I was talking about bad code, too. It crashes a lot, it leaves out data when printing reports, various other things don't work the way they should, it lacks documentation, it's slow. It's not like it's a frozen-in-time legacy system, either; they release regular new versions which add new features and new bugs.
Also, I find that most ugly code is also bad code. If the programmers didn't care enough (or know enough) to program well, the program tends to reflect that.
Wouldn't happen to be mTMS, would it? Christ, it's ugly.
No, this is something called "Global Shop" (from Global Shop Solutions, formerly InFiSy). It's an old COBOL system designed for green screens, which has been dragged, kicking and screaming, into the Windows world. I wish I could say this was an exception, but it's not. I've met several such beasts in my relatively young career. Global Shop, C/F Data Systems STRUCTURE, some others I cannot remember the names of. They all had one thing in common: They're all old COBOL, kept alive via AcuCOBOL from AcuCorp.
If anyone here encounters anything which uses WRUNCBL.EXE, run away. That's the AcuCOBOL runtime. I have yet to see anything which uses it which doesn't suck in multiple major ways.
Besides, people who praise COBOL often forget that only a small fraction of COBOL code has survived. Most of the bad code has been replaced by code in another languages long ago.
You haven't used the ERP/MRP system where I work, then.
I keep wanting to call up our sales rep and say, "Hey, do you know what database normalization is? Neither do your programmers!"
This could really be a benefit for everyone. Anyone here who uses Verizon should pay pennies on the dollar for next month's phone bill. After all, we have recorded statements from a Verizon rep that $0.002 is the same as 0.002 cents. So if your phone bill is 36.23, you should be able to pay 37 cents. Be nice, tell 'em to keep the change!
A lot of call centers play some recording similar to: "This call MAY be recorded to improve customer service"
This statement lets the call center record, and gives the caller permission to record.
You'd think so, wouldn't you? But I've tried telling the reps I get that I will be recording the call (after getting that canned message), and they protest, and state that if I continue the call, they will disconnect. And under the law where I live, both parties must consent. They are as free to hang-up as you are.
Keep in mind that laws vary from place to place, and in the US, it's a per-state thing.
There's every reason to believe dvdcss (and this software) is perfectly legal under the DMCA, as it falls under "interoperability"
Well, that depends on whether you mean the DMCA as it is written, or the DMCA, as in "legislation bought and paid for by the media cartels for the sole purpose of faciliting immoral lawsuits by same". The media cartels have demonstrates that they pretty much intend to use the DMCA as an excuse to sue anyone intro the ground. The specifics of the legality don't matter; they have more money and more lawyers than you.
"Windows Vista will not be that succesfull just because it's Microsoft. It's biggest enemy is not linux or Mac, it's Windows XP"
I heard that exact same argument for Win XP (vs Win 98/2000) and Win 2000 (vs Win 95/98). I'd prolly have heard it for 3.1 vs 95, too, but Slashdot wasn't around then. (There was Usenet, though. Someone go Google it.)
The problem is that computers (in the IBM-PC world) basically live for 5 to 10 years. When a computer dies, you buy a new one. And the new one will come with Windows Vista, whether you like it or not.
That's why Visa is not going to fail. People would have to stop buying new computers for Vista to fail, and that's not going to happen. (Well, the other way would be for everyone to buy Mac's or naked boxes for Linux, but that's not going to happen, either.)
"The solution is to try to teach people exactly what radiation is..."
That will never work. It depends on people being able to think for themselves. To paraphrase Dan Akroyd as Ray Zalinsky in the movie Tommy Boy: What the average person doesn't know is what makes them an average person. Look at how many people buy lottery tickets every day.
(Yes, I know the article is about a school in the UK while the original quote was about the American public. Hence "paraphrase". Same principle still applies.)
"More bluntly, of what use is the parts of the Internet I can't even type the domain name for?"
I'm guessing as much use as the parts of the Internet using languages you don't speak.
It's a network of networks. The computers can all speak to each other. However, not everyone using those computers is interested in speaking to everyone else. There are people in Japan who just want to email their friends and family (also in Japan), in Japanese. They have as little interest in speaking English with you as you do in speaking Japanese with them.
Keep in mind that the Internet was not designed, and is not being used, to serve you in particular. Or anyone else in particular. As long as the computers can reach each other, the Internet is doing its job. What we use it for is up to us.
There are billions of people on this planet who do not speak English. They are not going away, no matter how much it inconveniences you. I bluntly suggest you get adjust your world-view to include the whole world.
"Verizon FIOS which doesn't appear to have plans to jump up after the initial year "
I have some experience dealing with AT&T ^W New England Telephone ^W^W^W NYNEX ^W Bell Atlantic ^W^W Verizon. I can say with assurance that there *is* a plan to increase the rates. You just may not be aware of it yet.
"I am altering the deal. Pray I do not alter it any further."
Darth Vader doesn't have a thing on The Phone Company.
Slashdot Mirror
I was talking about bad code, too. It crashes a lot, it leaves out data when printing reports, various other things don't work the way they should, it lacks documentation, it's slow. It's not like it's a frozen-in-time legacy system, either; they release regular new versions which add new features and new bugs.
Also, I find that most ugly code is also bad code. If the programmers didn't care enough (or know enough) to program well, the program tends to reflect that.
No, this is something called "Global Shop" (from Global Shop Solutions, formerly InFiSy). It's an old COBOL system designed for green screens, which has been dragged, kicking and screaming, into the Windows world. I wish I could say this was an exception, but it's not. I've met several such beasts in my relatively young career. Global Shop, C/F Data Systems STRUCTURE, some others I cannot remember the names of. They all had one thing in common: They're all old COBOL, kept alive via AcuCOBOL from AcuCorp.
If anyone here encounters anything which uses WRUNCBL.EXE, run away. That's the AcuCOBOL runtime. I have yet to see anything which uses it which doesn't suck in multiple major ways.
You haven't used the ERP/MRP system where I work, then.
I keep wanting to call up our sales rep and say, "Hey, do you know what database normalization is? Neither do your programmers!"
This could really be a benefit for everyone. Anyone here who uses Verizon should pay pennies on the dollar for next month's phone bill. After all, we have recorded statements from a Verizon rep that $0.002 is the same as 0.002 cents. So if your phone bill is 36.23, you should be able to pay 37 cents. Be nice, tell 'em to keep the change!
The parent post was moderated incorrectly. It should be "+1, Scary", not "+1, Funny".
You'd think so, wouldn't you? But I've tried telling the reps I get that I will be recording the call (after getting that canned message), and they protest, and state that if I continue the call, they will disconnect. And under the law where I live, both parties must consent. They are as free to hang-up as you are.
Keep in mind that laws vary from place to place, and in the US, it's a per-state thing.
Well, that depends on whether you mean the DMCA as it is written, or the DMCA, as in "legislation bought and paid for by the media cartels for the sole purpose of faciliting immoral lawsuits by same". The media cartels have demonstrates that they pretty much intend to use the DMCA as an excuse to sue anyone intro the ground. The specifics of the legality don't matter; they have more money and more lawyers than you.
Welcome to the collective. Please turn in your life. You can pick up your hot grits in room 404.
Wow. That is one farked up dog. The poor thing.
(Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week. Try the meatloaf.)
I heard that exact same argument for Win XP (vs Win 98/2000) and Win 2000 (vs Win 95/98). I'd prolly have heard it for 3.1 vs 95, too, but Slashdot wasn't around then. (There was Usenet, though. Someone go Google it.)
The problem is that computers (in the IBM-PC world) basically live for 5 to 10 years. When a computer dies, you buy a new one. And the new one will come with Windows Vista, whether you like it or not.
That's why Visa is not going to fail. People would have to stop buying new computers for Vista to fail, and that's not going to happen. (Well, the other way would be for everyone to buy Mac's or naked boxes for Linux, but that's not going to happen, either.)
Hmmmm. I wonder.
Grandparent: In Windows, this model breaks down simply because there are far too many developers to access one central repository.
Parent: Then how does Debian GNU/Linux do it?
One should not be pointing at Debian for examples of a fast release process.
That will never work. It depends on people being able to think for themselves. To paraphrase Dan Akroyd as Ray Zalinsky in the movie Tommy Boy: What the average person doesn't know is what makes them an average person. Look at how many people buy lottery tickets every day.
(Yes, I know the article is about a school in the UK while the original quote was about the American public. Hence "paraphrase". Same principle still applies.)
That's okay, I'm not using Aethernet, I'm using Tolkien Ring.
(Yah, I know, but is that really any worse than some of ther other jokes in this thread?)
But who decides what the right amount of choice is?
And how were they chosen?
And...
(This post was made from 100% recycled humor.)
So... people should be given a choice when it comes to the question of how much choice they should get.
My brain hurts now.
I'm guessing as much use as the parts of the Internet using languages you don't speak.
It's a network of networks. The computers can all speak to each other. However, not everyone using those computers is interested in speaking to everyone else. There are people in Japan who just want to email their friends and family (also in Japan), in Japanese. They have as little interest in speaking English with you as you do in speaking Japanese with them.
Keep in mind that the Internet was not designed, and is not being used, to serve you in particular. Or anyone else in particular. As long as the computers can reach each other, the Internet is doing its job. What we use it for is up to us.
There are billions of people on this planet who do not speak English. They are not going away, no matter how much it inconveniences you. I bluntly suggest you get adjust your world-view to include the whole world.
What's the weather like on the planet you're on?
Seriously, while I agree with what you say in principle, it is never going to happen in the real world.
"Is it just me, or does season two really kinda suck?"
Doctor Who has never been one for scientific accuracy or realistic plots. It's about good story telling.
Just look at the whole "Bad Wolf" thing from Series 1.
There's an old saying: "When elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled."
In this case, it's a good bet most -- if not all -- of the elephants will also be suffering mortal tusk wounds.
Then the vultures (lawyers) swoop in and feed on the remains.
This is so depressing.
"If you want a job done right, do it yourself, eh Balmer? SCO just wasn't up to the task."
The SCO lawsuits were just the beta version. This interview is like the press release announcing when the retail product will ship.
"Edgy Eft" is the "nick-name" of the release of Ubuntu. Like "Woody" was a Debian release and "Zod" was a Fedora release.
"Edgy art" does not refer to "provocative art", but "art for the 'Edge Eft' release".
All Ubuntu releases are named with an adjective and an animal, and they have to alliterate. I have no idea why.
Sheesh.
"Verizon FIOS which doesn't appear to have plans to jump up after the initial year "
I have some experience dealing with AT&T ^W New England Telephone ^W^W^W NYNEX ^W Bell Atlantic ^W^W Verizon. I can say with assurance that there *is* a plan to increase the rates. You just may not be aware of it yet.
"I am altering the deal. Pray I do not alter it any further."
Darth Vader doesn't have a thing on The Phone Company.
From the summary: "a speaker that can be used to politely issue a warning before taking the target out"
Yah. Right.
"Put down your weapon. You have twenty seconds to comply."
That's an insightful bit that deserves more than a 1 score.