• Patrick (unregistered)

    I heard the box go "kthp-sssssh" when I opened it.

  • EmbeddedDork (unregistered)

    Did anyone else see Sunday-Thursday, Monday-Friday? That's the real WTF. So, what are the hours on wednesday again?

    Also, on embedded systems, where there is no file system...

  • justsomedude (unregistered) in reply to Cad Delworth

    [quote user="Cad Delworth"][quote user="meh"] As to the 'laser toy,' that frankly worries me. Good way to blind someone or otherwise stuff their eyesight IMHO, regardless of how 'low-powered' it is. OTOH … a good game to play late at night is to shine one of those on to a) the pavement ('sidewalk' for you Colonials) about three feet in front of a drunk, or b) the back of someone's coat, if their friends are walking a few paces back. Then switch it off if the 'victim' tries to investigate it. Hilarity typically ensues. ;)

    [/quote]

    I studied laser physics, spent a good number of years working an an atomic physics research lab, and in my nightlife I designed and publicly operated laser display systems with all the appropriate approvals/variances from the CDRH.

    The reason there are fewer controls/restrictions on visible spectrum lasers with sub-5mW power output is because in healthy persons the blink reflex is sufficently fast to protect your eye long before damage occurs.

    As technology is improved dramatically over the last decade and > 5mW handheld devices are becoming more common and easy to obtain (but are not leagal to operate in public without a CDRH variance), things have gotten a bit more dangerous and you can't assume every Joe schmoe with a pointer has a safe one.

  • Harrow (unregistered) in reply to CPFC
    CPFC:
    "Needless to say, I don't agree to the license agreements terms," writes Thomas Alexander Dark, "I'm not sure what's the bigger WTF, that you have to agree with an agreement you can't see or that this CD came with my Legal Studies textbook."

    Or that it's called "Access and Justice" when access is what's causing the problem...

    "Access" here almost certainly refers to parties having access to the courts, and the attendant problems.

    Perhaps the mid-term exam is a practicum: Get some equity court, somewhere, somehow, to take judicial notice of the oppressive label on the course materials.

    -Harrow.

  • Ken B. (unregistered)

    What? No comments on the elevator's floor-numbering system?

    "Yes, I'd like to go to floor negative-two, please."

    Or rather:

    "˙ǝsɐǝld 'oʍʇ-ǝʌıʇɐƃǝu ɹoolɟ oʇ oƃ oʇ ǝʞıl p,ı 'sǝʎ"

  • Ken B. (unregistered) in reply to Cad Delworth
    Cad Delworth:
    As to the 'laser toy,' that frankly worries me. Good way to blind someone or otherwise stuff their eyesight IMHO, regardless of how 'low-powered' it is.
    (Note: it's a PDF.)

    http://sc.infc.info/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=463&Itemid=2

    (Sorry, but you'll have to copy-and-paste, as marking it as a URL trips the spam filter.)

  • Ken B. (unregistered) in reply to ted
    ted:
    Lorne Kates:
    Why is there a crease in the CD? did you fold it in half? You do know that also voids the warranty, right?
    That crease looks like the same crease you see in CD labels that are applied by hand. Surely that is not an adhesive label applied by hand?
    It looks more like the "crease" is actually the bottom of the flap covering the CD, and the white EULA sticker is overlapping both halves of the cover. In order to get to the CD, you need to tear the sticker.
  • Ken B. (unregistered) in reply to Cad Delworth
    Cad Delworth:
    Finally, the 'licence sticker outside' phenomenon has existed since at least the mid-1980s to my certain knowledge, although I thought it had died a death by now. As others have correctly stated, you can't enforce a contract which one of the parties hasn't read yet. How old did you say that textbook was, exactly? :D
    Check the CD, which mentions Windows "98/2K/XP/Vista".
  • (cs)

    The projector's upside down because it was once attached to the ceiling, or intended to be attached to the ceiling. Someone decided to take it down, but the guy who set it up had quit and they lost the manual. So, they flipped the screen on the laptop. Then the projector started overheating because the vents were blocked on top, so they sat it on top of a random piece of hardware lying around (it looks too big to be a simple video flipper) to keep the vents open.

  • nick (unregistered) in reply to Adam

    Yes, you can see quite clearly in that image that it is on a high shelf/ledge. There's what looks like a whiteboard with writing on it in the top right corner.

  • Vexorg (unregistered)

    If I had to guess, I'd say that the sticker was probably put on there by the bookstore that sold the book rather than the publisher. The two-bit tyrants that run college bookstores seem to love that type of stuff.

  • Belle (unregistered) in reply to imMute
    imMute:
    I am quite certain that the "video flipper" switch thing is actually an 8-port Linsys Gigabit Switch. I have one that looks *exactly* like that. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124258

    According to Newegg, your switch has dimensions 5.1"x5.1"x1.1". Are you sure that's what is in the picture?

  • Wag (unregistered)

    I have a little card in my wallet that says "By selling me a product or service you agree that I can blast your ass with my BB gun if you do anything stupid like requiring me to agree to a license I haven't even seen." It's right there when I'm paying for their stuff. They can even read it if they want... if they ask nicely.

  • RampMaster (unregistered)
    ramp closed until February 30th?
    No, dummy, that's the 2nd day of the 30th month!

    At least they're honest enough to admit that they're never going to finish the job.

  • (cs) in reply to Adam
    Adam:
    The projector is easy to explain. A lot of projectors can only project horizontally or upwards, so if this one is on a shelf or ledge high up you have a choice of turning the projector itself upside down, or pointing it downward and getting a distorted image that requires keystone correction.

    Except, as already mentioned, the projector itself will have a menu setting to flip or invert the image as required.

    I didn't even realize they made boxes that flip VGA signals. Other than fun prank potential, I see no real purpose for such a box.

  • Flipper (unregistered) in reply to WhiskeyJack
    WhiskeyJack:
    ...boxes that flip VGA signals. Other than fun prank potential, I see no real purpose for such a box.
    Oooh, good idea, but even better: make it rotate slowly about one revolution per hour. Have a dialog box pop up randomly every 10 minutes or so that says "Click CANCEL if you want me to stop messing with your display" and watch people hammer OK all day long.
  • Vic (unregistered)

    Since the comment says Cal Trans, we can be reasonably certain that 2-30-10 is indeed February 30. And the Mon-Fri and Sun-Thu confirms this. Due to budget problems, California has had to slow its transportation projects. They won't finish until the year 20010, by which time the earth has slowed down sufficiently to require additional leap days in February; in addition, the week is metric and 10 days long; because people were used to working 5 days a week, Monday - Friday are work days, followed by Sunday-Thursday as a 5 day weekend. Saturday was dropped because of its association with Saturnalias. The days between Sunday and Thursday are Monday' Tuesday', and Wednesday'.

  • TheAnonCoward (unregistered) in reply to WhiskeyJack
    WhiskeyJack:
    I didn't even realize they made boxes that flip VGA signals. Other than fun prank potential, I see no real purpose for such a box.
    When LCD monitors were first becoming the norm, orientation based on the mounts could be modified. The problem: Most video drivers didn't support flipping/rotation. Thus, the hardware was born. It's useless in today's day and age, but there once was a reason for it. (Kinda like punch cards.)

    Captcha: persto - Persto Chnageo!

  • Oompa Loompa (unregistered)

    The second picture was taken in the lobby of the Wonka Chocolate Factory.

  • anon (unregistered) in reply to anon

    egads!. I've been using lasers to exercise cats and drunks since the early 80's when only real men had lasers. (HeNe tubes and 2000vdc power supplies)

  • Patrick (unregistered)

    I accidentally the licence agreement. Is this bad?

  • fjf (unregistered) in reply to Lincoln
    Lincoln:
    The "VGA Flipper" is a bit of a WTF in and of itself.

    Prety much every not-a-cheap-toy-for-home-use projector manufactured in at least the past 10+ years has the the ability to flip images both horizontally (for rear-projection aplications) and vertically (for ceiling-mounted applications) built in, as in not needing an external box or screwing with video card settings....

    Including the NEC shown in the picture.

    Great! So they can re-activate the device to get the picture properly 4-times flipped.

  • Massive Debt (unregistered) in reply to CPFC
    CPFC:
    Isn't "Open Hear" just another marketing slogan? It's as meaningful as any HP slogan I've seen.

    There's a business article somewhere about an HP experiment to outsource their manuals. The result was much like this gooder English.

  • (cs)

    CD-ROM: I saw the same on an envelope containing a CD. By opening the envelope you agree to the license contained inside the envelope. I took a photo, but I doubt I could find it now.

    Laser: Hahaha. That's not a WTF, that's just great box art.

    Projector: TRWTF is that those expensive projectors can't flip the image themselves.

  • fjf (unregistered)
    Niklas Karlsson:
    the firm's name translates as 'Westerlund's Roofing & Facades.
    Ob-ref: The f*ckhead pattern.
  • (cs)

    I'm still thinking some jack*ss wanted to submit something to the WTF, so he flipped his projector upside down, took a picture, claimed people were using it that way, and submitted it.

  • RandomUser423671 (unregistered)

    Never mind the fact that, even if the "breaking this seal" thing were found to be legal, all one need do is slice the plastic holder without damaging said seal. Unless, of course, "seal" is defined more broadly in the agreement. (I'm going with a common interpretation of "seal": something like a wax seal, which in this case means the sticker, not the loose flap or holder.)

  • klc (unregistered) in reply to Belle
    Belle:
    imMute:
    I am quite certain that the "video flipper" switch thing is actually an 8-port Linsys Gigabit Switch. I have one that looks *exactly* like that. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124258

    According to Newegg, your switch has dimensions 5.1"x5.1"x1.1". Are you sure that's what is in the picture?

    There are two different bits of old hardware holding the projector up. One is quite likely the switch cited. The two "supports" also don't appear to be the same height so there's probably an old manual or maybe some ancient zip disks hiding under there as well.

  • justsomedude (unregistered) in reply to anon
    anon:
    egads!. I've been using lasers to exercise cats and drunks since the early 80's when only real men had lasers. (HeNe tubes and 2000vdc power supplies)

    :-) Same here

    Nothing beats the jolt you get on the startup pulse from those PSUs... 18kVs at even a milliamp will wake you up with a quickness!

  • Anonymous Users (unregistered) in reply to justsomedude

    More fun than chasing your own tail!

    LMAO!

  • EngleBart (unregistered) in reply to fjf
    Niklas Karlsson:
    the firm's name translates as 'Westerlund's Roofing & Facades.
    This is a good mnemonic. They could even run an advertising campaign...

    You wake up with water dripping on your head and say WTF! Then call WTF!

    Someone crashes their car into the side of your building and you say WTF! Then call WTF!

  • rysto32 (unregistered)

    TRWTF is the description of the elevator bug. The problem is with neither the controller nor the model. The problem is that the view is unable to display the current state of the model.

  • StychoKiller (unregistered) in reply to Lorne Kates
    Lorne Kates:
    And as far as "open hear" goes-- note to designers: Do not give a voice to any product that is destined to be sliced open. Think of the psyche of the poor shipper/receiver.

    "You still wake up sometimes, don’t you? Wake up in the dark and hear the screaming of the boxes."

    Bet you dream in colors, like pink purple and orange (together, flashing in harmony!)

  • StychoKiller (unregistered) in reply to Massive Debt
    Massive Debt:
    CPFC:
    Isn't "Open Hear" just another marketing slogan? It's as meaningful as any HP slogan I've seen.

    There's a business article somewhere about an HP experiment to outsource their manuals. The result was much like this gooder English.

    Engrish! It wins us happy times! Remember: The bed insect biting is not to be permitted.

  • syockit (unregistered)

    I'm pretty sure that EULA thing was an inside joke for law students to enjoy.

  • (cs)

    For the record, my Units 3 & 4 Access and Justice book came with exactly the same agreement on the CD.

    Legal Studies is still just about as fun as chasing my own tail, either way.

  • noway! (unregistered) in reply to heretic
    heretic:
    Whiteout fail! (What does the *side* of the van say?)
    I do not understand why there is a whiteout of that phone number at all since we are all just a google away from it anyways.
  • Gerald (unregistered) in reply to Cad Delworth
    As others have correctly stated, you can't enforce a contract which one of the parties hasn't read yet.
    So what your saying is that the contract can be enforced as soon as said person has broken the packaging, as they can then read it.
  • (cs)

    I think Sponsor Appreciation should go under the gray category instead of blue, because the rest of the page corresponds with the same kind of things you put there.

  • tare (unregistered) in reply to Patrick
    Patrick:
    I heard the box go "kthp-sssssh" when I opened it.
    A rimshot?

    That's how you know you bought from the wrong vendor.

  • tourist (unregistered)

    Damn. I think I know where that elevator is located. This feels weird. Alexa shopping center, Berlin, Germany?

  • Tannen (unregistered) in reply to Anonymously Yours

    "Maybe it was a memory test from the legal studies department to see who remembered contract law from their last semester. One of the requirements for holding a contract as binding is that any person who agrees to a contract understands it. Since there is no way you can understand something you can't read, that text is little more than a meaningless blurb of wishful thinking to scare people who don't know any better into complying."

    My solution is always to slit open the side of the envelope, so I can remove the CD without breaking the seal. Then, I can violate the spirit of the not-legally-valid-contract while obeying the letter of it. I got the idea from a website explaining the DMCA (google for DMCA Scissors).

  • (cs) in reply to justsomedude
    justsomedude:
    in healthy persons the blink reflex is sufficently fast to protect your eye long before damage occurs.
    Uh … yeeeeeaaaahhh. I think I'll just still stick to my original policy of avoiding 'em in the first place, thanks.
    justsomedude:
    you can't assume every Joe schmoe with a pointer has a safe one.
    I'll stick to my view that NONE of 'em are safe. :) That seems to work well for me.
  • (cs) in reply to Ken B.
    Ken B.:
    (Note: it's a PDF.)

    http://sc.infc.info/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=463&Itemid=2

    (Sorry, but you'll have to copy-and-paste, as marking it as a URL trips the spam filter.)

    Quite! Excellent sign, though. Sums up my opinion of lasers in general (you have to bear in mind that I'm over fifty years old, so I saw all those 'zap ray' B-movies at an impressionable age …)

  • (cs) in reply to WhiskeyJack
    WhiskeyJack:
    I didn't even realize they made boxes that flip VGA signals. Other than fun prank potential, I see no real purpose for such a box.
    They're a good way to make a poor man's Autocue, using just a single sheet of glass or Perspex in addition to the 'flipped' monitor.
  • (cs) in reply to TheAnonCoward
    TheAnonCoward:
    It's useless in today's day and age, but there once was a reason for it. (Kinda like punch cards.)
    So … I presume you never roll joints?
  • (cs) in reply to StychoKiller
    StychoKiller:
    Engrish! It wins us happy times! Remember: The bed insect biting is not to be permitted.
    A friend once showed me a manual for some Japanese consumer kit which, in its 'Problems and Causes' list, included the 'Cause:'

    The internal mechanism is troubled.

    Unfortunately, I can't recall what the related 'Problem' was, but I've used it since as a sort of 'catch-all' description of software bugs to especially stupid and/or gullible lusers.

    And to think: that list appeared decades before L*nux was even devised! :D

  • Somebody (unregistered) in reply to TheAnonCoward
    TheAnonCoward:
    WhiskeyJack:
    I didn't even realize they made boxes that flip VGA signals. Other than fun prank potential, I see no real purpose for such a box.
    When LCD monitors were first becoming the norm, orientation based on the mounts could be modified. The problem: Most video drivers didn't support flipping/rotation. Thus, the hardware was born. It's useless in today's day and age, but there once was a reason for it. (Kinda like punch cards.)

    Captcha: persto - Persto Chnageo!

    I see!!

    I was wondering what the point would be, when we have [CTRL][ALT][Down Arrow]

  • (cs) in reply to frits

    you are right

    http://www.harderectionregained.com

  • Anon (unregistered)

    Reminds me of a van I saw in Whitechapel for "Original Marble and Granite (OMG)".

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