Active-X does nothing that cannot be accomplished in another fashion.
It's best replacement for advanced client side interaction would be a Java appelet, but I avoid those like the plague. They are a PITA to get working, and always feel as if they're about to crash.
Personally, I've seen very few uses for either technology that couldn't be better acomplished with some HTML and a server side technology such as PHP, ASP or Perl.
To those few that need massive client side interaction, say for 3d image manipulation, I would choose something like Flash. (Primarily because of it's smoother installation as a browser plugin, and not needing "runtime platforms" to be installed.)
But I'd venture that 90% of Active-X/Java (applelets) are poor choices designed before ASP and PHP like technologies became the more powerful (in terms of overall feel/ease of use) solutions.
We have employment standards for the labour force; they were definatley NOT what 90% of the employers were using at the time of their implementation.
Standards are not majority rule, they are carefully designed with many factors outside of what the majority considers important accounted for.
It's the same reason that intersection sidewalks have ramps at the curb.
Most of those IE sites have horrible code, and are for all purposes unusable by people with disabilities. Those would be the same folk that got the ramps at the intersections installed, at considerable expense. They're also kicking up quite a storm in England over web access - including lawsuits.
Something to consider if you're in charge of "Defacto standard" websites.
You say to the dude: "Dude, there are serious security issues with what you are asking me to do."
Dude: "I don't care."
You: "Ok, before I do this I'll have to get approval from the CIO (or whoever's higher - the pres if need be.)
Dude: "Do it."
You to CIO via email: "Dude is asking to remove Active X prompt, The ramifications are as follows: yadda yadda yadda. overtime yadda yadda yadda potential data loss yadda yadda yadda privacy issues lawsuits"
The CIO: "Do it anyway"
You: "ok."
That's it. You don't run the damn company, your job is to advise in matters IT. If they want to jump off a cliff, it's not your job to do anything more than say "you'll die when you hit the ground below because of X"
After that, just make sure you CYA, enjoy the overtime pay and stop worrying about it.
Too many IT folk put their personal pride into things that are beyond their control... managers are like little kids, sometimes they need to fail first by themselves before they learn to listen to the subject matter experts they've hired.
Go check out the IEBlog for their attitude towards standards... now that they've sold to all of these folks that "other browsers aren't important" there's no way they can resonably implement standards.
perhaps, as it states in the article, she was the DBA, while all of the others were investment bankers and executives.
Jumping to conclusions is alive and well on/.
But you do realize that all you're doing is moving around the location of "if" (should really be a switch) statements?
That's really not going to help you a hell of a lot unless you fully understand how to use objects. Even that though, is rarely the cause of failed projects.
Slashdot Mirror
is open.
Automatic Update is a part of XP. You only need to download it on Windows 2000 because it came as part of an SP.
Active-X does nothing that cannot be accomplished in another fashion.
It's best replacement for advanced client side interaction would be a Java appelet, but I avoid those like the plague. They are a PITA to get working, and always feel as if they're about to crash.
Personally, I've seen very few uses for either technology that couldn't be better acomplished with some HTML and a server side technology such as PHP, ASP or Perl.
To those few that need massive client side interaction, say for 3d image manipulation, I would choose something like Flash. (Primarily because of it's smoother installation as a browser plugin, and not needing "runtime platforms" to be installed.)
But I'd venture that 90% of Active-X/Java (applelets) are poor choices designed before ASP and PHP like technologies became the more powerful (in terms of overall feel/ease of use) solutions.
Learn what the fuck you're talking about.
Your Boss wanted to know what things were, and you basically said: Free stuff.
"Better" is not exactly the most stunning argument. He wanted facts, you gave him opinion.
This Boss even showed an interest (a big plus), but you blew it.
" Other than making the vendor change the way they do things for a minority"
But you can help this along by pointing out the accessibily lawsuits happening in the UK.
We have employment standards for the labour force; they were definatley NOT what 90% of the employers were using at the time of their implementation.
Standards are not majority rule, they are carefully designed with many factors outside of what the majority considers important accounted for.
It's the same reason that intersection sidewalks have ramps at the curb.
Most of those IE sites have horrible code, and are for all purposes unusable by people with disabilities. Those would be the same folk that got the ramps at the intersections installed, at considerable expense. They're also kicking up quite a storm in England over web access - including lawsuits.
Something to consider if you're in charge of "Defacto standard" websites.
Active-X is a big bug.
Anyone who continues to develop using it is a bad developer.
As a client, you should explain to your sales rep the issues at hand and how they are issuficient to your needs (tell em you're going all mac even).
At worst you may be able to negociate a better commission for your sales, at best they fix it.
You say to the dude: "Dude, there are serious security issues with what you are asking me to do."
Dude: "I don't care."
You: "Ok, before I do this I'll have to get approval from the CIO (or whoever's higher - the pres if need be.)
Dude: "Do it."
You to CIO via email: "Dude is asking to remove Active X prompt, The ramifications are as follows: yadda yadda yadda. overtime yadda yadda yadda potential data loss yadda yadda yadda privacy issues lawsuits"
The CIO: "Do it anyway"
You: "ok."
That's it. You don't run the damn company, your job is to advise in matters IT. If they want to jump off a cliff, it's not your job to do anything more than say "you'll die when you hit the ground below because of X"
After that, just make sure you CYA, enjoy the overtime pay and stop worrying about it.
Too many IT folk put their personal pride into things that are beyond their control... managers are like little kids, sometimes they need to fail first by themselves before they learn to listen to the subject matter experts they've hired.
Go check out the IEBlog for their attitude towards standards... now that they've sold to all of these folks that "other browsers aren't important" there's no way they can resonably implement standards.
NT 4 workstation could be changed into NT 4 Server with a registry key switch. I don't think that "feature" made it's way into 2000/XP though.
they should count themselves lucky they don't live near me, I would have changed the admin password, then turned them off.
You're in an apartment and you have wirless?
How many square feet are we talking here?
Why not just plug the wire back in, and enjoy the speed boost as well?
um... how the hell is that offtopic?
I think the parent post was using a literary device known as sarcasm.
But thanks for clearing things up for us.
Did you sign one of those between all the HR forms? You probably did.
She's a DBA, not an investment banker... her "partnership" is a perk.
Good grief some of you need to get out more.
?? Why not? It's their firm, they can call her whatever they want to.
perhaps, as it states in the article, she was the DBA, while all of the others were investment bankers and executives. Jumping to conclusions is alive and well on /.
But you do realize that all you're doing is moving around the location of "if" (should really be a switch) statements?
That's really not going to help you a hell of a lot unless you fully understand how to use objects. Even that though, is rarely the cause of failed projects.
Got news for you, if it doens't run on windows, it won't be killing anything.
...isn't really a solution, just substituting of one bullshit way of doing things for another.
I aggree that Exchange should be more like every other damn DB app out there, but please, anything but Java. I've got enough bloatware as is.
who's talking about Evolution?
1. Even though she is supposedly an adult, she isn't emotionally capable to deal with the death of a pet - something many children are able to do.
2. Completely missed a chance to save an unwanted cat from the same fate as her previously departed one.
3. Forwards the cause of fascism by successfully premoting the idea that people are incapable of handling excessive amounts of freedom
4. She doesn't even have the guts to give her full name and live by the consequences of her actions.
5. She probably wears fur, and drives an SUV 5 miles to work every day.