Xref: utzoo comp.lang.pascal:4773 comp.lang.c:34543
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From: subbarao@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Kartik Subbarao)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.pascal,comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: Roots of polynomials
Message-ID: <4529@idunno.Princeton.EDU>
Date: 6 Dec 90 14:40:49 GMT
References: <2173@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> <1990Dec5.175558.29859@dg-rtp.dg.com>
Sender: news@idunno.Princeton.EDU
Followup-To: comp.lang.pascal
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In article <1990Dec5.175558.29859@dg-rtp.dg.com> hagins@gamecock.rtp.dg.com (Jody Hagins) writes:
>In article <2173@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, k3u@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Barry Smith) writes:
>|> Does anyone have the source code to routines that can extract
>|> the complex roots of polynomials?  If there is a book that has
>|> the source code that would be fine too.
>
>Yeh, I wrote one when I was in school too.
>I didn't have any problems with it, and as I remember, even
>the "slower" students seemed to provide a workable solution.
>So, keep working (or should I say start working), and I'm
>sure you'll be able to write one soon enough.
>
>
>GENERAL NOTE:
>
>It's getting close to finals time, and while it is tempting,
>this newsgroup is not the place for getting your homework
>done.  This group (comp.lang.c) and comp.lang.pascal (the other
>group to which this article was posted) is meant for mutual exchange
>(and education) concerning these languages.  Not only is it unethical,
>but I'm sure your school has an honor code which prohibits this
>type of activity.  I'm getting tired of seeing "do my homework"
>requests on this network!!!!  How in the hell do you expect to
>learn anything if others do it for you all the time?!?!?!?!?


Yes this is true. But why are you assuming that he wants to do his homework
on USENET? Don't you think its a bit prejudging to assume right off the
bat about a person's intentions? Especially the part about "slower"
students and the like. That's getting downright condescending. I really 
don't think that kind of tone belongs in an educational newsgroup (your own 
words). What if he is doing some independent work on the stuff and wants to
find out whether there already exists code to do what he wants? There
certainly is no point to re-inventing the wheel. I certainly am not going
to take too much time writing someting that I need done quickly and is
already around.

IMNSFHO comp.lang.c is an informational newsgroup about C, and people are
here for free exchange of information regarding the language. There is no
need for censors like you to say "oh that question shouldn't be answered", 
because it comes from an undergraduate student. This might make you feel 
sad, but believe it or not, I have learned stuff on this newsgroup that 
has helped me with (gosh) official computer programming assignments that 
I hand in. I think that's the purpose of this, not to decide who to dole
out information to. 

If a person wants to do his homework on the net, there really is no way to
stop him. It's between him and his own conscience as to what he wants, and
others can't make that decision for him. If you don't want to answer him,
then don't. But there is no need to collectively put down questions of this
sort under a WARNING: flag.

Anyway -- what does everyone else think about this? I've seen both sorts of
attitudes on the subject. What do you guys think comp.lang.c should do?



			-Kartik







			

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