Comment On Really, Really Custom Software

That's what I call <i>personal</i> service!

Ummm.. Congratz?

Haha, I wish all my software spoke directly to me like that!

The Real WTF is that "Tim" is hard coded and not in the config file.

unless of course they reference the currently logged in user and use that as the 'Hi <name>,...' value. But then again, probably not the case.

captcha is 'slashbot', how fitting.

Hi undefined, please make sure...

Said software couldn't be for the Tektronix DSA7xxxx series 'scopes and serial analyzers, could they?

http://www.tek.com/products/oscilloscopes/dpo70000_dsa70000/index.html

"What do you think you're doing, Tim?"

to bad he wasn't called Dave.

I'm Sorry Dave,
I'm afraid I can't do that
Until you hit Ok

I've written software with the customer's name embedded right into it lots of times.

You'd be surprised how well it cuts down on the privacy.

(And, yes, it was encrypted.)

Yeah, so I guess the wtf is that they didn't extract a big NRE charge out of Tim and promise to deliver the software 12 months from next Tuesday.

Worf:

Said software couldn't be for the Tektronix DSA7xxxx series 'scopes and serial analyzers, could they?

http://www.tek.com/products/oscilloscopes/dpo70000_dsa70000/index.html

Well, the screenshot says 'TEKTRONIX,DSA70804 found.', so I'm guessing that's a yes. Have fun finding Tim's feature!

Michael:

That's what I call <i>personal</i> service!

When I have developed a relationship with a customer, based upon frequent calls for add-this, change-that, or whatever, as a favor to a good (spelled p-a-t-i-e-n-t) customer, I will often give them a temporary hack like this to get them going until the properly implemented feature is released, but the title bar of the app is usually changed to something like "Version 1.2.3.SpecialFavor#1ForTimAtXyzInc".

HORRIBLE UI!

morry:

to bad he wasn't called Dave.

I'm Sorry Dave,
I'm afraid I can't do that
Until you hit Ok

One of our webservers is named HAL-9000 :) I mean... how cheesy you can get! On the other hand, it was me who came up with the name...

But you know, I might could live with a horrible UI if it was designed specially for me...

You'd be surprised how well it cuts down on the privacy.

Lord, I meant "cut down on the PIRACY."

But maybe the two go hand-in-hand...

What the hell...you gotta be kidding me!!

Hmm, I'd love to see the build management system behind that thing...

strangly-worded buttons

Yeah, I've choked reading a few of those myself.

If it solves a very specific, narrow engineering need, then UI definitely comes in a distant 2nd. Not saying what I see there would get the approval of Don Norman (The Design Of Everyday Things), but still.

Captcha gygax - what one of the buttons probably has as its caption.

w00t:

Worf:

Said software couldn't be for the Tektronix DSA7xxxx series 'scopes and serial analyzers, could they?

http://www.tek.com/products/oscilloscopes/dpo70000_dsa70000/index.html

Well, the screenshot says 'TEKTRONIX,DSA70804 found.', so I'm guessing that's a yes. Have fun finding Tim's feature!

It's probably 3rd party software that connects to the DSA70804 via the GPIB bus.

Eli:

Hmm, I'd love to see the build management system behind that thing...

I don't think it's too hard. I administrate a couple aegis-based projects, and we routinely brand the software with the name/artwork of a reseller/distributor.

In the end, the result of a release branch integration build is a bunch of .iso files. A technician can then burn those using a web interface on a linux machine (a drop down list of available CDs, and a "burn" button). As soon as a new release branch is integrated, it automatically appears in the "cd burner" interface. Adding a new customization/branding is a 15 minute job, from creation of the change to availability in the production area.

This leaves very little room for error, and is pretty internal-user-friendly.

I'm now working on porting our manuals from Word (UGH) to LyX and having autogenerated PDFs out of them. It will become a part of the build process. Thanks to wine, the build server is able not only to compile both linux and windows releases (into RPMs and .isos, respectively), but is also able to take automatic screenshots for the manual. That's why integration with LyX (ultimately LaTeX) makes so much sense..

Cheers!

Love how the "Go" icon is an octagon just like "Stop" (but hopefully green, at least?)

Reminds me of when I was doing icons on the side for a formerly somewhat-known tech company and they wanted an icon for a toolbar button that toggled a process on or off, but they didn't want to go to all the trouble of changing the icon or making the toolbar button pressed to indicate the current state. So they just asked me to come up with an icon that means both start and stop.

That kind of thing (also "Let's buy an old browser and compete with Internet Explorer!" and "Let's buy this page description product and compete with Adobe!") are why it's a FORMERLY somewhat-known company.

Captcha is muhahaha. Now I wish this post was more sinister.

Anon Fred:

You'd be surprised how well it cuts down on the privacy.

Lord, I meant "cut down on the PIRACY."

But maybe the two go hand-in-hand...

Why hello there Doctor Freud! Whatever are you doing sprawled on the floor?!

expected the user to know what strangly-worded buttons did

strangly-worded? I expected to see buttons labeled with "Choke", "Suffocate", "Wheeze" etc....

I wish the company that made my Dual WAN router was so responsive. I sent in a feature request into them, and got an autoresponse 3 days later.

Dear (Prospective)Customer,
We have received your feature request and forwarded it to the appropriate parties. Please check in for updates.

-- Xin[...REMAINDER OMMITTED FOR OBSCURE REASONS...]

Captcha...riaa (sounds nasty)

Kuba:

I'm now working on porting our manuals from Word (UGH) to LyX and having autogenerated PDFs out of them. It will become a part of the build process. Thanks to wine, the build server is able not only to compile both linux and windows releases (into RPMs and .isos, respectively), but is also able to take automatic screenshots for the manual. That's why integration with LyX (ultimately LaTeX) makes so much sense..

Cheers!

Huh? LyX is a front end to TeX/LaTeX. Still, smrt move.

That is, without question, the most awesome thing I have ever seen.

Dustin_00:

The Real WTF is that "Tim" is hard coded and not in the config file.

I think we can safely take Tim's name out of quotes here.

poopdeville:

Kuba:

I'm now working on porting our manuals from Word (UGH) to LyX and having autogenerated PDFs out of them. It will become a part of the build process. Thanks to wine, the build server is able not only to compile both linux and windows releases (into RPMs and .isos, respectively), but is also able to take automatic screenshots for the manual. That's why integration with LyX (ultimately LaTeX) makes so much sense..

Cheers!

Huh? LyX is a front end to TeX/LaTeX. Still, smrt move.

Sure, it's a front end, which is what the tech writers expect. Try convincing people used to Word to write in plain LaTeX. LyX makes it way more palpable, and pretty customizable (you expose only needed styles). LyX->LaTeX conversion is done from command line (without firing up the front-end). Tech writers will edit documents in LyX and use the same change tracking process as our software uses (aegis).

Cheers!

"I'm sorry Tim, I don't think I can do that"
- Initech 9000

We have 3 racks called "I", "Like" and "Cake". Originally, it was a joke - CD pen on yellow tape - but when the network points going to the cabs were labelled I/01, L/01 and C/01, I started to get worried.

Then I realised that at least *some* of the people I work with might actually have a sense of humour! :o

Looks like the UI designers were playing Tetris when they positioned those buttons.

Kuba:

poopdeville:

Huh? LyX is a front end to TeX/LaTeX. Still, smrt move.

Sure, it's a front end, which is what the tech writers expect. Try convincing people used to Word to write in plain LaTeX. LyX makes it way more palpable, and pretty customizable (you expose only needed styles). LyX->LaTeX conversion is done from command line (without firing up the front-end). Tech writers will edit documents in LyX and use the same change tracking process as our software uses (aegis).

Cheers!

I'm pretty sure poopdeville was reading "LyX (ultimately LaTeX)" in a chronological fashion: "That's why integration with LyX, and eventually LaTex, makes so much sense."
Whereas your reply clarifies that your intent was more "That's why integration with LyX, which is really integration with LaTeX, makes so much sense."

Matt:

"Let's buy an old browser and compete with Internet Explorer!"

Worked for some people. :D

Might could?

What part of NC are you from? ;)

tmountjr:

But you know, I might could live with a horrible UI if it was designed specially for me...

^--referring to

thats incredible ahahahahahahahaha I cant believe they actually did that.

Jason:

Might could?

What part of NC are you from? ;)

Oops...PA, actually, but that's what you get for spending the last seven years in upstate SC... :(

The tool was obviously designed for reimbuing life into bodies assembled out of spare parts. In the words of the immortal Dr. Frankenstein, as discovered by his son, Young Dr. Frankenstein, when reading his lab notes about the 'Eureka' moment, when he discovered the secret to life: "...and then I switched the poles from plus to minus, and from minus to plus!!!".

Matt:

So they just asked me to come up with an icon that means both start and stop.

Ah, the good old "play/pause" button. Well, it works on VCRs and DVD players. What did you manage to come up with in the end?

captcha: burned...by a semi-known company ;)

privacy -> piracy ?

Anon Fred:

I've written software with the customer's name embedded right into it lots of times.

You'd be surprised how well it cuts down on the privacy.

(And, yes, it was encrypted.)

Do you, by chance, work for NSA/CIA/FBI/DHS?

-Notan

captcha = gotcha. Indeed!

I can haz new WTF plz?

Jules:

The tool was obviously designed for reimbuing life into bodies assembled out of spare parts. In the words of the immortal Dr. Frankenstein, as discovered by his son, Young Dr. Frankenstein, when reading his lab notes about the 'Eureka' moment, when he discovered the secret to life: "...and then I switched the poles from plus to minus, and from minus to plus!!!".

The Real WTF is that it wasn't his son, it was his grandson!

Hey! Where's my "I'm a pedantic dick" t-shirt!?

Look at me! I'm on the internets!:

I can haz new WTF plz?

Meow.

tmountjr:

Jason:

Might could?

What part of NC are you from? ;)

Oops...PA, actually, but that's what you get for spending the last seven years in upstate SC... :(

Sounds like you've been influenced by Miss Teen USA South Carolina.

You're probably right (pdf)

mjp:

w00t:

Worf:

Said software couldn't be for the Tektronix DSA7xxxx series 'scopes and serial analyzers, could they?

http://www.tek.com/products/oscilloscopes/dpo70000_dsa70000/index.html

Well, the screenshot says 'TEKTRONIX,DSA70804 found.', so I'm guessing that's a yes. Have fun finding Tim's feature!

It's probably 3rd party software that connects to the DSA70804 via the GPIB bus.

You're probably right (pdf)