The only moral of the story here is that an arrogant, ethics-free mercenary with access to any tool he pleases is given way too much admiration in the twenty first century.
Just like a lawyer or a politician then (though in the case of the Which Blair Project he meets both lawyer and politician requirements, and depending on your politicial views probably ethics free, and certainly arrogant.
I know people will do some stupid things, but my bs detecter tells me it's one of those urban legends.
If only... A long while back I was working as a programmer with 3 days in the office and 2 at home. One day while working at home I noticed our CM system had dropped off the face of the earth...
Drove into work and found that a manager who was using the table in the corner of our lab had decided the server was too noisy while he was trying to work and unplugged it.
And before people say why wasn't in a server room, the fact it was in our secure lab and was part of the lab development lan and not the wider 'corporate' lan meant it was fine where it was (it had UPS installed, tape backup, multiple powersupplies - the bloody manager unplugged the power leads from all 3 power supplies....)
And not to mention the ill fated plan to detonate nuclear bombs behind a space craft as a method of propulsion...
(Orion programme if my memory isn't failing)
(On that point when will which ever god or other deity is responsible for our design fix the bloody faulty memory unit and start using error correcting cells?)
1) Who owns the data in the database? If it is just that customer then why shouldn't they have access?
2) Are they aware of the potential performance hit if they screw a query up on the production server? If so and they accept the risk then let them...
3) Do they want read only access? If so why not provide an access to a shadow database via odbc - explain that the data is, say 24 hours out of sync, with the live system and let them play in what's effectively become their sandbox (IE put the shadow database on a seperate server, do not allow access other than for mirroring from the production server, do not allow any acess from the shadow server to other parts of your network, restrict heavily what they can do to the minimum they need)...
4) Is there a risk that by gaining knowledge of the internals of the database etc that they could over time stop outsourcing their database needs? if so tell your boss that, if they will see proprietry schema's etc which are your companies IPR then tell him that etc...
How often do you use a piece of software which goes wrong?
Now do you want to get into an aircraft which has got software carrying out the basic safety checks?
Even if the software comes as SIL 3 or better I'll still do the pre-flight checks by eye thanks (Oh and I skip the part about checking fuel - not much need on a 'straight' glider - actually I'd be worried if I did find fuel;) )
That's a good example of what I mean... what benefit does that provide that a traditional application - whether paid for (Photoshop/Paintshop Pro etc) or free (Gimp etc)?
I'm probably a Luddite but I prefer any data I have to stay on my side of the firewall unless I choose to send it out into the wider world. I don't like web based apps as it means losing control of my data...
The only web app I use is googlemail - and that's only when I'm using someone elses computer... my own I use Thunderbird.
Both should be taken out into a dark, dimly light corridor, shot, then buried.
Both are a blot on the landscape of the websites.
Both fail to add any real value to sites that can not be done using other methods - most of which don't need to install more junk to your PC...
(Though to be brutally honest: just bring back text based websites capable of working in lynx and I'll be happy - sod all the fancy stuff. I use the web to get information not to be blinded by how good (or crap) some designer is - show me the information I want and I'm happy)
The company sending the letter didn't put enough postage on. The Royal Mail then stick a card through the recipients letterbox saying basically we've got a letter but to get it you need to pay the excess postage+handling charge. Its your choice as to whether you go and pay up to get the letter or say sod it and wait for it to be returned (think its 3 weeks for non recorded items, 1 week for recorded) to the sender.
Given the crap that they've churned out since the black album I wouldn't download it even if I was paid to.
Either Metallica need to go back to their roots, or preferably, realise their time has passed and do what many bands fail to do and fade out gracefully.
Assuming you're using 'standard' sql types and nothing too MySQL specific just dump the tables, including the create table definitions and the insert statements, as SQL statements and run them into postgres...
[blockquote] end and submitting random data on random forms [/blockquote]
Sod worrying about zapping sites, what will happen when they crawl the nuclear launch site and enter random data into the authorisation field, and in a rare feat of sod's law end up getting the code just right....
(oh and what's the betting they'll put redmond in as a target string?)
I beg to differ, my EvilEmpire Holdings Inc. has set out from day 1 to be as evil as possible. We just got defeated by various other companies and governments being more evil than a small startup can ever dream of being.
Update: 03/26 21:21 GMT by Z : Safari is now at 100%, apparently, with Safari close behind at 98%.
Err.... Safari is at 100% with safari close behind at 98%? Think one safari too many:)
Question is which one is opera and which is safari - and does it really matter?
How many sites out there will only work with Acid3 compliant browsers? I'd guess... 1 - the test site itself. Even if other sites look better with 100% compliance I doubt if the entire site will be unusable or so poorly rendered as to be unusable.
Bragging rights in this game is like boasting of having a car that can do 150 while your mate's can only do 145 - bloody pointless as those speeds are only any good on a race track, on a dry day, with a driver who knows how to get the last mph out of their car... most people won't notice the 5mph difference.
They've not dropped linux they've just stopped selling it in their stores. Oh and not letting facts get in the way of a good/. story they've also stopped selling all others in their stores as well.
Very simple scenario to prove the test is valid (assuming noone made a mistake in interpreting the standards - lets leave that can of worms aside;) )
1. I write a test which says I should run program x, x should display 'Hello World' in a dialogue box centred on my screen, it should auto close after ten seconds.
2. You write a program to display 'Hhello World' in a dialogue box centred on my screen, auto-closing after 10 seconds.
3. While coding you forget the auto-close code.
The test is still a valid test, the program is still valid, the failure is a valid fail. Everything is as it should be (other than I've now got an annoying dialogue box stuck on my screen - wait a tic that's just Vista)
Slashdot Mirror
I must drink more coffee before reading /. headlines.
My first thought was 'wonder who Bell killed?' (Possibly Eddison?)
I mean ill-fated as in it got canned by NASA for political reasons rather than for any tech reason.
I dunno know - would cure the over population problem.
;)
Might even stop global warming if it pushed the earth a bit farther out
Strange...
Last time I looked salt (as in the kind on your chips) is NaCl - not NaNO3.
Small but vital (especially if you are looking for nitrates) difference....
And not to mention the ill fated plan to detonate nuclear bombs behind a space craft as a method of propulsion...
(Orion programme if my memory isn't failing)
(On that point when will which ever god or other deity is responsible for our design fix the bloody faulty memory unit and start using error correcting cells?)
1) Who owns the data in the database? If it is just that customer then why shouldn't they have access?
2) Are they aware of the potential performance hit if they screw a query up on the production server? If so and they accept the risk then let them...
3) Do they want read only access? If so why not provide an access to a shadow database via odbc - explain that the data is, say 24 hours out of sync, with the live system and let them play in what's effectively become their sandbox (IE put the shadow database on a seperate server, do not allow access other than for mirroring from the production server, do not allow any acess from the shadow server to other parts of your network, restrict heavily what they can do to the minimum they need)...
4) Is there a risk that by gaining knowledge of the internals of the database etc that they could over time stop outsourcing their database needs? if so tell your boss that, if they will see proprietry schema's etc which are your companies IPR then tell him that etc...
Well they've shipped some of these devices so they do have a product.... and its shipping.
Remind me not post prior to consuming coffee. Replace software with system in the final paragraph...
How often do you use a piece of software which goes wrong?
;) )
Now do you want to get into an aircraft which has got software carrying out the basic safety checks?
Even if the software comes as SIL 3 or better I'll still do the pre-flight checks by eye thanks (Oh and I skip the part about checking fuel - not much need on a 'straight' glider - actually I'd be worried if I did find fuel
Oddly enough, humanity has managed about +0.8K here on Earth in about a century, and that was entirely unintentional.
The important bit in that statement is the + sign - we can raise temperatures ALOT easier than we can lower them...
That's a good example of what I mean... what benefit does that provide that a traditional application - whether paid for (Photoshop/Paintshop Pro etc) or free (Gimp etc)?
I'm probably a Luddite but I prefer any data I have to stay on my side of the firewall unless I choose to send it out into the wider world. I don't like web based apps as it means losing control of my data...
The only web app I use is googlemail - and that's only when I'm using someone elses computer... my own I use Thunderbird.
Me.
Both should be taken out into a dark, dimly light corridor, shot, then buried.
Both are a blot on the landscape of the websites.
Both fail to add any real value to sites that can not be done using other methods - most of which don't need to install more junk to your PC...
(Though to be brutally honest: just bring back text based websites capable of working in lynx and I'll be happy - sod all the fancy stuff. I use the web to get information not to be blinded by how good (or crap) some designer is - show me the information I want and I'm happy)
The company sending the letter didn't put enough postage on. The Royal Mail then stick a card through the recipients letterbox saying basically we've got a letter but to get it you need to pay the excess postage+handling charge. Its your choice as to whether you go and pay up to get the letter or say sod it and wait for it to be returned (think its 3 weeks for non recorded items, 1 week for recorded) to the sender.
Given the crap that they've churned out since the black album I wouldn't download it even if I was paid to.
Either Metallica need to go back to their roots, or preferably, realise their time has passed and do what many bands fail to do and fade out gracefully.
Assuming you're using 'standard' sql types and nothing too MySQL specific just dump the tables, including the create table definitions and the insert statements, as SQL statements and run them into postgres...
[blockquote]
end and submitting random data on random forms
[/blockquote]
Sod worrying about zapping sites, what will happen when they crawl the nuclear launch site and enter random data into the authorisation field, and in a rare feat of sod's law end up getting the code just right....
(oh and what's the betting they'll put redmond in as a target string?)
I beg to differ, my EvilEmpire Holdings Inc. has set out from day 1 to be as evil as possible. We just got defeated by various other companies and governments being more evil than a small startup can ever dream of being.
Err.... Safari is at 100% with safari close behind at 98%? Think one safari too many
Question is which one is opera and which is safari - and does it really matter?
How many sites out there will only work with Acid3 compliant browsers? I'd guess... 1 - the test site itself. Even if other sites look better with 100% compliance I doubt if the entire site will be unusable or so poorly rendered as to be unusable.
Bragging rights in this game is like boasting of having a car that can do 150 while your mate's can only do 145 - bloody pointless as those speeds are only any good on a race track, on a dry day, with a driver who knows how to get the last mph out of their car... most people won't notice the 5mph difference.
Bullshitizeitis - Use of words like incentivises is a key symptom of this fatal (well I can hope) disease :)
Only when I want to be able to read two bug reports in Bgzilla- useful then to have them in two windows rather than tabs as I can compare the text...
Err???
/. story they've also stopped selling all others in their stores as well.
They've not dropped linux they've just stopped selling it in their stores. Oh and not letting facts get in the way of a good
[blockquote]
;)
bomb was fashioned into a boom-box
[/blockquote]
Isn't a bomb in a box a boom-box anyway? so it wasn't fashioned into a boom-box...
Very simple scenario to prove the test is valid (assuming noone made a mistake in interpreting the standards - lets leave that can of worms aside ;) )
1. I write a test which says I should run program x, x should display 'Hello World' in a dialogue box centred on my screen, it should auto close after ten seconds.
2. You write a program to display 'Hhello World' in a dialogue box centred on my screen, auto-closing after 10 seconds.
3. While coding you forget the auto-close code.
The test is still a valid test, the program is still valid, the failure is a valid fail. Everything is as it should be (other than I've now got an annoying dialogue box stuck on my screen - wait a tic that's just Vista)