The Daily WTF: Curious Perversions in Information Technology

2014-07-16 Reply Admin

using(var Tables = File.OpenText(Path.Combine("Dependencies", "tract.sql")))
{
    Logging.Log(Logging.Type.Progress, Tables.ReadToEnd().Replace("/*_*/", "peacock"));
}

MessageBox.Show("STOP! DON'T PRESS OK!", "", MessageBoxButton.OK, MessageBoxImage.Stop);
MessageBox.Show("STOP! DON'T PRESS OK!", "", MessageBoxButton.OK, MessageBoxImage.Stop);
MessageBox.Show("STOP! DON'T PRESS OK!", "", MessageBoxButton.OK, MessageBoxImage.Stop);
MessageBox.Show("STOP! Pressing OK once more will permantly scar your memories...", "", MessageBoxButton.OK, MessageBoxImage.Stop);

// Prepare, then drop peacocks
Process.Start("https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o71kCuva4B4");

SCSimmons · 2014-07-16 Reply Admin

OldCoder:
MrOli:
TRWTF is that pressing STOP will still delete the database, since noone's thought to check the return value from MessageBox.Show()...

That's the REAL WTF, is it? That is the point of the whole thing? So if only they had considered testing the return value like you say, this would no longer be a WTF at all?
The WTF is the fact that the four message boxes get presented to you in sequence, and no matter what button you press, it still goes and deletes the database tables.

Captcha: eros. I wish.

It's very sad, but I can actually see the sequence of business events behind this. "Joe! That code you put in that deletes the database, there are idiots out there calling that routine without realizing it does that. You need to add an alert box ASAP!" "On it, boss! I can knock that out in thirty seconds, easy!" ... "Joe! Your alert box is coming up, but I guess people aren't looking at it, because that database still keeps getting deleted!" "No problem, boss! I'll add a stop sign image and have it pop up a second time with an 'are you really sure?' message?" ... "Joe! That database got deleted again!" "Stupid #*#@!& users! Well, I know the drill--got this warning message thing down to a science!" ... "Joe, you won't believe this ..." "I know, boss. I don't know what more I can do! It's just user error." ... "Joe, I think I see what's happening with those database deletions ..." "I know what's happening, Danny. Our user base has some of the dimmest bulbs ever to fail to light up a room." "Um ... yeah, that's it alright. Hold on, I need to send an email to the Daily WTF."

2014-07-16 Reply Admin

They should use something like that warning messagebox, except with a Stop/Cancel button implemented, as a replacement for CAPTCHAs. Only a human would then press OK, and they'll do it every time.

2014-07-16 Reply Admin

Peacock. Peacock. Peacock. Password peacock. Peacock. Peacock.

https://screen.yahoo.com/weekend-randall-meeks-000000711.html

2014-07-16 Reply Admin

Anyone notice this WTF?

using(var Tables = File.OpenText(Path.Combine("Dependencies", "table.sql")))
{
    Logging.Log(Logging.Type.Progress, Tables.ReadToEnd().Replace("/*_*/", "dictionary"));
}

Reading the whole file into a string at once, then replace some strings, then log the whole file.

If the file is a bit too large, it should instantly OOM.

And also, reading a whole file just to log it and not use it for any other purpose, that's another WTF.

2014-07-17 Reply Admin

Strong Bad:
Nekrotzar:
* Typing with 'fingers'

Real men type with boxing gloves on their hands!

I type by slapping my dick on the keyboard

ubersoldat · 2014-07-17 Reply Admin

Taco:
Strong Bad:
Nekrotzar:
* Typing with 'fingers'

Real men type with boxing gloves on their hands!

I type by slapping my dick on the keyboard

Please, don't point and touch my screen.

OT: If it's done with a dick (yours or someone's else) is it "touching"?

2014-07-17 Reply Admin

Julia:
faoileag:
Julia:
TRWTF is that pressing STOP will still delete the database, since noone's thought to check the return value from MessageBox.Show()...
TRWTF is suggesting to test the return value of a MessageBox that only has an "OK" button.

My bad, I misread it as having two (OK and Stop) buttons.

I'll get my coat.

Never mind, some others seem to have much greater problems with the way the coder "solved" the problem with preventing unintended db deletion :-)

Filed under: isn't it too warm for a coat anyway?

2014-07-17 Reply Admin

Taco:
Strong Bad:
Nekrotzar:
* Typing with 'fingers'

Real men type with boxing gloves on their hands!

I type by slapping my dick on the keyboard

qo xdff| hbm q twt hbg qeo bdflvs

slapping doesnt work so well. but i found a way. gives a new meaning to hunt'n'pecker tho.

2014-07-17 Reply Admin

Strong Bad:
Nekrotzar:
* Typing with 'fingers'

Real men type with boxing gloves on their hands!

Strongbad for the win!

2014-07-17 Reply Admin

I wasn't taking about the OS on the machine but the machine itself, the SRM console had the 1980-01-01 epoch on most machines (though apparanty some had 1900)

2014-07-17 Reply Admin

A not-a-WTF (this is the MS-DOS epoch), a bit of a WTF, and a table with some strange content (which may or may not be a WTF, maybe all the other values are released software versions and Peacock is an unreleased project's codename)?

Meh.

2014-07-20 Reply Admin

Peacock is probably sentinel value, or perhaps a canary.

2014-07-21 Reply Admin

Valued Service:
Andrew:
OldCoder:
...and no matter what button you press...

...of which there's only one, mind you.

If you don't press ok, the message box will stay there indefinitely.

A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?

2014-07-22 Reply Admin

Norman Diamond:
faoileag:
Julia:
TRWTF is that pressing STOP will still delete the database, since noone's thought to check the return value from MessageBox.Show()...
TRWTF is suggesting to test the return value of a MessageBox that only has an "OK" button.
Actually it can be tested, though that doesn't lessen the WTFity of the message box design.
If you click the [X]box at the upper right of a message box, it cancels the message box instead of OK'ing it.

The native Windows MessageBox function allows the user to close the window (either via the close button or the Esc key) in one of two cases:

If a cancel button is present, it is equivalent to clicking the cancel button (return value is 2)
In the case of a box with only an OK button, it is equivalent to pressing the OK button (return value is 1)

2014-07-22 Reply Admin

Neil:
Norman Diamond:
faoileag:
Julia:
TRWTF is that pressing STOP will still delete the database, since noone's thought to check the return value from MessageBox.Show()...
TRWTF is suggesting to test the return value of a MessageBox that only has an "OK" button.
Actually it can be tested, though that doesn't lessen the WTFity of the message box design.
If you click the [X]box at the upper right of a message box, it cancels the message box instead of OK'ing it.
The native Windows MessageBox function allows the user to close the window (either via the close button or the Esc key) in one of two cases:

If a cancel button is present, it is equivalent to clicking the cancel button (return value is 2)

In the case of a box with only an OK button, it is equivalent to pressing the OK button (return value is 1)

Hmm. I can cancel an ordinary dialog box by clicking its close button even if none of its ordinary buttons has IDCANCEL. You could be right that the native Windows MessageBox function has extra code to modify that result. Next, I wonder if an MFC message box uses the native Windows MessageBox function or something else (which I could answer by reading MFC's source code) and what a .Net message box does.

When a message box displays mojibake instead of キャンセル, it seems pretty clear that the program forced the window to use an 8-bit font. A native Windows MessageBox gets its font from something on the Windows desktop so it has to be a Japanese font (otherwise the desktop wouldn't even be able to show ごみ箱). I assumed that screwed up message boxes had to come from a program abusing MFC.

Nagesh · 2014-07-24 Reply Admin

anon:
I am a peacock, you gotta let me fly!

Have you ever seen a peacock fly?

2014-07-28 Reply Admin

Nagesh:
anon:
I am a peacock, you gotta let me fly!

Have you ever seen a peacock fly?

No, but I've never seen your brain either.

A Priestly Epoch, Running off the Tracts

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