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  3. Things that make you go "Wow!"

Things that make you go "Wow!"

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  • P Offline
    P Offline
    PeejayAdams
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    As developers we often look at software and start reverse engineering it in our heads. There's plenty of stuff that might deeply impress us but we can figure out roughly how it does what it does even if we wouldn't be confident in writing it ourselves. Sometimes, though, you see something and think "Blimey! I wouldn't have come up with that in a million years. That's not code, that's sorcery!" For me, the Great Amazer has always been Shazam - yes, it's been around for years and I've read a fair old bit about the central fingerprinting algorithm (much of which has passed over my head) but it still absolutely blows me away. As Ozymandias put it: "look upon my works ye mighty and despair!" What does it for you?

    98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.

    L OriginalGriffO C F M 16 Replies Last reply
    0
    • P PeejayAdams

      As developers we often look at software and start reverse engineering it in our heads. There's plenty of stuff that might deeply impress us but we can figure out roughly how it does what it does even if we wouldn't be confident in writing it ourselves. Sometimes, though, you see something and think "Blimey! I wouldn't have come up with that in a million years. That's not code, that's sorcery!" For me, the Great Amazer has always been Shazam - yes, it's been around for years and I've read a fair old bit about the central fingerprinting algorithm (much of which has passed over my head) but it still absolutely blows me away. As Ozymandias put it: "look upon my works ye mighty and despair!" What does it for you?

      98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.

      L Offline
      L Offline
      Lost User
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Windows 95. Or more specific, the insights on The Old New Thing[^] blog explaining some details; like applications with topmost-windows that fight on who gets to be on top, the work that went into getting SimCity to run on W95, and the reason why you press "start" to shut down. Why did the Windows 95 Start button have a secret shortcut for closing it? – The Old New Thing[^] Why do you have to click the Start button to shut down? – The Old New Thing[^] Why did the word Start disappear from the Start button? – The Old New Thing[^] (Vista!)

      Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

      D 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • P PeejayAdams

        As developers we often look at software and start reverse engineering it in our heads. There's plenty of stuff that might deeply impress us but we can figure out roughly how it does what it does even if we wouldn't be confident in writing it ourselves. Sometimes, though, you see something and think "Blimey! I wouldn't have come up with that in a million years. That's not code, that's sorcery!" For me, the Great Amazer has always been Shazam - yes, it's been around for years and I've read a fair old bit about the central fingerprinting algorithm (much of which has passed over my head) but it still absolutely blows me away. As Ozymandias put it: "look upon my works ye mighty and despair!" What does it for you?

        98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.

        OriginalGriffO Offline
        OriginalGriffO Offline
        OriginalGriff
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Trouble is that most of the time you end up looking at something and going "Oh, fer :elephant:s sake! Why?" rather than "Wow!" :sigh:

        Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

        "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
        "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

        P G 2 Replies Last reply
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        • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

          Trouble is that most of the time you end up looking at something and going "Oh, fer :elephant:s sake! Why?" rather than "Wow!" :sigh:

          Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

          P Offline
          P Offline
          PeejayAdams
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Very true, but doesn't that make the good stuff all the better?

          98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.

          1 Reply Last reply
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          • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

            Trouble is that most of the time you end up looking at something and going "Oh, fer :elephant:s sake! Why?" rather than "Wow!" :sigh:

            Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

            G Offline
            G Offline
            glennPattonWork3
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Parking machines in hospital car parks are the example that springs to mind why do the option to change to German (& only German) appear in the 'Do You Want A Reciept sub menu', were the testers not involved or has a quick mod unearthed a whole? :laugh:

            OriginalGriffO E 2 Replies Last reply
            0
            • P PeejayAdams

              As developers we often look at software and start reverse engineering it in our heads. There's plenty of stuff that might deeply impress us but we can figure out roughly how it does what it does even if we wouldn't be confident in writing it ourselves. Sometimes, though, you see something and think "Blimey! I wouldn't have come up with that in a million years. That's not code, that's sorcery!" For me, the Great Amazer has always been Shazam - yes, it's been around for years and I've read a fair old bit about the central fingerprinting algorithm (much of which has passed over my head) but it still absolutely blows me away. As Ozymandias put it: "look upon my works ye mighty and despair!" What does it for you?

              98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.

              C Offline
              C Offline
              CodeWraith
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              Long ago: Elite[^] Or how about 3D fractal landscapes - on a 1.7 MHz 6502? Atari XL/XE - Rescue on Fractalus[^]. I think there could still be something to learn from reverse engineering the graphics routines.

              I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

              E 1 Reply Last reply
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              • G glennPattonWork3

                Parking machines in hospital car parks are the example that springs to mind why do the option to change to German (& only German) appear in the 'Do You Want A Reciept sub menu', were the testers not involved or has a quick mod unearthed a whole? :laugh:

                OriginalGriffO Offline
                OriginalGriffO Offline
                OriginalGriff
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                I wouldn't know about that - parking fees at hospitals in Wales and Scotland were banned ten years ago.

                Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • P PeejayAdams

                  As developers we often look at software and start reverse engineering it in our heads. There's plenty of stuff that might deeply impress us but we can figure out roughly how it does what it does even if we wouldn't be confident in writing it ourselves. Sometimes, though, you see something and think "Blimey! I wouldn't have come up with that in a million years. That's not code, that's sorcery!" For me, the Great Amazer has always been Shazam - yes, it's been around for years and I've read a fair old bit about the central fingerprinting algorithm (much of which has passed over my head) but it still absolutely blows me away. As Ozymandias put it: "look upon my works ye mighty and despair!" What does it for you?

                  98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.

                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                  OriginalGriff
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  CodeWraith's Elite is good, but ... DOOM was better! Now, that was a "Wow!" moment. The first time you entered Level 2 and the lights started to dim, and flicker at you ... then a monster strolls round the corner in the dark ... Phenomenal bit of software!

                  Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                  "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                  "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                  H C 2 Replies Last reply
                  0
                  • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                    CodeWraith's Elite is good, but ... DOOM was better! Now, that was a "Wow!" moment. The first time you entered Level 2 and the lights started to dim, and flicker at you ... then a monster strolls round the corner in the dark ... Phenomenal bit of software!

                    Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                    H Offline
                    H Offline
                    HobbyProggy
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    You want the horror feeling back? Play "Welcome to the Game", it makes you whoops your pants :suss:

                    Rules for the FOSW ![^]

                    if(!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(_signature))
                    {
                    MessageBox.Show("This is my signature: " + Environment.NewLine + _signature);
                    }
                    else
                    {
                    MessageBox.Show("404-Signature not found");
                    }

                    OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • H HobbyProggy

                      You want the horror feeling back? Play "Welcome to the Game", it makes you whoops your pants :suss:

                      Rules for the FOSW ![^]

                      if(!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(_signature))
                      {
                      MessageBox.Show("This is my signature: " + Environment.NewLine + _signature);
                      }
                      else
                      {
                      MessageBox.Show("404-Signature not found");
                      }

                      OriginalGriffO Offline
                      OriginalGriffO Offline
                      OriginalGriff
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      Thanks, but I'll give it a miss.

                      Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                      "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                      "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                      H 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                        Thanks, but I'll give it a miss.

                        Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                        H Offline
                        H Offline
                        HobbyProggy
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        Good idea, i regretted it X|

                        Rules for the FOSW ![^]

                        if(!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(_signature))
                        {
                        MessageBox.Show("This is my signature: " + Environment.NewLine + _signature);
                        }
                        else
                        {
                        MessageBox.Show("404-Signature not found");
                        }

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                          CodeWraith's Elite is good, but ... DOOM was better! Now, that was a "Wow!" moment. The first time you entered Level 2 and the lights started to dim, and flicker at you ... then a monster strolls round the corner in the dark ... Phenomenal bit of software!

                          Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                          C Offline
                          C Offline
                          CodeWraith
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          At that time I still had fun with a real rifle, real ammo, ears ringing from the noise, the smell of the powder, real sand between the teeth and at every time of day, from high noon to pitch black night. Doom was boring against that.

                          I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

                          G P 2 Replies Last reply
                          0
                          • P PeejayAdams

                            As developers we often look at software and start reverse engineering it in our heads. There's plenty of stuff that might deeply impress us but we can figure out roughly how it does what it does even if we wouldn't be confident in writing it ourselves. Sometimes, though, you see something and think "Blimey! I wouldn't have come up with that in a million years. That's not code, that's sorcery!" For me, the Great Amazer has always been Shazam - yes, it's been around for years and I've read a fair old bit about the central fingerprinting algorithm (much of which has passed over my head) but it still absolutely blows me away. As Ozymandias put it: "look upon my works ye mighty and despair!" What does it for you?

                            98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.

                            F Offline
                            F Offline
                            F ES Sitecore
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            Password managers. Before hackers used to have to hack my accounts individually but now they can access all of my credentials in a single convenient attack.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • L Lost User

                              Windows 95. Or more specific, the insights on The Old New Thing[^] blog explaining some details; like applications with topmost-windows that fight on who gets to be on top, the work that went into getting SimCity to run on W95, and the reason why you press "start" to shut down. Why did the Windows 95 Start button have a secret shortcut for closing it? – The Old New Thing[^] Why do you have to click the Start button to shut down? – The Old New Thing[^] Why did the word Start disappear from the Start button? – The Old New Thing[^] (Vista!)

                              Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                              D Offline
                              D Offline
                              den2k88
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              Thanks for making me discover The Old New Thing.

                              GCS d-- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- ++>+++ y+++*      Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X

                              L 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • P PeejayAdams

                                As developers we often look at software and start reverse engineering it in our heads. There's plenty of stuff that might deeply impress us but we can figure out roughly how it does what it does even if we wouldn't be confident in writing it ourselves. Sometimes, though, you see something and think "Blimey! I wouldn't have come up with that in a million years. That's not code, that's sorcery!" For me, the Great Amazer has always been Shazam - yes, it's been around for years and I've read a fair old bit about the central fingerprinting algorithm (much of which has passed over my head) but it still absolutely blows me away. As Ozymandias put it: "look upon my works ye mighty and despair!" What does it for you?

                                98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.

                                M Offline
                                M Offline
                                Marc Clifton
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                PeejayAdams wrote:

                                What does it for you?

                                Self driving cars. SpaceX landing the first stage. On a barge. In the friggin' ocean!

                                Latest Article - Building a Prototype Web-Based Diagramming Tool with SVG and Javascript Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

                                1 Reply Last reply
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                                • C CodeWraith

                                  At that time I still had fun with a real rifle, real ammo, ears ringing from the noise, the smell of the powder, real sand between the teeth and at every time of day, from high noon to pitch black night. Doom was boring against that.

                                  I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

                                  G Offline
                                  G Offline
                                  glennPattonWork3
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  Alot things are, also safer, I'm not anti-gun, it's just idiots with guns worry me!

                                  C 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • P PeejayAdams

                                    As developers we often look at software and start reverse engineering it in our heads. There's plenty of stuff that might deeply impress us but we can figure out roughly how it does what it does even if we wouldn't be confident in writing it ourselves. Sometimes, though, you see something and think "Blimey! I wouldn't have come up with that in a million years. That's not code, that's sorcery!" For me, the Great Amazer has always been Shazam - yes, it's been around for years and I've read a fair old bit about the central fingerprinting algorithm (much of which has passed over my head) but it still absolutely blows me away. As Ozymandias put it: "look upon my works ye mighty and despair!" What does it for you?

                                    98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.

                                    J Offline
                                    J Offline
                                    Johnny J
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    I get the opposite feeling: Whenever I look at code I wrote say 10 years ago, I go: "Blimey! I would never, EVER do it that way now. Whatever was I thinking? That's not code, that's black magic!" :sigh:

                                    Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
                                    Anonymous
                                    -----
                                    The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
                                    Winston Churchill, 1944
                                    -----
                                    Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
                                    Mark Twain

                                    1 Reply Last reply
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                                    • D den2k88

                                      Thanks for making me discover The Old New Thing.

                                      GCS d-- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- ++>+++ y+++*      Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X

                                      L Offline
                                      L Offline
                                      Lost User
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      So it was an old new thing to you too? :D

                                      Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • G glennPattonWork3

                                        Alot things are, also safer, I'm not anti-gun, it's just idiots with guns worry me!

                                        C Offline
                                        C Offline
                                        CodeWraith
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        Is that how you thank us for having made sure day and night that you never had to wake up one morning to discover that you had become a communist over night? :-)

                                        I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

                                        OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • C CodeWraith

                                          Is that how you thank us for having made sure day and night that you never had to wake up one morning to discover that you had become a communist over night? :-)

                                          I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

                                          OriginalGriffO Offline
                                          OriginalGriffO Offline
                                          OriginalGriff
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          He's a Bristiolian - they are already communists according to No 10... :laugh:

                                          Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                                          "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                                          "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                                          G C 2 Replies Last reply
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