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Admin
Curiouser and curiouser: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=Robert+Knowling
Admin
No, cause that would ruin their "reliability over speed" focus.
Admin
Of course I meant http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=Robert+Knowling.
Admin
I second this motion.
Admin
I can't believe they actually still have that posted!
Oh, and there's one about the 21 million users on one server. Holy BS batman.
Admin
So far I have to say that the "Crowning turd in the water closet" of this whole WTF is me...
I am easily as incompetent as anyone in this story and I've never managed to get a 6 digit salary...
Admin
"could connect". Okay, so it can maintain handles for 20 million connections. You only have to wait a day in between operations.Admin
I hear a rumor that the company could be SimDesk but thats not 100%
Admin
From the USA Today article:
I wonder if Peter Lowber's resume includes reviewing SimDesk?Admin
One other detail that ties up a little too nicely is the mention of a Unisys deal, mentioning the same "single ES7000 server" that was fingered in yesterday's instalment. That clinched it for me.
Here's a reference: http://www.internetnews.com/xSP/article.php/986731
Admin
Not a fair bid process?
http://www.gcn.com/print/21_20/19374-1.html
And underhanded FUD announcements to the suckers^h^h^h^h^h^husers?
http://www.govtech.net/magazine/channel_story.php/26997
Admin
http://www.simhouston.com/default.asp?Mode=DirectoryDisplay&id=1&DirectoryUseAbsoluteOnSearch=True
If SimDesk is the company, looks like they did *something* right. Eventually.
Admin
How about this scandal: http://www.click2houston.com/news/1815546/detail.html ?
If this is the right one, I want my cookie!
Admin
Brilliant!
Admin
Oh darn: http://www.simindiana.com
How could this company still be around. Inconceivable!
Admin
To me, the scary thing is that I worked for a group of people that very closely resembled The Savior for several years. Unfortunately (for my bank account), they didn't have as much wealth to throw around, so I wasn't able to enrich myself from their incompetence. But the similarities are striking:
The CEO/Salesman: Hired every one of his children, put his parents on the payroll, and made grand visionary decisions based upon little to no understanding of the realities of technology and the market.
The President: Started a prior venture with the CEO and some Other Dude. Once the other venture had a product, The President and the Other Dude disolved the company, reformed the company (sans The CEO), then started selling the product. Did I happen to mention that the CEO was the sole financial backer of the prior venture? Yep, an embezzling thief was brought on 2 years later because we "needed his prestige in the industry."
The Worthless Son: Couldn't remain employed anywhere (he was fired from Circuit City, for christ's sake!). He went to 3 (yes THREE) Windows NT admin bootcamps, and never was able to pass his certs. So he was made the network administrator anyway. Obviously, they hosted a very nice warez FTP site for months before he was able to figure out how to put up a firewall.
The Son-In-Law: Late of the concrete trade, replaced a skilled employee formerly from NASA Langley as the head of our customer support/technical service department. Also loved browsing "amazon" pr0n.
The Daughter: Married to Mr. Concrete, flunked Algerbra in College the previous semester - obviously, she was put in charge of accounting.
I kid you not.
After a couple mil of invester money was flushed down the tubes, the CEO and family were ousted, and the company has since taken it's place in obscurity.
Admin
*eyes become moist and red as he watches Alex being pistol-whipped as they drag him kicking and screaming into the night*
Thanks, all... this was the only place in this mixed up world that I could go to feel safe... I felt understood... loved... and most importantly, it's one of the few sites that's not being blocked by my company's web-browsing software...
*the lights dim, the world slips into non-existence*
He was too young... *round on the other posters* Damn you... damn all of you!! Look what you've done!
------------
Ok, so maybe it's not that bad... but if I was you, all, I'd seriously consider that if you keep hammering away at these obviously copyright-protected names, that we might not get to read part four tommorow.
Maybe I'm being an alarmist... yup. But my strong suggestion is that we at least wait until tommorow afternoon before we through caution and copyright to the wind.
Admin
http://news.com.com/2100-1001-981878.html?tag=fd_top
Admin
This sounds more like a fable than a true story. It could have hapenned...maybe but the way it is told really doesn't make it very educational like other WTF's. All we are told is that after X years they spent a gazillion dollars and had nothing. We don't know why they made nothing, surely it wasn't because everyone was playing MTG all the time...even that gets boring eventually. Even one person will code SOMETHING up in three years. Even if working only a couple hours a day.
Really, what are we supposed to take away from this tale? It just seems like a chance to laugh at VB and to vent our anger at VP's who get more money than we ever will for doing nothing (even though we don't even know if this really hapenned).
Admin
After reading the comments...
You actually cut out stuff from this? WHY??? There's barely any information in this whole story. We want juicy bits dammit. Our attention spans last longer than two minutes!
Admin
Is it just me, or did anyone else look at their logo and see a programmer crapping out bad software and then running away?
Admin
Hmm... simdesk sounds just right...
http://www.simdesk.com/default.asp?id=1%22'%60%20or
That requires lots of stupidity on itself...
Admin
Houston Chronicle archive article circa 2002 regarding the initial stink after the contract was signed, and how there magically was a PR budget with materials printing up that SimDesk was the bid winner a month before the bidding process was closed.
http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3562974
Admin
Can you add it back in? I'm enjoying this story.
Admin
At the Helm
Ray C. Davis
President, CEO, heads the development team of the company. In 1995 Mr. Davis founded an Internet related company that ranked within the top ten fastest growing companies in Houston during his time there. After raising $18 million in private investments he began the process of taking the company public. Once the company had reached 250 employees, Mr. Davis sold his share of the company and it is now publicly traded.
Mr. Davis studied computer science at the University of Houston. His earliest accomplishments included designing and building an award-winning computer at the age of 14 and he had his personal profile published in Money magazine at age 17. At age 27 he founded the first "used computer store" in the country. Three years later he founded the third largest computer-related association in the world that became known as the National Association of Computer Dealers. In 1989 he sold NACD to The United Newspapers Group of England, a multi-billion dollar publishing company ranking third in the world.
In addition, Mr. Davis has authored twenty-one computer and telecommunications books that sold internationally; authored six business management related books, published 4 trade newspapers; published the first CD-ROM based information and marketing database (predecessor to the "Phone Directories" on CD today) and has had his personal and professional views on industry trends and the future of the computer and telecom industry published in over 80 magazines, 600 newspapers and trade papers, and has been featured on national and syndicated business related television programs.
Admin
Lest you forget Paula
captcha: poprocks - Let's get Mikey! He'll eat anything.
Admin
After thinking about SimDesk I found that Sim (sounds like simulator) somehow also fits to Virtu (virtual, not real, simulated). But I have no idea what dyne means (english is just foreign language for me). Maybe one of you guys can help out.
NN
Admin
I did too
captcha: quality... like this software
Admin
You have to be afraid of Microsoft. Afterall, you don't want Gates showing up at your door like he did on "The Simpsons". Check out this transcript:
MARGE: Homer, Bill Gates is here.
HOMER: Bill Gates?! Millionaire computer nerd Bill Gates! Oh my god. Oh my god. Get out of sight, Marge. I don't want this to look like a two-bit operation.
Marge groans and rolls her eyes. Bill Gates and two "associates" enter.
GATES: Mr. Simpson?
HOMER: You don't look so rich.
GATES: Don't let the haircut fool you, I am exceedingly wealthy.
HOMER: (quietly to Marge) Get a load of the bowl-job, Marge!
GATES: Your Internet ad was brought to my attention, but I can't figure out what, if anything, CompuGlobalHyperMegaNet does, so rather than risk competing with you, I've decided simply to buy you out.
Homer and Marge step aside to talk privately.
HOMER: This is it Marge. I've poured my heart and soul into this business and now it's finally paying off. (covering his mouth) We're rich! Richer than astronauts.
MARGE: Homer quiet. Acquire the deal.
HOMER: (to Gates) I reluctantly accept your proposal!
GATES: Well everyone always does. Buy 'em out, boys!
Bill Gates companions begin to trash the "office".
HOMER: Hey, what the hell's going on!
GATES: Oh, I didn't get rich by writing a lot of checks!
Bill Gates lets out a maniacal laugh. Homer and Marge cower in the corner as the room continues to be trashed.
Brillant!
Admin
I am truly enjoying this series and look forward to Virtudyne Episode Four: A New Hope
Admin
Ok I decided to try out the Simdesk product to definitely prove that this is indeed the company fingered by some here.
I was looking for a trial sign up and and found this page https://buynow.simdesk.com/MyStorefront/pages/signup_CF.faces
Very nice sign up process. Got a 30 day trial
Then went to the link for Get Started Now: <font color="#0000ff">web.simdesk.com</font> and noticed they are using php after logging in. No VB/ASP here. OpenSource so far
Noticed that the sidebar had a link to a Desktop client and decided to download this at http://download.simdesk.com/conx/SimdeskSetup3.4.exe
Downloaded the desktop client and installed it. OMG it is running on ThunderBird. Very nice. Also I noticed that it added a drive letter to My Computer. So I decided to start here. First I did the normal stupid stuff , like hitting properties and Defragging the virtual drive ...damn that didnt work. So I just uploaded and downloaded some files. This is where I stopped in my tracks. I just uploaded a file and downloaded a file at near network capacity speed. Figuring they were doing some hocus pocus and lazy writing stuff out to the network I popped Ethereal open and found they cache already downloaded files but uploads are for real. This isn't bad. I know they are not using VB on the backend for this. There is no way. I have tried every known file command in Windows that I know to do and even used a command shell on the drive. I can report this works and is very responsive.
Tried the contacts, Calendering, Notes and Groups for the Web and Desktop products. All appear to work as they should. I created another free account so I could Share stuff out. It is a bit complicated but doable. I could share directories out to the new user and set permissions on the folder. Tricky but like I said doable.
Conclusion: I dont think this article is about Simdesk(at least current incarnation ) because they actually have a decent app and it is using OpenSource technology which I like alot.
Admin
Let me help you with a few things:
You can't copywrite names. You copywrite works and trademark names.
You can say a trademarked name all you like. For Example: Kleenex, Kleenex, Kleenex, Kleenex, Xerox, Xerox, Xerox, Microsoft Windows Macintosh! No one will be hitting me with a sap tonight when I go to my car. (at least not because of the preceeding verbiage.)
The only thing that Alex or anyone else here may need to beware is called libel. It's like slander, but written down. Libel has to be known false information printed with the intent to defame. Lets look over the current standings: We don't currently know if the original submitter really witnessed all of this, but he probably did. SimDesk has no fame, so there's no reason to defame it. None of the individuals mentioned are currently employed (surely, how could any of these fools still be hanging about?) so it's likely that nothing will come of it. Most importantly: Alex is sticking with his anonymizations, and isn't giving any clues. People fonud it out on thier own, and while likely true, have not been told that this is who he's talking about.
I think we'll enjoy part 4 tomorrow, even if it is going to be shorter than today's entry. (Though if it is SimDesk, I am curious as to how they managed to stay in business this long with such a disasterous beginning. And middle. And everything else.)
Admin
It wasn't always like that. When I last looked it over (when it first came to Indiana) it wasn't what I'd call impressive.
I'm not planning on dragging this point out, but I don't see what difference it makes that a company uses open source software as part of it's closed source product. If they were giving SimDesk away and it was worth having, then you could be happier. As it is now, they're either saving some cash because they're perpetually inches from the financial abyss, or because the current incarnation of the company happens to know php instead of VB.
Admin
http://www.simdesk.com/default.asp?id=0xdeadbeef
Runtime type mismatch (string)
http://www.simdesk.com/default.asp?id=0.1
Obviously this is for future expansion and returns revisions or partial articles?
http://www.simdesk.com/default.asp?id=-1
How about this?
Is input validation difficult using ASP?
Admin
Sounds correct. Check out this archived article with details about the astroturfing campaign:
http://cache.zoominfo.com/cachedpage/?archive_id=0&page_id=338021547&page_url=%2f%2fwww.chron.com%2fcs%2fCDA%2fstory.hts%2fmetropolitan%2f1618911&page_last_updated=10%2f16%2f2002+10%3a40%3a42+PM&firstName=Ray&lastName=Davis
Ray Davis is "The Founder" then, I guess, and Robert Knowling "The Savior".
Admin
Read BinaryFather's Post and try the product out. He says Simdesk has very real product and it works. This is, if it is Simdesk, a very disgruntled employee that maybe has dupped Alex into believing half truths. I will for one try the product out before bashing it and ruining its not so famous name.
Admin
While I have no doubt that you're right about the law and what-not, I don't think it's too wrong to have a healthy dose of paranoia about corporate America at large.
My GREATER fear is that Alex might give into outside pressure and put off part four, if he feels it is necessary. Lest we forget:
http://thedailywtf.com/forums/thread/80071.aspx
However, on the whole, I agree with your points. I stand corrected.
Admin
Davis' bio seems to fit as well:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/1/5a/745
i.e., "A successful entrepreneur since age seventeen, he built several multi-million dollar companies ..."
Admin
the standard centimeter-gram-second unit of force, equal to the force that produces an acceleration of one centimeter per second per second on a mass of one gram
So, Simulated Force?
Admin
Oh my I think we found Rob Graves. Me thinks you protest too much
Admin
*starts reading backwards, looking for the mysterious Rob Graves. On a whim, compares message-reply numbers, and traces it back to <HIS> post*
Come again, Dweeze-pocket?
Lord almighty, I try and do something to protect the integrety and ongoing contributions that this site has to offer, and I'm called a narc to my face.
Well, I don't suppose I have any proof that I'm not this fellow... but I can make the following statements that I'm fairly certain he wouldn't make:
1) Virtudyne, whomever they should represent, are a train-wreck waiting to happen. Whether or not they actually have sunk yet is anyone's guess; but personally, I've got $20 on the wreck.
2) I'm a Newfie. And no one would publicly admit that in any kind of technology forum for fear of having their credentials/intelligence/capacity-for-beer called into question (incidently, my highest score is a dozen and a half, but that's only because I usually fill up on a 26'er of rum before I switch to beer).
3) This really is one of the few places I can get to without being tagged by my company's Big-Brother software, so I have a vested interest in keeping it going so I can stay relatively sane.
*takes a deep breath* Sorry... I just get an icky feeling when someone tries to associate me in any way to this kind of disaster.
Cheers, and no hard feelings. It was the beer talking. I swear.
Admin
A Dyne is the smallest unit of force in the metric system: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyne
Yeah, yeah. I am citing wikipedia. Sue me, if you think your lawyer can beat up my lawyer.
Admin
Ooooooooohhhh! I was reading wrong side - ....... ;)
Admin
HitScan:
The only thing that Alex or anyone else here may need to beware is called libel. It's like slander, but written down. Libel has to be known false information printed with the intent to defame. Lets look over the current standings: We don't currently know if the original submitter really witnessed all of this, but he probably did. SimDesk has no fame, so there's no reason to defame it.
CodeReaper:
While I have no doubt that you're right about the law and what-not, I don't think it's too wrong to have a healthy dose of paranoia about corporate America at large.
HitScan does have a valid point about libel, and you can be found to commit libel even if the target is not famous. Now, I'm no big city lawyer, but one has to be especially careful in this case as the "anonomization process" may have introduced some mis-truths into the equation. CodeReaper is also right about being paranoid -- well careful anyway.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
And now, mihi ignosce. Cum homine de cane debeo congredi
Admin
Like I said, "You protest way to much"
You offer no valid criticism of the actual product as if you(I actually took the time):
a) Either you have some inside knowledge that you may want to share with the rest of us to be fair and honest. Hence the Rob Graves reference
b) You easily become a shill for the original thought process of an apparent disgruntled (ex)employee
The fact that you would vest $20 into the inevitable trainwreck shows that you have some personal interest in seeing that happen, which shows a level of narcissism that does not add to the dialog here, and shows that you are not interested in being fair nor honest. Then you worry about this being libel, come on, be a man, tell the truth, if you can
Admin
i guess im the only one who wants to work for this company, i dont see a problem with getting hired, im not a VB programmer, im not an ASP programmer, and i couldnt give a flyin fck if the company is getting sued,
so i recon ive a good chance of getting hired, and try and claim a 5-6 figure wage, hehe
captcha = captcha
Admin
The Real WTF is that their website is actually nice, quite convincing even, hmm.
Admin
here's my favorite thing from the USA today links:
SimDesk isn't perfect. It lacks many sophisticated features of Office, such as the ability to customize spreadsheets, do slide presentations or work databases.
yup, customizing spreadsheets, slide presentations, and databases are SOOOOOO sophisticated.
Admin
(thought better of)
Admin
Simdesk has over 90,000 Google hits. Its software is all over the world and in some of your computers and you don't even know it. They work with governments and with that will always come controversy. I'd like to know why you are all spending so much time libeling a company for its employees not working when you are just doing the same. A friend told me to read this, I've never been here before and I will not waste more time with a bunch of losers / disgruntled programmers that obviously are not worth 6 figures! I'm going back to work and looking forward to my paycheck tomorrow, not this c**p!