I Don't Think I Could Code My Way out of a Paper Bag
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This week we chat with Frances Buontempo and Andy Balaam about Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Genetic Algorithms.

We learn how ML is mostly just "multiplying and adding up" with a bit of "randomly trying stuff out" but that you might need a kill switch - except when you don't.

We also revive the "C++ Lamentations" debate and try to make an iota of difference.

Links:

• Frances' book, "Genetic Algorithms and Machine Learning for Programmers"- Build artificial life and grasp the essence of machine learning. Fire cannon balls, swarm bees, diffuse particles, and lead ants out of a paper bag.)
• Amazon link for Frances' book)
• Andy's postcast- Movie and tech podcast with "Clueless" Andy Balaam and "Expert" Andy Cockerill)
• Frances' ACCU 2017 keynote- It has been said, to err is human, to really foul things up requires a computer [citation needed]. Given the long tradition of AI, which sometimes attempts to make a sentient being from hardware, or body parts (think Frankenstein's monster), are humans unique, or is this dream possible? Or desirable?)
• "Modern" C++ Lamentations- The post that kicked off the "modern C++ is un-debuggable" debate)
• Ben Deane's response to "Modern C++ Lamentations"- The C++ committee isn't following some sort of agenda to ignore the needs of game programmers, and 'modern' C++ isn't going to become undebuggable.)
• Sean Parent's response to "Modern C++ Lamentations"- This post is a response for a number of people who have asked me to give my 2¢ to a large Twitter thread, and post by Aras Pranckevičius, that is rooted in a post by Eric Niebler regarding C++20 standard ranges.)
• Genetic Algorithms (wikipedia)- In computer science and operations research, a genetic algorithm (GA) is a metaheuristic inspired by the process of natural selection that belongs to the larger class of evolutionary algorithms (EA). Genetic algorithms are commonly used to generate high-quality solutions to optimization and search problems by relying on bio-inspired operators such as mutation, crossover and selection.)
• Your Code as a Crime Scene- Use Forensic Techniques to Arrest Defects, Bottlenecks, and Bad Design in Your Programs)
• NorDevCon- Tech conference in Norwich, UK)
• ACCU Conference- Tech (with strong C++ focus) conference in Bristol, UK)
• C++ on Sea- Standard ticket pricing ending soon!)