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  3. I'm beginning to feel like I want to take an axe to every computer

I'm beginning to feel like I want to take an axe to every computer

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  • M Marc Clifton

    Nothing works like you would expect. For example. My latest nightmare. We have this kiosk that plays DVD's, and DVD's can be bad, sometimes. As a result, the DirectX stuff hangs, or throws exceptions, or simply barfs and dies and never comes back. So, I write a separate app to deal with the DirectX DVD playing stuff, and the main app watches it. For things like, does it every return from a call querying position? Does it return if I try to play? Did an error get generated? And one of things the controlling app can do is kill the DVD app and restart it. So I've got this function kills the offending process and restarts it. Except that sometimes, after launching a NEW process (immediately after killing the old one, and WAITING FOR HasExited to be true), the new process dies instantly as well (HasExited is true). I SO HATE PROGRAMMING! I SO HATE THESE P.O.S OPERATING SYSTEMS. I SO HATE THESE G.D.M.F. P.O.S. THIRD PARTY CRAP SOFTWARE. Why, when I kill the process, and it says the process has exited, does starting a new process fail? Sometimes? WTF do I do? Put in an arbitrary wait? Folks, I've just about had it. I really have. I don't know if it's C#, or .NET, or XP, or DirectX, or something I might be doing. But the point is, all this inconsistent, unreliable, garbage that we're using, well...I'm about a straw away from just saying F.I.A and taking a long walk into the woods and never coming back. After I axe every piece of computer hardware in my office. And Anders wonders why I'm in a bad mood. X| Marc

    Thyme In The Country
    Interacx

    People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
    There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
    People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith

    P Offline
    P Offline
    Patrick Etc
    wrote on last edited by
    #6

    I always laugh at how advanced the computers are in Star Trek. We could NEVER build those kinds of systems, for the very simple reason that 99.999999999999999999999999999999% of our garbage is exactly that: garbage. Patched, hacked, fubar'd and kludged into working, but that's about the best it will EVER do.. just work. It'll never be as reliable and extensible as our imaginations tell us it should be. Oh, it COULD be, but so long as profit is our motive for creating it we'll never let ourselves design it well enough for that to be a reality. Good design is expensive; "just barely works" is cheap.

    ------------ Cheers, Patrick

    J 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • J Jasmine2501

      You might enjoy this: http://www.misscellania.com/miss-cellania/2006/8/23/computer-trap-shoot.html[^] :laugh:

      "Quality Software since 1983!"
      http://www.smoothjazzy.com/ - see the "Programming" section for freeware tools and articles.

      D Offline
      D Offline
      Dario Solera
      wrote on last edited by
      #7

      Very nice thing to do to the environment. :suss:

      If you truly believe you need to pick a mobile phone that "says something" about your personality, don't bother. You don't have a personality. A mental illness, maybe - but not a personality. - Charlie Brooker My Blog - My Photos - ScrewTurn Wiki

      J 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • P Patrick Etc

        I always laugh at how advanced the computers are in Star Trek. We could NEVER build those kinds of systems, for the very simple reason that 99.999999999999999999999999999999% of our garbage is exactly that: garbage. Patched, hacked, fubar'd and kludged into working, but that's about the best it will EVER do.. just work. It'll never be as reliable and extensible as our imaginations tell us it should be. Oh, it COULD be, but so long as profit is our motive for creating it we'll never let ourselves design it well enough for that to be a reality. Good design is expensive; "just barely works" is cheap.

        ------------ Cheers, Patrick

        J Offline
        J Offline
        Jorgen Sigvardsson
        wrote on last edited by
        #8

        In the Star Trek universe, only the Ferengi use money. ;P I need a good ear stroke.

        -- Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

        P 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • M Marc Clifton

          Nothing works like you would expect. For example. My latest nightmare. We have this kiosk that plays DVD's, and DVD's can be bad, sometimes. As a result, the DirectX stuff hangs, or throws exceptions, or simply barfs and dies and never comes back. So, I write a separate app to deal with the DirectX DVD playing stuff, and the main app watches it. For things like, does it every return from a call querying position? Does it return if I try to play? Did an error get generated? And one of things the controlling app can do is kill the DVD app and restart it. So I've got this function kills the offending process and restarts it. Except that sometimes, after launching a NEW process (immediately after killing the old one, and WAITING FOR HasExited to be true), the new process dies instantly as well (HasExited is true). I SO HATE PROGRAMMING! I SO HATE THESE P.O.S OPERATING SYSTEMS. I SO HATE THESE G.D.M.F. P.O.S. THIRD PARTY CRAP SOFTWARE. Why, when I kill the process, and it says the process has exited, does starting a new process fail? Sometimes? WTF do I do? Put in an arbitrary wait? Folks, I've just about had it. I really have. I don't know if it's C#, or .NET, or XP, or DirectX, or something I might be doing. But the point is, all this inconsistent, unreliable, garbage that we're using, well...I'm about a straw away from just saying F.I.A and taking a long walk into the woods and never coming back. After I axe every piece of computer hardware in my office. And Anders wonders why I'm in a bad mood. X| Marc

          Thyme In The Country
          Interacx

          People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
          There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
          People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith

          D Offline
          D Offline
          DavidNohejl
          wrote on last edited by
          #9

          Marc Clifton wrote:

          I'm about a straw away from just saying F.I.A and taking a long walk into the woods and never coming back. After I axe every piece of computer hardware in my office.

          Good idea. Except that axing part, and that never coming back part. Just take your hat on and have a nice trip to some awesome place. :cool:


          "Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. " - Morpheus "Real men use mspaint for writing code and notepad for designing graphics." - Anna-Jayne Metcalfe

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          • J Jorgen Sigvardsson

            In the Star Trek universe, only the Ferengi use money. ;P I need a good ear stroke.

            -- Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

            P Offline
            P Offline
            Patrick Etc
            wrote on last edited by
            #10

            Joergen Sigvardsson wrote:

            In the Star Trek universe, only the Ferengi use money.

            That's exactly my point! The Ferengi *bought* all of their technology - computers, warp drive, weapons - from the other advanced races, who had done it just cause it was worth doing. (Although I always wondered - what was the Klingons' motivation? Inventing a warp drive doesn't seem very "honor in battle"-like to me).

            ------------ Cheers, Patrick

            J D 2 Replies Last reply
            0
            • P Patrick Etc

              Joergen Sigvardsson wrote:

              In the Star Trek universe, only the Ferengi use money.

              That's exactly my point! The Ferengi *bought* all of their technology - computers, warp drive, weapons - from the other advanced races, who had done it just cause it was worth doing. (Although I always wondered - what was the Klingons' motivation? Inventing a warp drive doesn't seem very "honor in battle"-like to me).

              ------------ Cheers, Patrick

              J Offline
              J Offline
              Jorgen Sigvardsson
              wrote on last edited by
              #11

              Warp drives are very useful if you are going to chase down your opponent (a must if you are going to slice him).

              -- Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

              P 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • J Jorgen Sigvardsson

                Warp drives are very useful if you are going to chase down your opponent (a must if you are going to slice him).

                -- Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

                P Offline
                P Offline
                Patrick Etc
                wrote on last edited by
                #12

                Now you're just pulling my leg. :-D

                ------------ Cheers, Patrick

                J 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • M Marc Clifton

                  Nothing works like you would expect. For example. My latest nightmare. We have this kiosk that plays DVD's, and DVD's can be bad, sometimes. As a result, the DirectX stuff hangs, or throws exceptions, or simply barfs and dies and never comes back. So, I write a separate app to deal with the DirectX DVD playing stuff, and the main app watches it. For things like, does it every return from a call querying position? Does it return if I try to play? Did an error get generated? And one of things the controlling app can do is kill the DVD app and restart it. So I've got this function kills the offending process and restarts it. Except that sometimes, after launching a NEW process (immediately after killing the old one, and WAITING FOR HasExited to be true), the new process dies instantly as well (HasExited is true). I SO HATE PROGRAMMING! I SO HATE THESE P.O.S OPERATING SYSTEMS. I SO HATE THESE G.D.M.F. P.O.S. THIRD PARTY CRAP SOFTWARE. Why, when I kill the process, and it says the process has exited, does starting a new process fail? Sometimes? WTF do I do? Put in an arbitrary wait? Folks, I've just about had it. I really have. I don't know if it's C#, or .NET, or XP, or DirectX, or something I might be doing. But the point is, all this inconsistent, unreliable, garbage that we're using, well...I'm about a straw away from just saying F.I.A and taking a long walk into the woods and never coming back. After I axe every piece of computer hardware in my office. And Anders wonders why I'm in a bad mood. X| Marc

                  Thyme In The Country
                  Interacx

                  People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
                  There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
                  People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith

                  C Offline
                  C Offline
                  Chris Maunder
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #13

                  I think someone needs some fresh kool-aid.

                  cheers, Chris Maunder

                  CodeProject.com : C++ MVP

                  M J 2 Replies Last reply
                  0
                  • M Marc Clifton

                    Nothing works like you would expect. For example. My latest nightmare. We have this kiosk that plays DVD's, and DVD's can be bad, sometimes. As a result, the DirectX stuff hangs, or throws exceptions, or simply barfs and dies and never comes back. So, I write a separate app to deal with the DirectX DVD playing stuff, and the main app watches it. For things like, does it every return from a call querying position? Does it return if I try to play? Did an error get generated? And one of things the controlling app can do is kill the DVD app and restart it. So I've got this function kills the offending process and restarts it. Except that sometimes, after launching a NEW process (immediately after killing the old one, and WAITING FOR HasExited to be true), the new process dies instantly as well (HasExited is true). I SO HATE PROGRAMMING! I SO HATE THESE P.O.S OPERATING SYSTEMS. I SO HATE THESE G.D.M.F. P.O.S. THIRD PARTY CRAP SOFTWARE. Why, when I kill the process, and it says the process has exited, does starting a new process fail? Sometimes? WTF do I do? Put in an arbitrary wait? Folks, I've just about had it. I really have. I don't know if it's C#, or .NET, or XP, or DirectX, or something I might be doing. But the point is, all this inconsistent, unreliable, garbage that we're using, well...I'm about a straw away from just saying F.I.A and taking a long walk into the woods and never coming back. After I axe every piece of computer hardware in my office. And Anders wonders why I'm in a bad mood. X| Marc

                    Thyme In The Country
                    Interacx

                    People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
                    There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
                    People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith

                    S Offline
                    S Offline
                    Shog9 0
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #14

                    Marc Clifton wrote:

                    I'm about a straw away from just saying F.I.A and taking a long walk into the woods and never coming back.

                    You'll come back. An hour later, while staring at a squirrel, you'll suddenly have the irresistible urge to try just one more thing... and back to the nightmare black box you'll go. ;P

                    ----

                    It appears that everybody is under the impression that I approve of the documentation. You probably also blame Ken Burns for supporting slavery.

                    --Raymond Chen on MSDN

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • P Patrick Etc

                      Joergen Sigvardsson wrote:

                      In the Star Trek universe, only the Ferengi use money.

                      That's exactly my point! The Ferengi *bought* all of their technology - computers, warp drive, weapons - from the other advanced races, who had done it just cause it was worth doing. (Although I always wondered - what was the Klingons' motivation? Inventing a warp drive doesn't seem very "honor in battle"-like to me).

                      ------------ Cheers, Patrick

                      D Offline
                      D Offline
                      Dan Neely
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #15

                      Patrick Sears wrote:

                      (Although I always wondered - what was the Klingons' motivation? Inventing a warp drive doesn't seem very "honor in battle"-like to me).

                      the motivation was the original klingon version of "Alexander wept for there were no more worlds to conquer". FTL makes it so much easier to leave a star system and conquer the galaxy with it's millions of new worlds. PS does anyone know where hte original's from? I know I've seen it before but haven't been able to place it.

                      -- CleaKO The sad part about this instance is that none of the users ever said anything [about the problem]. Pete O`Hanlon Doesn't that just tell you everything you need to know about users?

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • P Patrick Etc

                        Now you're just pulling my leg. :-D

                        ------------ Cheers, Patrick

                        J Offline
                        J Offline
                        Jorgen Sigvardsson
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #16

                        No man! If you could see the wrinkles and ridges in my forehead, you'd trust me on this one! ;)

                        -- Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • C Chris Maunder

                          I think someone needs some fresh kool-aid.

                          cheers, Chris Maunder

                          CodeProject.com : C++ MVP

                          M Offline
                          M Offline
                          Marc Clifton
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #17

                          Chris Maunder wrote:

                          I think someone needs some fresh kool-aid.

                          Ah, all those kool-aid drinkers are long gone. Though I was living in San Diego when the Nike-comet thing happened. I was quite surprised my then-wife didn't try ascending to Haley's. Sometimes I feel like my life has been a series of wrong choices. And I keep making them! Marc

                          Thyme In The Country
                          Interacx

                          People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
                          There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
                          People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith

                          D 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • M Marc Clifton

                            Chris Maunder wrote:

                            I think someone needs some fresh kool-aid.

                            Ah, all those kool-aid drinkers are long gone. Though I was living in San Diego when the Nike-comet thing happened. I was quite surprised my then-wife didn't try ascending to Haley's. Sometimes I feel like my life has been a series of wrong choices. And I keep making them! Marc

                            Thyme In The Country
                            Interacx

                            People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
                            There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
                            People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith

                            D Offline
                            D Offline
                            Dan Neely
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #18

                            You mean hale-bop? That was the one the cult nuts fixated on as being a UFO.

                            -- CleaKO The sad part about this instance is that none of the users ever said anything [about the problem]. Pete O`Hanlon Doesn't that just tell you everything you need to know about users?

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • M Marc Clifton

                              Nothing works like you would expect. For example. My latest nightmare. We have this kiosk that plays DVD's, and DVD's can be bad, sometimes. As a result, the DirectX stuff hangs, or throws exceptions, or simply barfs and dies and never comes back. So, I write a separate app to deal with the DirectX DVD playing stuff, and the main app watches it. For things like, does it every return from a call querying position? Does it return if I try to play? Did an error get generated? And one of things the controlling app can do is kill the DVD app and restart it. So I've got this function kills the offending process and restarts it. Except that sometimes, after launching a NEW process (immediately after killing the old one, and WAITING FOR HasExited to be true), the new process dies instantly as well (HasExited is true). I SO HATE PROGRAMMING! I SO HATE THESE P.O.S OPERATING SYSTEMS. I SO HATE THESE G.D.M.F. P.O.S. THIRD PARTY CRAP SOFTWARE. Why, when I kill the process, and it says the process has exited, does starting a new process fail? Sometimes? WTF do I do? Put in an arbitrary wait? Folks, I've just about had it. I really have. I don't know if it's C#, or .NET, or XP, or DirectX, or something I might be doing. But the point is, all this inconsistent, unreliable, garbage that we're using, well...I'm about a straw away from just saying F.I.A and taking a long walk into the woods and never coming back. After I axe every piece of computer hardware in my office. And Anders wonders why I'm in a bad mood. X| Marc

                              Thyme In The Country
                              Interacx

                              People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
                              There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
                              People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith

                              E Offline
                              E Offline
                              Edw
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #19

                              Instead of trying to magically 'know' what state the DVD player is in, try using a Video Sync Sensor. A base unit will only detect if power is on or off (by detecting the presence or absence of a video sync signal), but a nicer unit will know if the output signal is 'moving' (e.g. not snow, or blue screen). Just a thought. -Ed

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • D Dario Solera

                                Very nice thing to do to the environment. :suss:

                                If you truly believe you need to pick a mobile phone that "says something" about your personality, don't bother. You don't have a personality. A mental illness, maybe - but not a personality. - Charlie Brooker My Blog - My Photos - ScrewTurn Wiki

                                J Offline
                                J Offline
                                Jasmine2501
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #20

                                I didn't actually watch it. I'm sure everything was disposed of properly, for Kentucky anyway...

                                "Quality Software since 1983!"
                                http://www.smoothjazzy.com/ - see the "Programming" section for freeware tools and articles.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • C Chris Maunder

                                  I think someone needs some fresh kool-aid.

                                  cheers, Chris Maunder

                                  CodeProject.com : C++ MVP

                                  J Offline
                                  J Offline
                                  Jasmine2501
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #21

                                  http://www.kool-aiddays.com/[^] Just in case you wanted to know. Kool-ade is serious business :) My kids were on that site for a while but now there's just some washed-up folk singer...

                                  "Quality Software since 1983!"
                                  http://www.smoothjazzy.com/ - see the "Programming" section for freeware tools and articles.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • M Marc Clifton

                                    Nothing works like you would expect. For example. My latest nightmare. We have this kiosk that plays DVD's, and DVD's can be bad, sometimes. As a result, the DirectX stuff hangs, or throws exceptions, or simply barfs and dies and never comes back. So, I write a separate app to deal with the DirectX DVD playing stuff, and the main app watches it. For things like, does it every return from a call querying position? Does it return if I try to play? Did an error get generated? And one of things the controlling app can do is kill the DVD app and restart it. So I've got this function kills the offending process and restarts it. Except that sometimes, after launching a NEW process (immediately after killing the old one, and WAITING FOR HasExited to be true), the new process dies instantly as well (HasExited is true). I SO HATE PROGRAMMING! I SO HATE THESE P.O.S OPERATING SYSTEMS. I SO HATE THESE G.D.M.F. P.O.S. THIRD PARTY CRAP SOFTWARE. Why, when I kill the process, and it says the process has exited, does starting a new process fail? Sometimes? WTF do I do? Put in an arbitrary wait? Folks, I've just about had it. I really have. I don't know if it's C#, or .NET, or XP, or DirectX, or something I might be doing. But the point is, all this inconsistent, unreliable, garbage that we're using, well...I'm about a straw away from just saying F.I.A and taking a long walk into the woods and never coming back. After I axe every piece of computer hardware in my office. And Anders wonders why I'm in a bad mood. X| Marc

                                    Thyme In The Country
                                    Interacx

                                    People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
                                    There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
                                    People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith

                                    S Offline
                                    S Offline
                                    S Douglas
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #22

                                    Marc Clifton wrote:

                                    I'm beginning to feel like I want to take an axe to every computer

                                    Thanks for posting this Marc, nice to know that I'm not the only one to have bad days. It's even more so interesting knowing how skilled you are. Nothing like a little mindless entertainment Channel 9[^] Actually it’s an interview with one of the guys on CE development team doing driver work.


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