Comments on: Is there such a thing as “success by brute force”? http://dossy.org/2006/12/is-there-such-a-thing-as-success-by-brute-force/ Everything that comes out of Dossy, from the strange to the banal. Wed, 16 May 2012 14:29:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Dossy http://dossy.org/2006/12/is-there-such-a-thing-as-success-by-brute-force/comment-page-1/#comment-588 Dossy Mon, 04 Dec 2006 01:43:53 +0000 http://dossy.org/archives/000376.html#comment-588 Peter: I agree. I wonder, what's the difference between persistence and tenacity? Is one a form of the other? Peter: I agree. I wonder, what’s the difference between persistence and tenacity? Is one a form of the other?

]]> By: peter caputa http://dossy.org/2006/12/is-there-such-a-thing-as-success-by-brute-force/comment-page-1/#comment-587 peter caputa Sun, 03 Dec 2006 19:29:29 +0000 http://dossy.org/archives/000376.html#comment-587 I think there is a big difference between persistence and brute force. Persistence is what makes someone successful. But, it's persistence in picking up the phone. Persistently improving an application. Persistently serving client. etc. I think there is a big difference between persistence and brute force. Persistence is what makes someone successful. But, it’s persistence in picking up the phone. Persistently improving an application. Persistently serving client. etc.

]]> By: Dossy http://dossy.org/2006/12/is-there-such-a-thing-as-success-by-brute-force/comment-page-1/#comment-586 Dossy Sat, 02 Dec 2006 16:24:47 +0000 http://dossy.org/archives/000376.html#comment-586 Ian: Thank you. After I'd written this, I realized I forgot to include the dynamic vs. static nature of problems, and indeed I agree with you: in practice, an attempted solution will likely change the problem. This means that classic brute force methods might be impractical. However, what does this mean for the four traits I outlined (rationality, skepticism, resilience and tenacity)? Are these traits equally important even when success doesn't come by brute force? What other traits would you add to the list as being important for success? (Note: I'm very carefully trying to avoid identifying "success" as "commercial success" or "mainstream success" but simply the act of achieving personally identified goals.) Ian: Thank you. After I’d written this, I realized I forgot to include the dynamic vs. static nature of problems, and indeed I agree with you: in practice, an attempted solution will likely change the problem. This means that classic brute force methods might be impractical.

However, what does this mean for the four traits I outlined (rationality, skepticism, resilience and tenacity)? Are these traits equally important even when success doesn’t come by brute force? What other traits would you add to the list as being important for success?

(Note: I’m very carefully trying to avoid identifying “success” as “commercial success” or “mainstream success” but simply the act of achieving personally identified goals.)

]]> By: Ian Knight http://dossy.org/2006/12/is-there-such-a-thing-as-success-by-brute-force/comment-page-1/#comment-585 Ian Knight Sat, 02 Dec 2006 15:34:46 +0000 http://dossy.org/archives/000376.html#comment-585 It seems to me that brute force must be successful, in theory, in a static challenge, where the input of wrong answers doesn't affect the nature of the problem. However, I also suspect that many, if not most, challenges one might face in the real world are affected by the solutions one attempts, so that a series of brute force attempts could fundamentally change the nature of the problem. This could include making the solution require far more energy; making the problem essentially unsolvable; changing the problem from a single problem to a multitude of problems; or even altering the problem such that a previously failed solution would now be successful. Just a thought. It seems to me that brute force must be successful, in theory, in a static challenge, where the input of wrong answers doesn’t affect the nature of the problem. However, I also suspect that many, if not most, challenges one might face in the real world are affected by the solutions one attempts, so that a series of brute force attempts could fundamentally change the nature of the problem. This could include making the solution require far more energy; making the problem essentially unsolvable; changing the problem from a single problem to a multitude of problems; or even altering the problem such that a previously failed solution would now be successful.

Just a thought.

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