Slashback: Debianism, Nukes, Discretion

Slashback slung at you tonight from 36 deg 02.412N 083 deg 24.61W with Debian pictures, the word on KIllustrator (which is not "KIlladobe"), a vague promise from Psion that they will return with consumer devices eventually, and an interesting exchange regarding the proper choice of tracking database for your local nuclear materials facility.

Lots of pretty pictures. An unnamed reader wrote to say "that notes and pictures from the Debian Conference are now available." There are lots of cool (somewhat KDE-centric, go figure) shots from the recent LinuxTag in an article at dot.kde.org, too ;)

Adobe: an especially thick, recalcitrant material. aicra writes: "according to an email sent to the list:

KIllustrator is now known as 'Kontour' (after Adobe claimed that KIllustrator was too close to Adobe Illustrator, in case you haven't followed the news).

This obviously breaks translations... I have kept the name killustrator.po[t] for the message files, so this remains. But the appearances of the word KIllustrator have been replaced.

This delays the release by about 2 days -- so that there is time to get the new messages translated for rc1 if you're fast (and for the final release otherwise)."

Cute nuclear material shipment, has all shots, answers to "Lucky." We miss it very much. Please call. Random Walk writes: "The Russian memo, and the email exchange between Russian and U.S. principals involved in the problem of nuclear material lost in a MS database, is available online from the CDI. I found the following sentence particularly funny: 'Relatively poor quality of Microsoft SQL Server has created very serious problems in development and implementation of CMAS.' There is a very detailed discussion of the problem(s) with MS SQL Servers 6.5 and 7.0. The Russian report also has interesting words about the 'common fault failure' problem and the need to be more careful when selecting software for critical systems."

Take this exchange for what you will. As michael posted the other day though, the issue isn't necessarily all (or even primarily) Microsoft. The importance of robust software doing the dirty work doesn't get much clearer though.

Absolutely, positively, undeniably, unmitigatedly maybe. Later. Last week, we relayed a report that Psion was getting out of the consumer products market. An Anonymous Coward writes now, however, that "according to this article at Psion Place: Peter Bancroft, a senior spokesman for Psion, released a follow-up statement saying that 'There will be more Psion consumer products in the future.' According to Bancroft Psion is merely 'suspending' their plans to develop a consumer Bluetooth device."

The same statment, though, indicates that if Psion does eventually develop consumer products again (with hints about Bluetooth), it may make them in combination with a partner, or sell off the rights entirely.

Comments

Re:It clearly is an MS SQL Server Error

[pod]

Yes, there is definitely something funny going on with select/order by in mssql. We're running a 6.5 db, and sometimes the queries will not return the full set of rows (confirmed in both the Enterprise Manager query window and an ODBC app). This has so far (to my knowledge anyways) not affected any critical data, but then again I wouldn't know if 54869 rows were returned instead of 54893, and a perl script sure as hell doesn't have a chance. It's quite disconcerting.

--

Psion and the consumer market

[jht]

Well, after reading a comment in last week's Psion article about the Diamond Mako (a rebadged Revo Plus) being available at Outpost and a few other places for just $100, I ordered one. What the heck - I have a Palm Vx now and a HP Jornada 520 (the HP was free), and I've had a Newton and a Sharp Wizard in the past, along with a couple of prior Palms. I also have a Blackberry (mostly e-mail, I don't use the PDA functionality on it). I've been looking for a "perfect" PDA since before they were called PDA's, and I'd always wanted to try a Psion but they were too damned expensive.

So after using it for a full weekend +, I can see the usefulness of it to some people but I also can see why Psion's made pretty much zero dent in the consumer PDA market as a whole. I'd played with some other models before, but the Revo Plus is the first one I've owned.

Good points to the Psion:
-When folded, the shell is pretty solid. It's the only plastic PDA I've ever felt comfortable with in a pants pocket (the converse, though, is it's a little tall for shirt pockets).
-The weight is comfortable to carry.
-Battery life is excellent, and there's clear battery life indicators.
-It's pretty quick - switching applications is fast once you get used to the clunky way to do it (or download a nice free task switcher).
-EPOC apps seem to generally be pretty compact. With 16MB of RAM you can cram a lot o stuff into it.
-Licensing Opera: Good Move!
-Like CE, you can browse the palmtop's filesystem when it's docked from your PC. It makes transfers pretty easy.

Unfortunately, it's balanced by things that truly suck:
-The screen (the Revo is non-backlit) can be murky.
-When open, it feels pretty flimsy and flexes in my hand. It's much nicer on a table than in the hand.
- The connectivity software included with the Diamond version is horrid (an older EPOC Connect version). Downloading the current version from Psion (and patching it to the latest fixes) makes it usable, but it still has an alarming habit of disconnecting itself from my Windows laptop with no warning.
-The CopyAnywhere software for Psion/Windows clipboard sharing sucks hard.
-Syncing with Outlook (which I hate, but it is the standard for us) results in Outlook popping up to ask permission to share the e-mail addresses. Outlook thinks PsiWin's a damned macro virus! My Palm and Blackberry don't have this problem - they actually integrate with Outlook well.
-Syncing with my Mac at home - the Palm does it for free (with a free download or software on the disc nowadays, I believe). Buy a Mac, and the software to sync a Palm is already on the hard drive. Psion charges $65 for it, and all it can do is file backups.
-On a related note, all you can easily share from Outlook is the Contacts and Calendar files (which are probably the strongest of the built-in Psion apps, IMO). And the notes from Contacts don't transfer. Also, the Notes section of Outlook doesn't map to anything at all (no conduit), so I had to export to Notepad and copy the .txt file over. Which put it into Psion Word, not their Notepad app. Oh well.

Basically, I like the unit, it's useful, rugged (when closed), has a nice geek factor to it, and I don't regret buying it at all. That said, I think the average consumer would be far better served with a Palm (or maybe CE), and here's why:

-Palms are far cheaper on average. Easier impulse buy.
-A Palm has much more seamless connectivity with the two main desktop platforms out there (Mac and Windows), and it's all included for free with the organizers. Linux support is pretty good, too.
-Palms are smaller, lighter, and more easily pass the shirt pocket test. They also feel more solid when being used. Pocket PC's usually feel like tanks (and excepting the iPaq, are usually built like them) - they're even more rugged than the Psion is.

Re:Psion and the consumer market

[Y2K is bogus]

You say that Psions cost more than Palms, yet you bought one for $100. I don't see your logic.

Yes, the Revo has a lower res and smaller screen. It makes some apps difficult.

The task switcher is odd, but switching tasks is easier if you just click on the icon on the launcher bar, it does the same thing.

I have a 5mx and a Series 7. The 5mx is a little slower (for most things, but a lot for CPU intensive items). It works well, but the 7 has a 640x480 STN color screen and a larger keyboard. The 7 is a little bulky to carry, but the 5 isn't as nice to use for long periods.

All in all, a 5 is a killer item, and if you have a GSM phone (I bought one just for it), it integrates really well. Phoneman can manage your phone contacts and send SMS and ringtones.

The spreadsheet is killer, and Jotter (notepad) works really well for making little freeform databases (like conversion tables).

It has real SQL query support for database files, via the OPL interface. Also, the contacts/database functionality is pretty sophisticated.

If you can afford a Series 7, get it, it supports CF type 2 and PCMCIA type 2. It's fast and can hold 32MB of RAM. The enterprise version has an NE2000 ethernet adaptor built in. If you do a lot of writing, the keyboard on the 7 is awesome.

If you can't afford a 7, the 5mx is your next best choice. It has all the same features, yet it's B&W and smaller (about 40%). It uses 2 AA batteries and runs about 20hours without the backlight on. It's keyboard is functional, but many common characters require FN-key combinations.

The Revo is an excellent competitor to PIMs, but is too small for a lot of keyboard use. The screen is 480x240, so it has the display area of a 5 with the toolbars turned on. On the upside it has really tiny pixels which make everything look extra sharp. It also comes with a docking cradle and Phoneman builtin.

The EPOC series of devices are lightyears ahead of any other PIM/PDA OS and application suite. EPOC is by far the most functional OS for a PDA. It doesn't have handwriting recognition, but rather uses a keyboard. The pen is like a touch screen mouse. It is well laid out and intuitive to use. It makes very good use of screen real estate and file storage. The 16MB that comes in most is storage AND memory to run, which shows just how efficient EPOC is.

EPOC is the OS of the future for every handheld consumer device, Nokia switched to it for the new communicator series, and the new phones are awesome.

Re:Blamethrowing

[DGolden]

Actually, a hell of a lot of really good engineering work does go into lego - and most regualtions-compliant kids toys in general. It's quite difficult to make toys that kids won't hurt themselves with - and, while they can still choke on lego, the whole choking-on-stuff thing tends to pass before you hit the lego recommended age ( and for before that, you have the unswallowable Duplo).

Designing safe kid's toys is not easy! Note that I am a qualified mechanical engineer, with experience of meeting safety requirements for a pedal car, so this isn't just me talking crap.

At the same time, I really think that kids these days are just too safe - all they seem to learn is how to be good little consumers...

Re:Blamethrowing

[BattyMan]

Jeezus, do they still _make_ pedal carz?

I thought they had been outlawed in principle - for safety reasons.

I remember those well. They were a _great_ way to do all kinds of foot injuries, from pinching them in the moving parts to scraping them on the ground. There were, of course, the whole gamut of collision class problems (other kids had pedal carz, too) and then there were the running-off-the -road style problems (just put one over a curb - with or without help from another vehicle - a rollover is a distinct possibility, with pinched fingers pretty much guaranteed).

But the _real_ way to really really kill yourself was to get a bigger kid (the bigger the better - kinda like the big-block V8 engines that were being mounted in real cars at the time) to shove you up to an honest 15MPH or so. At that kind of speed, anything could happen - except that you couldn't get yer feet anywhere _near_ the pedals, so braking was pretty much out of the question.

It sure was a good thing we didn't live near any good, steep hills. The kids who lived near hills had _scars_.

All I see in toy stores anymore are electric jobs with a top speed of about 2 mi/hr, and reduction gearing so strong that there's no possibility of pushing them any faster.

DON'T GET ME WRONG! Pedal cars taught me vital lessons: that I wasn't indestructable, and that moving concrete sidewalk can _hurt_ raw skin. Both these proved invaluable as soon as I learned to ride a bicycle....

You can't tell me any amount of engineering in the world can make those things "safe".

Lego? Fsck that - I was known to eat _staples_!

Long/Lat Coordinates

[the_ed]

Unless I'm wrong here, which I very well could be, those coordinates put them right here, which is smack in the middle of North Carolina. Thats quite some ways from Michigan (or Maryland).

Slashdot's traveling, I guess.

It clearly is an MS SQL Server Error

[the way]

The memo explains the testing in detail and clarifies that the fault was isolated as a MS SQL Server bug. The problem in v6.5 was 'fixed' in 7.0, but it turned out that 7.0 had only reduced the bug's impact, not fixed it. As a regular SQL Server user (now using 2000) I can confirm that SELECT integrity bugs are not unusual, as can be seen by reviewing the bug-fix list for each service pack. The relevent part of the memo is here:

Additional tests were developed in order to detect a systematic appearance of this SQL Server 6.5 software flaw. These tests were constructed in a such way that a presence of a flaw in the SQL Server 6.5 has been proved for sure. Microsoft did confirm a presence of this software flaw. This flaw has been filed by Microsoft as flaw No. SRX000403600845.

In a course of transition of KI-MACS application software core from version 6.5 to 7.0 and intensive testing of the modified KI-MACS, at the end of July, 2000 one more flaw has been detected in the SQL Server 7.0. This flaw has been recognized by the Microsoft and filed as flaw No. SRX000727603512. Principal modifications introduced by the Microsoft in SQL Server 7.0 which are relating to the data security and data protection in a Database, and presence of the said flaw, are considered as creating a direct threat to data security and data protection in the SQL Server 7.0 Databases.

Re:Precisely my point.

[technos]

Pay attention. There have been two confirmed bugs in *Microsoft's* database, causing errors. These are not a product of bad design or error on the part of the KI-MACS developers.

In addition, there were flaws in KI-MACS that were not. But saying Microsoft is blameless is a lie.

Re:Shared Source

[crucini]

For all the MS-bashing on this story, the bug seems a bit esoteric. All software has bugs.

Huh? "SELECT ... ORDER BY ..." is by far the most common type of SQL statement in every database project I've worked on. If the data is for human consumption, you always need an ORDER BY clause because relational databases do not store rows in any particular order. If the SELECT is not for human consumption, there are still often good reasons to request sorted data. This is a monumentally grave bug. If the system I'm developing now were on MSQL (thank God it's on Oracle instead) this bug could cause us to 'forget' amounts that are owed to us - in other words assets. Worse, we could forget liabilities and find out later that we've incorrectly reported our financial position to our investors. I would be really surprised to see a bug of this magnitude in Oracle. Oracle has many frustrating limitations and poor design decisions, but I trust it to accurately report the data it is storing.

Re:Lost Data

[Trepalium]

An incompetent DBA can lose data in any RDBMS of his or her choosing, surely.

Indeed. However, most people rely on the fact that the database server itself won't lend a willing hand in the destruction of your data by feeding you incorrect information from SELECT commands.

MS SQL Server is alive and kicking and pervasive throughout enterprise computing. With proper care, it can be as reliable and strong as Oracle and leagues stronger than MySQL or PostgreSQL.

Reliable is not random data loss. If SELECTs and ORDER BY ops are not returning all the data they should, there is something seriously wrong, and the best DBA in the world probably can't do a damn thing about it. One would expect that some esoteric features might be buggy, but one that is as ubiquitous as SELECT? RDBMS's live and die by the data integrity they provide -- I wouldn't run MySQL for a mission critical system that could not ever lose or corrupt data because it was never made for that. MS SQL and Oracle are both designed to do this, and if MS SQL can't deliver, I'd call that a pretty big reliability problem.

Re:mysql loses data all the time.

[jorbettis]

Never use MySQL to store anything important. Use PostgreSQL, InterBase, or some other Open Source DBMS which passes the ACID test.

Check here for a discussion of the problems with MySQL.

The difference, though, is that MySQL does not pretend to be a real DBMS. It's problems are well known and documented. Even Las Alamos couldn't mistake it for one. MS SQL, on the other hand, is marketed as a enterprise level RDBMS. Consequently, its users have an expectation of a resonable level of quality.

In short, it is acceptable for MySQL to lose data, it is not acceptable for PostgreSQL, Oracle, Interbase, MS SQL, or any other database in their league to behave in a similar manner.

Re:Shared Source

[mikeee]

>no data is actually being lost - its just not showing up where it should be.

You're saying that the data isn't lost, you just can't find it?

Hello!

And when it comes to nuclear security, I'll take transparency over features any day; put the damn records in a flat file if you have to.

Re:Blamethrowing

[doctor_oktagon]

Microsoft has always touted the user interface of Windows NT as a selling feature, implying even a rank idiot could operate a Windows NT server (and many do). I think it's fair game to call out user interface errors when they are found.

But by this logic Unix has an inherent failure in letting any idiot do rm -r when they've just backed up one level from a symlink, and trashed a vital directory structure! My point was that blaming a standard human-computer interface allowing you to delete a database hardly constitutes MS evil.

I don't even dare apply Windows NT or MSSQL7 service packs to it

Try it, with SQL server it usually works. If it doesn't then revert to your backup.

That said, I do use it myself at work for the website and the online ordering for non-critical data such as pricing, and minimal customer data. If information is lost, it's not important, because it will not affect operations at the company one bit

I think you may find "online ordering" is fairly mission critical for those websites who rely on the Internet as a shop-front, and thousands of those rely on MS SQL Server. I rarely recommend MS products, and even rarer when they are used as components of web servers (I'm a security consultant after all), but I think the product is being flamed far more than it deserves here.

I'd deploy Oracle on Solaris 8 days a week if I could, but it's expensive, full of magic (none of which is in manuals, it's smoke & mirrors DBAing), and is only cost-effective for real cash-generating business entities. If you want a reasonably straightforward system with cheap support costs (in terms of manpower), then there are far worse things than deploying SQL server.

How often the MSSQL errors occurred...

[ErikTheRed]

Especially developed tests did confirm that a source of random errors is an error in execution of the 'SELECT' with 'ORDER BY' (sorting by) statement by the Microsoft SQL Server in version 6.5, and such error is not provided by any SQL Server diagnostic. Evaluated mean value for frequency of appearance the said error is about 1.0e-03 per execution of 'SELECT' with 'ORDER BY' statement.

A frequency of 1.0e-03 is pretty damned often, at least in my book!

Re:Blamethrowing

[Enigma2175]

lets you wipe out a whole table with a single mouse click and gives no warning or confirm dialog

mysql>show databases
LittleData
BigData
mysql
mysql>drop database BigData;
ok, 0 rows affected

mysql>show databases
LittleData
mysql
mysql>

Damn, looks like I wiped a whole database(not just a table) with a single command with no warning or confirm dialog. The point is any inept administrator can lose data. You mention replication, but what good does replication do in this instance? The database gets dropped from your replicated DB as well. Time to find the tapes....


Enigma

The K Syndrome...

[sasha328]

KIllustrator is now known as 'Kontour' (after Adobe claimed that KIllustrator ...)

We need to ban the letter 'K' from all Linux software. The misspelled words are Killing me.

What's next? kmdrTaco?

Re:GIMP can't replace PS until CMYK patents expire

[GigsVT]

Re:GIMP can't replace PS until CMYK patents expireM

Sure, it might work "as good" on your screen (your screen can't show CMYK correctly anyway), but when you are going to be printing things on a press, you need to have support for real Pantone colors. Adobe continues to have a monopoly in this area.
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Re:Adobe Email Addresses?

[well_jung]

Umm, what exactly are imaging professionals going to use if not Photoshop? And in a world where Quark is the only alternative for DTP, Adobe ain't so bad.

Carl G. Jung
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