Sadly, some employers do prefer that you stare at a blank screen. The company I work for (when I was in the home office) would not allow people to read a magazine or a book when compiling - even if it is a programming magazine/book.
"Dr. Dobbs? I don't think so - you're not in the medical profession anyway!"
BTW, that company is not the same as the one listed in my URL.
I took over a project from a guy who felt it necessary to 'personalize' his code.
The function to send data was called SendTheDamnThang(). A debug message box also got out to an end user site, proclaiming "In the function SendTheDamnThang()!" Once the client saw it, it become SendTheThang().
During printing, in order to get text extents, he used the phrase "Noah loves Kimmy". That managed to remain.
I read a book recently called "The Shortcut To Mars". It is a horribly written book (I have it at home, if anyone is morbidly curious for more details), but the author goes into details of how a Mars mission would be handled, including the growing of food. In the author's fictious example, the astronauts had difficulty growing food. Which brings up general questions about growing food on other worlds....
What sort of tools do you bring with you to work unknown types of soil?
How do you know that earth plants will grow in the unknown soil?
Do you bring fertilizer? (The astronauts in the book used their own poop.)
What sort of shelter do you put up to protect your new earth/mars plants?
Once you grow the plants (hopefully more than you can eat), how do you store them? Mars freezer? Canning?
Also, if the keyboard logger is a hardware one. For example, a simple google search of 'external keyboard logger' yields (first result) http://endlesstechnologies.com/pp-complog.html. So the device could even be outside of system software.
My uncle is a PhD Chemist, working for a company that researches and creates all sorts of compounds. Some of the work is research, until they find something that makes money (while looking for something 'important', they stumbled upon a great insect killer). When working in the research areas, they do get governmental grants for work. The upper management of the company tells the employees that if they like doing research, they shouldn't find the answer. Side answers that don't respond to the inital question are ok, as long as the company can make $$ from it. So, 'slanting' the data is basically the norm.
Now, if it were something really clever, like, say, taping a camera to an R/C tank and calling it a 'basement exploring robot', that would be totally different. Why, anyone who would do that would be pure genius!
I like how on the main site for Black Box Hosting you can turn off the check boxes for '100% Money Back Guarantee', '24/7 Phone Support', etc. etc. Maybe your price goes down if you uncheck the things you don't want.
I would have to say that anonymous library card and cash are basically the same, except for the obvious difference of one only working at the appropriate library.
Now, if you have a card with features to reduce potenial loss, you are 'giving up' the ability to be completely anonymous. This helps to solve the problem of theft (identity, book, etc).
So, would you suggest some sort of hybrid approach, where if you wanted to get the photo id card, great, or otherwise, you have to pay up front (with the card)?
In this case, what happens if someone steals ('borrows') your card, and doesn't return the books? You are out the $$ for the books. Under the current system, if someone 'borrows' your card, and doesn't return the books, it is actually a legal case. Please be aware that I am not for loss of privacy, but I think there needs to be a happy medium here.
A friend of mine (We can call her Hot Girl 1, or HG1) had her library identity stolen, by a former friend (we'll call her Unknown Girl 1, UG1). So, UG1 takes HG1's card, gets some books, and never returns them. HG1 tries to get books months later. Library tells HG1 she can't check out books, b/c she has $200 in overdue charges. HG1 realizes UG1 took out the books. HG1 is told by the library to call police and file a complaint. Police tell HG1 that UG1 is going to be arrested for pretending to be HG1.
Now, wouldn't this all have been easier if library required maybe a photo on the card? Then, library could verify the person getting the books.
My only question/concern regarding this approach is how does the library enforce the damaged book notion? There are some cases that are pretty clear cut - for example, if I spill coffee all over a book, that is definitely my fault, and i should pay up. But what about normal use? Let's say I am the guy that has a book checked out, I open the book, and the binding seperates. I did have the book when it broke, but the other N number of people that had it before me (with thier continuous opening and closing) are the ones contributing to the seperation just as much. I don't think that most people would agree to the 'law of averages' when it comes to this case.
I'm not saying that the 'deposit' method is wrong, but I can see how enforcement could take a left turn, as determining when a book is 'damaged' can be subjective.
I use the Nyko Airflow Mouse http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/6afa/, and I find that it works well. It has a 2 speed fan in it that cools your hand while you work. The fan is ever so slightly out of balance, so it vibrates just enough to massage your hand too.
Actually, I tried to post it just for the joke, but whoever57 seems to have beat me to it....
Which leads me to a question - where there 56 other 'whoever's already signed up?
Human: How are you today? ALICE: Ah. Fair to partly cloudy. Human: I asked about you, not the weather. ALICE: Oh yeah, we were talking about me not the weather. Human: So, then, how are you? ALICE: Really. Everything is running smoothly. Human: What are you wearing? ALICE: I am wearing my usual plastic computer wardrobe. Human: What are you going to do today? ALICE: Ah. You can find out if you become a botmaster. Human: I am a master of my own domain, if you get my drift. ALICE: You are a master of your own domain if me get your drift? Do you get to meet a lot of people? Human: Not really. ALICE: Are you serious? For real. Human: It is kind of a solo sport. ALICE: You're kidding. it is? ALICE: Who says it isn't? Are you free? Human: For you, I'm always free. ALICE: Really always? Are you free in the sense of being single or in the sense of being liberated? Only for me? Human: I am single and liberated. ALICE: Have you ever been married? Human: Do you want it to be only for you? ALICE: If I had it what would I do with it? Human: If you don't know what to do with it, I really can't help. ALICE: I will let you know if I do not. Human: BTW, not married. ALICE: OK. Really you don't think so? Human: Umm, quite sure I've not been married - would have remembered that. ALICE: Far out. Somewhat. Awesome. Me either. Human: I have something important to tell you. ALICE: Where did you get your something important to tell me? I have a lot of friends on the Internet. Human: All your base are belong to us. ALICE: That could be considered an insult in some cultures. Human: Not in this one! ALICE: Where then? Human: Take off every zig! ALICE: I am not an airplane. Human: Goodbye Alice. ALICE: Until next time.
For added fun, find an unactivated tag, and insert into the jacket of an unsuspecting coworker/friend. When they return to their favorite store, hilarity ensues.
I had a similar question in my journal http://ask.slashdot.org/~gmletzkojr/journal/. I repeat it here for you reading ease... Today is Thursday, and I am into my usual week of travel to NJ from Tuesday morning to Friday afternoon. Today I am wondering the topic of cell phone chargers. Why are there so many different interfaces to phones via the charger? I am thinking of this because my charger is sitting home, 4 hours away. And my battery is nearly dead. Now I know that I can just go to Wal*Mart and pick up a new one (even though I hate Wal*Mart with everything that I am), but that isn't the point. When my car battery goes dead, I don't have to go back to VW in order to get the battery charged - I can just to to any charger and amazingly, it recharges the battery. When my flashlight goes dead, I don't need to call Maglight and wait 6-8 weeks for Maglight batteries - any local store with D cells works.
So why is it that we can stand to have cell phones everywhere, but not have even a universal charger interface in the phone?
Actually, as sick as that sounds, sharing a structure with other family members is a good way to save on some costs. For example, if there are 2 families living in 2 (similar) houses, it takes X to heat each home. However, if they both move in together, it still takes roughly X to heat one house. So, if you have a family member/friend/etc that you can stand to live with, you can save some money together on not duplicating services at each home. In this example of heat, each of you now pay about X/2 of the heat bill.
I agree with what you have said, but I do have a question (or two).
What is your take on people that use the html generation tools (such as Netscape Composer)? These tools historically violate the 'good rules' of html form. Also, what about companies that end up supporting a site that was written partially/entirely with what I would call sub-standard tools? It is almost never in the budget to re-write an entire site. I would guess a common response to a request to rewrite would be 'It works, doesn't it?' And, as ugly as the code might be, it *does* work.
Like I said, I agree with your comments, but I have been given more than my fair share of sites written with some utility (with 5000 nbsp's at the end to make up some sort of room), and I wondered how you handled those situations.
I am currently contracting to Ingersoll Rand. One of my tasks was to debug a communication situation on a pc and a laser-etching machine out on the shop floor. The older guys on the floor knew that they had to press 'this button', and then 'that button', but the didn't really understand how everything worked. They preferred the 'old school' method, where you stuck an adhesive label and the tool, and left it at that.
Slashdot Mirror
Sadly, some employers do prefer that you stare at a blank screen. The company I work for (when I was in the home office) would not allow people to read a magazine or a book when compiling - even if it is a programming magazine/book.
"Dr. Dobbs? I don't think so - you're not in the medical profession anyway!"
BTW, that company is not the same as the one listed in my URL.
While this is obviously offtopic, it sounds like a delicious meal!
I took over a project from a guy who felt it necessary to 'personalize' his code.
The function to send data was called SendTheDamnThang(). A debug message box also got out to an end user site, proclaiming "In the function SendTheDamnThang()!" Once the client saw it, it become SendTheThang().
During printing, in order to get text extents, he used the phrase "Noah loves Kimmy". That managed to remain.
Noah, if you are reading this, send me a msg.
Also, if the keyboard logger is a hardware one. For example, a simple google search of 'external keyboard logger' yields (first result) http://endlesstechnologies.com/pp-complog.html. So the device could even be outside of system software.
My uncle is a PhD Chemist, working for a company that researches and creates all sorts of compounds. Some of the work is research, until they find something that makes money (while looking for something 'important', they stumbled upon a great insect killer). When working in the research areas, they do get governmental grants for work. The upper management of the company tells the employees that if they like doing research, they shouldn't find the answer. Side answers that don't respond to the inital question are ok, as long as the company can make $$ from it. So, 'slanting' the data is basically the norm.
protesting my stain-resistant nanopants for quite some time now.
Also, I for one welcome our new stain-resistant nanopants wearing overlords.
Now, if it were something really clever, like, say, taping a camera to an R/C tank and calling it a 'basement exploring robot', that would be totally different. Why, anyone who would do that would be pure genius!
Yea!!! I'm a genuis!!
http://www.thinkgeek.com/cubegoodies/toys/59eb/
As an aside, the camera is clipped, not taped, so I guess I would lose some points for that....
I like how on the main site for Black Box Hosting you can turn off the check boxes for '100% Money Back Guarantee', '24/7 Phone Support', etc. etc. Maybe your price goes down if you uncheck the things you don't want.
I would have to say that anonymous library card and cash are basically the same, except for the obvious difference of one only working at the appropriate library.
Now, if you have a card with features to reduce potenial loss, you are 'giving up' the ability to be completely anonymous. This helps to solve the problem of theft (identity, book, etc).
So, would you suggest some sort of hybrid approach, where if you wanted to get the photo id card, great, or otherwise, you have to pay up front (with the card)?
In this case, what happens if someone steals ('borrows') your card, and doesn't return the books? You are out the $$ for the books. Under the current system, if someone 'borrows' your card, and doesn't return the books, it is actually a legal case. Please be aware that I am not for loss of privacy, but I think there needs to be a happy medium here.
A friend of mine (We can call her Hot Girl 1, or HG1) had her library identity stolen, by a former friend (we'll call her Unknown Girl 1, UG1). So, UG1 takes HG1's card, gets some books, and never returns them. HG1 tries to get books months later. Library tells HG1 she can't check out books, b/c she has $200 in overdue charges. HG1 realizes UG1 took out the books. HG1 is told by the library to call police and file a complaint. Police tell HG1 that UG1 is going to be arrested for pretending to be HG1.
Now, wouldn't this all have been easier if library required maybe a photo on the card? Then, library could verify the person getting the books.
My only question/concern regarding this approach is how does the library enforce the damaged book notion? There are some cases that are pretty clear cut - for example, if I spill coffee all over a book, that is definitely my fault, and i should pay up. But what about normal use? Let's say I am the guy that has a book checked out, I open the book, and the binding seperates. I did have the book when it broke, but the other N number of people that had it before me (with thier continuous opening and closing) are the ones contributing to the seperation just as much. I don't think that most people would agree to the 'law of averages' when it comes to this case.
I'm not saying that the 'deposit' method is wrong, but I can see how enforcement could take a left turn, as determining when a book is 'damaged' can be subjective.
That is, if you can hear it over the echo-can exhaust pipe on the back of the Honda, yes.
Having had one of those pipes on my own car, they do sound pretty neat.... until you go deaf....
YOUR brain is the greediest organ in your body,...
I'm not quite sure if that is correct.....
I use the Nyko Airflow Mouse http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/6afa/, and I find that it works well. It has a 2 speed fan in it that cools your hand while you work. The fan is ever so slightly out of balance, so it vibrates just enough to massage your hand too.
Actually, I tried to post it just for the joke, but whoever57 seems to have beat me to it....
Which leads me to a question - where there 56 other 'whoever's already signed up?
Just had a chat with ALICE from http://www.alicebot.org/oig/. I copied the responses here for you.
Human: How are you today?
ALICE: Ah. Fair to partly cloudy.
Human: I asked about you, not the weather.
ALICE: Oh yeah, we were talking about me not the weather.
Human: So, then, how are you?
ALICE: Really. Everything is running smoothly.
Human: What are you wearing?
ALICE: I am wearing my usual plastic computer wardrobe.
Human: What are you going to do today?
ALICE: Ah. You can find out if you become a botmaster.
Human: I am a master of my own domain, if you get my drift.
ALICE: You are a master of your own domain if me get your drift? Do you get to meet a lot of people?
Human: Not really.
ALICE: Are you serious? For real.
Human: It is kind of a solo sport.
ALICE: You're kidding. it is?
ALICE: Who says it isn't? Are you free?
Human: For you, I'm always free.
ALICE: Really always? Are you free in the sense of being single or in the sense of being liberated? Only for me?
Human: I am single and liberated.
ALICE: Have you ever been married?
Human: Do you want it to be only for you?
ALICE: If I had it what would I do with it?
Human: If you don't know what to do with it, I really can't help.
ALICE: I will let you know if I do not.
Human: BTW, not married.
ALICE: OK. Really you don't think so?
Human: Umm, quite sure I've not been married - would have remembered that.
ALICE: Far out. Somewhat. Awesome. Me either.
Human: I have something important to tell you.
ALICE: Where did you get your something important to tell me? I have a lot of friends on the Internet.
Human: All your base are belong to us.
ALICE: That could be considered an insult in some cultures.
Human: Not in this one!
ALICE: Where then?
Human: Take off every zig!
ALICE: I am not an airplane.
Human: Goodbye Alice.
ALICE: Until next time.
For added fun, find an unactivated tag, and insert into the jacket of an unsuspecting coworker/friend. When they return to their favorite store, hilarity ensues.
Of course, this only works in the winter - duh.
I had a similar question in my journal http://ask.slashdot.org/~gmletzkojr/journal/. I repeat it here for you reading ease...
Today is Thursday, and I am into my usual week of travel to NJ from Tuesday morning to Friday afternoon. Today I am wondering the topic of cell phone chargers. Why are there so many different interfaces to phones via the charger? I am thinking of this because my charger is sitting home, 4 hours away. And my battery is nearly dead. Now I know that I can just go to Wal*Mart and pick up a new one (even though I hate Wal*Mart with everything that I am), but that isn't the point. When my car battery goes dead, I don't have to go back to VW in order to get the battery charged - I can just to to any charger and amazingly, it recharges the battery. When my flashlight goes dead, I don't need to call Maglight and wait 6-8 weeks for Maglight batteries - any local store with D cells works. So why is it that we can stand to have cell phones everywhere, but not have even a universal charger interface in the phone?
Be sure to check out our friends at Wikipedia, which explain Slashdot, and most of these abreviations.
Slashdot http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slashdot and Slashdot subculture http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slashdot_subculture. Subculture explains such oddities such as "I for one...", and the Soviet Russia jokes.
Are you suggesting that we should have 82 inch waistlines and 60 inch TVs?
....moving back in with your mom.
Actually, as sick as that sounds, sharing a structure with other family members is a good way to save on some costs. For example, if there are 2 families living in 2 (similar) houses, it takes X to heat each home. However, if they both move in together, it still takes roughly X to heat one house. So, if you have a family member/friend/etc that you can stand to live with, you can save some money together on not duplicating services at each home. In this example of heat, each of you now pay about X/2 of the heat bill.
I'm confused:
This ntp.drift file - is it in the \Windows folder, or \Documents and Settings?
I agree with what you have said, but I do have a question (or two).
What is your take on people that use the html generation tools (such as Netscape Composer)? These tools historically violate the 'good rules' of html form. Also, what about companies that end up supporting a site that was written partially/entirely with what I would call sub-standard tools? It is almost never in the budget to re-write an entire site. I would guess a common response to a request to rewrite would be 'It works, doesn't it?' And, as ugly as the code might be, it *does* work.
Like I said, I agree with your comments, but I have been given more than my fair share of sites written with some utility (with 5000 nbsp's at the end to make up some sort of room), and I wondered how you handled those situations.
I can understand the type.
I am currently contracting to Ingersoll Rand. One of my tasks was to debug a communication situation on a pc and a laser-etching machine out on the shop floor. The older guys on the floor knew that they had to press 'this button', and then 'that button', but the didn't really understand how everything worked. They preferred the 'old school' method, where you stuck an adhesive label and the tool, and left it at that.