OSnews has an interesting view on code quality: the number of WTFs/minute.
I know it is from 2008, but it is so true, so I’m glad I re-found it.
–jeroen
via: wtfm.jpg (500×471).
Archive for 2011
Code Quality: the rate of WTFs
Posted by jpluimers on 2011/07/06
Posted in .NET, Agile, Delphi, Development, Opinions, Software Development | Leave a Comment »
winapi – Best way to do non-flickering, segmented graphics updates in Delphi? – Stack Overflow
Posted by jpluimers on 2011/07/05
Recently, Jon Lennart Aasenden (of Surface Library fame) asked a nice winapi – Best way to do non-flickering, segmented graphics updates in Delphi question on StackOverflow.
Though the question is marked Delphi, the boundaries and solution very generic, and apply to any graphics library or GUI you develop: Windows, Mac, iOS, et cetera:
- Avoid double buffering when using GUI connections
- Draw only what you need
- Avoid redrawing whenever possible (for instance by letting the OS perform scrolling for you)
–jeroen
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Posted in .NET, Delphi, Development, Software Development, xCode/Mac/iPad/iPhone/iOS/cocoa | 2 Comments »
SEC_LinkShare SSID is from your Samsung TV: SWL (Samsung Wireless Link)
Posted by jpluimers on 2011/07/04
While playing around to improve the WiFi network reception of my Samsung LED TV, I enabled SWL.
It didn’t do much on the WiFi reception, but I found out that after enabling SWL, other devices could hardly find my regular access point any more.
Somehow, a very strong access point appeared pushing away all access points. The new access point had an SSID like SEC_LinkShare_######.
Though this wasn’t mentioned in the PDF manual of my TV, PDF manual of my TV (a [Archive.is] UE40C6800 LED-TV 40″ with [WayBack] Firmware T-VALDEUC-3018.1.exe ), a quick search on SEC_LinkShare+SSID indicated in the direction of Samsung devices.
So, when you enable SWL on your TV:
- your TV will become a local secured access point
- the SWL access point will be called SEC_LinkShare_###### (with 6 digits at the end)
- you cannot influence the WiFi channel used by the SWL access point
- there is no information on the password to connect to the SWL access point
- the SWL access point will potentially have a higher signal than access points further away (effectively blocking them)
Conclusion: Unless you have other Samsung devices that need the SWL, don’t activate it on your TV.
–jeroen
PS: Some links from Axel’s comment:
- [WayBack] Your Samsung SmartTV Is Spying on You, Basically | Electronic Frontier Foundation
- [WayBack] Your Samsung SmartTV Is Spying on You, Basically
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Posted in Power User | 39 Comments »
Microsoft Security Advisory: Microsoft Office File Validation for Office 2003, 2007 Office, and Office 2010: April 12, 2011
Posted by jpluimers on 2011/07/01
Unlike most updates marked as “Important Update”, this one requires a manual license agreement confirmation:
Microsoft Office File Validation Add-in
PLEASE NOTE: Microsoft Corporation (or based on where you live, one of its affiliates) licenses this supplement to you. You may use a copy of this supplement with each validly licensed copy of Microsoft 2003 & 2007 Office System Desktop Application software (the “software”). You may not use the supplement if you do not have a license for the software. The license terms for the software apply to your use of this supplement. To read the license terms, go to the “Help” menu in the software. Microsoft provides support services for the supplement as described at www.support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx.
Though the security advisory was more than 2 months ago, it only got pushed to Microsoft update this week.
Good thing though that finally Microsoft is able to check the integrity of their document formats in Office 2007 and 2003: Microsoft Security Advisory: Microsoft Office File Validation for Office 2003, 2007 Office, and Office 2010: April 12, 2011.
–jeroen
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Posted in Power User, Windows, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP | Leave a Comment »
The importance of static links on the web: many (really) old links still work
Posted by jpluimers on 2011/06/30
Doing a re-haul of a Delphi project from almost 15 years ago, and some modifications a few year later, I came across a list of favourites I used back then.
It also reminded me when beginning that project, there was no Google Search; you had Yahoo Search, HotBot and later on Northern Light, but AltaVista was the best.
Finding your way around was much harder, but luckily later on Google Search was there :)
So here is a sample of how static the web is:
- Better Threads For The VCL: link still works
- CodeGuru Utilizing Delphi Codes in VC Without Using a DLL: link still works
- Delphi 6, 7 threads synchronization in ActiveX controls: link still works
- Delphi Corner Article – Waiting for Threads: link still works
- Delphi Programming Launching and waiting for completion: link still works (but now you require a user-id)
- Delphi Programming Queued Threads, but with a responsive GUI: link still works (but now you require a user-id)
- Delphi-PRAXiS Delphi Programmierer gesucht…: removed
- Delphi-PRAXiS Suchen HPPEMIT: you cannot save your searches in a link any more
- Delphi-PRAXiS Tipps für Header-Übersetzungen: link still works, but the hppemit link highlight is gone
- Google Groups borland.public.delphi.objectpascal – Avoiding Application.ProcessMessages – Hallvard Vassbotn: link still works
- Google Groups borland.public.delphi.objectpascal – Bug inside TThread.WaitFor In Delphi 6: link still works
- Google Groups borland.public.delphi.objectpascal: link still works
- Google Groups borland.public.delphi.vcl.components.using – There is no dllProc call on exiting DLL: link still works
- Google Groups borland.public.delphi.vcl.components.writing – DCC32 -JPNH switch generates HPP files including HPPEMIT: link still works
- Google Groups borland.public.delphi.winapi – Finalization order in DLL: link still works
- Google Groups borland.public.delphi.winapi: link still works
- Issue 40, Dec (395Kb): 404 error, no alternative as the Delphi Magazine stopped in 2007
- Pascal Header Translations: link has moved as Borland is now dead, and Embarcadero is alive
- Rudy’s Delphi Corner – Conversion Helper Pack: link has moved as Rudy has a new site
- The Delphi Magazine Article Source Code: 404 error, no alternative as the Delphi Magazine stopped in 2007
- The Old New Thing MsgWaitForMultipleObjects and the queue state: link still works
- Torry’s Delphi Pages: link still works
Few suffer from link rot: I was pretty amazed that most of the links still work!
–jeroen
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Posted in Delphi, Development, Power User, Software Development | 4 Comments »
Some links on Serena Dimensions DMCLI command-line usage
Posted by jpluimers on 2011/06/29
A client uses Serena Dimensions, and though the Windows and Web clients are very usable (the 2009 version actually feels a lot faster than version 8), often it is nice to do some of the work on the command-line.
They have the DMCLI tool for with documentation, but that is not available on-line.
There is not a lot of on-line DMCLI documentation available, so here are some links I used to get going:
- DMCLI posts on the Serena support Communities
- DMCLI pages on all of the Serena sites
- Uploading using DMCLI
- Downloading using DMCLI
- Be sure to have an empty line at the end of your DMCLI script files
- DMCLI for Hudson integration
- Dimensions support in Hudson (only the remote support is done through DMCLI, the rest is done through the Java API)
- DMCLI: all on one line using “-cmd”, or use separate CMD text file
- DMCLI basic commandline parameters
–jeroen
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Posted in Development, Dimensions CM by Serena, Source Code Management | Leave a Comment »
Weaving: Source code, IL, ByteCode, Native
Posted by jpluimers on 2011/06/28
Weaving extends your program adding new functionality.
It can be at different levels for difference purposes (AOP, Debugging, Automated Testing, etc).
This .net – What is IL Weaving? question on StackOverflow contains a few pointers to interesting reading material.
–jeroen
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Posted in .NET, Debugging, Delphi, Development, Software Development | Leave a Comment »
Chrome 12 brought back Issue 47714 – chromium – maximize bug while loading webpage on windows 7 – An open-source browser project to help move the web forward. – Google Project Hosting
Posted by jpluimers on 2011/06/27
Regression tests are useful, especially before release.
Clearly someone forgot to regression test the Issue 47714 – chromium – maximize bug while loading webpage on windows 7, as after a while of absence, Chrome 12 reintroduced this issue (it is present in all versions of Chrome 12 I tested, until at least 12.0.742.100).
Workarounds:
- Maximize the window, then enter a URL
- Wait for Chrome to fully load the URL, then maximize.
–jeroen
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Posted in Chrome, Power User, Web Browsers, Windows, Windows 7 | Leave a Comment »
The 1.5TB Iomega® Prestige™ SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive contains a Seagate 1.5TB FreePlay ST1500LM003 drive
Posted by jpluimers on 2011/06/24
I just openened my 1.5TB Iomega® Prestige™ SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive to check out what is inside, and if the HDD would fit in my ThinkPad W701.
The answer to the latter is no: the drive is almost 15mm high, and the Serial UltraBay Enhanced bay only fits 12.5 mm drives.
The drive inside is a Seagate 1.5TB FreePlay ST1500LM003 drive.
Funny (by the way: be very cautious when a programmer says that), as the Seagate site has absolutely no reference of FreePlay drives.
The only link with tech specs I could find was on the MacSales site from OWC (the same store that got me a Mac Mini Server memory upgrade).
It looks like it is a OEM product containing 4 platters, and therefore is 14.8mm high.
It makes of a great HDD for a home theatre PC though: silent, low power, etc.
–jeroen
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Posted in Power User | 2 Comments »
StackOverflow C# question: Slight confusion over reference types and value types in the C# spec
Posted by jpluimers on 2011/06/23
Recently there was a nice Slight confusion over reference types and value types in the C# spec on StackOverflow.
Summary:
When structs are value types, but interfaces are reference types, how can a struct implement an interface and still be a value type?
The answer is boxing: when a reference to a struct is needed, a reference object is automatically created, and the value of the struct is box-wrapped into it.
This automatic boxing is really nice, but be aware that when frequently doing this, it can have a huge performance impact.
Thanks Abhina Basu for blogging about boxing structs having interfaces, and the many volunteers on StackOverflow explaining about boxing.
–jeroen
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Posted in .NET, C#, Development | Leave a Comment »
The Wiert Corner - irregular stream of stuff 