I'm currently on Arvixe (for about 3 weeks) and am reading this thread mainly because I'm looking for a new hosting provider already. They have some nice features, especially for the price. (PHP, Perl, cgi-bin, SQL, mySQL, unlimited subdomains/storage/bandwidth/databases) But the two experiences I've had already with their support staff have been absolutely horrible. And now that I've gotten a wildcard certificate for my primary domain, they tell me that they won't actually host SSL subdomains on the same dedicated IP address as the main domain, even though that's what the control panel says you *should* do. Actually, both of my support problems revolved in some way around dedicated IPs and SSL certificates. If you don't need SSL, it's an excellent host.

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Is there a way to modify/add to the list of file extensions that ResXFileCodeGenerator recognizes as text files? I'm on a project where the (DB2) queries are all accessed through resource files. I have a visual studio add-on that gives me editor support (color coding, etc) for working with DB2 queries when editing text files with the db2 extension. The problem is that the ResXFileCodeGenerator doesn't recognize these files as being text files, so when I add them to the resource, they get returned as byte arrays. I'm well aware that there are other, better ways to manage these queries, but I have to stay with the design that's already in place. At this point all I want to do is make ResXFileCodeGenerator recognize files with a .db2 extension as text, so the ResourceManager will return them as strings. Thanks.

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Pete O'Hanlon wrote:

the most likely cause is a lack of rigorous testing.

In my experience the most likely cause is incompetent developers. The only thing you'll get from more rigorous testing is a higher defect count. (Which is not to say that I don't believe in rigorous testing, I just don't believe it will solve the root problem.)

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Get a copy of The 4-Hour Work Week[^] and read through the sections on removing yourself from the office.

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Realizing that your post is mostly satirical....

Shog9 wrote:

most developers suck at writing code to query their own data

I think this is the key point of your whole diatribe. That being said, I completely fail to understand why anyone could possibly believe that a developer who can't design decent relational data models or write decent SQL code would be any more capable of designing decent domain entity models or writing decent LINQ code.

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Luc Pattyn wrote:

Follow the established design rules and the UAC won't bother you much.

Pray tell, what "established design rules?" And whose blog was I supposed to read to get this set of design guidelines? I find the UAC to be a complete PITA, and even more annoying when you try to disable it. I finally figured out the 3 or 4 settings to change to minimize the number of confirmation dialogs I see while retaining the ability to bump my privileges when necessary. Unfortunately, I figured it out accidentally and haven't seen it documented anywhere (correctly), so I have been unable to reproduce the result. :-(

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

This thread isn't about perfection, it's about competence.

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Christopher Duncan wrote:

wouldn't want to live in a world where everyone had to think alike.

Me neither, but it would be nice to work in an office where everyone was competent. (Or capable of logical thought, at least.)

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Have you considered using Penguin Peppermints[^] and just drinking water?

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

I didn't know it eiher, until I had a contractor submit some C# code that used the goto statement. We sent him back to his agency the next day.

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

You do realize that C# "features" (supports) the goto statement, right?

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Johnny ² wrote:

I wouldn't attach any certificates either.

Most (possibly all) certifications have a "logo" that goes along with them. I place the logos for my key certifications in the bottom margin of the first page of my resume.

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Listen to your friend. I've been doing interviews (tech interviews) for the past couple of years. When I'm handed a resume, I read the objective, the summary, the skills list, and no more than the last 2-3 years of experience. Remember, these people have other things to do besides interviewing you. Since resumes are written in reverse chronological order, if someone reads or scans your entire resume in the 10-15 minutes they use to prep for the interview, they're only going to actually remember the last page or 1-1/2 pages. Many managers/interviewers will automatically discard or discredit any resume that's longer than two pages. You want to give them high points that are applicable to the position you're applying for, and minimize opportunity for them to find reasons to exclude you from consideration. The first step of the selection process is to take the hundreds of resumes they get flooded with by Career Builder, and hack and slash until there are only 5-10 left. Almost every job in our field has "effective communicator, written and verbal" as a requirement. If it takes you 4 pages to make the same argument that someone else can make in 1-1/2 pages, guess who's the better communicator.

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Can't you simulate it using reflection?

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Joe Woodbury wrote:

Unless a comment is particularly witty

We have a web service named ELVIS (it's an acronym). The last line of the main web method is a comment that reads: //Elvis has left the building. What makes it even more witty and amusing is that the developer who wrote it isn't a native American, is too young to actually remember Elvis, and normally struggles a bit with obscure cultural references.

Grim MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

Is it a bad sign that I not only understand that (I think), but tend to agree with it?

Grim (aka Toby) MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

GuyThiebaut wrote:

what percentage of a project

I sometimes respond with "42", just to see if they even get the reference.

Grim (aka Toby) MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

For starters, I hope your client likes one of the already-existing themes that are available (most good ones for a price) on the 'Net, because creating your own skin/layout in DNN is an absolute nightmare.

Grim (aka Toby) MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

If you buy an APC (I recommend) look for the software & cable. Almost all APC units support a connection (via USB, these days) to the protected system, and software that will allow your system to monitor the UPS status and auto-shutdown when the battery drops below a certain threshold. Some units support the functionality, but won't come bundled with the software/cable. (You can order it from APC directly if you get one of those.) Many units have it in the package. If you get one of the larger server-level or rack-mountable units, it may have networkable software packaged with it. One server actually connects to and monitors the UPS, but the software would be able to auto-shutdown an array of systems instead of just the one.

Grim (aka Toby) MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)

John M. Drescher wrote:

if I see a candidate who consistently got 5% or better annual raises

Then my salary history wouldn't do you any good, anyway. When I give a salary history, I only include the highest salary received at each company/position listed on the resume.

Grim (aka Toby) MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL (0 row(s) affected)