Improving Compiler Error Messages [OT]

[Jacob Carlborg]

On 5/3/10 21:03, Nick Sabalausky wrote:
> "Walter Bright"<newshound1 at digitalmars.com>  wrote in message
> news:hrn5ft$oq2$1 at digitalmars.com...
>> Nick Sabalausky wrote:
>>> I'm also another person that finds semicolons magically appearing at the
>>> end of statements...even when I use a language that doesn't allow them ;)
>>
>> It's funny how that works. I was once asked what the key command was for a
>> particular operation in my text editor. I didn't know, so I started the
>> editor and did the operation, watching my fingers, and reported the key
>> command.
>
> I've noticed that a lot in videogames. I never know what button does what,
> but after trying a few buttons I get a "feel" for the controls, and on
> subsequent plays, I still have no idea what does what, but as soon as I grab
> the controller I can just "do" everything. I think most gamers are like this
> too.

That is called muscle memory.

> There's been mention about this in Scientific Americam Mind recently. Don't
> remember exactly which issue or article, but there was a big thing about the
> brain's "sense of body ownership", that part of the brain responsible for
> it, the implications of it (such as how controls can become second-nature,
> such as when driving a car - the brain literally treats it as if it were
> part of the body, about the only difference is that a real limb has neurons
> that act as a "mini-brain" that can learn - that part wasn't mentioned in
> the article, but the Science Channel talked about it once), and the problems
> that can arise when this mechanism gets confused (out-of-body experience,
> phantom limbs, "disowning" limbs and in some cases assuming the limb to be
> "evil" or a communist (I'm not making that up!)).