* Posts by Sentient

95 publicly visible posts • joined 18 Feb 2008

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Blockbuster book lays out the first 20 years of the Smartphone Wars

Sentient

Thank you

"With the packaged hardware, and higher specs, a much friendlier development environment could be used: Java."

Great now I can spend the whole afternoon defending C++ for cross platform development to management again.

"But on the register they say Java is key to the success of Android."

Full metal jacket: Nokia launches new Lumia 925

Sentient

Re: It is running Windows 8?

"You have no real source level compatibility between Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8."

Maybe not for the UI but you can share the Business Logic and for some apps you might get away with sharing the viewmodel. But that depends.

In case you're really interested and not just trolling: http://vimeo.com/53068482

And I read somewhere more and more APIs are being merged.

Microsoft honcho pleads with media: 'Stop picking on us!'

Sentient

He has a point

Me personally I like some things of windows 8. It's faster, the tiles are nice and it doesn't get in the way when I am working.

But still soo many people need to tell me that it sucks, that MS is evil etc... When I ask them whether they've used it it's either no or yes I have played with it.

Research explodes myth that older programmers are obsolete

Sentient

The problem with older devs

is that they are 'harder' to motivate.

I guess most devs regardless of age like to do something new and challenging. Problem is a lot of the work that needs to be done isn't new or challenging unless you're not very experienced.

Also older devs tend to look right through management pep-talk and might have become cynical.

Notebook makers turn to Android in face of Windows woes

Sentient

Looking for an easy solution? Blame it on somebody else

I doubt it's really all about Windows 8. Take a look at the hardware and see what's on offer for a given price point. And then I am not even mentioning all those dissapointing 1.366 x 768 notebooks. I doubt people will buy those with android or no android.

Disney shutters Star Wars game unit with 200 layoffs

Sentient

the nerve

So proud we sack them.

I guess sometimes it's better to shut up.

You've made an app for Android, iOS, Windows - what about the user interface?

Sentient

Indeed

A UI for each platform is the best option if you want to go for quality.

That being said it's also the most expensive option.

So if you're developping an in house LOB app for phones - you know why - it might be better to go for an affordable shared mediocre UI.

Microsoft releases JavaScript alternative

Sentient

used it the past few days

And quite liked it.

One example.

Three.js camera has a property called 'rotation' well blame me but I assumed it was a Matrix.

Off course running the script showed me it was supposed to be 3 angles stuffed in a vector.

So what I did was create a declaration for camera and matrix and I won't make wrong assumptions anymore.

If three.js was a decent C++ or JAVA or whatever library I wouldn't have encountered this issue.

What about Dart you say? I'll use it when it replaces JS.

What about Coffeescript? This is good but it has way different syntax and the tooling story isn't that great. Refactor.Rename in Coffeescript?

just saying. I find this 'language' useful because I like static types with some dynamic options when needed.

'Programming on Windows 8 just like playing bingo' - Microsoft VP

Sentient

Re: pretending any of it was his idea

Developers don't determine what platform consumers buy.

Windows 8: Life in a post .NET world – speak your brains TODAY

Sentient

Re: I'm so glad I work in Unix server programming

Some users like fancy UI's. While it's perfectly possible to create a fancy UI using Win32 there are more ways of doing it wrong than right.

Even If all you need is a command line app some things are faster done in C# than C++.

The right tool for the job.

Ice island snaps off Greenland: Just a fifth the size of 1962 whopper

Sentient

I don't get it.

Isn't there enough ice left for really big icebergs?

Did it all melt then?

So GW is a fact?

So what is this article saying?

What is the Nokia Secret Plan if Windows 8 isn't Windows gr8?

Sentient

@Paul: Win7 cant even run all XP games

My student projects which were using DX7 on Win 2K still run fine on Win7.

Both at home and at work I never encountered an issue with backwardscompatability on MS unless it's about drivers.

The other day I upgraded a windows 98 based db for a non profit to a Win 7 pc: no problems. (Well I had trouble transfering the software because the win98 pc didn't have an USB port and it's floppy drive was non functional.)

So which games are you talking about actually?

Python wraps its coils around the enterprise

Sentient
Pint

All hype anyway

This statement 'it's clear why PHP and Python are generally preferred to older languages like Java and .Net' is wrong.

Python is much older than java & .NET.

All languages are continuously improved anyway.

What you're seeing is that less performant languages take over jobs from more difficult high performance languages.

That's because

* we have to deliver more features faster.

* Processing power is continuing to become cheaper

* Management is all on twitter and facebook eductating itself on technologies.

A good developer chooses the right tool for the job. This taking into account technological facts but also company strategy. (Who will have to support this code after me.)

'Dated and cheesy' Aero ripped from Windows 8

Sentient

Win8 probably aint bad...

...and long overdue for tablets but for a desktop user there are no reasons to chose it over Windows 7.

I really cannot imagine someone buying an upgrade from vista or 7 to 8 and definately not for the amount of money that they are charging.

"Many remain in the dark as to how programming for this thing will work." Euhm Install the developer tools and get programming?

Oracle v Google could clear way for copyright on languages, APIs

Sentient

I don't get it at all

Disclaimer. I am just a simple developer who has been writing code for 15 years, some of this are API's that are being used by some our customers.

So I know that creating a good API takes time and effort. It's easy to misinterprete function and parameter names and nobody ever wants to read the documentation. You have to take special care when you create the interfaces. Since it takes time to create something it should be worth something no?

Why not compare it with a writer who writes a book or a musician who writes a song?

Anyway I don't really like Java nor Oracle, but SUN spent time on creating it and it should be worth something unless they give it away. Oracle bought SUN so now they own Java.

Simple as that.

Probably not.

What am I missing?

And what's that stuff about a sqrt that always returns zero? Seriously are they debating at that level?

Also I don't understand the google everything-should-be-for-free attitude. Like the register pointed out before they can only do this because they have vast advertising income. That's very scary to me since they could waste normal software vendors.

Windows Phone left on launchpad by Angry Birds in spaaace

Sentient

Re: Needs native support

If they don't have the resources then nobody has them.

Sentient

Re: Language?

I would think that for a game all the artwork is where the real effort is.

Rewriting such a simple game in C# or XNA shouldn't be that hard.

Soudn more like negotiating the contract with MS via the press.

Leap-day Visual Studio beta provokes 'passionate' response

Sentient

VS6

Yes because that one had excellent C++ template support. NOT!

While I agree the original Visual Studio .NET wasn't very good 2003, 2005, 2008 and 2010 all bring their share of improvements to the table

Sentient

Books

There's this ancient technology they call books, I've heard it's good if you want to learn more on a specific subject. They even sell them online these days.

Node.js Native breakthrough: cloudy C++ on steroids

Sentient

Re: C vs java

@Anomalous Cowherd

If your C code is slower than java you don't know what you're doing.

Glad you're sticking to Java.

Samsung's Bada outshipped WinPho 7 in Q3

Sentient

Samsung Wave I

Well I bought a Samsung Wave 1,5 year ago mainly because it had great hardware, was considerably cheaper than the Galaxy S and was a tad smaller.

When I do check the application store there's little there that looks interesting. But to be honest I am not really interested in app beyond the stock ones.

There's a bada sdk and IDE based on eclipse. Developer interest in the west seems to be minimal and even waning. Have a look at www.badadev.com

Mass ASP.NET attack causes websites to turn on visitors

Sentient

suspect unfounded

Attacking IIS is something different than a SQL injection attack.

Belgian telcos ordered to blockade Pirate Bay

Sentient

These ISP's will like this

Given that they happen to also sell content via 'their' cable and that in Belgium there's little or no competition.

Sentient

smart

Your dad sounds like a smart man.

First Google Plus API released to developers

Sentient
Trollface

Google++

Google+ API.

I seriously thought this was a new API for their new programming language. But of course those are called Dart & Go, not Google++ and definately not Google+.

Phew confusing. They should have come up with a better name like Googlike or FaceGoo or something.

Coders breathe Android into dead HP fondleslab

Sentient

Anandtech's take

Article about Touchpad not being underpowered

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4658/its-not-qualcomms-fault-dispelling-touchpad-myths

Microsoft rolls out One Big Windows strategy

Sentient
WTF?

C# is 10 years old.

WTF Are you smoking?

C# is 10 years old.

It's now on version 4 and every version was an improvement of the previous.

And you don't have to develop in C#, you can chose!

C++, F#, VB(god forbid) chose whatever you want.

And you don't have to rewrite anything. 15 years ago I wrote a small skinnable app using Win32 & C++. It still runs fine. If I wanted I could still write software like that.

Anyway I haven't seen a new true language being promoted the last 10 years let alone every 2 please enlighten me.

Sentient
Thumb Up

@Robert E A Harvey

I feel your pain having it experienced it myself too. I would also prefer MS to support their own choices better eg. port SL to iOS & android. Luckily I hadn't had to deal with the office API's yet ;)

But it's a bit harsh saying you waste time learning stuff.

The first API is hard to learn, but isn't the 2nd much easier? I would think that the more you know the bigger your frame of reference becomes and the easier it becomes to learn new stuff.

Ooh and about the 1995 statement, I mentioned it in a previous comment but you CAN still do win 32 & C++ on windows. It will run bloody fast too. It's just that most people including me got lazy and chose the easier route.

Windows 8: Microsoft’s high-stakes .NET tablet gamble

Sentient
Childcatcher

Native HTML

http://hildr.luminance.org/Platformer/Platformer.html

Runs 'Native' on Windows, compiles to something that works a bit on non windows.

Sentient
Trollface

Troll Alert

Ever considered it's your code and not .NET or WPF?

Switching to Macs or iOS?

Sentient
Thumb Up

Bewildering

What's even more strange is that while MS is now pushing HTML5 and Javascript so hard their tools to create such rich internet applications are subpar to the competition. This of course due to the past focus on SL.

Are they really going to sacrifice VS 2010 or try and compete with Adobe CS?

On the other hand the developers in this forum do behave like drama queens.

Google pits C++ against Java, Scala, and Go

Sentient
Joke

C++ vs all the other

C++ is the best language ever when I am writing the code.

When I am reading somebody elses code it sucks.

(10+ years experience in offshoring)

Google and Amazon cloud music nears judgment day

Sentient

Losing customers.

Just like everybody else I want to be able to listen to all my music anywhere.

Just like everybody else I think some music is better than other.

Just like everybody else I am not going to pay twice or thrice for songs that I play maybe once a year.

Apple defends iOS devs from patent holder

Sentient

This invention...

Calling an in game shopping cart an 'invention' is what I would call a sham.

Open source .NET mimic rises from Novell ashes

Sentient

@TheBigYin

If I as a developer had to stop and think about that then I wouldn't get any work done.

java-> Oops Oracle might do this and that

iOS-> Oops Steve might not like what I am doing here.

Android -> Oops google might change its API's

etc etc...

Besides I think MonoTouch is a great way to get your applications ported to both android and iOs.

Sentient

lame

This is an engineer doing what he loves doing. And you're a politician.

To each his own.

Amazon-Android rumor: A family of devices

Sentient
WTF?

Add Alert?

So you get adds from google at the bottom of the screen and adds from amazon at the top?

Not really something I am waiting for.

US Navy produces smart, cheap 6kg fire+forget missile

Sentient

This guy will like this...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0399295/

How to make Azure more appealing to Java and Open Source developers

Sentient
WTF?

But do they really want to?

It's not because you can that it's a good idea. I guess .NET developers are happy with Azure, java developers with Google AppEngine or the Amazon AWS. Why would a Java developer move to Azure taken into account that they generally are not fond of .NET or MS. Why would MS bother given the small chance on success.

Microsoft chucks bigger salaries and cash bonuses at staff

Sentient

dial up

50mb download takes you half an hour?

Downloads crashing your pc?

I wouldn't blame it on .NET but on your daughters PC.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=0a391abd-25c1-4fc0-919f-b21f31ab88b7

BTW with .NET4 there's a client profile developers can use that requires a smaller than 50mb download.

Google's 'clean' Linux headers: Are they really that dirty?

Sentient

Not just a header file

I don't know about you but I spend quite of time thinking about interfaces and what has to end up in the header and what not. Maybe I cannot copyright it but there's at least some creativity involved.

Actually getting your header files and interfaces right is an art.

If you're not proud about you're header files then I don't like to use your code.

Google to NASA: Open source will not kill you

Sentient

So we can copy your headers

and create rocket 2.0 by adding adds.

or am I missing something?

Microsoft+IE9: Holier than Apple open web convert?

Sentient
Pint

sense

"it would make more sense if it built HTML applications that would run across multiple devices."

No it doesn't. If you're creating LOB apps in a MS corporate environment SL is still the way to go. At the company where I work we see that HTML applications take on average 20% more resources than SL applications.

"future investment would be focused on integrating Windows applications with web services."

Which is what most smartphones, tablets seem to be heading these days. Isn't it ironic?

IMO Strong companies do both and choose the tech best suited for the job, not the one that is being hyped.

Five Reasons to be cheerful about Nokia-Microsoft

Sentient

Qt is older than WP7

and a cross platform toolkit. It's comparing apples to oranges.

Qt is an SDK, WP7 a platform.

Add Silverlight and XNA to the graph and we'll talk again.

Grief and disbelief greet Elop's Nokia revolution

Sentient

Why?

QT is for C++

WP7 has silverlight and XNA.

Since you cannot do C++ on WP7 QT doesn't make sense.

Unless you want to do cross platform development. But that's not what these mobile platforms are very good at. Objective C(iOS) <> Java(droid) <> .NET (WP7)

Oracle patches decade-old 'Mark-of-the-Beast' bug in Java

Sentient

yup

no problem on .NET

at least not for this value. ;)

Microsoft ARMs Windows for iPad assault (allegedly)

Sentient
Pint

@TeeCee

Well I don't think you should blame microsoft for the itanium debacle. Have you ever considered buying an itanium? Ever looked at the price or the die size of a chip?

AMD64 allowed to cheaply cross the 2GB memory limit of 32bit windows that and marketing was the demise of the itanium.

Same is true about windows on alpha, awesome platform, used it for development for a couple of years and it really was rocksolid and outperformed the intels we had at the time. But our customers all used intel and then amd came along and the rest as they say is history.

Fans roast Microsoft for Silverlight demotion

Sentient
Pint

Silverlight for webapplications

If you were using silverlight for building webapplications you were doing it wrong anyway.

Just as if you were using Flash.

Silverlight will still be a viable client technology just as WPF, QT, flash etc... Too be honest I think MS is still going to need a crossplatform client technology too since most apps that are installed on portable devices are client apps, not HTML 5 apps.

Beer cause I like to discuss tech choices with a nice pint.

Mozilla delays Firefox 4 until 'early 2011'

Sentient

Webgl

is really nice.

Not that I plan on playing games in the browser it's nice tech anyway. And someone more creative than me will be able to do nice things with it.

http://learningwebgl.com/blog/?page_id=1217

Microsoft loses chief software architect Ray Ozzie

Sentient

Brain vs the Heart

"He's rarely spoken in public to articulate or evangelize a vision to inspire the Windows or .NET faithful."

Oops sensitive issue here.

On the few occasions that I saw him in public he was very clear and capable at getting the idea across. He came across as a person with a vision capable of getting his company to execute that. This is what I would expect from a software architect.

I wonder why people expect technical smart people to be good at inspiring others or profiling themselves.

I wonder why researchers have to produce lots of papers.

I wonder why professors have to become managers.

...

Can't you just be good at what you're doing and getting credit for that?

Anyway smart guy leaves big company, big company loses.

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