Great Moments in Computer Programming

Video Game Discussions and general topics.

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pinback
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by pinback »

I have a theory.
I don't have to say anything. I'm a doctor, too.

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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Trying to figure out when something got merged to BitBucket the other day and nothing but RELATIVE times. This time it just said "Yesterday." Just said that. Most times you can hover and get the timestamp, but not any more.

I hate it so much. It's so GOD DAMN STUPID to implement things that way, especially something for git check-ins.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

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RealNC
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by RealNC »

This is today's frontpage of youtube, thanks to machine "learning":

Image

What exactly is this trainwreck "learning?" Is it that the more bullshit I try to remove ("gender reveals," "inclusiveness," "my new Ferrari," "Trump bad Biden good," "random woke message video," videos with a length of 10 milliseconds tagged "#shorts", etc, etc), then the more of that it should show? That must be it.

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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

I am delighted that we get to tell them "why" on something, because if there is one thing that Google and Youtube are great at, it's taking written feedback from their users and customers and reading it and acting on it.

We've broken through!
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

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RealNC
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by RealNC »

This is from a couple days ago. After I wasted hours of tracking down an issue with seeking in FLAC audio files, I discovered the retarded truth about libFLAC:

Code: Select all

// A seek that failed with SEEK_ERROR does not mean that the seek has failed nor that there was
// an error.
This isn't a joke or hyperbole, btw. It's actually true.

Roody_Yogurt
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Roody_Yogurt »

that's totally FLAC'd up.

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Tdarcos
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Tdarcos »

I have one that is so bad, so black, it deserves its own topic: Microsoft Windows 11 is set up to take your rights away.

https://www.joltcountry.com/phpBB3/view ... =1&t=12636
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Flack
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Flack »

The battery on the APC UPS I use with my server died. Due to advances in battery technology, it was cheaper for me to buy a new UPS than to purchase a new battery for my old UPS. Anyone who has discovered it costs less to buy an inkjet printer than it does to buy inkjet cartridges knows what I'm talking about.

My new APC UPS did not come with any software -- instead, they're available to download from APC's website. There are two different products available: Powerchute Personal Edition, and Powerchute Business Edition. This is the software required to safely shut down the computer during a power outage.

I downloaded the personal edition, and it won't install on a server OS. So I downloaded the business edition, and while it installs, it won't recognize my UPS. After a weekend of troubleshooting I found out why. This specific battery is designed to work for workstation machines only. If you want the exact same battery to work on a server, you have to pay a few more hundred bucks. That's fucking bullshit.

I spent the weekend coming up with multiple ways around their arbitrary hurdle and got it to work. Still, it really pisses me off that they intentionally handicapped a piece of hardware to not work with a different operating system simply because they determined they could squeeze a few hundred bucks out of server owners. Buttholes.
"I failed a savings throw and now I am back."

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Jizaboz
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Jizaboz »

I’m so raging while reading this as I’ve never “trusted” power backups due to companies I worked for having them and their failures.

Get mad, Flack!
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

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AArdvark
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by AArdvark »

Isn't a battery just a battery? I dont get it

THE
9 VOLT
AARDVARK

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Flack
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Flack »

A battery is indeed just a battery. I can plug the server into it and when the power goes out, the server will run until the battery runs out and then it will die. The software that comes with the battery allows your computer to perform actions, like gracefully shut down the computer when the battery gets low.

What APS did with their Powerchute software was intentionally cripple it to prevent you from using it on a server, forcing you to spend a few extra hundred bucks to upgrade to the server version. There's no technical reason to do this. They're just greedy assholes. It's like selling a hubcap with a chevy logo on it for $5 and selling the exact same hubcap with a Mercedes logo on it for $200, just because you assume Mercedes owners will pay more.
"I failed a savings throw and now I am back."

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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

I will detail trying to close an account with PNC Bank. PNC Bank sided with Ticketmaster over myself a few months ago. They started helping themselves to the $50 I had left with them, so time to cancel.

1. Can't cancel online through their website.
2. I contact their Twitter account, they said the mobile app can do it.
3. I install the mobile account.
4. Give my username and password, have to do an SMS code.
5. I log in and immediately get booted because the app "doesn't work right now."
6. Because I know how shitty computers are, I don't think this is a planned outage. I just think the first attempt at logging on is broken. I try a gain.
7. Need another 2FA SMS code. Seriously? I just submitted one. You can't clear me for a few weeks?
8. Ah-ha! I was able to login!
9. I attempt to do what the Twitter person said. I use the Hamburger menu, go to Help.... "Our messaging service is temporarily unavailable."

They don't know that I am attempting to cancel, but what a miserable experience so far.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

The mobile app doesn't work, so I called them up. The first person I spoke with had an incredibly thick accent, so I hung up and tried another person.

I was able to get the account canceled, but I want to call out one thing - the SMS messages that they send for 2FA (which is stupid) specifically say "Don't share it with anyone." I knew, because I know how stupid 2FA is, that the gal on the phone would ask me for a 2FA SMS code, and she did.

Chef's kiss. Brilliant job, dumb ass bank. This is why 2FA is stupid.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

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Tdarcos
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Tdarcos »

I had a problem. I had my credit and debit cards inside a box containing a page-size magnifier. My roommate Leslie and I can't find it; this means that it probably got knocked into the trash, and nobody noticed. Well, I had some things I had to order from Amazon (who has my stored credit card) so I waited as it would be the better part of a week to cancel and reissue. Well, in the meantime, my phone has disappeared. I figure the same fate has befallen it as well. Then I try to sign up on-line for something, and it requires mandatory entry of a cell phone number, so they can send me a text message, to confirm who I am.

Oh well, I probably should replace my phone. So, I go up on TracFone's website and tried to select a reasonably priced one, and I'm trying to get through the different pages and changes without the shopping cart contents disappearing. Finally, I get it to allow me to buy something. I'm surprised they aren't out of business; if Amazon did business like this, TracFone would have been out of it and bankrupted a long time ago.

So to make a purchase, I have to log in to my account. First, I'm entering username, password and checking the "I am a person" CAPTCHA. There is no "login" or other button, no way to start the transaction. Finally, I think anout it. I normally increase magnification of websites to make them easier to read. So I crank it down and there it is, a "continue" button, the page dims for a second, then comes right back, only the checkbox is cleared. No warning, no error message, nothing. I repeated and it did also. I'm not sure what I did, but I think I moved to another page, tried again, then after clicking the continue button, a pop-up on the scree says there has been an error, try again. Clicking the OK button, it goes back to the prior page.

Somehow, finally, I get to the order page, where I can enter credit card information. This is when I remember I lost my card and forgot to have new ones issued. No problem, my issuer offers "virtual card numbers" which are additional numbers you can use, and allow you to set date and/or amount limits. So I go to the bank's website, login, (no problem) I go to the "virtual card number" link, I select a time limit (one month) and a spend limit ($199) and click on the get number button. For security, they will send a text message to my phone. Sigh.

So I figured, fix the problem, first. I go to Amazon, find a reasonably priced phone, locked to TracFone, order it and checkout. It should be here Tuesday. Then, I will cancel my current card and order a replacement. Which I will have to do by phone; I can't do "a lost or stolen credit card" action on their website. I can "lock" the card, which prohibits any transactions until "unlocked," and once I know Amazon has run their charge, I will do so.
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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Saw Microsoft rebooted my PC last night, presumably for a update I neither wanted nor needed. 1024x768 login screen and desktop display when I entered my password. Thanks guys. **You cannot pull this shit, MS.**

Anyone know if there is a way to completely turn off Microsoft's forced updates and restarts permanently? They are going to break, brick and wipe my computer some day.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

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AArdvark
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by AArdvark »

Unplug the cable and double-middle finger those bastages!

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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Good point. I need an interent toggle switch.
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Tdarcos
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Tdarcos »

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:43 am
Anyone know if there is a way to completely turn off Microsoft's forced updates and restarts permanently?
>how to turn off windows update

About 839,000,000 results (0.53 seconds)
Follow these steps to stop Windows 10 updates:
  1. Fire up the Run command ( Win + R ). Type in “services. msc” and hit Enter.
  2. Select the Windows Update service from the Services list.
  3. Click on the “General” tab and change the “Startup Type” to “Disabled”.
  4. Restart your machine.
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AArdvark
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by AArdvark »

Ten bucks, right there!

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Flack
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Re: Great Moments in Computer Programming

Post by Flack »

Whew, for a minute there I thought it had changed since WIndows 7.
"I failed a savings throw and now I am back."

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