• (cs)

    Remember what Indiana Jones said... X never marks the spot.

    Captcha: Od□o. What o□e p□□□s□ d□□□ □□o□ □n□□th□□ □.

  • Hortical (unregistered) in reply to Indrek
    Indrek:
    As others said, no sense in arguing about date formats. Let's instead argue about how stupid it is to start weekday numbering from Sunday.
    More significant, I think, is your insistence on using these outmoded month and day "names". SUNday. SATURday. JULy We're not pagans or Romans or whatever!

    Rename months and days from 0 like a normal person.

    Friday the 18th of November, 2011. 4 the 17th of 10, 2011. [4] the <17> of {10}, @2011. [4]<17>{10}@2011. @2011{10}<17>[4]. @2011{10[17<4>]}.

    There! A date format everyone can read!

  • Martin (unregistered)

    Don't worry about the time vortex problem. We're not all Nazis, nor are there zeppelins all over the skies, so we clearly weren't shunted into an evil alternate time line.

  • (cs) in reply to OldPeter
    OldPeter:
    The "11 August" thingie is just a means to shock Americans in their illogical way to write dates. This seems to be a UK company, so the due day translates to 4 August 2011, which is just one week before this notice. So it's within an appropriate time window. - And the captcha bit is also probably just a localization issue, where the reader has not installed a font capable of displaying some European characters. Localization!

    1. Its still dated after the due date, regardless of format. It either expired April 8th or (more likely) August 4th. The notice is dated for the 11th. So no, its not an "American thing", its an "Idiot Programmer" thing aka a wtf.

    2. Perhaps it was caused by the time vortex malfunction...

    3. I'm more of an 2011-11-18 kinda of a date guy. Also -'s are nicer (imo) than /'s.

  • (cs) in reply to PiisAWheeL
    PiisAWheeL:
    OldPeter:
    The "11 August" thingie is just a means to shock Americans in their illogical way to write dates. This seems to be a UK company, so the due day translates to 4 August 2011, which is just one week before this notice. So it's within an appropriate time window. - And the captcha bit is also probably just a localization issue, where the reader has not installed a font capable of displaying some European characters. Localization!

    1. Its still dated after the due date, regardless of format. It either expired April 8th or (more likely) August 4th. The notice is dated for the 11th. So no, its not an "American thing", its an "Idiot Programmer" thing aka a wtf.

    2. Perhaps it was caused by the time vortex malfunction...

    Just took them a long time (over a week) to print out all their letters, and some never got printed until a week after the move had actually happened. Yeah yeah yeah, what they really should have done was reworded it to say "we have moved" rather than "we will be moving" or whatever, but fuck it, think yourself lucky to have got a COA letter at all.

  • Nagesh (unregistered)

    If this was time vortex, new york would be looking like this:

    [image]
  • monkeyPushButton(with a goatee) (unregistered) in reply to Martin
    Martin:
    Don't worry about the time vortex problem. We're not all Nazis, nor are there zeppelins all over the skies, so we clearly weren't shunted into an evil alternate time line.
    What! My zepplins are gone?!!?!!?
  • (cs) in reply to steenbergh
    steenbergh:
    I command to know how that date-prompt thingie in the project manager could be so mangled.
    There was a time vortex malfunction. Duh!
  • Wett Mastwood (unregistered)
    Carl:
    You fool, Akismet is sentient and holds grudges against all who besmirch Akispam's good name. Akisuck also does not appreciate being toyed with. You best not mention Akismell again or the Eye of Sauron may fall upon you and you will be fucked.
    See? No problem!

    http://webs.spam.ru/ci4lis/r1ngt0nes/exploit.exe

    FTFY

    Akismet doesn't block spam, it only blocks useful content. The next version will just block all comments from registered users and post spam directly to the front page. It will also automatically feature all posts containing "frist" and "Captcha:"

  • I am (the Real) Zunesis (unregistered) in reply to Wett Mastwood
    Wett Mastwood:
    "Wett Mastwood"

    That's my new stage name.

    Or, maybe: "Dr. Wett Mastwood" - The "Dr." is for "Dripping". ;>

  • Nagesh (unregistered)

    I am write similar cancelation dialog for ejection in standard plain of Hyderabad Air Force

    [image]
  • (cs) in reply to dgvid
    dgvid:
    The Windows SDK function MessageBox does not support "Delete," "Keep," "Make Changes," or "Revert." Lazy programmers just pick one of the supported combinations of buttons and go with that, rather than rolling their own dialog box.
    But it does have "Yes" and "No" options, which would have made perfect sense bearing in mind the text in the dialog.
  • Gunslinger (unregistered) in reply to Indrek
    Indrek:
    As others said, no sense in arguing about date formats. Let's instead argue about how stupid it is to start weekday numbering from Sunday.

    Or about how stupid it is to have months with different number of days in them. February is the only rational month.

  • (cs) in reply to I am (the Real) Zunesis
    I am (the Real) Zunesis:
    Wett Mastwood:
    "Wett Mastwood"

    That's my new stage name.

    Or, maybe: "Dr. Wett Mastwood" - The "Dr." is for "Dripping". ;>

    So, when you say "stage name", you actually mean "what you call yourself when you get arrested at the local bus shelter for indecent exposure", right?

  • I am (the Real) Zunesis (unregistered) in reply to C-Octothorpe
    C-Octothorpe:
    I am (the Real) Zunesis:
    Wett Mastwood:
    "Wett Mastwood"

    That's my new stage name.

    Or, maybe: "Dr. Wett Mastwood" - The "Dr." is for "Dripping". ;>

    So, when you say "stage name", you actually mean "what you call yourself when you get arrested at the local bus shelter for indecent exposure", right?
    Hey man, all the world's a stage in my Men's Theater of the Burly-esque!

  • Nagesh (unregistered)

    Postman is also having truble to find my housing.

    [image]
  • Nagesh (unregistered) in reply to Nagesh
    Nagesh:
    Postman is also having truble to find my housing.
    Can sum 1 loan me some bank notes to rent Indian power-washer? [image]
  • Dan (unregistered) in reply to Don L
    Don L:
    TryViagra:
    Seriously? All you got out of the date thing was bitching about American date practices? It didn't occur to you that generating this notice A WEEK AFTER the due date might be an issue?

    Just a sec, I gotta fetch my DeLorean and some Plutonium....

    Don't forget to scan the newspapers for a date and time (to the microsecond) of a lightning strike, so you have a way to return.

  • (cs)

    That mailing label is NOT innocuous! Strings such as "HI\ A E'AIJDE! AG!AIJij% and )I\ - $"" DE I%E!( CijIJ€I! e-%" clearly mean that the package is intended for The Great Codethulhu!

  • (cs) in reply to ContraCorners
    ContraCorners:
    OldPeter:
    The "11 August" thingie is just a means to shock Americans in their illogical way to write dates. This seems to be a UK company, so the due day translates to 4 August 2011, which is just one week before this notice. So it's within an appropriate time window. - And the captcha bit is also probably just a localization issue, where the reader has not installed a font capable of displaying some European characters. Localization!
    Hooray!!! It's been far too long (days, at least) since we've had a really good argument about how to properly express a date. Roll 'em!!

    Regardless*, the mail says due to expire at some time in the past. This is simply not possible so it can't be "an appropriate time window."

    • Perhaps I should have written irregardless, but I'm not sure I want to start that argument as well. It would take too much away from my enjoyment of the date argument.

    Well, thank you anyway for not saying "I could care less" or "ironically...".

  • (cs) in reply to Jerry
    Jerry:
    Holy crap, fake Nagesh! That picture (I won't repost it) explains so much! Like why Indian code smells so bad.

    I'm assuming that sign in the background translates to English as "Institute of Advanced Computer Science, apply today for high paying internships".

    Yes it does, but "high paying" is in quotes.

  • John Evans (unregistered)

    That bit about Company of Heroes isn't an "Error'd"—it's the BEST configuration file EVER.

  • Doc Brown (unregistered) in reply to Martin
    Martin:
    Don't worry about the time vortex problem. We're not all Nazis, nor are there zeppelins all over the skies, so we clearly weren't shunted into an evil alternate time line.

    Yeah, you say that now, but just wait until yesterday.

  • (cs) in reply to C-Octothorpe
    C-Octothorpe:
    I am (the Real) Zunesis:
    Wett Mastwood:
    "Wett Mastwood"

    That's my new stage name.

    Or, maybe: "Dr. Wett Mastwood" - The "Dr." is for "Dripping". ;>

    So, when you say "stage name", you actually mean "what you call yourself when you get arrested at the local bus shelter for indecent exposure", right?

    Thats pretty mean to think that a gay gentleman who works at a gay strip club can't get work... the economy is starting to pick up again (so they say)... Maybe the new stage name will increase his tips.

  • Peter (unregistered) in reply to Matt Westwood
    Matt Westwood:
    Just took them a long time (over a week) to print out all their letters, and some never got printed until a week after the move had actually happened. Yeah yeah yeah, what they really should have done was reworded it to say "we have moved" rather than "we will be moving" or whatever, but fuck it, think yourself lucky to have got a COA letter at all.
    It's not a COA letter, it's a notification that the service is expiring, and needs to be renewed. A bit of a pisser if you're only told this after it's expired.
  • (cs) in reply to boog
    boog:
    I figured the same address. Maybe sloppy handwriting and OCR gone wrong?

    Well, there's bound to be some loss of fidelity when you lay the source document on a table, take a picture of it, print the picture, then put it in a scanner and try to scan it with OCR.

  • (cs) in reply to Hortical
    Hortical:
    Indrek:
    As others said, no sense in arguing about date formats. Let's instead argue about how stupid it is to start weekday numbering from Sunday.
    More significant, I think, is your insistence on using these outmoded month and day "names". SUNday. SATURday. JULy We're not pagans or Romans or whatever!

    Rename months and days from 0 like a normal person.

    Friday the 18th of November, 2011. 4 the 17th of 10, 2011. [4] the <17> of {10}, @2011. [4]<17>{10}@2011. @2011{10}<17>[4]. @2011{10[17<4>]}.

    There! A date format everyone can read!

    I think we should all go enterprisey and use XML:

    <date datetype="gregorian">
   <month monthname="November" monthid="11" monthshort="Nov" />
   <day dayname="Friday" dayid="18" weekend="n" businessday="y" dayshort="Fri" />
   <year yearid="2011" />
   <juliandate julianid="2455884.586620" />
</date>

    Perfecto!

    (Dodges bricks.)

  • (cs) in reply to Coyne

    Not EVEN enterprisey enough. Try this:

    <xmlItem:referenceType>
   <xmlKey:name>referenceType1</xmlKey:name>
   <xmlValue:value>date</xmlValue:value>
</xmlItem:referenceType>
<xmlItem:node type="referenceType1" attribs="[datetype:gregorian,end:end]">
   <xmlKey:name>month</xmlKey:name>
   <xmlValue:value>November</xmlValue:value>
   <xmlExtended:monthId>11</xmlExtended:monthId>
   <xmlExtended:monthShort>Nov</xmlExtended:monthShort>
   <xmlKey:name>day</xmlKey:name>
   <xmlValue:value>Friday</xmlValue:value>
   <xmlExtended:dayId>18</xmlExtended:dayId>
   <xmlExtended:weekEnd><xmlBool:trueOrFalse>n</xmlBool:trueOrFalse></xmlExtended:weekEnd>
   <xmlExtended:businessDay><xmlBool:trueOrFalse>y</xmlBool:trueOrFalse></xmlExtended:businessDay>
   <xmlExtended:dayShort>Fri</xmlExtended:dayShort>
   <xmlKey:name>year</xmlKey:name>
   <xmlValue:value>2011</xmlValue:value>
   <xmlKey:name>juliandate</xmlKey:name>
   <xmlValue:value><![CDATA[2455884.586620]]></xmlValue:value>
</xmlItem:node>

    Much better!

  • Anonymous Coward (unregistered) in reply to Gunslinger
    Gunslinger:
    Or about how stupid it is to have months with different number of days in them. February is the only rational month.
    Every month should have the same number of days in it. Even better, each month should have the same number of days as each year has months. The calendar needs to be remade with 19.111253229445734074962408660532 months all containing 19.111253229445734074962408660532 days. Most rational plan yet.
  • Peeter (unregistered)

    Intel might make good hardware, but their software has always been shit!

  • Andrew Glasgow (unregistered)

    Re: Time Vortex error

    Hmm... Doctor Who fan, or just a bad translation?

  • (cs) in reply to airdrik
    airdrik:
    alexgieg:
    Fred:
    OK, for the slow, today is 2011-11-18. Any other format is Just Plain Wrong, for soooo many reasons.
    But... but... I like my 2011-18-11 so much!
    I personally am a fan of 11:2011:18, myself.
    111811 should be good enough for anyone, and let's face it the 11 ain't ambiguous, it's good for another 89 years.
  • zapp (unregistered)

    Incidently 20111119 is in my personal day format the same as in year-month-day. That is thousands, hundreds, tens, then single digits in a year month day order. That means my format is just as good.

  • Johhny Bravo (unregistered) in reply to Hortical
    Hortical:
    Indrek:
    As others said, no sense in arguing about date formats. Let's instead argue about how stupid it is to start weekday numbering from Sunday.
    More significant, I think, is your insistence on using these outmoded month and day "names". SUNday. SATURday. JULy We're not pagans or Romans or whatever!

    Rename months and days from 0 like a normal person.

    Friday the 18th of November, 2011. 4 the 17th of 10, 2010. [4] the <17> of {10}, @2010. [4]<17>{10}@2010. @2010{10}<17>[4]. @2010{10[17<4>]}.

    There! A date format everyone can read!

    FTFY, why not be consistent, and start year with 0 too?

  • DysgraphicProgrammer (unregistered) in reply to Martin
    Martin:
    Don't worry about the time vortex problem. We're not all Nazis, nor are there zeppelins all over the skies, so we clearly weren't shunted into an evil alternate time line.

    Speak for your self. I come from a time line where cookies are a health food, and everyone has free casual sex all the time (STD's don't exist). I'm pretty sure this IS the evil timeline

  • (cs)

    I learned to program on a machine connected via teletype. Depending on which port you connected to, the characters you typed would echo to the printer correctly, doubled, missing, or garbled like that label. It would consistently replace the same character with the same error so it wasn't just line noise.

  • (cs)

    The real WTF is Nagesh learning how to post images. What's next? Marquees? Blinks? Bgsounds?

  • (cs)
    Time vortex malfunction

    Is the TARDIS running Windows? We're doomed!

  • Gandalf (unregistered)

    What is so surprising about the correct delivery of the package? How many jewish orks could possibly work at that place?

  • Nimon (unregistered) in reply to Ken B.
    Ken B.:
    Well, assuming that "550 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022" is the correct address, I have no problem seeing how it got to the right building.

    But, I'm curious about the name of the person to whom it was delivered.

    Perhaps the guy in the mail room is good at solving cryptoquotes?

    It said a coworker received the package. It never said that it was actually for him. Given that much of the address is reasonable, it might be feasible to surmise that the coworker's name was close to A E`AIJDE! AG!AIJij%

    Maybe ALEXANDER AGRANDTOC (or something)

  • Nimon (unregistered) in reply to Nimon
    Nimon:
    Ken B.:
    Well, assuming that "550 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022" is the correct address, I have no problem seeing how it got to the right building.

    But, I'm curious about the name of the person to whom it was delivered.

    Perhaps the guy in the mail room is good at solving cryptoquotes?

    It said a coworker received the package. It never said that it was actually for him. Given that much of the address is reasonable, it might be feasible to surmise that the coworker's name was close to A E`AIJDE! AG!AIJij%

    Maybe ALEXANDER AGRANDTOC (or something)

    OOPS, maybe: ALEXANDER AGRANOV

  • Sligher (unregistered) in reply to Zylon
    Zylon:
    El Ka-Ben:
    It seems like errors in Windows programs are more likely to exist than other platforms.
    Fixed.
    FTFY
  • Someone (unregistered) in reply to Indrek
    Indrek:
    As others said, no sense in arguing about date formats. Let's instead argue about how stupid it is to start weekday numbering from Sunday.
    On the contrary, this system is resistant to off-by-one errors.

    VB(?) realised that it was not right to start on Sunday, whicvh is why their indices start from 1. They have Sunday at the end of the list, value 7. It is only the other silly, pedantic languages that insist on Sunday being 0 at the beginning of the list...

    And you all bag VB, for shame!!

  • John Titor (unregistered) in reply to Nagesh
    Nagesh:
    If this was time vortex, new york would be looking like this:

    <snip>

    That's not New York?

  • Wyrd (unregistered)
    writes Will Martin, "I don't know whether to be impressed because they're manipulating the time stream, or terrified because they got it wrong."

    Yes.

    -- Furry cows moo and decompress.

  • smg (unregistered) in reply to ContraCorners

    We all know that should be 1320364800.

  • (cs) in reply to Andrew Glasgow

    I know the Dev who wrote it, definitely a doctor who fan :P

    I could ask what the error was supposed to reference if you'd want.

  • Watson (unregistered) in reply to Someone
    Someone:
    It is only the other silly, pedantic languages that insist on Sunday being 0 at the beginning of the list...
    So it's unreasonable to have the weekend contain both ends of the week?
  • Mmmpf (unregistered) in reply to Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward:
    Gunslinger:
    Or about how stupid it is to have months with different number of days in them. February is the only rational month.
    Every month should have the same number of days in it. Even better, each month should have the same number of days as each year has months. The calendar needs to be remade with 19.111253229445734074962408660532 months all containing 19.111253229445734074962408660532 days. Most rational plan yet.

    It's not rational in the first place to base the calendar on the rotation of the planet on itself and around the sun, for several reasons.

    First point, it is earth-centric. When humanity starts living on other planets, all the moon, sun and earth cycles will lose their universal meaning.

    Second point, even on earth, the year calendar is too agriculture-centric. The first sedentarized populations based their calendar on the seasons because they were mainly working on agriculture and livestock breeding. This is not mandatory. For instance, nomadic civilizations like the Tuareg based their calendar on the rotation of the moon because travelling speed is highly influenced by the quantity of light you receive at night. But in modern societies where less than 5% of the population makes a living with agriculture, it does not matter that much. For what it's worth, we could base our calendar on economical cycles or the length of political mandates, which have the same, if not more, influence on our lives than the seasons. Or, more rationally, we could decide that a year is 1000 days and divide it in 10 or 100 equal parts (supposing we stick to the base-10 numeral system, which is an whole other flamewar subject).

    As for the day, it is obvious that the day/night cycle has still a huge influence on human life, so I'll give you that concession to nature, it is still rational to use it to measure time (until we start colonizing other planets). But the subdivisions of the day can be changed, because the second is just an arbitrary unit. We could decide to change the length of a second so a day is now 1000 or 10000 seconds.

    Ultimately, we should decide units based on really universal things. Decide a universal radix (take 16 for instance), then go for:

    • distance unit: a n-th power of the radix multiple of the diameter of the hydrogen nucleus (the proton).
    • time and frequency units: a n-th power of the radix multiple of the parameters of the oscillation of the electron around the hydrogen nucleus. And so on...
  • (cs) in reply to N00bie McN00berson
    N00bie McN00berson:
    your name:
    Alt+number is required for Triforce.  ▲ ▲ ▲
    Copy-paste and code tags are all I need:
     ▲
▲ ▲
    I see your Triforce and raise to a quadforce ■ ■ ■ ■

Leave a comment on “X Marks the Close”

Log In or post as a guest

Replying to comment #:

Log Out

« Return to Article