NOW they are. Try that attitude out against any time in the majority of the last 2000 years and see how far it would have gotten you.
But we don't live in 1200 AD, we live in the present. At the moment Christianity is much less violent than Islam: it's that simple.
Yes, Christianity did terrible things in the past but currently similar things are being done by Muslims. IMHO it is our ethical duty to stop religious insanity in the present, regardless of the past.
And you underestimate the profit product differentiation can generate.
If you have $300 to spend and you can choose between two products, one for $100 and one for $500. Which will you choose?
Now if I take that $500 product and turn it into a third product, $300 and slightly tweaked to perform less than the $500 product. Which will you choose?
You and I might take the $100 product and pocket the rest, but many buyers will go for the $300 one. As long as manufacturing costs are low it's more profitable to have a range of prices.
It doesn't matter what port SSH is on. If an attacker is even remotely interested he'll run a port scan and find your SSH port soon enough.
Better to invest your time into properly configuring/locking-down SSH. Good luck to any attacker trying to gain access if you only allow authkey access. Putting SSH on a different port is only giving you a false sense of security.
Building basic user interfaces for various business web apps is probably the most frustrating part of web development, and the frustration coming dealing with building user interfaces using HTML, CSS and Javascript is definitely a major contributing factor.
This was my view on web development for quite a while, until I gave jQuery a try and put aside some time to properly understand CSS. It's honestly not that bad.
There still is a bit of frustration (in getting everything perfect on all major browsers) but the advantages of having a cross-platform interface easily accessible via a browser outweigh the drawbacks. Besides, with HTML5 picking up steam the future of web development looks bright.
Especially as you can easily "opt-out" of said all-day virtual meeting. Disable IRC, IM, e-mail and turn off your mobile and you can actually get some work done.
Then again, I'm finding monthly in-person meetings per project are necessary to keep everyone updated. Video/voice-conferencing only works to a certain degree on complex projects, sometimes it's just more efficient to get everyone together.
Why would the UN care about media control within a country?
The UN is primarily an organization for international cooperation and human rights. Only in rare cases does the UN intervene (civil war).
Re:These techniques are horrid for maintainability
on
Metaprogramming Ruby
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It's greatly simplified, but metaprogramming allows you to construct classes and objects who present behavior based on run time state.
Your example doesn't seem like metaprogramming in the typical sence, I don't see anything special about it. But that might be due to excessive exposure to Python.
I suppose you could see any ORM layer as a form of metaprogramming (as you're generating and executing SQL at runtime), but I'd argue that SQL isn't a programming language but rather a database language.
Thus this book isn't about metaprogramming, but "metadatabasing" (ugh).
But I am a little surprised by the "no" votes from the Netherlands.
Especially because all 3 dutch "no" votes were from the "Party for Freedom" (PVV). This same party was against ACTA last monday (dutch article), MEPs emailed on what they were smoking.
In a way, are these open source products or are they simply using the moniker as a way to attract people and force them into costly solutions?
In most cases they start out the former and end up the latter.
The problem is that some people expect to be able to live off of their open source projects, or at least feel they are entitled to earn a buck. Feel free to ask for donations, add a couple of ads to your website or even offering an "enterprise version", but having a successful project doesn't mean that people should pay you for it. Those people you are demanding cash from are the same people who made your project a success.
Then again, it is their project. If they want to shoot themselves in the foot by alienating their community, nobody can stop them. There are always alternatives.
Everyone, including me, always wants to go for the clean rewrite. But in my experience it almost never turns out for the best. There's a reason for all that messy code. Much of it was bug fixes that real-world users needed.
Even so, the chances are that the original developers were grossly incompetent.
It really depends on how messy the code is and what you want to do with it. You only need to change a couple of things and you don't see how the code will be used a couple of years down the road? Of course you shouldn't rewrite the thing.
If on the other hand it was hacked together by a bunch of monkeys and it's your day-job for the next couple of years don't torture yourself by maintaining the beast indefinitely. Rewrite module-by-module and keep anything that you can maintain as-is. Perhaps you'll discover while rewriting a module why it was put together the way it is and if that reasoning was valid simply let it be.
In my experience you'll know within 5 minutes of looking at the code/database if you'll need a rewrite. All of the projects that I've given a complete overhaul come out lean, mean and maintainable (and actually working, which makes the client happy). Definitely a blast of fresh air compared to the putrid mess they were beforehand. But perhaps I'm just a sucker for taking on globs of unmaintainable code, I don't know.
It really depends on the situation and the time on your hands.
that scientists outside of computer science are too busy in their respective fields to know anything about code, or even care.
If their code results in predictions that affect millions of lives and trillions of dollars, perhaps they should learn to care.
What I've personally seen of scientists is a frantic determination to publish papers anywhere and everywhere, no matter how well-founded the results in those papers are. The IPCC-gate is merely a symptom of a deeper problem within scientific research.
If scientists are too busy because of publication quota's and funding issues to focus on delivering proper scientific research, maybe we should question our current means of supporting scientific research. Currently we've got quantity, but very little quality.
By now it's got a promising feature set, but very few users and virtually no community around it. The problem is that people I have asked to try it refuse to do so because it doesn't have a thriving community.
Your project will have to stand on its own merits then and you will have to be focal about what those merits are. Hold talks at conferences, mention it to your friends, keep an updated blog, use FLOSS-distribution sites like freshmeat. If people are interested you will hear from them.
If that doesn't help and you are sure your project is worthwhile you should investigate in your competition, take a good unbiased look. If there are a couple of large projects with large communities that accomplish something similar make sure you differentiate yourself from them. What makes your project unique and better than the rest? Perhaps those projects have something your project doesn't. A large community may be a plus but it isn't the only reason why users pick a certain project.
If you can't make your project grow, relax and don't force the issue. If your project is truly worthwhile people will find it and the ones using your project will spread the word. If it doesn't gain popularity you can at least enjoy working on it and take pride in what you accomplish: the FLOSS community isn't a popularity-contest and there is no free car waiting for the one project that trumps the rest.
In meetings I use the tablet, plus I can do easy markup of a customers blueprints with them looking on and making their own notes directly to the screen, then email off a copy to them and the engineer.
Collaboration seems like a sweet-spot for larger tablet devices, and although the iPad seems on the small side for this purpose the hardware is slick for the price. Tablet/laptop hybrids are insanely expensive.
Here's hoping that the iPad results in cheap 13"-15" hybrid-alternatives, this would be ideal for collaborative UI design and modeling software with a team.
For the time being, good old-fashioned paper & whiteboards will do though.
On the contrary. It means you've just hired a consultant who will lead you up shit-creek for quadruple the cost of a "solution" that would have gotten the job done.
The most popular open-source file-systems, Ext2 and Ext3 don't have official specification of the on-disk data structures.
Check out Documentation/filesystems/ext2.txt and scroll down to the Specification-section. Nifty, ain't it?
Anyone with the source can write a specification, given enough effort. If you need to figure out how GFS works there's a whole implementation available. Probably anyone who would need a specification of a filesystem can figure out the source code and write one, although I agree that having both code and spec is best.
And now for the mods to push this whole thread down into the off-topic pit.
If Microsoft is being sued for violating some patent in Word and ordered to stop selling it, it means very little to us. Not our problem. However, if someone finds out that some bit of OSS violates their IP and knows that we use that software, they'll sue us.
Just like everyone using Word was sued.
They'll go after the original developer, not directly after users of the software except as a scare tactic (SCO, which didn't work).
If you incorporate code of a third party into your product, that is a different situation. But it doesn't matter if the used code is closed and bought for megabucks or open and downloaded from some website: you can be sued either way. You think a closed source license gives you indemnification against lawsuits? Then I suggest to read that license again.
If you are doing Windows development, you should be doing it in Windows. Expecting Linux to work for you if the tasks you need to preform are distinctly Windows related is just nuts. Use the right tool for the job.
Reminds me about a Win32/C++ project in university, around 2000. They made us use Borland tools, which back then worked (more-or-less) perfectly in Wine. Even creating and running executables. Completed the project on Linux without a problem.
Of course you are correct if you need visual studio for your day-job, but if you are still learning I'm all for trying what is possible. Linux has come a long way.
I'll give the guy the benefit of the doubt and some of these points are "tongue-in-cheek" - assuming that's the case then ok verrry funny!
I'm certainly not defending Google or an Android fanboy but this article is utter rubbish.
Come on, my sarcasm detector went off while reading the first "Gripe". But I agree, this one is lame even as a swipe against the "10 reasons I hate/love gadget X" articles. Why isn't this on idle?
If somebody gets your key fob, then they have Something You Had. Don't let anybody get your authenticator.
A bit late for this reply, but I talked about a generic "key fob" where you stick your banking card in. These are card readers that are also available at the bank directly, and anyone can use any card reader from the same bank.
The only thing you then have (that is unique) is your banking card (debit/credit). Thinking about it, they probably store some kind of private key on the card that together with the bank's public key (in the card reader) generates a one-time code. The bank's website has access to both to verify the one-time code (or check if any codes were missed). Probably safe, just as long as no one has access to your banking card.
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But we don't live in 1200 AD, we live in the present. At the moment Christianity is much less violent than Islam: it's that simple.
Yes, Christianity did terrible things in the past but currently similar things are being done by Muslims. IMHO it is our ethical duty to stop religious insanity in the present, regardless of the past.
And you underestimate the profit product differentiation can generate.
If you have $300 to spend and you can choose between two products, one for $100 and one for $500. Which will you choose?
Now if I take that $500 product and turn it into a third product, $300 and slightly tweaked to perform less than the $500 product. Which will you choose?
You and I might take the $100 product and pocket the rest, but many buyers will go for the $300 one. As long as manufacturing costs are low it's more profitable to have a range of prices.
Security through obscurity?
It doesn't matter what port SSH is on. If an attacker is even remotely interested he'll run a port scan and find your SSH port soon enough.
Better to invest your time into properly configuring/locking-down SSH. Good luck to any attacker trying to gain access if you only allow authkey access. Putting SSH on a different port is only giving you a false sense of security.
This was my view on web development for quite a while, until I gave jQuery a try and put aside some time to properly understand CSS. It's honestly not that bad.
There still is a bit of frustration (in getting everything perfect on all major browsers) but the advantages of having a cross-platform interface easily accessible via a browser outweigh the drawbacks. Besides, with HTML5 picking up steam the future of web development looks bright.
Especially as you can easily "opt-out" of said all-day virtual meeting. Disable IRC, IM, e-mail and turn off your mobile and you can actually get some work done.
Then again, I'm finding monthly in-person meetings per project are necessary to keep everyone updated. Video/voice-conferencing only works to a certain degree on complex projects, sometimes it's just more efficient to get everyone together.
He misspelled Galileo. What would you expect from BadAnalogyGuy?
Why would the UN care about media control within a country?
The UN is primarily an organization for international cooperation and human rights. Only in rare cases does the UN intervene (civil war).
Your example doesn't seem like metaprogramming in the typical sence, I don't see anything special about it. But that might be due to excessive exposure to Python.
I suppose you could see any ORM layer as a form of metaprogramming (as you're generating and executing SQL at runtime), but I'd argue that SQL isn't a programming language but rather a database language.
Thus this book isn't about metaprogramming, but "metadatabasing" (ugh).
Or use email in combination with company-wide smartcards/PGP. That should take care of the signing part.
Especially because all 3 dutch "no" votes were from the "Party for Freedom" (PVV). This same party was against ACTA last monday (dutch article), MEPs emailed on what they were smoking.
In most cases they start out the former and end up the latter.
The problem is that some people expect to be able to live off of their open source projects, or at least feel they are entitled to earn a buck. Feel free to ask for donations, add a couple of ads to your website or even offering an "enterprise version", but having a successful project doesn't mean that people should pay you for it. Those people you are demanding cash from are the same people who made your project a success.
Then again, it is their project. If they want to shoot themselves in the foot by alienating their community, nobody can stop them. There are always alternatives.
A tool made for GUI mockups like Firefox Pencil is even easier than Inkscape or Scribus.
Yes, it's a plugin/add-on. Give it a try, you might be surprised.
Even so, the chances are that the original developers were grossly incompetent.
It really depends on how messy the code is and what you want to do with it. You only need to change a couple of things and you don't see how the code will be used a couple of years down the road? Of course you shouldn't rewrite the thing.
If on the other hand it was hacked together by a bunch of monkeys and it's your day-job for the next couple of years don't torture yourself by maintaining the beast indefinitely. Rewrite module-by-module and keep anything that you can maintain as-is. Perhaps you'll discover while rewriting a module why it was put together the way it is and if that reasoning was valid simply let it be.
In my experience you'll know within 5 minutes of looking at the code/database if you'll need a rewrite. All of the projects that I've given a complete overhaul come out lean, mean and maintainable (and actually working, which makes the client happy). Definitely a blast of fresh air compared to the putrid mess they were beforehand. But perhaps I'm just a sucker for taking on globs of unmaintainable code, I don't know.
It really depends on the situation and the time on your hands.
Isn't the whole idea of the Robot/Baley-series that the three laws _can_ be interpreted drastically different?
Even though the story was changed significantly I don't see why a movie must be a literal copy of a book. I enjoyed both on their own merits.
If their code results in predictions that affect millions of lives and trillions of dollars, perhaps they should learn to care.
What I've personally seen of scientists is a frantic determination to publish papers anywhere and everywhere, no matter how well-founded the results in those papers are. The IPCC-gate is merely a symptom of a deeper problem within scientific research.
If scientists are too busy because of publication quota's and funding issues to focus on delivering proper scientific research, maybe we should question our current means of supporting scientific research. Currently we've got quantity, but very little quality.
Xfce4 + Nvidia also works pretty well, Xfce4 handles multiple desktops with multiple monitors just fine.
Your project will have to stand on its own merits then and you will have to be focal about what those merits are. Hold talks at conferences, mention it to your friends, keep an updated blog, use FLOSS-distribution sites like freshmeat. If people are interested you will hear from them.
If that doesn't help and you are sure your project is worthwhile you should investigate in your competition, take a good unbiased look. If there are a couple of large projects with large communities that accomplish something similar make sure you differentiate yourself from them. What makes your project unique and better than the rest? Perhaps those projects have something your project doesn't. A large community may be a plus but it isn't the only reason why users pick a certain project.
If you can't make your project grow, relax and don't force the issue. If your project is truly worthwhile people will find it and the ones using your project will spread the word. If it doesn't gain popularity you can at least enjoy working on it and take pride in what you accomplish: the FLOSS community isn't a popularity-contest and there is no free car waiting for the one project that trumps the rest.
Collaboration seems like a sweet-spot for larger tablet devices, and although the iPad seems on the small side for this purpose the hardware is slick for the price. Tablet/laptop hybrids are insanely expensive.
Here's hoping that the iPad results in cheap 13"-15" hybrid-alternatives, this would be ideal for collaborative UI design and modeling software with a team.
For the time being, good old-fashioned paper & whiteboards will do though.
On the contrary. It means you've just hired a consultant who will lead you up shit-creek for quadruple the cost of a "solution" that would have gotten the job done.
Check out Documentation/filesystems/ext2.txt and scroll down to the Specification-section. Nifty, ain't it?
Anyone with the source can write a specification, given enough effort. If you need to figure out how GFS works there's a whole implementation available. Probably anyone who would need a specification of a filesystem can figure out the source code and write one, although I agree that having both code and spec is best.
And now for the mods to push this whole thread down into the off-topic pit.
Just like everyone using Word was sued.
They'll go after the original developer, not directly after users of the software except as a scare tactic (SCO, which didn't work).
If you incorporate code of a third party into your product, that is a different situation. But it doesn't matter if the used code is closed and bought for megabucks or open and downloaded from some website: you can be sued either way. You think a closed source license gives you indemnification against lawsuits? Then I suggest to read that license again.
Reminds me about a Win32/C++ project in university, around 2000. They made us use Borland tools, which back then worked (more-or-less) perfectly in Wine. Even creating and running executables. Completed the project on Linux without a problem.
Of course you are correct if you need visual studio for your day-job, but if you are still learning I'm all for trying what is possible. Linux has come a long way.
Come on, my sarcasm detector went off while reading the first "Gripe". But I agree, this one is lame even as a swipe against the "10 reasons I hate/love gadget X" articles. Why isn't this on idle?
A bit late for this reply, but I talked about a generic "key fob" where you stick your banking card in. These are card readers that are also available at the bank directly, and anyone can use any card reader from the same bank.
The only thing you then have (that is unique) is your banking card (debit/credit). Thinking about it, they probably store some kind of private key on the card that together with the bank's public key (in the card reader) generates a one-time code. The bank's website has access to both to verify the one-time code (or check if any codes were missed). Probably safe, just as long as no one has access to your banking card.