The story BCG offered me $16,000 not to tell

Post by jodrellblank » Mon, Apr 12, 2010, 8:02 PM UTC

3pt14159 wrote: post #83

eru wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The joys of linear optimization. Do you know if it also supports integer optimization? (Doing that fast enough would be a feat in pure Excell.)

There are multiple versions of Solver. To get the free one to do this requires a hack (using some sort of Fourier Transform into a cell or something, I think there are multiple ways). There are paid versions of Solver that are far more powerful, with fully developed APIs. Also, Iron Python can be used with Excel, which makes the whole thing really intense because many Python Libs can be used. Excel truly is Microsoft…

Post by gaius » Mon, Apr 12, 2010, 8:42 PM UTC

Silhouette wrote: post #180

gaius wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only time an agreement like this is standard is when you know you're doing something you shouldn't be, and you know you're about to lose your legitimate influence over people who could out you, so you try to buy their silence because to you the cost is cheap. What country are you in? In the UK this is pure boilerplate text.

I'm in the UK, and I have never had anything even close to this proposed to me, by any employer, of any size, regardless of how happily I left. It's only boilerplate text if you're the kind of person who also accepted the "We own copyright to everything you ever do, at work or otherwise" clause in the employment contract.

Post by fauigerzigerk » Mon, Apr 12, 2010, 8:56 PM UTC

eru wrote: post #170

pmiller2 wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He's saying that since Einstein wasn't a rich man, by the author's logic, he couldn't have contributed much to society.

No, he doesn't say so. The reverse of A -> B is not B -> A or even (not A) -> (not B), but (not B) -> (not A).

Post by fauigerzigerk » Mon, Apr 12, 2010, 9:18 PM UTC

CWuestefeld wrote: post #166

fauigerzigerk wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Shareholders care only about relative performance. Absolute performance is irrelevant. So as long as all big companies in a particular sector waste X on consultants, that's fine for the shareholder. It doesn't even affect the dividend as you might think, because if everyone does it the cost can be passed on to clients. Shareholders start to care once a lean competitor enters the scene. Someone who does away with all…

So as long as all big companies in a particular sector waste X on consultants, that's fine for the shareholder. That's incorrect. As a shareholder, I can sell my stock and reinvest the proceeds into a company in a whole different industry. Thus, companies must compete for shareholders.

Post by fauigerzigerk » Mon, Apr 12, 2010, 9:35 PM UTC

eru wrote: post #186

Psyonic wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

contributes -> rich : (not rich) -> (not contributes)... what exactly are you arguing?

Einstein did not contribute to the market, and thus shouldn't be judged by that. You could say he gave his insights away as gifts (or in exchange for reputation?).