Jeema3000

"People trafficking is a huge business with profits for organised crime of over $30billion."

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that, if we have learned anything from the War on Drugs, then the solution to this problem is probably not increased criminal penalties for prostitution.

Perhaps the solution is to educate people - both young women who are at-risk of getting caught up in human trafficking, as well as men who may be likely to pay for sex and may not be aware of the problem of human trafficking.

My feelings exactly. I would also like to know what it is that Internet Explorer 9+ "doesn't support" that is apparently such a showstopper as to merit dropping support entirely.

"Far too often things break between releases and/or upgrades."

I recently tried to upgrade my older 9.10 install to 10.4 LTS. I got a bunch of errors about x.org upon upgrade (I think maybe because I downloaded and installed Nvidia's Linux driver a while ago), and yep you guessed it - hosed system upon reboot.

These sort of showstopper problems should not be occurring - not in the year 2011. Totally inexcusable as far as I'm concerned.

"So basically, this is a compiler optimization implemented by having the programmer provide hints to the compiler."

I'm not entirely sure that's correct. I think Larry Wall (being a linguist originally) designed it that way because he thought that using context-sensitive sigils was more like regular speech where leading words indicate the number, i.e. 'a cup' vs. 'some cups'...

Well in the end, the only thing that really matters is programmer productivity... and ultimately the proof is in the pudding I think.

You're right in basically pointing out that if a new language can't communicate quantifiable productivity benefits, then what's the point of taking the time to learn it and switching over?

"Nobody likes seeing their money go to waste, especially to causes they dont agree with (ie union pensions for government employees that retire after 20 years of service)."

So the ultra rich obstruct attempts at making the system more efficient (i.e. getting rid of the for-profit healthcare industry in America which costs the average American more and delivers worse outcomes than other industrialized countries) and then use that as an excuse to not pay more taxes? That's a pretty good racket they got going there. The world's smallest violin must be playing for all those poor downtrodden multi-millionaire bankers...

I'd start with Javascript, because:

a) It's fairly simple.

b) Every computer that has a web browser has it. He would be able to run the programs with no additional software needed (including on the iPad).

c) You can make simple games with it (that's what I was interested in when I started programming, anyway :) ).

d) It's relevant.

I don't think he's trying to lecture anyone - probably speaking from personal feeling rather. I mean... life is ultimately kind of a Sisyphean existance when you think about it (as the philosopher Albert Camus once pointed out). Some people don't get bothered by that, but other people can get very down thinking about the existential nature of things. And that feeling can be the impetus to want to try something different with their lives that has more meaning to them. I don't see that as a bad thing...

All hail the barbarian armies of the Waste Land!... :)

I wonder... how many programmers have been exposed to enough different problem domains and languages to really make an accurate judgement on what is "the best programming language", if any such thing even exists (which I doubt).

Maybe the reason you hate some feature of a language because you've never been exposed to a problem domain where that feature would be required.

I mean how many of us can honestly say that we are experts in more than one or maybe two domains: i.e. web development, desktop/native apps, embedded systems, systems programming, 3d programming, mainframe programming, massive enterprise team projects, small one-person projects, in-between projects, etc...?

I say he who is versed in all of these cast the first stone... :)

This is pretty exciting, seeing as how it's the first major UI rethink for Windows since Win95.

I like the idea of simplification of the UI for the average mom and pop user. For them this will probably be a great fit with the large buttons and having one application that fills up the whole window. It almost allows people to think more abstractly, in terms of activities rather than apps for a lot of things (i.e. 'what do you want to do' vs. 'how do you want to do it').

I do not like the idea of having to switch back and forth between the legacy Windows Shell and this new shell. That, in my opinion, is what I would call as a developer, a 'lazy implementation' - probably easier to implement for the developers, but not the right way when it comes down to usability. I hope they are planning some kind of tighter integration that will make that more seamless...

Columbus, OH

eRetailing Associates (www.eretailing.com), a Columbus, OH-based e-commerce company, is currently seeking a full time Software Developer (entry level is okay, but you should be a complete ninja). Join our innovative small team, and work in a casual but focused and hard-working atmosphere on some of the leading personalization-on-demand websites online today.

Some technologies (and other stuff) you might be involved in or should have some interest in are: Perl, PHP, Flash, HTML5, MySql, performance tuning, writing beautiful software, doing things ‘the right way’, OOP, learning, refactoring, never settling for shortcuts and half-baked solutions, Amazon Web Services, PROBLEM SOLVING (hint, hint), Linux, Apache, and new ways of thinking.

If this sounds interesting to you and you think you’re a stellar web geek, then we need to talk.

What’s in it for you?

* Very competitive compensation

* Group health insurance, paid vacation, and the other usual benefits

* Good work-life balance

* Hanging out with me, Jeema3000. :)

Email your resume to: blarson@eretailing.com

It's certainly possible I think, but what you're talking about is more-or-less asymmetric multiprocessing, which (according to Wikipedia at least) is generally more complicated to implement at a hardware level:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetric_multiprocessing#Alter...

"Applets run in their own area on the page and can't interact with the rest of the page like javascript does."

You can actually call methods in a Java applet from Javascript and vice-versa. It just doesn't seem to be used very much:

http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/deployment/applet...

Right. Time/space dilation effectively makes the trip shorter for the person traveling near c.

Here's a really mind-blowing thing: If you were able to accelerate at a fairly reasonable rate indefinitely - say - using an interstellar ramjet, you could conceivably circumnavigate the entire universe within a human lifetime (in your own frame of reference, of course)

Of course, interstellar ramjets might not actually work in practice... but still, the concept of time/space dilation holds.

Let's take this speculative legislation down the slippery slope, shall we? Next stop: full-speed collision with the First Amendment!...

Putting the URL in question on a website... but it's not actually a hyperlink, just plain text? Felony or not?

Printing the URL on a t-shirt and selling them? Felony or not?

Passing out pamphlets that list the URL? Felony or not?

Mentioning the URL in a news publication? Felony or not?

Telling your friend the URL? Felony or not?

Columbus, OH. eRetailing Associates LLC (http://www.eretailing.com). We're currently looking for a fulltime mid-level software developer. This would be working at our office on the north side of Columbus.

What do we is sell apparel online (mostly geared towards women), that can be customized using our web-based design center. The main technologies are Perl/Flash/Javascript/HTML5 in an EC2 Linux/MySQL environment, although of course desire and ability to learn is fine in lieu of having experience with these specific technologies.

It's a fairly laid back work environment, and since the team (and company) is small, technical experimentation and lack of bureaucracy is pretty much the norm. We have several new initiatives in the works, so that's why we need to hire another developer.

Any involvement in development activities outside of work is a definite plus. Feel free to visit our website, take a look around, and send your info to jobs@eretailing.com if you're interested...

I think I would prefer the upper atmosphere of Venus if I had to choose between the two for a one-way trip:

"At an altitude of 50 km above Venusian surface, the environment is the most Earth-like in the solar system – a pressure of approximately 1 bar and temperatures in the 0°C–50°C range. Because there is not a significant pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the breathable-air balloon, any rips or tears would cause gases to diffuse at normal atmospheric mixing rates, giving time to repair any such damages. In addition, humans would not require pressurized suits when outside, merely air to breathe, a protection from the acidic rain; and on some occasions low level protection against heat."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization_of_Venus#Aerostat_...

Just don't fall off the edge... :)

Knowing all about data structures and other computer science implementation-related stuff means exactly nothing if a person can't think creatively enough about how to approach a real-world problem to begin with. Those data structure CS questions are down in the weeds and you haven't even figured out if the person can get down to the weeds if you're asking those sort of questions in a first-round interview.

I mean think about it: do you approach programming tasks top-down or bottom-up, usually?

Critical thinking is the most important skill IMO, and it can only be tested by giving someone open-ended questions on how they would approach real-world assignments, preferably in a low-pressure take-home test kind of thing - again IMO...

In addition to everything you said about the rise of mobile and casual gaming, there's also the rise of Mac OS based machines and also the increasing cost of developing high-end games.

IMO all of these factors points seem to point towards developers making choices in the future based less on high-end API features and more on cross-platform support...

Yes, but this does:

US Code Title 15 Section 1125:

(3) Exclusions

The following shall not be actionable as dilution by blurring or dilution by tarnishment under this subsection:

(A) Any fair use, including a nominative or descriptive fair use, or facilitation of such fair use, of a famous mark by another person other than as a designation of source for the person’s own goods or services, including use in connection with—

(i) advertising or promotion that permits consumers to compare goods or services; or

(ii) identifying and parodying, criticizing, or commenting upon the famous mark owner or the goods or services of the famous mark owner.

But the main reason it's not as clean is because it has had to maintain backwards compatibility with C, which is 40 years old now.

Ironically, had C++ been 'cleaner' and not as backwards compatible with C from the outset, then we probably would not be having this conversation today because no one would have ever adopted it. :)

Well here's one way I think would work, but it's not ideal and still not 100% foolproof:

A) Keep a running counter between the server and client. B) If, at any point, there are two active sessions both associated with the same user login, delete both sessions (thus logging out both the legitimate user and the attacker).

Session hijacking is still possible with this method, but only for the duration of one request (as long as you, the legitimate user, remember to log out at the end).

The main disadvantage is that if the request or response gets messed up, the session will be lost. Even if someone does something as simple as click a link twice before the response comes back, the session will be lost. So, yea, kind of a major usability drag...

Although... you could probably eliminate most lost session situations by using the counter method and allowing some leeway in it (say 2 or 3 requests off) to take into account double link click scenarios. That might be a good compromise...

This seems to be a common misconception, but it's still very much a part of the corporate and business landscape. Do some keyword searches on a job search engine - you'll see what I mean...

I also have a VIC-20, although I bought mine from a thrift store maybe 4 years ago or so.

The Commodore RF modulator that came with it was no good either, but I replaced the electrolytic capacitor inside with a new one and it seems to work pretty well now...

Yes, you're correct, and that's how it should be for any successful technology company I think: they should have their legacy products which may or may not be fading into irrelevance, and their new stuff which embraces the future.

There's nothing wrong with that, though. No aspect of technology remains dominant forever and the web is not the end-all of computing, just as the mainframe and the desktop were not the end-all of computing either. Something else will inevitably emerge in the future which will supersede the web, however slowly it may occur...

I will now share my secret SOAP API Pro Method:

Step 1: Ignore all tools which supposedly make things easier (very important)

Step 2: Find the web service API documentation

Step 3: Ctrl-C example XML request

Step 4: Ctrl-V example XML request into program, replacing appropriate parts with program variables

Step 5: Parse the response. You're on your own here... Godspeed. :)

"Cheap energy built the sprawl; expensive energy will kill it."

Everyone always says this, but nobody ever seems to consider the fact that the US is also a very very big country with tons of cheap land. Our population density is 83 people / sq. mi. Germany and the UK, on the other hand, are 593 and 660, respectively. Slightly more dense.

That's the biggest factor as to why we have sprawl IMO. As expensive as energy might get, it's still going to have to compete with the lure of cheap land...

Well it has happened - just not with home computers like the ZX Spectrum or Commodore 64, per se.

I'm thinking specifically of the Atari Flashback 2, which was a single-chip reimplementation of the Atari 2600 (even has cartridge connector solder points on the board). Then there's also the innumerable NES, Super NES, and Sega Megadrive/Genesis clones that have been produced recently...

Also from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backscatter_X-ray#Health_effect...

"However, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, have argued that the amount of radiation is higher than claimed by the TSA and body scanner manufacturers because the doses were calculated as if distributed throughout the whole body, but the radiation from backscatter x-ray scanners is focused on just the skin and surrounding tissues"

"Furthermore, other scientists claim the health effects are backscatter are well understood whereas those from millimeter wave scanners are not"

Some of the machines being deployed by the TSA are millimeter wave scanners, BTW.