The Daily WTF: Curious Perversions in Information Technology

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

AN AWESOME CODER:
Jazz:
C-Octothorpe:
If it passes the unit tests, who cares?

And this is why Test-Driven Development isn't the holy grail it's made out to be.

Actually, it's your mentality of thinking that Test Driven Development only means "writing code that passes tests" that's the problem. Obviously this is not what it means.

I'm impressed at how you can read one sentence that I wrote and gain such intimately accurate knowledge of what I think TDD means. Would you mind using these powers on some of our elected officials so that we can know, just as accurately as you, what's going through their minds, based on the most recent sixteen words they've said?

This may come as a shock to you, but I do in fact know the theory of how TDD is meant to work. I also know the reality of how it gets implemented by project managers who read about it, see it as a fix-all for their development team, force it over the top of our existing procedures, and manage to drive the rate of reported defects up by 15% while simultaneously reducing our productivity by 20%.

TL;DR: Don't insult us both by pretending my real-world experience is less real than your theoretical ideal.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

This reminds me of the way our application converts UNC paths to local paths (who needs using standard Windows API, APIs are for pussies) - it saves a file to the UNC location, and then searchers the hard disk to find the saved file. Once the file is found, the local path corresponding to the UNC path is obtained.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Jack:

All the sudden, I'm reminded of my list of grammar and syntax mistakes, based off of the internet. I wrote it down, but on accident, I lost it. I guess I should of made a copy. Once and a while, I try to remember what it was comprised of. But I could care less, for all intensive purposes.

Even though I know your paragraph was written in this way deliberately, I still can't stop shuddering and wanting to tear my eyeballs from my head.

da Doctah · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Jeff:
? htdocs/applet/LocalApplet.jar.20110822
Hey at least they used the One True Date Format. Which, by the way, doubles as a version number! So no need for svn in the first place.

That would be fine, if it were a date, but it's actually just a sequence number.

They do a lot of versions.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

da Doctah:
Jeff:
? htdocs/applet/LocalApplet.jar.20110822
Hey at least they used the One True Date Format. Which, by the way, doubles as a version number! So no need for svn in the first place.
That would be fine, if it were a date, but it's actually just a sequence number.
They do a lot of versions.

But they've slowed down now. They usually do just one version per day, only at the end of the month, they get real busy.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

What do you call a donkey with 3 legs? A wonky donkey.

What do you call a donkey with 3 legs and one eye? A winky wonky donkey.

What do you call a donkey with 3 legs and one eye that likes music? A honky tonky winky wonky donkey.

What do you call a donkey with 3 legs and one eye that likes music and childrens' TV? A tinky winky honky tonky winky wonky donkey.

Repeat ad nauseum until they kick you out of the kindergarten and you have to hide out in Kerbleckistan, cuttin' code.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

The real WTF is that it was technically possible for the Kerpleckistani developers to deploy code to production without it being reviewed by somebody state-side.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

EatenByAGrue:
The real WTF is that it was technically possible for the Kerpleckistani developers to deploy code to production without it being reviewed by somebody state-side.

Yes, it's been said. Although you managed put a much more xenophobic ring to it than the last five people.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

mroli:
Meep:
Google finds over twelve million hits for the exact phrase "lived out of", so yes, people employ that usage quite frequently.

Google also finds over 1.5 million pages referencing the phrase "Meep is gay".

Now including this page!

frits · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Poopface:
What do you call a donkey with 3 legs and one eye that likes music? A honky tonky winky wonky donkey.

How exactly does the donkey's eye hear the music?

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Jack:
EatenByAGrue:
The real WTF is that it was technically possible for the Kerpleckistani developers to deploy code to production without it being reviewed by somebody state-side.

Yes, it's been said. Although you managed put a much more xenophobic ring to it than the last five people.

Haven't you noticed that this forum is all trolls? After FRIST, TRWTF, references to xkcd.com, Nagesh (real and unregistered), and the Grammar Rodeo Clowns, all we have is repeating what someone already posted. Don't take that away from us.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

mroli:
While we're about it, one does not "work out of", either.

No, but I work out in

my pajamas.

C-Octothorpe · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Has anybody mentioned that TRWTF is that Nagesh had access to production servers?

Anyone? Anyone?

PedanticCurmudgeon · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

ih8u:
Haven't you noticed that this forum is all trolls? After FRIST, TRWTF, references to xkcd.com, Nagesh (real and unregistered), and the Grammar Rodeo Clowns, all we have is repeating what someone already posted. Don't take that away from us.

TRWTF is not remembering that a troll needs someone to take the bait. Therefore, this forum can't be all trolls.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

qbolec:
The real WTF is not revoking their write access to production site.

And running svn as root.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

ih8u:
Jack:
EatenByAGrue:
The real WTF is that it was technically possible for the Kerpleckistani developers to deploy code to production without it being reviewed by somebody state-side.

Yes, it's been said. Although you managed put a much more xenophobic ring to it than the last five people.

Haven't you noticed that this forum is all trolls? After FRIST, TRWTF, references to xkcd.com, Nagesh (real and unregistered), and the Grammar Rodeo Clowns, all we have is repeating what someone already posted. Don't take that away from us.

Haven't you noticed that this forum is all trolls? After FRIST, TRWTF, references to xkcd.com, Nagesh (real and unregistered), and the Grammar Rodeo Clowns, all we have is repeating what someone already posted. Don't take that away from us.

PedanticCurmudgeon · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

C-Octothorpe:
Has anybody mentioned that TRWTF is that Nagesh had access to production servers?
Anyone? Anyone?

Not bad, but you forgot frist, an xkcd reference, and a grammar nitpick.

6/10

C-Octothorpe · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

PedanticCurmudgeon:
C-Octothorpe:
Has anybody mentioned that TRWTF is that Nagesh had access to production servers?
Anyone? Anyone?
Not bad, but you forgot frist, an xkcd reference, and a grammar nitpick.

6/10

Yeah, but the Bueller reference more than makes up for that...

frits · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

ih8u:
Haven't you noticed that this forum is all trolls? After FRIST, TRWTF, references to xkcd.com, Nagesh (real and unregistered), and the Grammar Rodeo Clowns, all we have is repeating what someone already posted. Don't take that away from us.

It's spelled F-R-I-T-S.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

What are these "Unit Tests" that you speak of?

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

I live out of my suitcase.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

frits:
Poopface:
What do you call a donkey with 3 legs and one eye that likes music? A honky tonky winky wonky donkey.
How exactly does the donkey's eye hear the music?

He just really likes reading it.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Jack:
mroli:
*IN*
The word you want is IN

Based IN Kerblekistan.

While we're about it, one does not "work out of", either. One "works in" somewhere. You don't "live out of ...", do you?

All the sudden, I'm reminded of my list of grammar and syntax mistakes, based off of the internet. I wrote it down, but on accident, I lost it. I guess I should of made a copy. Once and a while, I try to remember what it was comprised of. But I could care less, for all intensive purposes.

Irregardless of weather you found you're list, its probably a mute point anyway.

da Doctah · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

ih8u:
Haven't you noticed that this forum is all trolls? After FRIST, TRWTF, references to xkcd.com, Nagesh (real and unregistered), and the Grammar Rodeo Clowns, all we have is repeating what someone already posted. Don't take that away from us.

Please show some sensitivity. I have a son who is all trolls, and I assure you it's no laughing matter.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Bigfield:
"Instead of fixing the code, they copied it deep enough so that it would pass all of their test cases."
They really have test cases?

Shirley the point is, it passed the test cases, so the system is working as designed.

Agree it's bad design, but if it pasts the Tests (and the tests are adequate) then it does what it was designed to do....

Matt Westwood · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Craig:
Jack:

All the sudden, I'm reminded of my list of grammar and syntax mistakes, based off of the internet. I wrote it down, but on accident, I lost it. I guess I should of made a copy. Once and a while, I try to remember what it was comprised of. But I could care less, for all intensive purposes.

Even though I know your paragraph was written in this way deliberately, I still can't stop shuddering and wanting to tear my eyeballs from my head.

Yeppo, that's the lot, the whole kitten caboodle.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

da Doctah:
ih8u:
Haven't you noticed that this forum is all trolls? After FRIST, TRWTF, references to xkcd.com, Nagesh (real and unregistered), and the Grammar Rodeo Clowns, all we have is repeating what someone already posted. Don't take that away from us.

Please show some sensitivity. I have a son who is all trolls, and I assure you it's no laughing matter.

I WISH I could show some sensitivity: I've rubbed my shaft raw so many times, I think I'll never come!

Or maybe I should stick to redtube and not tdwtf.

Matt Westwood · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

WorldTrawler:
I live out of my suitcase.

I live out of my mind.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

SVN: If I understood it correctly, it is that they just sometimes somehow upload something to production. The autor wants to minimalize harm they usually do, so the autor made some scripts and dedicated svn, that just automagically gets everything, they push to production, without even asking them or being accessible by them.

Just some private svn, that updates (mayby by cron or what) regularry, so the autor can lookup, what REALLY was uploaded (not what they pretend to upload by oficial means). Then it is reasonable to have this one svn with rights to read anything what can became wrong with instalation, so the root looks good. As long as it is used just for saving changes, I do not see harm in it.

topspin · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Am I the only one wondering WhyTF they store binaries in version control?

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

D-Coder:
Meep:
mroli:
*IN*
The word you want is IN

Based IN Kerblekistan.

While we're about it, one does not "work out of", either. One "works in" somewhere. You don't "live out of ...", do you?

Google finds over twelve million hits for the exact phrase "lived out of", so yes, people employ that usage quite frequently.
Doesn't prove that people use it... only that at least one person uses it. A lot.

And says nothing for context....

"She lived out of his pocket...." "He lived out of town..." "He lived out of spite" (or maybe not) etc, etc, etc

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Poopface:
What do you call a donkey with 3 legs? A wonky donkey.
What do you call a donkey with 3 legs and one eye? A winky wonky donkey.

What do you call a donkey with 3 legs and one eye that likes music? A honky tonky winky wonky donkey.

What do you call a donkey with 3 legs and one eye that likes music and childrens' TV? A tinky winky honky tonky winky wonky donkey.

Repeat ad nauseum until they kick you out of the kindergarten and you have to hide out in Kerbleckistan, cuttin' code.

That is the best book....

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

foo:
ih8u:
Jack:
EatenByAGrue:
The real WTF is that it was technically possible for the Kerpleckistani developers to deploy code to production without it being reviewed by somebody state-side.

Yes, it's been said. Although you managed put a much more xenophobic ring to it than the last five people.

Haven't you noticed that this forum is all trolls? After FRIST, TRWTF, references to xkcd.com, Nagesh (real and unregistered), and the Grammar Rodeo Clowns, all we have is repeating what someone already posted. Don't take that away from us.
Haven't you noticed that this forum is all trolls? After FRIST, TRWTF, references to xkcd.com, Nagesh (real and unregistered), and the Grammar Rodeo Clowns, all we have is repeating what someone already posted. Don't take that away from us.

Haven't you noticed that this forum is all trolls? After FRIST, TRWTF, references to xkcd.com, Nagesh (real and unregistered), and the Grammar Rodeo Clowns, all we have is repeating what someone already posted. Don't take that away from us.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Ben Jammin:
frits:
Poopface:
What do you call a donkey with 3 legs and one eye that likes music? A honky tonky winky wonky donkey.
How exactly does the donkey's eye hear the music?

He just really likes reading it.

He's got an eye for music and a face for radio.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Nails on a chalkboard:
Jack:
mroli:
*IN*
The word you want is IN

Based IN Kerblekistan.

While we're about it, one does not "work out of", either. One "works in" somewhere. You don't "live out of ...", do you?

All the sudden, I'm reminded of my list of grammar and syntax mistakes, based off of the internet. I wrote it down, but on accident, I lost it. I guess I should of made a copy. Once and a while, I try to remember what it was comprised of. But I could care less, for all intensive purposes.
Irregardless of weather you found you're list, its probably a mute point anyway.

Which is correct? "We left him to his vices" or "We left him to his devices"

I prefer the former, but most people seem to say the latter (which still makes sense in most conversations).

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Shit Stirrer:
Nails on a chalkboard:
Jack:
mroli:
*IN*
The word you want is IN

Based IN Kerblekistan.

While we're about it, one does not "work out of", either. One "works in" somewhere. You don't "live out of ...", do you?

All the sudden, I'm reminded of my list of grammar and syntax mistakes, based off of the internet. I wrote it down, but on accident, I lost it. I guess I should of made a copy. Once and a while, I try to remember what it was comprised of. But I could care less, for all intensive purposes.
Irregardless of weather you found you're list, its probably a mute point anyway.
Which is correct? "We left him to his vices" or "We left him to his devices"

I prefer the former, but most people seem to say the latter (which still makes sense in most conversations).

oh also "falled to sleep"

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

sugar:
D-Coder:
Meep:
mroli:
*IN*
The word you want is IN

Based IN Kerblekistan.

While we're about it, one does not "work out of", either. One "works in" somewhere. You don't "live out of ...", do you?

Google finds over twelve million hits for the exact phrase "lived out of", so yes, people employ that usage quite frequently.
Doesn't prove that people use it... only that at least one person uses it. A lot.
And says nothing for context....

"She lived out of his pocket...." "He lived out of town..." "He lived out of spite" (or maybe not) etc, etc, etc

They lived out of sight...

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

more:
sugar:
D-Coder:
Meep:
mroli:
*IN*
The word you want is IN

Based IN Kerblekistan.

While we're about it, one does not "work out of", either. One "works in" somewhere. You don't "live out of ...", do you?

Google finds over twelve million hits for the exact phrase "lived out of", so yes, people employ that usage quite frequently.
Doesn't prove that *people* use it... only that at least one person uses it. A lot.
And says nothing for context....
"She lived out of his pocket...." "He lived out of town..." "He lived out of spite" (or maybe not) etc, etc, etc
They lived out of sight...

I lived out of the prying eyes of the [neighbours|public]

It might be Valentine's day Akismet, but you want me to do what with apples?

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

AN AWESOME CODER:
Jazz:
C-Octothorpe:
If it passes the unit tests, who cares?

And this is why Test-Driven Development isn't the holy grail it's made out to be.

(Captcha: eros. Happy Valentine's Day, I guess!)

Actually, it's your mentality of thinking that Test Driven Development only means "writing code that passes tests" that's the problem. Obviously this is not what it means.

This reminds me of the idiots that justify not wearing seatbelts by saying that they can cause death in high speed accidents because they can snap your spine, or because they have a friend that survived an accident because he was thrown from the vehicle.

I mean, your analogy can't even be compared with comparison between apples and pears - it's like comparing dog-shit with black-holes (in other words, it doesn't qualify to be called a comparison on indefinite number of levels).

TDD and unit testing is a waste of time. Unless you can totally isolate your test from the environment (totally, totally, totally), then it's waiting to fail, however well you write it. So, it proves nothing, but that your test code works (in certain or most cases). It still provides very little proof that the code you're testing will work in certain or most cases. But, good luck to you - I'll rather spend time learning my project's ins and outs and fixing bugs, then spend half of that time adjusting unit tests to compile.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

FuBar:
mroli:
While we're about it, one does not "work out of", either.
No, but I work out in
my pajamas.

everyone works out in their pajamas :)

are you touching yourself too much while you do work in your pajamas?

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Jack:
mroli:
*IN*
The word you want is IN

Based IN Kerblekistan.

While we're about it, one does not "work out of", either. One "works in" somewhere. You don't "live out of ...", do you?

All the sudden, I'm reminded of my list of grammar and syntax mistakes, based off of the internet. I wrote it down, but on accident, I lost it. I guess I should of made a copy. Once and a while, I try to remember what it was comprised of. But I could care less, for all intensive purposes.

It would be who of you to keep it handy.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

I'm convinced that Kerbleckistan is a real country but not on any map due to a government coverup.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Shit. I need some cottlets now.

2012-02-13 Reply Admin

At my current job, everyone (except me) commits a file on every change. Literally, every change. A post-commit script copies the repo to the document root, where you can test your changes.

Try editing CSS, or solving a strange bug in a 3000 line spaghetti function. Let's not even mention the usefulness of our subversion history.

In my first week I set up a "private" virtual host which I shared as a network drive to my PC. Not that difficult really.

herby · 2012-02-13 Reply Admin

Reminds me of a scene in the TV show Taxi: Jim: "What does a yellow light mean?" Crew: "Go slower" Jim: "What..does..a..yellow ..light..mean?" Crew: "Go slower" Jim: "What....does....a....yellow....light...mean?" Crew: (Almost yelling now, but not trying to attract too much attention in the DMV office) "Go Slower" Jim: "What......does......a......yellow......light......mean?" (truly getting exasperated).

This continues for a couple of times more, escalating each time. All in the DMV, while Jim is trying to pass his written test.

Matt Westwood · 2012-02-14 Reply Admin

aptent:
AN AWESOME CODER:
Jazz:
C-Octothorpe:
If it passes the unit tests, who cares?

And this is why Test-Driven Development isn't the holy grail it's made out to be.

(Captcha: eros. Happy Valentine's Day, I guess!)

Actually, it's your mentality of thinking that Test Driven Development only means "writing code that passes tests" that's the problem. Obviously this is not what it means.

This reminds me of the idiots that justify not wearing seatbelts by saying that they can cause death in high speed accidents because they can snap your spine, or because they have a friend that survived an accident because he was thrown from the vehicle.

I mean, your analogy can't even be compared with comparison between apples and pears - it's like comparing dog-shit with black-holes (in other words, it doesn't qualify to be called a comparison on indefinite number of levels).

TDD and unit testing is a waste of time. Unless you can totally isolate your test from the environment (totally, totally, totally), then it's waiting to fail, however well you write it. So, it proves nothing, but that your test code works (in certain or most cases). It still provides very little proof that the code you're testing will work in certain or most cases. But, good luck to you - I'll rather spend time learning my project's ins and outs and fixing bugs, then spend half of that time adjusting unit tests to compile.

You're another stupid mad and evil fucker who would get kicked to a fucking pulp if you step over the threshold of my company, shithead.

2012-02-14 Reply Admin

mroli:
*IN*
While we're about it, one does not "work out of", either. One "works in" somewhere. You don't "live out of ...", do you?

You can live out of a suitcase.

2012-02-14 Reply Admin

mroli:
*IN*
The word you want is IN

Based IN Kerblekistan.

While we're about it, one does not "work out of", either. One "works in" somewhere. You don't "live out of ...", do you?

You work "from" home (if you've got sufficient bargaining power), that's sort of the same implied meaning?

2012-02-14 Reply Admin

Time for some Workout!

2012-02-14 Reply Admin

abigo:
Wrong solution (I'm referring to the one that the person in the article was doing). The correct way to solve that once and for all would be to take away production access from them as a group, assign it to only one person in it, and make that person responsible for making sure nothing gets deployed to production without it being in the source repository first and tested. Another violation: fire the dumbasses.

True history, much of these problems can simply be solved with office politics instead of complex software.

The Applet Redirect

Leave a comment on “The Applet Redirect”