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  1. Re:Not really needed on MIT Debuts Integer Overflow Debugger · · Score: 1

    I'm pointing out that a sufficiently large number of ops will be using the non-trapping versions that it probably makes more sense for the compiler to add a check of the flags in the cases where it would be helpful.

  2. Re:Not really needed on MIT Debuts Integer Overflow Debugger · · Score: 1

    Python dodges the question by using long when necessary. A Python long is what C would call a bignum.

  3. Re:Not really needed on MIT Debuts Integer Overflow Debugger · · Score: 1

    Overflow isn't always wrong. Two's complement arithmetic DEPENDS on ignoring an overflow AND underflow to 'just work', for example.

  4. Re:Not really needed on MIT Debuts Integer Overflow Debugger · · Score: 1

    Too bad it's not generally checked for. That's where the tool comes in.

  5. Re:It's quite simple really... on UK Licensing Site Requires MSIE Emulation, But Won't Work With MSIE · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Even keeping Hanlon's razor in mind, there is a point where incompetence rises to such a level that it is indistinguishable from malice. It had to take a lot of work to create the incompatibilities described. Starting with even caring that more than one window is open. Even back in the stupid old days where Netscape users would actually get an error about a site being IE only, it generally would actually work if you simply impersonated IE in the client string.

    It can sometimes be hard to make a site look just so in all browsers, but it's equally hard to make it not work at all except in a single browser. Harder still to add a requirement for a particular version of a plugin. I wonder how many tens of percent less work it would have been to do it right or at least passably.

  6. Re:Protected relationships on Modern Cockpits: Harder To Invade But Easier To Lock Up · · Score: 2

    It doesn't establish a religion, it simply respects it's existence.

    Make an important practice within a religion illegal and you're banning a religion.

    Contrary to how it plays on TV, the same respect is granted to any religion that has a practice of confession or pastoral counselling. Respecting one but not others would actually be establishment of a religion.

  7. Re:Why? Because... on Comcast's Incompetence, Lack of Broadband May Force Developer To Sell Home · · Score: 1

    You should probably drink less. You're not even making sense.

  8. Re:Ummmm ... duh? on Modern Cockpits: Harder To Invade But Easier To Lock Up · · Score: 1

    Three people in the cockpit at all times. One to fly the plane, one to take over if he gets sick, one flight crew to watch the pilots and one to FOUR! FOUR people in the cockpit at all times :-)

  9. Re:Ummmm ... duh? on Modern Cockpits: Harder To Invade But Easier To Lock Up · · Score: 1

    So the crazy suicidal pilot immediately makes a few of those maneuvers you must never make and commits the plane to the crash.

  10. Re:Protected relationships on Modern Cockpits: Harder To Invade But Easier To Lock Up · · Score: 1

    Why should a relationship between a priest and anyone else be a legally protected one relationship?

    One last chance for someone to be talked out of doing something we wish they wouldn't do? Separation of church and state? (The sanctity of the confession has existed much longer than the U.S.)

  11. Re:Luxembourg? on PayPal To Pay $7.7 Million For Sanctions Violations · · Score: 1

    Because it does business in America and wishes to continue doing so.

  12. Re:Why? Because... on Comcast's Incompetence, Lack of Broadband May Force Developer To Sell Home · · Score: 1

    I'm guessing you haven't read "The Wealth of Nations". You know, one of my "imaginary" references. Go give it a shot.

  13. Re:Why? Because... on Comcast's Incompetence, Lack of Broadband May Force Developer To Sell Home · · Score: 1

    Google it, there's a bazillion books and academic papers on the subject. Read The Wealth of Nations, it's free.

    You can assert that the moon is actually made of cheese all you want, but it'll only get you laughed at.

  14. Re:Race to the bottom... on Developers and the Fear of Apple · · Score: 1

    That's where the capriciousness of Apple's review process comes in to play. It's hard to justify spending the kind of resources necessary to produce an app that competes on quality when you have no way at all to know if the app will EVER reach even a single customer. That makes cheap throw-aways the best bet and even that is a losing proposition for most.

  15. Re:I have a solution on NJ School District Hit With Ransomware-For-Bitcoins Scheme · · Score: 1

    The hope is that the schools, law abiding individuals and corporations will obey the law and not pay (admittedly, the corporations might be problematic, not a lot of respect for law there).

    The idea is that if the targets won't pay because they aren't willing to break the law, then the crooks end up with an all risk but no reward scenario and move on to something else.

  16. Re:I wouldn't mind the NSA so much if... on NJ School District Hit With Ransomware-For-Bitcoins Scheme · · Score: 1

    No, but the fact that they don't shows that they are fully committed to the idea that American Citizens are the enemy.

  17. Re:I wouldn't mind the NSA so much if... on NJ School District Hit With Ransomware-For-Bitcoins Scheme · · Score: 1

    Well, we know the NSA doesn't mind sharing info w/ the DEA.

    At least they could for once do something helpful. Unlike the DEA cases, there is a high probability that the bad guys are not U.S. citizens or operating within the U.S.

  18. Re:people are going to be saying on Germanwings Plane Crash Was No Accident · · Score: 1

    But looking at the comparative benefits, a lockable door still wins. Let's say the door could be unlocked with a oin. Copilot physically jams the door, still no entry. Pilot manages to force the door anyway, copilot overrides everything and barrel rolls the plane to death.

    Bottom line, if the person currently controlling the plane wants a crash, there will be a crash. No door design will change that.

    OTOH, if terrorist wants control of the plane, a locked door rules that out.

  19. Re:It depends on No, It's Not Always Quicker To Do Things In Memory · · Score: 1

    Because StringBuilder works so well in Python?

  20. Re:Check their work or check the summary? on No, It's Not Always Quicker To Do Things In Memory · · Score: 1

    You must be a glutton for punishment but I haven't the time or inclination to indulge you so:

    *PLONK*

  21. Re:Why? Because... on Comcast's Incompetence, Lack of Broadband May Force Developer To Sell Home · · Score: 1

    Once you get out of elementary school, you might learn that for the purposes of market capitalism, 2 players doesn't suffice for competition. They will inevitable fall into a sort of tacit agreement to keep prices high and service low.

    It's also notable that many of those included in 'ilk' seem also to have a tacit agreement to stay out of each other's staked out territory meaning there may be several such providers but only 1 in a given area. That fairly neatly explains how there can be more than one and still not even minimal competition.

  22. Re:Infrastructure yes, service no on Comcast's Incompetence, Lack of Broadband May Force Developer To Sell Home · · Score: 1

    He probably also knows a lot more than Comcast's residential support staff.

  23. Re:It depends on No, It's Not Always Quicker To Do Things In Memory · · Score: 1

    Quite possibly. Sadly, I'm not so sure about the number of people who studied CS who find this obvious. A lot of people see a bunch of f.write and think I/O, must be a faster way.

  24. Re:Hmmm on RadioShack Puts Customer Data Up For Sale In Bankruptcy Auction · · Score: 1

    It's actually not the same. You do have to pay for it by law, but nobody's going to try to jail you if you attempt to pay when you order.

    Likewise for Best Buy, you do have to pay, but as long as you do, that's the end of it legally speaking. No law says you have to submit to a search.

  25. Re:Leave then on Gen Con Threatens To Leave Indianapolis Over Religious Freedom Bill · · Score: 1

    Actually, such overt prejudice is much more on display in the North these days. I'm not claiming there is no predjudice in the South, but it tends to be a bit more subtle than that.