The Daily WTF: Curious Perversions in Information Technology

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Java ain't have dll problem since all jars packaging together.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

But the biggest question was never answered (I think): Was Robbie male or female?!

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Robbie:
But the biggest question was never answered (I think): Was Robbie male or female?!

Are you crazy, lady?!

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Robbie:
But the biggest question was never answered (I think): Was Robbie male or female?!

Are you crazy, lady?!

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Robbie was a robot. Obviously.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

No snarky comments behind the scenes

Am very disappoint.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

TRWTF: Running a .exe file emailed to you from a stranger on the internet

PiisAWheeL · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Anon') or 1=1:
TRWTF: Running a .exe file emailed to you from a stranger on the internet

What... You don't keep a copy of windows installed on a virtual machine just for this sort of thing? If it goes fubar you just replace the vm hard drive file with a backup and your back in business.

@Deprecated · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

I kept thinking that the system was harvesting passwords or something, and emailing them to the original author. Nope. Then I thought the 'Secret' class was going to do the same thing...

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

attached .exe file

Danger: beyond this point there be much WTF.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

So now we know how to phish "Lee S." -- and get her to meet up for "coffee" -- just promise $100 if she'll run this innocent bit of code.

Somehow, based on everything I've read, I thought it would be a lot more difficult to meet girls.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

PiisAWheeL:
Anon') or 1=1:
TRWTF: Running a .exe file emailed to you from a stranger on the internet
What... You don't keep a copy of windows installed on a virtual machine just for this sort of thing? If it goes fubar you just replace the vm hard drive file with a backup and your back in business.

Or, ask your friendly local Sys Admin who might tell you to simply "snapshot" your VM. You coders have to do everything the hard way, don't ya?

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

quasi-legal mail-order pharmaceuticals, which caused the program to choke. Lee figured that she would've choked too.

You did that on purpose, didn't you?!

Usually about a half hour after I consume those quasi-legal mail-order pharmaceuticals, my girlfriend starts to choke.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Larry:
So now we know how to phish "Lee S." -- and get her to meet up for "coffee" -- just promise $100 if she'll run this innocent bit of code.
Somehow, based on everything I've read, I thought it would be a lot more difficult to meet girls.

Observe and learn, my young friend. Girls will do amazing things for very small rewards. A string of beads costs less than $5. Even a single dollar bill can get you a little sumpn at the strip club.

It's the totally free ride that they resist with so much vigor.

PiisAWheeL · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Cialis "the half-cocked" Cowboy:
PiisAWheeL:
Anon') or 1=1:
TRWTF: Running a .exe file emailed to you from a stranger on the internet
What... You don't keep a copy of windows installed on a virtual machine just for this sort of thing? If it goes fubar you just replace the vm hard drive file with a backup and your back in business.

Or, ask your friendly local Sys Admin who might tell you to simply "snapshot" your VM. You coders have to do everything the hard way, don't ya?

Ya know, its too early in the morning. I completely forgot you could do that. Still, the hard way is still probably easier than just blindly running the exe.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Carl:
Larry:
So now we know how to phish "Lee S." -- and get her to meet up for "coffee" -- just promise $100 if she'll run this innocent bit of code.
Somehow, based on everything I've read, I thought it would be a lot more difficult to meet girls.
Observe and learn, my young friend. Girls will do amazing things for very small rewards. A string of beads costs less than $5. Even a single dollar bill can get you a little sumpn at the strip club.

It's the totally free ride that they resist with so much vigor.

Careful though, it only costs hundreds to get them. It costs tens of thousand to make them go away.

Coyne · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

I think this has to be a new record for WTF's. This monstrosity violates pretty much every rule of sensible design, good programming practice, good security practice, credit card industry rules, very likely the law, and possibly the Constitution.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Don Juan:
Careful though, it only costs hundreds to get them. It costs tens of thousand to make them go away.

A good looking guy doesn't pay a hooker for sex. He pays her to go away when he's done.

And, yes, a few hundred now and then is a much better bargain, financially, than the "tens of thousands" outcome. Plus, you get variety! And you don't have to talk to them all the time.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Don Juan:
Carl:
Larry:
So now we know how to phish "Lee S." -- and get her to meet up for "coffee" -- just promise $100 if she'll run this innocent bit of code.
Somehow, based on everything I've read, I thought it would be a lot more difficult to meet girls.
Observe and learn, my young friend. Girls will do amazing things for very small rewards. A string of beads costs less than $5. Even a single dollar bill can get you a little sumpn at the strip club.

It's the totally free ride that they resist with so much vigor.

Careful though, it only costs hundreds to get them. It costs tens of thousand to make them go away.

I think it was Rodney Dangerfield who said, "If you're thinking of getting married, let me suggest a shortcut that can save you a lot of time and trouble. Just find a woman who hates you, and buy her a house."

DaveK · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

So True:
Don Juan:
Careful though, it only costs hundreds to get them. It costs tens of thousand to make them go away.
A good looking guy doesn't pay a hooker for sex. He pays her to go away when he's done.
And, yes, a few hundred now and then is a much better bargain, financially, than the "tens of thousands" outcome. Plus, you get variety! And you don't have to talk to them all the time be socially adequate.

FTFY!

DaveK · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Cialis "the half-cocked" Cowboy:
PiisAWheeL:
Anon') or 1=1:
TRWTF: Running a .exe file emailed to you from a stranger on the internet
What... You don't keep a copy of windows installed on a virtual machine just for this sort of thing? If it goes fubar you just replace the vm hard drive file with a backup and your back in business.

Or, ask your friendly local Sys Admin who might tell you to simply "snapshot" your VM. You coders have to do everything the hard way, don't ya?

Y'all both might wanna have a read of http://www.blackhat.com/presentations/bh-usa-09/KORTCHINSKY/BHUSA09-Kortchinsky-Cloudburst-SLIDES.pdf Shouldn't run a potential virus even in a VM on anything but a dog box.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Don Juan:
Carl:
Larry:
So now we know how to phish "Lee S." -- and get her to meet up for "coffee" -- just promise $100 if she'll run this innocent bit of code.
Somehow, based on everything I've read, I thought it would be a lot more difficult to meet girls.
Observe and learn, my young friend. Girls will do amazing things for very small rewards. A string of beads costs less than $5. Even a single dollar bill can get you a little sumpn at the strip club.

It's the totally free ride that they resist with so much vigor.

Careful though, it only costs hundreds to get them. It costs tens of thousand to make them go away.

And then women wonder why men are reluctant to "make a commitment".

Suppose a local restaurant offerred two pricing plans:

Plan A: Standard plan: Come by whenever you like and for ten or twenty bucks you can get anything on the menu.

Plan B: Lifetime membership: Pay half your salary every month for the rest of your life. There are severe penalties for cancelling the membership. In exchange, you can come by the restaurant whenever you like and if they're not too busy, and they feel like it, they might serve you a meal. You will be required to wash the dishes and help clean the kitchen afterwards. The restaurant can cancel your membership at any time, in which case you will still be required to pay a reduced membership fee for 18 more years but will not be entitled to any meals.

which plan would you choose?

PiisAWheeL · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Jay:
Don Juan:
Carl:
Larry:
So now we know how to phish "Lee S." -- and get her to meet up for "coffee" -- just promise $100 if she'll run this innocent bit of code.
Somehow, based on everything I've read, I thought it would be a lot more difficult to meet girls.
Observe and learn, my young friend. Girls will do amazing things for very small rewards. A string of beads costs less than $5. Even a single dollar bill can get you a little sumpn at the strip club.

It's the totally free ride that they resist with so much vigor.

Careful though, it only costs hundreds to get them. It costs tens of thousand to make them go away.

And then women wonder why men are reluctant to "make a commitment".

Suppose a local restaurant offerred two pricing plans:

Plan A: Standard plan: Come by whenever you like and for ten or twenty bucks you can get anything on the menu.

Plan B: Lifetime membership: Pay half your salary every month for the rest of your life. There are severe penalties for cancelling the membership. In exchange, you can come by the restaurant whenever you like and if they're not too busy, and they feel like it, they might serve you a meal. You will be required to wash the dishes and help clean the kitchen afterwards. The restaurant can cancel your membership at any time, in which case you will still be required to pay a reduced membership fee for 18 more years but will not be entitled to any meals.

which plan would you choose?

The problem is the restaurant. Plan b can be completely awesome if the restaurant serves great food, doesn't complain too much, and the lifetime membership doesnt get cancelled. But your odds are still better playing the pass line in vegas.

airdrik · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Am Disappoint:
No snarky comments behind the scenes
Am very disappoint.

while (article.author != Remy Porter)
    Am Disappoint.very disappoint = true

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

airdrik:
Am Disappoint:
No snarky comments behind the scenes
Am very disappoint.
while (article.author != Remy Porter)
    Am Disappoint.very disappoint = true

+1

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

First post!

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

airdrik:
Am Disappoint:
No snarky comments behind the scenes
Am very disappoint.
while (article.author != Remy Porter)
    Am Disappoint.very disappoint = true

(-85)

This code ain't compile. Please massage it and re-submit.

Grade: 15/100 please see profesor.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

DaveK:
Cialis "the half-cocked" Cowboy:
PiisAWheeL:
Anon') or 1=1:
TRWTF: Running a .exe file emailed to you from a stranger on the internet
What... You don't keep a copy of windows installed on a virtual machine just for this sort of thing? If it goes fubar you just replace the vm hard drive file with a backup and your back in business.

Or, ask your friendly local Sys Admin who might tell you to simply "snapshot" your VM. You coders have to do everything the hard way, don't ya?

Y'all both might wanna have a read of http://www.blackhat.com/presentations/bh-usa-09/KORTCHINSKY/BHUSA09-Kortchinsky-Cloudburst-SLIDES.pdf Shouldn't run a potential virus even in a VM on anything but a dog box.

I just run it on my co-worker's box when he goes for a smoke break.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Jay:
Don Juan:
Carl:
Larry:
So now we know how to phish "Lee S." -- and get her to meet up for "coffee" -- just promise $100 if she'll run this innocent bit of code.
Somehow, based on everything I've read, I thought it would be a lot more difficult to meet girls.
Observe and learn, my young friend. Girls will do amazing things for very small rewards. A string of beads costs less than $5. Even a single dollar bill can get you a little sumpn at the strip club.

It's the totally free ride that they resist with so much vigor.

Careful though, it only costs hundreds to get them. It costs tens of thousand to make them go away.

And then women wonder why men are reluctant to "make a commitment".

Suppose a local restaurant offerred two pricing plans:

Plan A: Standard plan: Come by whenever you like and for ten or twenty bucks you can get anything on the menu.

Plan B: Lifetime membership: Pay half your salary every month for the rest of your life. There are severe penalties for cancelling the membership. In exchange, you can come by the restaurant whenever you like and if they're not too busy, and they feel like it, they might serve you a meal. You will be required to wash the dishes and help clean the kitchen afterwards. The restaurant can cancel your membership at any time, in which case you will still be required to pay a reduced membership fee for 18 more years but will not be entitled to any meals.

which plan would you choose?

The difficulty with plan A is sometimes you get to eat all you want and sometimes you go away hungry.

The difficulty with plan B is sometimes you get to eat all you want and sometimes you go away hungry.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Jay:
Don Juan:
Carl:
Larry:
So now we know how to phish "Lee S." -- and get her to meet up for "coffee" -- just promise $100 if she'll run this innocent bit of code.
Somehow, based on everything I've read, I thought it would be a lot more difficult to meet girls.
Observe and learn, my young friend. Girls will do amazing things for very small rewards. A string of beads costs less than $5. Even a single dollar bill can get you a little sumpn at the strip club.

It's the totally free ride that they resist with so much vigor.

Careful though, it only costs hundreds to get them. It costs tens of thousand to make them go away.

And then women wonder why men are reluctant to "make a commitment".

Suppose a local restaurant offerred two pricing plans:

Plan A: Standard plan: Come by whenever you like and for ten or twenty bucks you can get anything on the menu.

Plan B: Lifetime membership: Pay half your salary every month for the rest of your life. There are severe penalties for cancelling the membership. In exchange, you can come by the restaurant whenever you like and if they're not too busy, and they feel like it, they might serve you a meal. You will be required to wash the dishes and help clean the kitchen afterwards. The restaurant can cancel your membership at any time, in which case you will still be required to pay a reduced membership fee for 18 more years but will not be entitled to any meals.

which plan would you choose?

Here in Hyderabad, you are alow to get memberships at many restaurant. Unfortunate, most restarant is fruit stand and others maybe you getting diahrrea food poisining.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Oh, great, there's the usual forever alone creeps exhibiting their usual misogynistic MRA douchebaggery. What a refreshing change. "Waaah waaah waaah women are all evil scheming horrible bitches why don't they like me?"

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

ben:
Oh, great, there's the usual forever alone creeps exhibiting their usual misogynistic MRA douchebaggery. What a refreshing change. "Waaah waaah waaah women are all evil scheming horrible bitches why don't they like me?"

I know that feel. I suggest you keep away from certain 4chan boards.

PedanticCurmudgeon · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

ben:
Oh, great, there's the usual forever alone creeps exhibiting their usual misogynistic MRA douchebaggery. What a refreshing change. "Waaah waaah waaah women are all evil scheming horrible bitches why don't they like me?"

Would you prefer that we pretended that men and women were exactly alike?

johnckirk · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Obviously the whole registration process is a WTF, but if you're stuck with legacy code (outside your control) which will send these emails then you do need some equivalent code to deal with them.

Looking at the sample code, I think there are a couple of more subtle flaws (either in the original code or the way it was adapted for the article):

Dim x As Integer = CInt(String.Concat(sr.ReadLine + sr.ReadLine + _
               sr.ReadLine + sr.ReadLine).Split(" ")(6))

String.Concat will merge strings together, but so does the + operand. So, this will merge 4 strings together and then convert the resulting string ... into a string. It would be better to use commas rather than "+".

Then there's:

For i As Integer = x To x

That means that the loop will only do 1 iteration. I assume it should start at 1. However, I also assume that this code is set to run at regular intervals (e.g. every 5 minutes) to check for new email. So, as long as Robbie only averages 1 new email per time interval, it will appear to work ok, and just scrape off the most recent message each time.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

PedanticCurmudgeon:
ben:
Oh, great, there's the usual forever alone creeps exhibiting their usual misogynistic MRA douchebaggery. What a refreshing change. "Waaah waaah waaah women are all evil scheming horrible bitches why don't they like me?"
Would you prefer that we pretended that men and women were exactly alike?

Kama Sutra clearly ilustrate diferences.

Scrummy · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Coyne:
I think this has to be a new record for WTF's. This monstrosity violates pretty much every rule of sensible design, good programming practice, good security practice, credit card industry rules, very likely the law, and possibly the Constitution.

It's the very definition of "cowboy coding." This is not the kind of work product you would see from a highly-functioning Agile team.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Scrummy:
Coyne:
I think this has to be a new record for WTF's. This monstrosity violates pretty much every rule of sensible design, good programming practice, good security practice, credit card industry rules, very likely the law, and possibly the Constitution.

It's the very definition of "cowboy coding." This is not the kind of work product you would see from a highly-functioning Agile team.

reference.com:
Cowboy Coding
Cowboy Coding is a term used to describe software development where the developers have autonomy over the development process. This includes control of the project's schedule, algorithms, tools, and coding style.

A Cowboy Coder can be a lone developer or part of a group of developers with either no external management or management that controls only non-development aspects of the project, such as its nature, scope, and feature set. (The "what", but not the "how").

Cowboy Coding can have positive or negative connotations, depending on one's opinions on the role of management and formal process in software development; "Cowboy Coding" is often used as a pejorative term by supporters of software development methodologies, such as Agile.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

The casual mysogyny of some of the commenters here is pathetic. The irony that, on a site that exists to make fun of people's broken code, your broken personality is the real WTF.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Really?:
The casual mysogyny of some of the commenters here is pathetic. The irony that, on a site that exists to make fun of people's broken code, your broken personality is the real WTF.

+1

KattMan · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Really?:
The casual mysogyny of some of the commenters here is pathetic. The irony that, on a site that exists to make fun of people's broken code, your broken personality is the real WTF.

The real irony is people think it is wrong when we think of anyone as anything other than equals. Nobody is equal and being equal is not the point, having equal opportunity is. There are leaders, there are followers, some people are stronger, some people are smarter, etc.

We are NOT equals, we are complimentary, and what is more complimentary then the non-equality of men and women. Give equal opportunity for each to thrive in thier strengths but do not try to make everyone equally the same.

Matt Westwood · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Don Juan:
Carl:
Larry:
So now we know how to phish "Lee S." -- and get her to meet up for "coffee" -- just promise $100 if she'll run this innocent bit of code.
Somehow, based on everything I've read, I thought it would be a lot more difficult to meet girls.
Observe and learn, my young friend. Girls will do amazing things for very small rewards. A string of beads costs less than $5. Even a single dollar bill can get you a little sumpn at the strip club.

It's the totally free ride that they resist with so much vigor.

Careful though, it only costs hundreds to get them. It costs tens of thousand to make them go away.

Hah! Maybe for you losers ...

Matt Westwood · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

So True:
Don Juan:
Careful though, it only costs hundreds to get them. It costs tens of thousand to make them go away.
A good looking guy doesn't pay a hooker for sex. He pays her to go away when he's done.
And, yes, a few hundred now and then is a much better bargain, financially, than the "tens of thousands" outcome. Plus, you get variety! And you don't have to talk to them all the time.

The talking isn't the problem, it's the having to listen which is the real pain in the arse.

Matt Westwood · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Really?:
The casual mysogyny of some of the commenters here is pathetic. The irony that, on a site that exists to make fun of people's broken code, your broken personality is the real WTF.

Ignore her, it must be the time of the month.

Matt Westwood · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

KattMan:
Really?:
The casual mysogyny of some of the commenters here is pathetic. The irony that, on a site that exists to make fun of people's broken code, your broken personality is the real WTF.
The real irony is people think it is wrong when we think of anyone as anything other than equals. Nobody is equal and being equal is not the point, having equal opportunity is. There are leaders, there are followers, some people are stronger, some people are smarter, etc.
We are NOT equals, we are complimentary, and what is more complimentary then the non-equality of men and women. Give equal opportunity for each to thrive in thier strengths but do not try to make everyone equally the same.

The word is "complementary". Go away and learn.

PedanticCurmudgeon · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Matt Westwood:
Really?:
The casual mysogyny of some of the commenters here is pathetic. The irony that, on a site that exists to make fun of people's broken code, your broken personality is the real WTF.

Ignore her, it must be the time of the month.

The post you're responding to could very well be a thoroughly indoctrinated male. They don't have times of the month. For them, it's 24/7/365.

KattMan · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Wow, all that and you are going to complain about the transposition of an I and an E.

Pendentic asshat.

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Perhaps you're right. Perhaps I misinterpreted all those comments about strippers, prostitutes and all women being money-grabbing shrews controlled by their menstrual cycle as a subtle reminder of the differences between the sexes.

Or perhaps you're just trying to distract attention from the mysogyny above by changing the subject.

This is the point where you start taking about political correctness run amok. Go on.

D-Coder · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Matt Westwood:
Don Juan:
Carl:
Larry:
So now we know how to phish "Lee S." -- and get her to meet up for "coffee" -- just promise $100 if she'll run this innocent bit of code.
Somehow, based on everything I've read, I thought it would be a lot more difficult to meet girls.
Observe and learn, my young friend. Girls will do amazing things for very small rewards. A string of beads costs less than $5. Even a single dollar bill can get you a little sumpn at the strip club.

It's the totally free ride that they resist with so much vigor.

Careful though, it only costs hundreds to get them. It costs tens of thousand to make them go away.
Hah! Maybe for you losers ...

I'm sure we all understand that you can make women go away for free, Matt.

realmerlyn · 2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Matt Westwood:
KattMan:

We are NOT equals, we are complimentary, and what is more complimentary then the non-equality of men and women. Give equal opportunity for each to thrive in thier strengths but do not try to make everyone equally the same.

The word is "complementary". Go away and learn.

Maybe he's talking about people who are nice to each other a lot. :)

2012-07-05 Reply Admin

Jay:
Suppose a local restaurant offerred two pricing plans:
Plan A: Standard plan: Come by whenever you like and for ten or twenty bucks you can get anything on the menu.

Plan B: Lifetime membership: Pay half your salary every month for the rest of your life. There are severe penalties for cancelling the membership. In exchange, you can come by the restaurant whenever you like and if they're not too busy, and they feel like it, they might serve you exactly the same goddamn meal every day^Wweek^Wmonth^Wyear. You will be required to wash the dishes and help clean the kitchen afterwards. The restaurant can cancel your membership at any time, in which case you will still be required to pay a reduced membership fee for 18 more years but will not be entitled to any meals.

which plan would you choose?

FTFY

Tale of the Cryptic Encoding

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