Entries for ScanIAm

Broken thread

ScanIAm — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:51:31 GMT

When I attempt to go to page 2 on this thread:

http://channel9.msdn.com/forums/TechOff/14014-Jumping-out-of-a-heavily-nested-loop-not-by-using-goto-statement/

I get an unknown error and the javascript on the page stops working.

Can Linq to Xml create xhtml?

ScanIAm — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:12:44 GMT

I've done a good bit of google-bing investigative work, and I've come to the conclusion that I must be an idiot.

Our hope was that we could generate the xhtml document within an XDocument and then spit it out, but it appears that entities (  for example) won't work right.

If we put an actual non-breaking space character inside the document, it never get's converted into   on the output, so downstream processing cannot handle it.

If we, instead, put   characters int the document, it turns into &nbsp; which, I assure you, ain't right.

The only solution weve come up with is to fix this after writing the contents to a string and replacing the &nbsp; with  .

This seems a bit of a hack, though, so I was wondering if anyone else has had any luck with this?

What if [What if]

ScanIAm — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:04:14 GMT

What if quantum uncertainty isn't a result of our inability to measure a state but instead is the result of the influence of all other 'things' on what we are measuring. We are assuming that the state is unknowable because once we measure it, we change it. What if the state is unknowable because the rest of the universe is influencing the thing we are measuring. We can't 'measure' it because it is constantly being changed by the universe around it.

Of course, our measurements will affect it, but so will the influence from any other source.

This would mean that we aren't dealing with true randomness, but instead, we are dealing with sources that are, at this point, unknowable, but could be knowable once we figure them out. It would allow us to predict accurately the state of a quanta without actually measuring it and, as such, not change it.

Taa daa.

in reply to What if

What is this config file pattern called [What is this config file pattern called]

ScanIAm — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:49:15 GMT

When working with dll's that need to know about your classes (Enterprise library, for example), I often see a pattern in the config file like this:

section name="exceptionHandling" type="Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.ExceptionHandling.Configuration.ExceptionHandlingSettings, Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.ExceptionHandling, Version=4.1.0.0"

Is there a name or syntax that can be used if I wanted to implement my own class that would like to interpret this?

The point: I'm working on dynamically loading the implementation of an interface based on a user supplied dll. Since I need to specify the dll and the class (and potentially the version) so that my application can pass those parameters into Assembly.LoadFrom, I'd like to reuse any code that might parse this string correctly.

I just can't seem to find out what it is called.

Any ideas?

in reply to What is this config file pattern called

Enterprise Library 4.1 devs should DIAF [Enterprise Library 4.1 devs should DIAF]

ScanIAm — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:18:26 GMT

We updated from 3.1 to 4.1. Everything compiles. Everything seems to work, until we try to handle a custom exception.

Here's the exception message that EntLib gives us: {"Unable to handle exception: 'LoggingExceptionHandler'."}

There is no nested exception. There is no documentation that the function call could possibly throw that exception. Nothing. Nada.

So, instead, we go through the hassle of attempting to get the debug version built and then try to figure out how or why we can't get that to hook up with some of our assemblies, only to find out that the frikking idiots who wrote the library purposefully eat the exception.

See, here in the real world, when clients tend to get annoyed at paying lots of money for no actual results, an error message like this: {"The configured exception formatter 'xxxx.Common.Instrumentation.CommonExceptionTextFormatter, FLLegislature.Common, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' must expose a public constructor that takes a TextWriter object, an Exception object and a GUID instance as parameters."}

Would have been really frikking handy last night.

I applaud the effort behind EntLib, but to be honest, every time I have to code against it, I'm left with the desire to just roll my own.

in reply to Enterprise Library 4.1 devs should DIAF

Microsoft Money 20xx/Plus [Microsoft Money 20xx/Plus]

ScanIAm — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:10:05 GMT

What a disappointment. I've been using this package for at least a decade, and now they've decided to quit releasing it. The reasoning is that there are 'other, web-based solutions' out there, but those solutions don't have the consistency of MSFT behind them.

Bad Microsoft.

I'll miss Money.

in reply to Microsoft Money 20xx/Plus

Visual Studio 2008 + WPF = Pile of Crap [Visual Studio 2008 + WPF = Pile of Crap]

ScanIAm — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 04:43:14 GMT

Over the course of 2 hours, I've had to kill VS2008 twice because it refused to accept UI input. It wasn't busy. It wasn't doing anything, it simply didn't allow any input from the mouse or keyboard. Now, I'm waiting while it passes error reporting data back to MS at an average of 204bps. 15 minutes into the process, and I'm tempted to just kill it.

I use VS 2008 w/TFS at work, and it reminds me of trying to run in a swimming pool...slow, Slow, and Frikking SLOW.

I attempted to open up a simple WPF project up at work that had 1 button and 1 textbox, and after 5 minutes of waiting for some kind of UI response, I gave up.

I look forward to all of the wonders that will come from the convoluted and baroque BS that is WPF, but frankly, I won't be using it for anything commercial any time soon, and I'll be suggesting that our company doesn't either.

Get your sh*t together, MS.

in reply to Visual Studio 2008 + WPF = Pile of Crap

XML Serialization WTF? [XML Serialization WTF?]

ScanIAm — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:14:20 GMT

I have a class that contains a list of objects. I need to specify both the order that the list appears as well as the name of the elements in the list.

i.e.

public class outer
{
    [XmlElement(Order=0)]
    public string A {get; set;}

    public List<WronglyNamedObjectType> MyList = new List<WronglyNamedObjectType>();

    [XmlElement(Order=2)]
    public string C{get; set;}
}

I want to be able to

1) apply an order to how the serialization occurs such that MyList comes between A and C when 'outer' is serialized.
2) be able to tell the serializer to name the elements contained in the list something other than 'WronglyNamedOjbectType'.

1 is satisfied by placing [XmlElement(Order=1)] above the property
2 is satisfied by placing [XmlArrayItem("BetterName")] above the property

For some unknown and undefined reason, both are not allowed?

Any ideas?

in reply to XML Serialization WTF?

Why does light travel through glass [Why does light travel through glass]

ScanIAm — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:52:53 GMT

OK, folks.

So, most of you are smart or at least you play smart on c9.

I've looked this up, but I can't seem to find a decent explanation as to why light travels through glass.

Is the photon wavelength smaller than the distance between the silica atoms or is there some other mechanism that allows light to go through glass and not lead?

in reply to Why does light travel through glass

Comcast Cheats Network Neutrality [Comcast Cheats Network Neutrality]

ScanIAm — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:13:36 GMT

I hit C9 about 5 minutes ago, and noticed that it was running very, very slow. I tested a few other sites, and again, all surfing was running at a snails pace.

But.

I hit http://www.numion.com/YourSpeed3/ and didn't even get around to testing the speed, because as soon as I hit that site, suddenly, my surfing speed was back up to normal.

This is yet another reason why these jokers need to be forced into network neutrality. They will offer up shiite speeds unless someone actually tests it out.

b@stards.

in reply to Comcast Cheats Network Neutrality

theInfamousI on the Daily WTF [theInfamousI on the Daily WTF]

ScanIAm — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:14:38 GMT

I was randoming around www.theDailyWTF.com and I came across this gem:

theInfamousI and The Random Guy

The article was about funky naming that some of us do out of boredom, animosity, or both. But, what had me giggling like a schoolgirl wasn't the actual article, but the comment by mxksweeb

mxksweeb wrote:

I am *so* using theInfamousI++ as my default incrementer from now on!!

Development has a large number of inside jokes that we just don't notice any more because we've seen them thousands of times (bit, byte, nibble for example). So, two questions:

1) what have you done/seen in code that wasn't Correct(tm) but still pretty funny.
2) would it be ethical to take some of the more common themes and make them standards.

Afterall, if we all start to use 'theInfamousI++' in place of 'i++', it would become a defacto standard.

in reply to theInfamousI on the Daily WTF

The Eclipse [The Eclipse]

ScanIAm — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 05:23:42 GMT

I hope that those of you who were able to see the moon at night were also able to see the eclipse. A full, red moon is as fun a way to watch our solar system in action.

I can totally understand how it would cause fear and confusion in the distant past. Especially if they didn't understand how it works.

And by 'how it works', I mean the way that the moon is controlled by Wal*Mart and the rest of the capitalistic cabal.

I'm just saying.

in reply to The Eclipse

Florida schools are dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 20th century [Florida schools are dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 20th century]

ScanIAm — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:49:09 GMT

That's no typo, either, I do mean 20th.

It wasn't until recently I knew this, but apparently, my fine state was not allowed to use the term 'Evolution' in its science textbooks.

Now, of course, we get to use the term, but we have to have 'the theory of' just before it to avoid the delicate fundy sensibilities.

in reply to Florida schools are dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 20th century

US House Republicans taking a long weekend [US House Republicans taking a long weekend]

ScanIAm — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:41:30 GMT

It looks like enough people have 'written their congresscritters' and some of them have listened.

The US House of Representatives refused to bring up a vote on the recently Senate passed bit that gave immunity to the phone companies.

At first, this seems silly, but:

The Article wrote:

"There's no reason why Republicans and Democrats in the House cannot pass the Senate bill immediately," President Bush told reporters Wednesday. "The House's failure to pass the bipartisan Senate bill would jeopardize the security of our citizens." The House actually did pass its own legislation, the RESTORE Act, back in October, but it lacked the grant of amnesty for telecom companies, and contained a variety of oversight provisions the White House regards as excessively burdensome.

So, at least some of us would like to shed some light on this practice.

At a minimum, it needs to be investigated.

in reply to US House Republicans taking a long weekend

I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it NOW! [I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it NOW!]

ScanIAm — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:45:31 GMT

mmmmmmm....Spore!

It even looks better than the last time they demo'd it.

in reply to I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it NOW!

US Attorney General to US: We won't investigate Squat [US Attorney General to US: We won't investigate Squat]

ScanIAm — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:42:16 GMT

I had trouble getting to sleep last night, and since C-Span can be so very, very sleep inducing I was able to actually watch a good bit of this questioning:

I stole the bullet points from another blog, but:

No, the Justice Department will not be investigating whether the now-admitted-to waterboarding of US prisoners was against the law.

And, no, the DoJ will not be investigating whether the Bush Administration’s warrantless surveillance was illegal. Nor will the AG appoint a special prosecutor to investigate.

And, no, the Department of Justice will not enforce any contempt citations that Congress might bring against administration officials that have failed to honor subpoenas for testimony.

Simply amazing.

in reply to US Attorney General to US: We won't investigate Squat

Weird Cable Cuts [Weird Cable Cuts]

ScanIAm — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:45:32 GMT

I kept ignoring this story as coincidence and/or conspiracy craziness, but five (5) separate internets cables have been cut over the last few days...or lost power, whatever that means.

in reply to Weird Cable Cuts

Annoying software practices [Annoying software practices]

ScanIAm — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:45:53 GMT

We've had a few threads lately about things that are done to software that don't really have anything to do with the real purpose of the software. Someone asked how to add licensing, and I've got my own thread complaining about a certain music program's latest version.

The point of this thread, though, is to iterate, compare, and contrast the various injustices dumped upon us in addition to the code that actually does real work. Things like:

DRM/Licensing/Copy protection - this has been hashed, rehashed, and corned-beef hashed to death, but it does fall into the catagory.

Upgrade nagging - How about you only nag me once a week. Or maybe you could email me. Microsoft Money, for example, starts harassing in September for a program that won't even be usable till the following year. Have you ever run Paint.Net and not been told about a new version?

Browser propagation - Almost functional browsers inside of other programs that don't need a browser. This was big during the whole RSS feed craze, but it seemed to have died down, except in media players. I already have a browser, and your program should use it. Always. Only a retard would want to 'surf' through their media player.

Cute and Confusing - Every single motherboard that I've bought has had some weird monitoring program with rounded edges, weirdly located buttons, and a chronic inability to run at windows startup without throwing an error. Asus, you suck the worst at this.

Any others?

in reply to Annoying software practices

Winamp sucks a dry wind, and ScanIAm found a cool, moist breeze [Winamp sucks a dry wind, and ScanIAm found a cool, moist breeze]

ScanIAm — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:46:28 GMT

Good googly moogly, I installed the latest winamp, and it completely screwed me on all my music. I've paid for a large number of unknown and underground bands, but winamp decided that everything that I'd ever like to play must be illegal....

No sound, no nothing.

And even worse, I couldn't listen to raw mp3/wav voicemail files that didn't even have drm.

And before I get the "But, but, but, it couldn't be winamp, it must be a problem on your system"....how about you shut the hell up until you know what you speak of.

Uninstall winamp.

All sound works.

Reinstall earlier version, all files work.

Guess what, douchebagerinos, ScanIam ain't gonna buy your sh*t and after spending 2 hours trying to figure out why EVERY F*CKING SOUND OUTPUT ON MY COMPUTER WAS BROKEN, I don't expect I'll ever, ever, EVER, give you any money.

Sucks for you, since I was one of the earliest winamp adopters, and I paid a shareware amount on the software back when you still wondered if you could pay your rent.

F*ck you. F*ck your programmers. F*ck your marketers. F*ck your middle managers. F*ck anyone who has anything to do with you.

You fail.

FTL

in reply to Winamp sucks a dry wind, and ScanIAm found a cool, moist breeze

Winamp sucks a dry wind, and ScanIAm found a cool, moist breeze [Winamp sucks a dry wind, and ScanIAm found a cool, moist breeze]

ScanIAm — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:46:11 GMT

dupe

in reply to Winamp sucks a dry wind, and ScanIAm found a cool, moist breeze

Clap your hands twice and spin in a circle [Clap your hands twice and spin in a circle]

ScanIAm — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:02:36 GMT

I kind of stole the joke in the title from the first link here, but for the love of all that is noodly, WTF?

Ctrl-ScrollLock somehow stops Visual Studio's already buggy search from even working?

2 restarts, and I'm a bit annoyed.

in reply to Clap your hands twice and spin in a circle

Muahhaha...and now to dominate the solar system [Muahhaha...and now to dominate the solar system]

ScanIAm — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 21:44:15 GMT

Nano-radios.

So I had this idea a few years ago when the mars rovers went..well...roving.

Instead of requiring a powerful transmitter/receiver on earth, the plan was to sprinkle nano-tranmitter/receivers between here and there. 'There' could be mars, the moon, etc. the point being, that if they are small enough, and we can manufacture enough of them, then any larger space-based device can use them for communications.

Plus, the solar wind would push them out into the solar system effectively giving us greater coverage over time.

in reply to Muahhaha...and now to dominate the solar system

Could C9 endorse a candidate [Could C9 endorse a candidate]

ScanIAm — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 10:31:12 GMT

I'm not going to say who I like, and that isn't really the point.

In the past, newspapers would eventually pick a candidate as the one person that they feel has the ideas and morals that represent that institution.

C9 is a bunch of individuals who have their own ideas of how the US and the world should be run. But we are also the non-paid front end of msdn. And, if you take it further, microsoft.

Employees of MSFT are likely unable to express their political ideals and even if they could, it would be very soon that some PR monkey would ask them to not do so.

But the posters aren't under any kind of limitation. For every time that Charles has to hold his tongue, one of us can speak our mind. But the question is, does C9 have a consitent political ideal? It is very unlikely that we'll pick a USA candidate that we all can agree on, but what are the core values that we can, in fact, agree on. If we can't agree on monetary policy, or foreign policy or whatever, what can we agree on?

And given that we disagree on so much, is there anything that we can, in fact, agree on? Are we a group of people with some common ground, or is C9 a completely anarchic bulletin board?

in reply to Could C9 endorse a candidate

Scientology Website Hacked [Scientology Website Hacked]

ScanIAm — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:37:59 GMT

Ruh-Ro-Raggy:

http://www.scientology.org/

has been hackered.

in reply to Scientology Website Hacked

ViewState vs. Session serialization [ViewState vs. Session serialization]

ScanIAm — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:39:00 GMT

I've been able to solve this problem but I'm confused as to why it occurs.

If you store an object in Session, Cache, or most any other ASP.NET collection, the object will generally store without any problem.

If you use ViewState, however, it appears that you must specify [Serializable] on the class or you receive an exception that the object cannot be serialized.

Don't Session and Cache use serialization?

in reply to ViewState vs. Session serialization