The Daily WTF: Curious Perversions in Information Technology

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

First, First, First, First, First, First, First, First, First, First.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Heh.

P.S. No, my comment is not spam!

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

First, Frist,First, Frist,First, Frist,First, Frist,First, Frist,

snoofle · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

I did something vaguely like that a very long time ago, but not in a loop. Our system needed to slurp up pretty much all the memory our (then) modest Unix box could muster. Depending upon what you were doing, the right combination of inputs could cause enough stuff to be loaded into cache that we'd get an out of memory error.

Bigger boxes were ordered, but because of budgets, weren't going to arrive for a while.

The requirement was that when it happened, we were to pop a dialog saying it was out of memory and that the system would exit, so the user wouldn't just sit there with a hung system. But how do you get the memory for a dialog if you're out of memory?

Simple, pre-allocate an array to reserve enough bytes that, when freed, would allow the dialog to be created.

ekolis · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

So, if it fails ten times, then you just give up and return a reference to the original object? Aargh!

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Reminds me of an application I was asked to support, the original author had decided it would be easy to create 'upfront' 4096 objects of each needed type (WinForms, TextBoxes, ListBoxes, Panels, etc. etc. etc.) and store them in individual arrays, with ultra complex logic to determine which Form/control was available.

The said logic for upfront creation was 'to ensure we do not fail later on' while creating objects due to Out Of Memory conditions)

dohpaz42 · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

snoofle:
The requirement was that when it happened, we were to pop a dialog saying it was out of memory and that the system would exit, so the user wouldn't just sit there with a hung system. But how do you get the memory for a dialog if you're out of memory?
Simple, pre-allocate an array to reserve enough bytes that, when freed, would allow the dialog to be created.

+1

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

It really annoys me to see code where the programmer obviously thought "OK, something might go horribly wrong here, but if it does, I'll just shrug it off and muddle on."

Instead of looping 10 times and then fail, it should have been an infinite loop with sleep calls so that the program will simply pause until the required memory is available and then proceed to complete its assigned task.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Why 10?

Because 9 didn't work.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Why 10?

Because 9 didn't work.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Why 10?

Because seven eight nine.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

no u:
Why 10?

Because 9 didn't work.

8 more to go

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

I like how it just returns the original after 10 tries.

"Could you clone please? please? oh, no? Well, nevermind then..."

Captcha: nisl

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Art:
It really annoys me to see code where the programmer obviously thought "OK, something might go horribly wrong here, but if it does, I'll just shrug it off and muddle on."
Instead of looping 10 times and then fail, it should have been an infinite loop with sleep calls so that the program will simply pause until the required memory is available and then proceed to complete its assigned task.

I agree that sleeps are better, but I do not agree about an infinite loop. If the system is unrecoverably out of memory, an infinite loop would look like a hang rather than providing opportunity to gracefully handle the failure. Graceful recovery would then require a finite number of tries. Perhaps a configurable timeout would have been useful ("after M minutes, we're really out of memory, so just give up").

And 10 may simply have been good enough to recover the application in the environments where the problem exhibited itself. Not all problems are fully understood when they're patched - sometimes a tweak here or there hides a deeper, extremely difficult to diagnose problem. And if the product does what it's supposed to do, under the conditions in which it is used, is that not good enough until the problem is better understood? Or would you prefer a production-down situation to an ugly, temporary workaround?

In such cases, it would be good to insert a comment, "Regarding the magic number 10: it just seems to work, and I don't have any better idea how to do this, right now." If the code reviewers don't have a better suggestion, and the component is not critical enough for an architect to look at, then it may well be good enough.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

10 GC calls on the stack, 10 GC calls. pop on off, pray that it worked, 9 GC calls on the stack.....

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

BadCode:
Reminds me of an application I was asked to support, the original author had decided it would be easy to create 'upfront' 4096 objects of each needed type (WinForms, TextBoxes, ListBoxes, Panels, etc. etc. etc.) and store them in individual arrays, with ultra complex logic to determine which Form/control was available.
The said logic for upfront creation was 'to ensure we do not fail later on' while creating objects due to Out Of Memory conditions)

I don't know why, but this made me just want to curl up under my desk.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Say, Can we clone? Can we clone? Memory out of control Can we clone? Can we clone? We're doing it from wall to wall Can we clone? Can we clone? Everybody try again! Can we clone? Can we clone? Everybody do it again!

SafelyClone() Is it safe to clone? Is it safe to clone?

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Luke, Han Solo and Princess Lea used the garbage collector to escape from imperial storm troopers, and storm troopers are clones. So there.

frits · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Added proper commenting:

public static IClonable SafelyClone(IClonable a)
{
    //Set b equal to a because the only thing worse than throwing exceptions is returning null references.
    IClonable b = a;
    //Try to clone object up to 10 times.  It should never take more than 9 times.
    for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
    {
        try
        {
            b = a.Clone();
            break;
        }
        //Should never happen.
        catch (OutOfMemoryException)
        {
            //Force garbage collection.
            GC.Collect(GC.MaxGeneration);
            //Added because every Microsoft garbage collection example shows a call to WaitForPendingFinalizers.
            GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers();
        }
    }
    //Return the "cloned" object. (heh)
    return b;
}

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Dunno why the stupid programmer did not try again after the GC was invoked.

I mean, we probably freed up some memory, lets try again 10 times ...

Matt Westwood · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Jon E.:
Luke, Han Solo and Princess Lea used the garbage collector to escape from imperial storm troopers, and storm troopers are clones. So there.

+1 Classic.

Melnorme · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Send in the clones

frits · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Men without hair:
Say, Can we clone? Can we clone? Memory out of control Can we clone? Can we clone? We're doing it from wall to wall Can we clone? Can we clone? Everybody try again! Can we clone? Can we clone? Everybody do it again!
SafelyClone() Is it safe to clone? Is it safe to clone?

You forgot: C C, O O, D D, E E, S S, O O, D D

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

I thought the first rule of optimization is: you do not talk about optimization.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Jon E.:
Luke, Han Solo and Princess Lea used the garbage collector to escape from imperial storm troopers, and storm troopers are clones. So there.

YOU FORGOT CHEWBACCA!!! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!! HOW COULD YOU!?!?!?! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!!

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Matt Westwood:
Jon E.:
Luke, Han Solo, [FUCKING CHEWBACCA] and Princess Lea used the garbage collector to escape from imperial storm troopers, and storm troopers are clones. So there.

+1 Classic.

NO!!!! MINUS 100000000000000!!!! HE FORGOT CHEWBACCA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

C-Octothorpe · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

I like how his cloning logic doesn't actually, well, you know, CLONE!!!

Here, let me fix the code sample:

public static IClonable SuperDuperSafeCloneIPromise(IClonable a)
{ return a; }

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

TryAgain:
Dunno why the stupid programmer did not try again after the GC was invoked.
I mean, we probably freed up some memory, lets try again 10 times ...

That's what the code does. Tries again and again until no exception is thrown. Or 10 is hit.

ShatteredArm · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

I've always said, the best "clone" method is one where you never know whether you actually got a clone.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

snoofle:
But how do you get the memory for a dialog if you're out of memory?
Simple, pre-allocate an array to reserve enough bytes that, when freed, would allow the dialog to be created.

Of course, the real WTF would be to pre-allocate the dialog, right?

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

STAR WARS FAN:
Jon E.:
Luke, Han Solo and Princess Lea used the garbage collector to escape from imperial storm troopers, and storm troopers are clones. So there.
YOU FORGOT CHEWBACCA!!! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!! HOW COULD YOU!?!?!?! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!! CCCHHHEEEWWWBBBAAACCCCCCAAA!!!!!!!!

He didn't forget Chewbacca. Chewbacca did not "escape" from the storm troopers. He graciously allowed them to live, by taking an alternative route back to the ship.

Nothing can kill a Wookie.

C-Octothorpe · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

ac:
snoofle:
But how do you get the memory for a dialog if you're out of memory?
Simple, pre-allocate an array to reserve enough bytes that, when freed, would allow the dialog to be created.

Of course, the real WTF would be to pre-allocate the dialog, right?

Isn't that what windows has always done?

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

CHEWBACCA FAN:

He didn't forget Chewbacca. Chewbacca did not "escape" from the storm troopers. He graciously allowed them to live, by taking an alternative route back to the ship.

Nothing can kill a Wookie.

Except, y'know... having a moon land on top of them.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Fixed?

public static IClonable SafelyClone(IClonable a)
{
    IClonable b = a;
    for (int i = 0; 
             i < XmlConfigurationSingleton.getInstance().getIntProperty(XmlConfigurationSingleton.PROPERTY_SAFELY_CLONE_RETRIES); 
             i++)
    {
        try
        {
            b = a.Clone();
            break;
        }
        catch (OutOfMemoryException)
        {
            GC.Collect(GC.MaxGeneration);
            GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers();
        }
    }
    return b;
}

TheCPUWizard · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

NEVER call GC.Collect from "Real" code. For any company/project/team I am involved with, that is an immediate firable effect.
Do not think you relly know what the GC is doing (unless you really are an expert). In fact from a purist perspective there is no Grbage Collector.

Hint: Temporary Objects to NOT cause issues, they prevent them. The overhead of GC is based much more of the complexity of the LIVE object graph. The frequency of GC is dependant on the total allocation rate...

So, would you rather have 1 GC that runs for 200mS, or 100 GC's that each run for 25uS?????

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

R. A. Salvatore:
CHEWBACCA FAN:

He didn't forget Chewbacca. Chewbacca did not "escape" from the storm troopers. He graciously allowed them to live, by taking an alternative route back to the ship.

Nothing can kill a Wookie.

Except, y'know... having a moon land on top of them.

That's no moon...

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Can anyone come up with a reason (sane or not) for making the assignment to b on the method's first line?!

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

TheCPUWizard:
1) NEVER call GC.Collect from "Real" code. For any company/project/team I am involved with, that is an immediate firable effect.

Do not think you relly know what the GC is doing (unless you really are an expert). In fact from a purist perspective there is no Grbage Collector.

Hint: Temporary Objects to NOT cause issues, they prevent them. The overhead of GC is based much more of the complexity of the LIVE object graph. The frequency of GC is dependant on the total allocation rate...

So, would you rather have 1 GC that runs for 200mS, or 100 GC's that each run for 25uS?????

How much do you pay for rent in your ivory tower?

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

STAR WARS FAN!!!!!!!!!!!!:
Matt Westwood:
Jon E.:
Luke, Han Solo, [FUCKING CHEWBACCA] and Princess Lea used the garbage collector to escape from imperial storm troopers, and storm troopers are clones. So there.

+1 Classic.
NO!!!! MINUS 100000000000000!!!! HE FORGOT CHEWBACCA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Remember Princess Leia (AAARRRGGHH!H and it's spelled "Leia" not "Lea") said: "Can someone please get this walking carpet out of my way!?!?"!@?!?!

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Never mind. Ekolis had already written the answer, which is far more WTF than anticipated. :)

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

OB1:
R. A. Salvatore:
CHEWBACCA FAN:

He didn't forget Chewbacca. Chewbacca did not "escape" from the storm troopers. He graciously allowed them to live, by taking an alternative route back to the ship.

Nothing can kill a Wookie.

Except, y'know... having a moon land on top of them.
That's no moon...

...that's a space station.

That's one of the things that has always confused me...why did they continually refer to it as a "station?" Never in the first movie did it even orbit a planet. It was mobile, so how was it not simply a space ship?

Coyne · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Dr Evil: (evil laugh) Clones!

Dr Evil: (even more evil laugh) Ve must haf more clones!

Dr Evil: Arrrrrrrrgggggghhh!!!!!! Out of memory??!! Vhy must my evil plans always be foiled???!!

C-Octothorpe · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

aptent:
TheCPUWizard:
1) NEVER call GC.Collect from "Real" code. For any company/project/team I am involved with, that is an immediate firable effect.

Do not think you relly know what the GC is doing (unless you really are an expert). In fact from a purist perspective there is no Grbage Collector.

Hint: Temporary Objects to NOT cause issues, they prevent them. The overhead of GC is based much more of the complexity of the LIVE object graph. The frequency of GC is dependant on the total allocation rate...

So, would you rather have 1 GC that runs for 200mS, or 100 GC's that each run for 25uS?????
How much do you pay for rent in your ivory tower?

The blood of one junior developer... at the 1st of every month.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

There's always 10 of me just a-hanging around.

(Until we're garbage collected.)

C-Octothorpe · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

I think I'm a clone now:
There's always 10 of me just a-hanging around.
(Until we're garbage collected.)

Damnit! Now I'll have that song stuck in my head for the rest of the day...

Coyne · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

CHEWBACCA FAN:
Nothing can kill a Wookie.

Not even the Wookie Monster?

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Better to be using WekReference class for managing memory needs:

WeakRefrence http://download.oracle.com/javase/1.3/docs/api/java/lang/ref/WeakReference.html

NOT spam, askimet, m*******d!

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Star Wars N3rd:
OB1:
That's no moon...
...that's a space station.
That's one of the things that has always confused me...why did they continually refer to it as a "station?" Never in the first movie did it even orbit a planet. It was mobile, so how was it not simply a space ship?

Because the Death Star is so fucking awesome that it doesn't move through the universe, the universe moves around IT!!!!!

Zylon · 2011-09-14 Reply Admin

Star Wars N3rd:
That's one of the things that has always confused me...why did they continually refer to it as a "station?" Never in the first movie did it even orbit a planet. It was mobile, so how was it not simply a space ship?

ISO naming standards, doi.

2011-09-14 Reply Admin

CHEWBACCA!!!!!!!!~!:
Star Wars N3rd:
OB1:
That's no moon...
...that's a space station.
That's one of the things that has always confused me...why did they continually refer to it as a "station?" Never in the first movie did it even orbit a planet. It was mobile, so how was it not simply a space ship?
Because the Death Star is so fucking awesome that it doesn't move through the universe, the universe moves around IT!!!!!

That's the other thing: why wasn't it called "Death Moon" or "Death Planet"? Everyone thought it looked like a moon and nothing orbited it. The only time it got shiny was when firing lazers.

Clone Collector

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