Category Archives: Engineering
Prometheus: Why The Engineers Were Heading To Earth | Screen Rant – Screen Rant
In Ridley Scott's Prometheus, why were the primordial beings known as the Engineers planning on heading to Earth before they were attacked?
In Ridley Scotts 2012 sci-fi mystery, Prometheus, why were the engineers heading to Earth? The central themes that pervade both Prometheusand its 2017 sequel, Alien: Covenant,can help one better understand this, as both movies deal with the fraught relations between creator and creation, reflecting a classic tussle for power amid the two. Prometheus follows a human expedition headed by archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green), wherein humanity seeks knowledge about belief, immortality, and death from beings that appear god-like in comparison to mortals.
The opening shot of Prometheus features an unforgettable sequence wherein an Engineer named Sacrifice drinks the black goo - which was later discovered by the android, David, on LV-223 - from an urn to create humanity itself, which is accomplished through an act of literal disintegration. The ritualistic sacrifice of this particular Engineer is not different from the lore surrounding the Mayans and the Incas and carries religious undertones, which is subtly hinted at throughout Prometheus, especially when it is revealed that an Engineer was sent to Earth so as to prevent humanity from being consumed by cruelty and aggression, who is believed to be Christ himself. Although very little is known about these beings, their origins, and motivations, it is established that Engineers are a primordial species, with access to cutting-edge technology, which also involved genetic engineering.
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When the human expedition team enters the Derelicts Orrery, the murals on the walls, along with the corpse of an Engineer, exemplify that they were equipped with bio-spacesuits and hazmat suit-styled bio-masks, which could potentially be protection gear for the bioweapons found at the alien temple. The crew of the UCSS Prometheus, especially Peter Weyland, are on a doomed quest right from the start. Weyland wishes to prolong his lifespan, and demands so from his maker, without a clear understanding of the core beliefs of the alien race. What ensues is a reversal of the creator-creation dynamic in Blade Runner, as here, the primordial creator views Weylands request as a fall from grace, which is an indication of failure as a race that does not deserve redemption. Prior to this, Weylands daughter, Vickers, questions his hubris, driving the point home: "A king has his reign, and then he dies. It's inevitable.
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Prometheus: Why The Engineers Were Heading To Earth | Screen Rant - Screen Rant
Total hands out UKCS engineering framework deals to trio of consultants – News for the Oil and Gas Sector – Energy Voice
A trio of consultancies said yesterday they had clinched contracts to provide engineering services on oil and gas giant Totals UK continental shelf (UKCS) assets.
In separate announcements, Apollo, Atkins and Xodus Group said they would help deliver a range of services for the Paris-headquartered operator over the next three years.
A source claimed the work being dished out via the framework agreements was worth a mid-seven-figure sum in total over the period.
Work packages include safety, environmental, development, facilities, subsea and pipeline engineering, process and flow assurance, and decommissioning.
Apollo, of Aberdeen, was acquired last year by Inverness-headquartered Global Energy Group (GEG).
The companys brownfield engineering capability was combined with GEGs integrity and construction division to create Global Engineering & Construction. Apollos consultancy business continued to operate under its existing brand.
Bosses at Apollo said the deal with Total whose UKCS assets include the massive Culzean gas development, Elgin/Franklin, Laggan-Tormore and the Glendronach discovery was its largest consultancy contract win to date.
They added the company was in a good position to weather the storm of Covid-19 and low oil prices, and the new contract would help Apollo continue on its growth trajectory.
Paul Ellerton, consultancy director, Apollo, said: The award of the contract is a significant milestone in building our relationship with Total.
All the team is excited by the opportunity and looking forward to see what we can achieve together.
We have continued to grow year-on-year in a very challenging market, so this award really cements our position as one of the leading engineering providers in the UKCS.
Apollo business development executive Roisean Farquhar added: Total is one of the largest operators in the North Sea and to be chosen to support them really proves the talent that exists within Apollo.
Xodus, a subsidiary of energy service giant Subsea 7, is also headquartered in the Granite City.
Andrew Wylie, Europe, Middle East and Africa regional director, Xodus, said: We have enjoyed a relationship with Total since we launched 15 years ago and are extremely pleased to be continuing our support for its UK operations as we transition to a net-zero energy efficient future.
Aktins is part of Canadian engineering group SNC-Lavalin, whose Aberdeen-based market director for resources, Matt Browell-Hook, said: Securing this framework is a recognition of the high-quality engineering weve provided to Total over the past years, with a broadening of scope across all our core service lines.
We will utilise our UK expertise through Atkins and global teams to bring a continued focus on decarbonisation to ensure long-term value and sustainability for the North Sea as the industry concentrates on energy transition.
It is understood Genesis, a subsidiary of TechnipFMC, is also competing for a share of the action.
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10 books thatll help you become a better software engineer – The Next Web
Today Im answering one of your questions: what are the books Id recommend to learn more about programming? Before jumping into the recommendations, let me clarify one thing. I did not read all the books listed below. However, I read many of them, and those I didnt read were recommendations I got in the past or are books highly recommended by others in the industry.
Also, I want to state that books are super important to develop skills, learn about best practices, and acquire general knowledge. Still, the most important thing to do when learning to code is to practice and build things independently.So read the books, and then sit down on your computer and perform your magic.
Lets now start with my recommendations for developers.
This book is a masterpiece that will push your software engineering skills to the next level. The book is well-written and covers a variety of topics that will test your limits to better engineering.
The book covers methods and techniques focusing on code design, routines, and quality. I recommend this book to every developer, though it may be overwhelming for those just starting or with little experience.
Planning on landing a new job? Are you taking or planning to take interviews? Then, this book is for you.
Its a collection of frequently asked questions by the top tech companies covering topics such as Big O notation, data structures, algorithms, dynamic programming, object-oriented programming, among other things.
The books author tells his story with interviews, working in giant tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google.
Algorithms, algorithms, algorithms? We all know some sort of definition of the word like: An algorithm is a set of instructions that performs a specific task. Many developers can still go months working on projects without understanding the most common algorithms and data structures. Sometimes we simply dont need them, or so we think. Knowledge of advanced algorithms can help make your code cleaner, not to mention you would be able to complete more complex tasks, and last but not least, its usually a topic for interviews.
This is one of the best books of the present time to develop coding skills. It covers and provides a brief introduction to all aspects of coding skills. It consists of five parts that cover 27 chapters. This book offers a complete guide to fundamental concepts of programming (loops, strings, modules, files, etc.), Object-Oriented Programming, and BASH. It also provides basic guidelines for your first programming job interview.
I highly recommended this book for self-taught developers like myself, though its a good read for any developer in general.
This book compiles the story of 15 excellent developers in the form of interview questions. All the questions aimed at their daily life and challenges as software engineers. There is much to be learned from others experiences, and this book does an amazing job at that. Covering topics such as software development, debugging technics, and programming languages is a no brainer for any developer.
The book about coding best practices. If you often write code, this is definitely for you. Covering topics that will make you write better code every time, no matter the programming language. Though it focuses on java, the concepts apply to many other object-oriented programming languages.
A must-read for software developers, specifically for beginners. The book is like a toolbox, filled with battle-proven tools that will help you be your best self when it comes to writing beautiful and practical code.
I havent read this myself, but it looks very promising, and my friends and colleagues highly recommended it.
Just by looking at the glossary, you can tell so much about the potential of this book. Covering all aspects of software engineering, talking about code and how to get better at it, and other soft skills such as negotiation, time management, estimation, collaboration, and much more.
The book is not only the ultimate guide to making you a better software developer; but also to make you a better software engineer, entrepreneur, and team member.
If I say that this book is an NYTimes best-seller, you would probably think its not a programming book; you would be right; this book is about business and entrepreneurship, and I believe that many developers have this spirit, so knowing a thing or two can be a crucial factor when building your own company.
If you have a million-dollar idea, give this book a try; with all the previous books, you have enough knowledge to build any product you like. Make it rock!
I know were software developers and not designers, but believe me that having some knowledge of design and user experience will boost your productivity as a developer, especially when working in teams with designers and UX experts or building your product.
This article was originally published on Live Code Stream by Juan Cruz Martinez (twitter: @bajcmartinez), founder and publisher of Live Code Stream, entrepreneur, developer, author, speaker, and doer of things.
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10 books thatll help you become a better software engineer - The Next Web