This week we chat with Frances Buontempo and Andy Balaam about Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Genetic Algorithms. We learn how ML is mostly just "multiplying and adding up" with a bit of "randomly trying stuff out" but that you might need a kill switch - except when you don't. We also revive the "C++ Lamentations" debate and try to make an iota of difference. Special Guests: Andy Balaam and Frances Buontempo. Links: Frances' book, "Genetic Algorithms and Machine Learning for Programmers" — Build artificial life and grasp the essence of machine learning. Fire cannon balls, swarm bees, diffuse particles, and lead ants out of a paper bag.Amazon link for Frances' bookAndy's postcast — Movie and tech podcast with "Clueless" Andy Balaam and "Expert" Andy CockerillFrances' ACCU 2017 keynote — It has been said, to err is human, to really foul things up requires a computer [citation needed]. Given the long tradition of AI, which sometimes attempts to make a sentient being from hardware, or body parts (think Frankenstein’s monster), are humans unique, or is this dream possible? Or desirable?"Modern" C++ Lamentations — The post that kicked off the "modern C++ is un-debuggable" debateBen Deane's response to "Modern C++ Lamentations" — TL;DR: The C++ committee isn’t following some sort of agenda to ignore the needs of game programmers, and “modern” C++ isn’t going to become undebuggable.Sean Parent's response to "Modern C++ Lamentations" — This post is a response for a number of people who have asked me to give my 2¢ to a large Twitter thread, and post by Aras Pranckevičius, that is rooted in a post by Eric Niebler regarding C++20 standard ranges.Genetic Algorithms (wikipedia) — In computer science and operations research, a genetic algorithm (GA) is a metaheuristic inspired by the process of natural selection that belongs to the larger class of evolutionary algorithms (EA). Genetic algorithms are commonly used to generate high-quality solutions to optimization and search problems by relying on bio-inspired operators such as mutation, crossover and selection.Your Code as a Crime Scene — Use Forensic Techniques to Arrest Defects, Bottlenecks, and Bad Design in Your ProgramsNorDevCon — Tech conference in Norwich, UKACCU Conference — Tech (with strong C++ focus) conference in Bristol, UKC++ on Sea — Standard ticket pricing ending soon!