How about music as code…Sonic-Pi would like to offer a counterpoint :)

https://sonic-pi.net/

Not sure how large you're looking for - however, I use a LG 43" 4K monitor as a TV. Lots of connectivity - Multiple HDMI, DVI and even USBC inputs.

That's thousands of dollars, though, innit?

About 700USD last time I checked. Model number is 43un700

In other words, 43" for the price of a 65".

Interesting way to look at it. You could look at it another way and say what whatever they were doing before worked and got them this far. However, will what they are doing work for their continued future?

It might. It might not.

What would the technical and cultural cost of moving to a different toolchain be?

The author seems to think that obviously moving to modern tools would be better.

Would it? Or would it just add to the chaos? Would build times really improve, would debugging become easier and more streamlined, would issue tracking improve?

My guess is that changing the entire culture to the point where there were real, measurable benefits would take from a few months to a year, with a lot of unproductive downtime.

The current toolchain is not optimal, but it still sort of works. And in a limited environment like set-top, it will probably continue to work.

Bottom line: don't innovate tools for the sake of it. Innovate if it's going to give you more customers and more profit. But not otherwise.

Real innovation doesn't lead with absolute certainty, it does not know whether it will lead to a reward. I really don't understand the mentality here where everyone thinks they know what they are doing before they do it. I can understand the need to have confidence and the desire to measure out a metric of predictive possibilities, but they are only predictions. For some things, you really don't know what will happen until it happens - especially when it involves chaotic systems such as people and their wants/needs/desires.

if 'fancy way of saying' means it has a specific chemical composition then sure, yes it's a way of saying it was white.

Our entire modern day computing experience is built upon 'Layers upon layers of complexity, abstraction, technologies, etc.';Simple and easy doesn't necessarily mean less.

They (well, in this case Facebook) did request it:

http://www.wpcentral.com/facebook-windows-phone-store-tradem...

This might help: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_learning_environment

Whilst I completely respect their decision to withdraw the LogMeIn Free product offering I found the notification period way too short and badly communicated. I received an email this morning saying there would no longer be a LogMeIn Free offering from today and a subscription would be required to continue using the service. Digging further it appears there's a 7 day grace period for existing users - although there's no mention of that in the email. It's a stellar product for sure so I now find myself asking if I want to do business with a company that communicates this badly with it's users.

I have no sympathy here - interviewing is hard for both parties and isn't going to be solved by imposing rules like this; you won't get better hires by asking them not to prepare.

Also, (possibly off topic...) am I the only one that thought of the Kobayashi Maru after reading this?

That last part is simply incorrect; Councils have a time limit on whether empty properties are exempt from council tax. Also, there's an extra 50% penalty if it's been empty/unfurnished for 2 years or more: https://www.gov.uk/council-tax/second-homes-and-empty-proper...