Or you could look at it in the evil way, in that he is a n00b, and before realizing it, he was even worse than that. (What I call a "z00b". A zero-knowledge n00b.)
I have adapted my system from the 5 years I professionally did it.
First of all, it's a 3-stage system. You have a couple of live servers, a identical staging server, and the user machines. Every system has a clone of the files. the servers have rsync copies of the stage server files. And the users all sync to the stage with GIT. Everyone has a local clone of the stage server software too, so he can test server-side code right on his machine. That's important in every company where people could do conflicting (and even big, global) patches.
The stage server then has validity tests running. Compilations and unit test cases wherever possible. Including the database, the server side code, and rendering test pages in all relevant browsers, to diff the rendered versions (images) of the pages. (There's a app for that in Firefox, but otherwise it's desktop automation.) There's an red alert box in the test case overview when something fails. Which gets checked every evening, before pushing anything to the live servers at night. The only thing that turns out to be a bit hard, is to test the client-side logic (e.g. of web-apps) in a transparent manner (= keeping the software configurations and serveride code the same to be able to rely on it).
Then there is a emergency push and and emergency direct live update mechanism, for cases when you quickly have to fix something that got overlooked. (Which usually should result in a new test case to be written, to catch all such problems.)
A well-integrated project management system is very important. At the end of my first company, it was a self-written one with good integration. But in the beginning, something like Trac might suffice.
Then very important is, to have a knowledge base for all things that need to be remembered. Like a meta-documentation. Workflows and procedures. Why the mysql server will not restart on a reboot of stage server clones. Little hooks and mantraps like that. I recommend a Wiki.
And last but not least, never ever forget to have a Bugzilla. If you're good, you can integrate Bugzilla, the test validations and the task/project management into one system. Making the validity tests create bugs in Bugzilla, and bugs being the same as tasks (which makes test-driven development easier).
Yet this all is completely worthless, if your colleagues don't use it!;) Unfortunately, I learned, that when someone can/em> do something wrong, he will. So if you can't lock down possibilities to only those required, you have to be very very careful with who you hire. Especially with "web development", where you get sinology students who learned HTML while working as a taxi driver, stating that they are "professional web developers with 5 years of experience", while honestly believing that. And team leaders believing it too, because they are just as "competent". Because they themselves either started as something an simple as link collectors, or the boss of the company does not know shit about his business, and hired those types. They then usually get promoted to "Head of...". It's the mother of all PHB stories. ^^
The key is: Make them like to work the proper way. If nothing helps, money can always push them in the right direction. It's called "bonus". And making it their project too, by also embracing their decisions!:)
There is no reason, optics in a camera can't be good. There is just one lens in it anyway. Put the best one in that you can get, and you have good optics.
It's the tiny chips the put in there. Which makes sense, because it's only a phone. There simply is no space.
There is a great site out there, showing and proving, that 4.6 MP are the optimum for such (non-DSLR) devices. Unfortunately I can't remember the URL or find it on Google.
Depends on your definition of "decent". If you compare e.g. modern Nokia or Sony-Ericsson (K series) camera phones to cheap digital cameras, they are practically equal. Which is to be expected, since they use the same parts. But if you define decent as DSLR, as I do, of course all those mentioned are not decent.:)
Point is: For most people, the normal camera in the phone suffices. They can't see the difference anyway. Or it does not matter enough.
Are you for real?? A Comment/UnComment button? In a code editor?? Now that's some really fucked up shit! What's next? Letter buttons that you have to click with the mouse too? No keyboard support? Buttons labeled "left click" and "right click" and a "mouse" image that you have do drag over one virtual desktop with a drag-and-drop operation of your real mouse, so the second pointer moves over the other virtual desktop??
You mean "someone at Microsoft". How could there be someone at OO.o? All they do is imitating Microsoft. Who itself are imitating others. Hell, even the ribbons!
The problem is not XUL. Though using XML syntax instead of a C-like syntax (like e.g. RelaxNG) is pretty stupid, declarative interface languages definitely are a great thing, and I wonder why it's not the standard for applications.
The problem is, that it's not compiled but interpreted. Which makes it very slow. I mean, it's so simple. Just pre-compile everything to machine code. And if you want to allow modifications, leave the XML files in place and allow users re-compilation. No startup delay. No loss in freedom. But a massive gain in speed!
If you are from the Firefox or OpenOffice team, how about pitching that idea on your mailing list? A XUL compiler should not be that hard. You already have the routines for the elements. Just use a program that can stitch the C-code segments together while walking through the XUL parse tree. And compile the results with a normal C compiler. Done. (Of course it's a bit more complicated in practice. But very managable. And SO worth it!)
Uuum, I have no idea what you're smokin' but I'm doing all this right now. Except for the ISP of course. I have a root server, a VPN, a intranet, SMB, mailserver, dns, file (video/image/sound/etc) hosting, cross-network p2p, instant messaging, you name it. All encrypted, all in VPNs, except for the tiniest entry points. And you could say that since all I need is the IP and login for my tunnel-server, that I am my own ISP inside that tunnel-net. But I could always switch on my WLAN, and start connecting with others, without even needing any ISP at all.
And what did it cost me? A cheap rented root server, a old PC, and a simple dumb router/switch that came with the also cheap Internet/telephone plan. But I agree that that might only be an option, if you like installing all that. Or if you give me 1000 in e.g. 1999 gold. (Get away with your paper money that will be worthless by next week! ^^)
Yes. Oh yes! I AM an Evil Overlord. MUHAHAHAHAAAA.;)
would be, if you could say, that there are parallels to human evolution.
At first, E. coli adapted to the environment. But when there was nothing to adapt to, because nothing changed anymore, mutation almost switched to a different "mode", where random changes got bigger. My guess: In the battle to stand out of the crowd and become dominant.
Now the parallel would be, that humanity also now dominates the planet, and very little can eradicate whole humanity. So for all of humanity, the risk is very close to zero. Which could mean that now, we also rather fight ourselves, in the battle to stand out and become dominant.
I mean after all, even with "global peace" (something that will never happen), "everyone is equal", and all that stuff, it's still an evolutionary game, where those with even the slightest advantages, will in the end "win".
Just that now we are perhaps evolving in a "mode" where it's not for the best of whole humanity anymore, because that became insignificant. My guess here, is that this is, how diversification into different species (at the very beginning) starts to happen...
Yes, as long as people openly brag about being too dumb to program a freakin' VCR/DVR, no chance here. Somehow, being a retard became cool, and being intelligent became uncool. The scene at the beginning of Idiocracy, where they chase Joe away from that burning barrel, because he sounds "pompous and faggy". That's what's already happening every day on TV.
And I know exactly, how it came to this! What do you think happens, when everyone for decades, follows the rules that * everyone is equal, (There are no two equal humans. Not even twins.) * nobody is allowed to point out deficiencies in others (But insulting people because you are jealous that they are able to do things that you can't do because you're too dumb, is aww-right.) * the worse you perform, the more "special" you are (No you're not!) * and most importantly: The worse you perform, the more support you will get. Oh, you don't get it? Then I am at fault, because I should have made it more simple. (NO, you're NOT! He does not get it? Well, he should perhaps, you know, USE HIS BRAIN! His brain is not much different from everyone else's. He should stop making up excuses and attack people for his own failure and laziness! [Don't *actually* say that. But also don't cave in. Tell him "Well, tough luck. But I think if you think you can easily understand it, if you give it a bit more time.")
Why don't we just start to treat everyone exactly for what he is. No lies. No being unfair in either direction. But rather point out the positive things than the negative ones, for motivation's sake. (So that people actually want and try to perform better, like in a game, where you want to win. After all, games are the training for real life.)
P.S.: If you think that I promote the opposite of what I criticize, you have not really understood me. But I think if you read the last paragraph again, you will.
The thing is, that with more children, it's more likely that at least some survive. And the other thing is, that if you give people more food, than the land that they live in can sustain, you will get even more children, who then will starve even more. So giving them food instead of ways to make it themselves, is rather cruel and useless.
The biggest joke is, that most starving countries actually *have* giant amounts of resources, and ways to grow food. But as we take everything from them for a hand full of glass pearls, they have nothing from it. We, you, I and everybody here, is doing it, every time we buy things that were produced in an unfair way. You know. Basically everything you can buy in a supermarket.
So it would perhaps be an oversimplification, but also be very effective, to state, that every time you buy such a extortion-based product, you kill a child! (I should make an ad with that theme, and sell that to human rights organizations. Hey, I could even pay some of those families a premium for being actors in the clip.)
It's easy to always blame some vague "someone". I only hope that with the Internet, people in the poorest regions can teach themselves, become independent, and get out of the WTO-enforced slavery. That's why things like the OLPC project beat every other project by far. (Assuming that the children there really get their computer.)
The question if something is $absolutePointXOnAbsoluteAxisY can only come from someone, who does not realize, that everything in this universe is relative. Especially things like "weirdness". And twice so. Because 1. your own view of what is weird, is defined relative to your own position ("That's weirder than me, so I'll call it 'weird'."), and 2. your own position is also only definable through other relative positions. ("How weird are you?" will always be answered with something like "Well, less than that crazy guy. But more than that no-fun loser there.")
Additionally, I don't think weirdness is ever reducible to one axis, and so it's also a multi-factor value (aka. multi-dimensional vector), where things like weighting them based on their orthogonality to get to the magnitude, come into play. (In other words: What factors make someone weird for you, and how important are those factors?)
The thing is, that the importance of that question is dependent on your own self-confidence. Basically, if you know you're cool and fun and all, then even if someone calls you "weird" you will say "Nah, you're just no fun.", not even trying to defend yourself. (For what? He is wrong, not you.:) And if you are insecure and think you are a loser and a weirdo, you will believe them. You will most likely even act according to your expectations of yourself. Expect yourself to fail in harmonizing with others. (Harmony [the "rhythm"] is an essential factor in social groups. I love playing it like an instrument, when I'm able to.) For all positions between those extremes, of course the result is something in the middle.
Sadly, most software developers grew up, thinking that it's somehow "uncool" to be able to create all those wonderful programs with their elegance. That social incompetence is to be expected when one "hangs in front of his computer all the time". Seriously? Who says that? Have you ever checked? Has anyone ever checked? Are those who checked even competent to check it? Or is it all just a false social conditioning, based on prejudice and exclusion of the unknown, like with children in school? Something that still dominates your life right now, by making you insecure *for no freakin' reason at all*.
[optional part]
I was like that. EXACTLY like that. Worst of the kind. I had a huge fear to even *talk* to girls until I was 20+. Seriously! But as you might know, you will feel like wanting to die when you live like that. Luckily I realized, that all those social rules where just made up. My definitions of what I am were just made up. I could change them, and become whatever I wanted. And, oh fuck did I change!:D I just decided, that from now on, I know what is how, have my own set of values, and define myself and what I am. Then I worked to get to that point.
And now I literally can't program, when I did not go out, and had fun, socializing and stuff. And when I'm out, I am not in the corner, in fear that someone could laugh at "that weird dork there". No, I'm in the freakin' center! I have no idea why, as I'm not thinking that I'm someone especially great or something, but people somehow love me now. I get drinks for free, people applauding me, and girls looking at me with glowing eyes. But I have no idea why?? Hell, there are so many better looking, cooler and richer guys in the same room! But hey... Not that I don't like it.:) And the best thing: Now that I have it, I don't feel any urge to try to get it anymore. It has become almost an afterthought.
[/optional part]
Conclusion: No. Software development does NOT make you weird. Not in any known universe! Insecurity, and a environment full of prejudice, since early childhood, make you weird. I'm a software developer / game designer and I am also according to others one of the "coolest guys they know". (Again, I myself am never trying to place myself above someone.) I see no reason why this should not also be true for anyone else on this site!
Slashdot Mirror
I think the word is "rookie".
Or you could look at it in the evil way, in that he is a n00b, and before realizing it, he was even worse than that. (What I call a "z00b". A zero-knowledge n00b.)
I have adapted my system from the 5 years I professionally did it.
First of all, it's a 3-stage system.
You have a couple of live servers, a identical staging server, and the user machines.
Every system has a clone of the files. the servers have rsync copies of the stage server files.
And the users all sync to the stage with GIT.
Everyone has a local clone of the stage server software too, so he can test server-side code right on his machine.
That's important in every company where people could do conflicting (and even big, global) patches.
The stage server then has validity tests running. Compilations and unit test cases wherever possible. Including the database, the server side code, and rendering test pages in all relevant browsers, to diff the rendered versions (images) of the pages. (There's a app for that in Firefox, but otherwise it's desktop automation.)
There's an red alert box in the test case overview when something fails. Which gets checked every evening, before pushing anything to the live servers at night.
The only thing that turns out to be a bit hard, is to test the client-side logic (e.g. of web-apps) in a transparent manner (= keeping the software configurations and serveride code the same to be able to rely on it).
Then there is a emergency push and and emergency direct live update mechanism, for cases when you quickly have to fix something that got overlooked. (Which usually should result in a new test case to be written, to catch all such problems.)
A well-integrated project management system is very important. At the end of my first company, it was a self-written one with good integration. But in the beginning, something like Trac might suffice.
Then very important is, to have a knowledge base for all things that need to be remembered. Like a meta-documentation. Workflows and procedures. Why the mysql server will not restart on a reboot of stage server clones. Little hooks and mantraps like that. I recommend a Wiki.
And last but not least, never ever forget to have a Bugzilla. If you're good, you can integrate Bugzilla, the test validations and the task/project management into one system. Making the validity tests create bugs in Bugzilla, and bugs being the same as tasks (which makes test-driven development easier).
Yet this all is completely worthless, if your colleagues don't use it! ;) ...". It's the mother of all PHB stories. ^^
Unfortunately, I learned, that when someone can/em> do something wrong, he will.
So if you can't lock down possibilities to only those required, you have to be very very careful with who you hire. Especially with "web development", where you get sinology students who learned HTML while working as a taxi driver, stating that they are "professional web developers with 5 years of experience", while honestly believing that. And team leaders believing it too, because they are just as "competent". Because they themselves either started as something an simple as link collectors, or the boss of the company does not know shit about his business, and hired those types. They then usually get promoted to "Head of
The key is: Make them like to work the proper way. If nothing helps, money can always push them in the right direction. It's called "bonus". :)
And making it their project too, by also embracing their decisions!
Nationwide Shortange In Supply of Brains! ^^
Protip: eix-sync && emerge -auDNtv world && echo "YAY :D"
Uuum, the (Nokia) devices that I had, usually required recharging once a week! With normal usage. No idea what you bought or how you use them...
There is no reason, optics in a camera can't be good. There is just one lens in it anyway. Put the best one in that you can get, and you have good optics.
It's the tiny chips the put in there. Which makes sense, because it's only a phone. There simply is no space.
There is a great site out there, showing and proving, that 4.6 MP are the optimum for such (non-DSLR) devices. Unfortunately I can't remember the URL or find it on Google.
Depends on your definition of "decent". If you compare e.g. modern Nokia or Sony-Ericsson (K series) camera phones to cheap digital cameras, they are practically equal. Which is to be expected, since they use the same parts. But if you define decent as DSLR, as I do, of course all those mentioned are not decent. :)
Point is: For most people, the normal camera in the phone suffices. They can't see the difference anyway. Or it does not matter enough.
Oops, sorry, I forgot the closing slash in the strong tag. :/
... they mean in total! *badum-tish*
I'm here all night! Try the smørrebrød!
Bah. That's nothing. They still have buttons! In a text processing app! And modal dialogs!
Even Lotus WordPro was years ahead of that, despite also being mouse-controlled. But at least it was state-based with cascading style classes!
It's really a sad state. What pathetic people do, to be "accepted" by those who have never seen something different than MS default...
Are you for real?? A Comment/UnComment button? In a code editor?? Now that's some really fucked up shit!
What's next? Letter buttons that you have to click with the mouse too? No keyboard support? Buttons labeled "left click" and "right click" and a "mouse" image that you have do drag over one virtual desktop with a drag-and-drop operation of your real mouse, so the second pointer moves over the other virtual desktop??
You mean "someone at Microsoft". How could there be someone at OO.o? All they do is imitating Microsoft. Who itself are imitating others. Hell, even the ribbons!
Let's make it "most more easiereteretest". And for our french readers: "Que jususs useruss chasserassass".
*x(man)tracto's head explodes, splattering the brains on the walls*
MUHAHAHAHAAA! The world will be MINE!!! *strokes white cat with metal glove*
So you're assuming it has a browser or HTML editor built in? It's not Emacs, you know! At least not *yet*. ^^
So you're saying, that you don't want to move away from a freedom-crippling lock-in, because you are locked-in in a freedom-crippling way?
Wow. I've got a t-shirt for you.
The problem is not XUL. Though using XML syntax instead of a C-like syntax (like e.g. RelaxNG) is pretty stupid, declarative interface languages definitely are a great thing, and I wonder why it's not the standard for applications.
The problem is, that it's not compiled but interpreted. Which makes it very slow. I mean, it's so simple. Just pre-compile everything to machine code. And if you want to allow modifications, leave the XML files in place and allow users re-compilation. No startup delay. No loss in freedom. But a massive gain in speed!
If you are from the Firefox or OpenOffice team, how about pitching that idea on your mailing list? A XUL compiler should not be that hard. You already have the routines for the elements. Just use a program that can stitch the C-code segments together while walking through the XUL parse tree. And compile the results with a normal C compiler. Done. (Of course it's a bit more complicated in practice. But very managable. And SO worth it!)
No. Alien tickling ray attack. ^^
Oh, but wait until he charges you for the 900% "extra value"! ^^
Uuum, I have no idea what you're smokin' but I'm doing all this right now. Except for the ISP of course. I have a root server, a VPN, a intranet, SMB, mailserver, dns, file (video/image/sound/etc) hosting, cross-network p2p, instant messaging, you name it. All encrypted, all in VPNs, except for the tiniest entry points. And you could say that since all I need is the IP and login for my tunnel-server, that I am my own ISP inside that tunnel-net. But I could always switch on my WLAN, and start connecting with others, without even needing any ISP at all.
And what did it cost me? A cheap rented root server, a old PC, and a simple dumb router/switch that came with the also cheap Internet/telephone plan.
But I agree that that might only be an option, if you like installing all that.
Or if you give me 1000 in e.g. 1999 gold. (Get away with your paper money that will be worthless by next week! ^^)
Yes. Oh yes! I AM an Evil Overlord. MUHAHAHAHAAAA. ;)
The monster has become sentient! Run for your lives!!
Taco is NOT a robot! I've seen him write an original summary!
would be, if you could say, that there are parallels to human evolution.
At first, E. coli adapted to the environment. But when there was nothing to adapt to, because nothing changed anymore, mutation almost switched to a different "mode", where random changes got bigger. My guess: In the battle to stand out of the crowd and become dominant.
Now the parallel would be, that humanity also now dominates the planet, and very little can eradicate whole humanity. So for all of humanity, the risk is very close to zero. Which could mean that now, we also rather fight ourselves, in the battle to stand out and become dominant.
I mean after all, even with "global peace" (something that will never happen), "everyone is equal", and all that stuff, it's still an evolutionary game, where those with even the slightest advantages, will in the end "win".
Just that now we are perhaps evolving in a "mode" where it's not for the best of whole humanity anymore, because that became insignificant.
My guess here, is that this is, how diversification into different species (at the very beginning) starts to happen...
Yes, as long as people openly brag about being too dumb to program a freakin' VCR/DVR, no chance here.
Somehow, being a retard became cool, and being intelligent became uncool. The scene at the beginning of Idiocracy, where they chase Joe away from that burning barrel, because he sounds "pompous and faggy". That's what's already happening every day on TV.
And I know exactly, how it came to this!
What do you think happens, when everyone for decades, follows the rules that
* everyone is equal, (There are no two equal humans. Not even twins.)
* nobody is allowed to point out deficiencies in others (But insulting people because you are jealous that they are able to do things that you can't do because you're too dumb, is aww-right.)
* the worse you perform, the more "special" you are (No you're not!)
* and most importantly: The worse you perform, the more support you will get. Oh, you don't get it? Then I am at fault, because I should have made it more simple. (NO, you're NOT! He does not get it? Well, he should perhaps, you know, USE HIS BRAIN! His brain is not much different from everyone else's. He should stop making up excuses and attack people for his own failure and laziness! [Don't *actually* say that. But also don't cave in. Tell him "Well, tough luck. But I think if you think you can easily understand it, if you give it a bit more time.")
Why don't we just start to treat everyone exactly for what he is. No lies. No being unfair in either direction. But rather point out the positive things than the negative ones, for motivation's sake. (So that people actually want and try to perform better, like in a game, where you want to win. After all, games are the training for real life.)
P.S.: If you think that I promote the opposite of what I criticize, you have not really understood me. But I think if you read the last paragraph again, you will.
in before Troll moderation
---
The thing is, that with more children, it's more likely that at least some survive.
And the other thing is, that if you give people more food, than the land that they live in can sustain, you will get even more children, who then will starve even more. So giving them food instead of ways to make it themselves, is rather cruel and useless.
The biggest joke is, that most starving countries actually *have* giant amounts of resources, and ways to grow food. But as we take everything from them for a hand full of glass pearls, they have nothing from it.
We, you, I and everybody here, is doing it, every time we buy things that were produced in an unfair way. You know. Basically everything you can buy in a supermarket.
So it would perhaps be an oversimplification, but also be very effective, to state, that every time you buy such a extortion-based product, you kill a child! (I should make an ad with that theme, and sell that to human rights organizations. Hey, I could even pay some of those families a premium for being actors in the clip.)
It's easy to always blame some vague "someone". I only hope that with the Internet, people in the poorest regions can teach themselves, become independent, and get out of the WTO-enforced slavery. That's why things like the OLPC project beat every other project by far. (Assuming that the children there really get their computer.)
Exactly. What do you define as "weird"?
The question if something is $absolutePointXOnAbsoluteAxisY can only come from someone, who does not realize, that everything in this universe is relative. Especially things like "weirdness". And twice so. Because 1. your own view of what is weird, is defined relative to your own position ("That's weirder than me, so I'll call it 'weird'."), and 2. your own position is also only definable through other relative positions. ("How weird are you?" will always be answered with something like "Well, less than that crazy guy. But more than that no-fun loser there.")
Additionally, I don't think weirdness is ever reducible to one axis, and so it's also a multi-factor value (aka. multi-dimensional vector), where things like weighting them based on their orthogonality to get to the magnitude, come into play. (In other words: What factors make someone weird for you, and how important are those factors?)
The thing is, that the importance of that question is dependent on your own self-confidence. :)
Basically, if you know you're cool and fun and all, then even if someone calls you "weird" you will say "Nah, you're just no fun.", not even trying to defend yourself. (For what? He is wrong, not you.
And if you are insecure and think you are a loser and a weirdo, you will believe them. You will most likely even act according to your expectations of yourself. Expect yourself to fail in harmonizing with others. (Harmony [the "rhythm"] is an essential factor in social groups. I love playing it like an instrument, when I'm able to.)
For all positions between those extremes, of course the result is something in the middle.
Sadly, most software developers grew up, thinking that it's somehow "uncool" to be able to create all those wonderful programs with their elegance. That social incompetence is to be expected when one "hangs in front of his computer all the time".
Seriously? Who says that? Have you ever checked? Has anyone ever checked? Are those who checked even competent to check it? Or is it all just a false social conditioning, based on prejudice and exclusion of the unknown, like with children in school? Something that still dominates your life right now, by making you insecure *for no freakin' reason at all*.
[optional part]
I was like that. EXACTLY like that. Worst of the kind. I had a huge fear to even *talk* to girls until I was 20+. Seriously! :D
But as you might know, you will feel like wanting to die when you live like that. Luckily I realized, that all those social rules where just made up. My definitions of what I am were just made up. I could change them, and become whatever I wanted.
And, oh fuck did I change!
I just decided, that from now on, I know what is how, have my own set of values, and define myself and what I am. Then I worked to get to that point.
And now I literally can't program, when I did not go out, and had fun, socializing and stuff. And when I'm out, I am not in the corner, in fear that someone could laugh at "that weird dork there". No, I'm in the freakin' center! :)
I have no idea why, as I'm not thinking that I'm someone especially great or something, but people somehow love me now. I get drinks for free, people applauding me, and girls looking at me with glowing eyes. But I have no idea why?? Hell, there are so many better looking, cooler and richer guys in the same room! But hey... Not that I don't like it.
And the best thing: Now that I have it, I don't feel any urge to try to get it anymore. It has become almost an afterthought.
[/optional part]
Conclusion: No. Software development does NOT make you weird. Not in any known universe! Insecurity, and a environment full of prejudice, since early childhood, make you weird.
I'm a software developer / game designer and I am also according to others one of the "coolest guys they know". (Again, I myself am never trying to place myself above someone.)
I see no reason why this should not also be true for anyone else on this site!