

The fact that it took half of forever for me to write out what happened kind of says it all, really, you know?

> That's an interesting perspective. Personally, I'm all
> in for special purpose, rather than general purpose. My
> favorite piece of tech that I own is an HP48 RPN
> calculator.

Wow! I've not thought about HP RPN calculators in ages. I had a Texas Instruments "SR-50" in high school... well, until my asshole locker partner stole it....

> Most of what I am interested in was written between 300 BCE
> and, say, 600 CE. I read to study stuff I am interested in.

I've been re-reading mostly the same material of interest for years, because it's kind of in the direction of "esoterica", and easily forgotten in the heat of what might playfully be called "bodily living with a touch of mental illness". But try not to take that last part too seriously, because years ago the phrase "all mental is illness" came to me, and there's not much going on in the human realm that argues against it.

> My favourite book has 78 pages and virtually endless
> permutations.

Surely you're not going to leave me hanging as to title!

> This is not to say the endeavour is any less hopeless,
> in the end, it is a faustian one. But there is little else
> I enjoy in life, at least this can keep me busy and away
> from, ahem, darker, thoughts.

Hey, that's what marriage - aka struggling so mightily to keep up with someone else's wants/needs that there's no time/energy left for self pity et. al. - is for! ;-)

> Me too, I personally like typing my mind out a lot, even
> if it's about a bike ride I may have taken :-) I like to
> write about my inner world and maybe get a reply, I also
> like to write a post that nobody can possibly reply to,
> because I don't allow it. I also like to type in anonymous
> media where it will eventually drown out in a sea of other
> voices. It's therapeutic, and since I have nobody to talk
> to about my issues, I talk to the void. It's a good void.

Ah, yes: the /dev/null option!

The last, therapeutic part reminds me of https://portal.mozz.us/nex/nightfall.city/classifieds/.

> FWIW I enjoy reading you.

Holy first time for everything, Batman! :-)

And ditto. I've really appreciated the replies.

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~detritus wrote (thread):

So while that had something to do with what I set out to do, it felt like something that should have been easy, and yet wound up taking an ungodly amount of time, and incurring the bulk of the overall frustration.

That's my whole experience with programming.

Actually, with programming, it feels like now it's all about battling the technologies and libraries in order to do what should be simple tasks. Really.

calling node to resolve something called relative links

I rest my case.

But try not to take that last part too seriously, because years ago the phrase "all mental is illness" came to me, and there's not much going on in the human realm that argues against it.

Don't get me starte with "mental illness", in detaching myself from the world I've come to hold some opinions that the vast majority won't like, and which go opposite to the official narratives.

Surely you're not going to leave me hanging as to title!

Why, I am talking about Tarot, of course!

Hey, that's what marriage - aka struggling so mightily to keep up with someone else's wants/needs that there's no time/energy left for self pity et. al. - is for! ;-)

I have been all to aware of this lately. I had to delete all my books because my reading was making my partner depressed. Now I have to find something to do, preferably with my hands... idk.

https://portal.mozz.us/nex/nightfall.city/classifieds/.

Thank you, I shall make heavy use of this!

Sorry for the short reply, I am empty right now.