C# 411We all know that software licenses are a joke. They’re overly long, full of complex legalese, and completely indemnify the software manufacturer of any responsibility whatsoever. Software is perhaps the only mainstream business in the world where it’s both expected and accepted that its products are flawed.
So it’s quite refreshing to see a software license that’s short, to-the-point, and brutally honest:
We’ve discussed before the “21 Laws of Computer Programming.” Now PC World has come up with “35 Unwritten Laws of Technology.” Here are some of my favorites:
The likelihood that Windows will automatically install time-sucking critical updates is directly proportional to your need to get your PC started. — Steve Fox, PC World
Your backup plan is only as good as your last successful restore. — Michael Fisher, ElephantDrive.com via HARO
Fix a computer for a friend or family member, and you’ll be tech support for life. — Danny Allen, PC World
Your laptop’s battery life is inversely proportional to the amount of work you need to get done on a single charge. — Blair Hanley Frank, Macworld
iTunes will crash. That’s it. No, really. — Darren Gladstone, PC World
Actual conversation at a national computer chain store:
Customer: Now what does this 512MB of RAM mean on this PC?
Salesman: Umm… RAM is what slows down your PC. See, it rams into your processing power, causing slowdowns. That’s why it’s called RAM.
Customer: Are you sure?
Salesman: Who’s the expert here?
From the Page-A-Day® calendar, 365 Stupidest Things Ever Said
Web designers worldwide are staging an online revolt against the Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 web browser. The designers claim that “IE6,” which was released 8 years ago but is still used by 20% of users, is “crippling the Internet’s potential and slowing down the online experience.”
The "IE 6 No More" website seems to be the hub of online dissent against IE6. The site includes code that developers can insert into their websites to encourage IE6 users to upgrade. Some websites already provide hurdles or roadblocks to IE6. For example, YouTube sends a message to IE6 users, asking them to upgrade to another browser like Internet Explorer 8, Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. However, YouTube will continue to function in basic mode for IE6 and other outdated browsers.
Follow these steps to unhide a Facebook Friend that you have hidden:
Step 1. In Facebook, click the News Feed link, which is usually on the top-left corner of the window:
Google has released a simple programming language called, appropriately enough, “Simple.” The goal of Simple is to provide an easy-to-learn-and-use language for the mobile Android platform. As a BASIC dialect, Simple is particularly well suited for non-professional programmers, but can also be used by experienced developers. Simple enables programmers to quickly write Android applications by using components included with its runtime system.
Similar to its 1990’s relative BASIC developed by Microsoft, Simple programs consist of form definitions (which contain components) and source code (which contains the program logic). The interaction between the components and the program logic happens through events triggered by the components. The program logic consists of event handlers, which contain code reacting to the events.
Simple is available for Windows, Linux and Mac. The language is open-source and includes sample applications and a tutorial.
Google warns that the Simple project is still a work in progress and likely contains bugs and missing features. Given that the language is open source, Google encourages developers themselves to fill any gaps in functionality.
Arguing “Which programming language is better?” is like debating “Which religion is better?” You will never find an answer because people have different needs, they judge with different criteria, and in the end, the debaters just end up getting pissed off at each other. That’s why you’ll frequently see developers label the programming language debate as a “religious war.”
For me in my current job, C# is my language of choice. But I’ve also worked with Java, PHP, C++, C, RGB II and even assembler. In general, I feel it’s better to select the right programming language for the job, rather than force the job to use my current favorite language.
That said, Java fan Brian M. Clapper has written an interesting article claiming that the Java language “depresses me lately. It’s being left in the dust by other languages. Worse, though, for Java enthusiasts: Java has fallen behind C#.”
We’ve all had to listen to stories about how our parents had to walk to school each day, through the snow, uphill both ways. We’d roll our eyes and laugh at the “primitive” life our parents led. But as our generation grows older, the products and technologies that defined our youth are also fading fast from memory.
Let’s face it, the world is changing at an accelerating pace. Moore’s Law ensures that the world continues to make things smaller, faster and better. Unlike hand-me-down clothes, the technology we grew up with will NOT be passed down the line to the next generation of geeks.
In this spirit, Wired Magazine has created a list of 100 things your kids may never know. For example:
Microsoft has announced the business model and pricing for its Windows Azure cloud computing platform.
Windows Azure has a consumption-based pricing model, allowing partners and customers to pay only for the services that they consume.
