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User: Call+Me+Black+Cloud

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Comments · 1,156

  1. Re:Are they making the Nvidia Experience mistake? on AMD's Major Radeon Software Graphics Driver Update Goes Live With Gameplay Capture, More (venturebeat.com) · · Score: 2

    Nvidia doesn't require any personal information so the solution is simple: create an Nvidia account using a mailinator e-mail address. Worked for me.

  2. Then there's his domestic violence arrest... on Supreme Court Overturns Conviction For Man Who Posted 'Threatening' Messages On Facebook · · Score: 1

    ...last month. He is indeed a charmer.

    http://rhrealitycheck.org/arti...

  3. The Manga Guide to Databases on Ask Slashdot: Learning DB the Right Way; Books, Tutorials, or What? · · Score: 1


    The Manga Guide to Databases is the best introduction to (relational) databases I've come across. It provides an entertaining and thorough overview of database terminology and concepts. I've used this book for years with junior engineers and interns who have all loved it, and the DBAs I've loaned it to were impressed by how much ground the book covers.

  4. Formatting is the IDE's job on Does Coding Style Matter? · · Score: 1

    There are best practices and rules a programmer should follow and those should be set at the team level...call that "style" if you want. But formatting? Who cares? The IDE takes care of that. If the diff engine on your IDE or repository can't tell the difference between code changes and whitespace changes then something's wrong. I was on a (Java) project where half the team liked braces on a new line and half didn't. When I worked on code written by someone else, the first thing I'd do is hit alt-shift-F (Netbeans) to reformat the code. I'd do the same if I pasted some code...reformat the file to get the new code formatted the right way.

    Our SVN repository wasn't glutted with meaningless diffs and I didn't face hundreds of conflicts when updating code. In this modern age (despite the lack of flying cars) it's silly to have to conform to one standard to make the software happy. Software works for us, not the other way around. I use software to format code the way I'm most comfortable with...why should everyone compromise so no one is happy? Just set up your tools properly and stop worrying about formatting.

  5. Re:A downgrade in many ways on Rare Photos: Gnu Crashing a Windows 8 Launch Event · · Score: 1

    I don't know how desktop users could have asked for something that hasn't yet existed on the desktop, but the classic desktop is still there:

    http://www.ghacks.net/2012/10/08/how-to-switch-from-windows-8s-startscreen-to-the-desktop/

  6. Re:Windows 8 downgrades security? on Rare Photos: Gnu Crashing a Windows 8 Launch Event · · Score: 5, Funny

    Citation needed.

    You must be gnu here...

  7. It helps me and my ADD on Do Headphones Help Or Hurt Productivity? · · Score: 1

    I'm a coder and I've found I'm much more productive when I'm listening to music through headphones (usually the Foo Fighters or 311). Without music I'm much more prone to distraction, and not just from office noises. I'm more inclined to get a random thought and end up surfing the web when I'm not listening to music. Meds will help me stay in the zone but music definitely increases my productivity, on or off meds.

  8. No big - I've been studying this for years on "Brainput" Boosts Your Brain Power By Offloading Multitasking To a Computer · · Score: 2

    I never referred to my studies as "bra input" like they did but I guess that's what it takes to get funding. All my research has been self-funded...

  9. Who set up the camera? on Blue Gecko is an 11 Year Old Remote Database Administration Startup (Video) · · Score: 1

    I'm sure that's a comfy couch but it doesn't need to fill the frame. How about zooming in on the speaker?

  10. Let me know when you get new stuff... on Ask Slashdot: A Cheap, DIY Home Security and Surveillance System? · · Score: 1

    ...I'll be by to take it because you don't seem very bright.

    You announce on Twitter when you leave your house ("Off to IKEA!"), you're too cheap to pay for ADT (or even ADT signs and stickers), yet you don't mind paying for equipment so you can sit around and monitor your home.

    Let me know when you get the webcams up and running...I'm sure you'll fail to change the default password. I'd rather use the webcams to see when you leave rather than following you on Twitter.

  11. There are better sites for this question on Ask Slashdot: How Do You Install Ubuntu On 30 Laptops and Keep Them In Sync? · · Score: 4, Informative

    One of the Stack Exchange sites would give you better answers, or at least a set of answers without "frist psot". Take a look at http://serverfault.com/ or even http://askubuntu.com/.

  12. Re:XML on Ask Slashdot: Freedom From DRM, In the Social Gaming Arena? · · Score: 1

    Brilliant! I will now rule the workplace!

  13. Re:URI missing on Ask Slashdot: Freedom From DRM, In the Social Gaming Arena? · · Score: 1

    Really? Wow...how did that game get funded?

  14. Hardware dongle ftw! on Ask Slashdot: Copy Protection Advice For ~$10k Software? · · Score: 1

    We faced a similar problem once upon a time and used a USB key from Wibu as the solution (http://www.wibu.com/wibukey.html - they have a newer product out now). It's been a few years since I worked on the project but in general what we did was used the key to decrypt small, critical portions of the code. The software couldn't run without the key and it was non-trivial to patch the code to an unencrypted state. No solution is perfect but that worked for us.

  15. Re:Use a mounted camera on Ask Slashdot: How To Go Paperless At Home? · · Score: 1

    It would take an amazing camera to photograph both sides of a document at once. That's why I use the ScanSnap s1500 - it will beat your 12-15 pages per minute while scanning both sides in color and creating PDFs on the fly. Its footprint is small enough that it sits on my desk.

  16. Re:Fujitsu ScanSnap or similar on Ask Slashdot: How To Go Paperless At Home? · · Score: 1

    I second the above post. I also have an S1500 and like jrkotrla says, it's magic. I open the unit, load the docs, press the blue button and the PDF is stored in the correct folder. Load more docs, press the blue button, etc. I rename the files and remove unneeded pages before moving the PDF to its final location but that's all the effort I expend.

  17. What's your current job? on Ask Slashdot: Where Are the Open Source Jobs? · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Are you a janitor? Programmer? DBA? SA? Middle manager?

    And what is "an open source job"? Is that a job where anyone can come by and do your work for you?

    Your knee-jerk reaction makes no sense. You didn't say what you do or how the change will affect you, only "OMG M$!!!!!". In the end your company will be better off without you.

  18. Re:What crap on IBM Seeks Patent On Judging Programmers By Commits · · Score: 3, Insightful

    No, because everyone knows braces go on a new line!

  19. Re:And we care because... on Firefox 10 Released · · Score: 3, Funny

    You win. Or you would have won, if you were.

  20. Are you a shut-in? on Ask Slashdot: Money-Making Home-Based Tech Skills? · · Score: 1

    If you're able to leave the house on occasion then look for local work instead. It took my wife a while but she found part-time work that she can do partly from home. Granted, it took a lot of wading through scams on Craigslist. My job is more flexible than hers so I can cover things at home if she needs to be out.

    You need to find a task that either can't be outsourced (personal assistant, Girl Friday) or that the employer doesn't want to outsource. Find local companies that would rather have their tech needs met by someone they've met in person, yet that don't want to have a full-time person.

    The catch is you'll have to work to get those jobs. You can't just sit around surfing the web looking for work. You need to call companies, leverage your friends and neighbors, and even cold call businesses in person. You have to earn the work...it's not going to fall from the sky.

  21. Re:Home porn videos? on Ask Slashdot: Money-Making Home-Based Tech Skills? · · Score: -1

    Damn...too bad I already spent my mod points. Any comment that causes me to spray soda on the monitor is worth +1, AC or not!

  22. Re:Please stop! on Why We Should Teach Our Kids To Code · · Score: 1

    You're absolutely right. I'm a programmer and I'm forced to rely on those who can build houses and furniture and appliances. If only I'd gone into the house/furniture/appliance trade.

    Oh, wait...I forgot how things work. It's a good thing someone invented money so I can exchange my labor for someone else's using a mutually agreeable medium. Now I don't have to be a furniture maker/doctor/farmer/weaver...I can do what I'm good at and allow others to do what they're good at.

  23. How to get around the blackout on Wikipedia Still Set For Full Blackout Wednesday · · Score: 1

    In your browser of choice, disable JavaScript. It's that simple.

  24. Re:the way to go on Tough Tests Flunk Good Programming Job Candidates · · Score: 1

    Wow, where did you get all that from? Did I say I wanted cheery people? Didn't I say I was rigorous in screening and interviewing? I don't need what I call "factory programmers"...the widget assemblers as you put it. I've got roadies; I need rock stars. I want people smarter than me. I never dismissed tech skills - but I don't want only tech skills. The smartest candidate isn't necessarily the best candidate.

    Yesterday I conducted 2 interviews. The first was a factory programmer - there's no way she would succeed on the project I'm hiring for. I think we spent 30 minutes with her (me and two other senior developers). The programmers on our team (of which I'm one) solve problems, probably learning new skills along the way, and ship code. Ever read A Message to Garcia? I need Rowans. Rowans succeed on this project.

    The second interview got to almost the 2 hour point when the project manager came in to say we've gone long enough. We covered everything his resume claimed he knew, had him rough out a design on the whiteboard, and went over the other things (i.e. attitude-related) we look for: success at and away from work, ability to collaborate, flexibility, self-motivation, drive for results, decision making. He was a Rowan. Hopefully HR can put together a decent enough package to seal the deal.

    Smart candidates respect the rigor of our process. Very few companies ask for code and writing samples prior to the review...our team does. There are plenty of places a factory programmer can go...companies where a manager does the interview so it's easy to look smart. The large company I work for is one of those places...but the project I'm on isn't like that.

    Nice misread of my post.

  25. Re:the way to go on Tough Tests Flunk Good Programming Job Candidates · · Score: 2

    I do the tech interviewing for our project and we are pretty rigorous in our screening and our interviews. The make or break quality, though, is attitude.

    You can teach skills but you can't teach attitude. In fact, my summer intern this year wasn't even a programmer - he was a double major in math and econ - but his spirit and attitude were outstanding so I brought him on (sort of a Pygmalion test of skills vs attitude).

    After his internship was up we hired him as a part-time programmer, with an eye towards full-time employment if he wants to go that route. He fits in great with our team and he's picking up programming very fast (he'd only had one Java class previously).

    Remember, you're interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you.