Posts by Reverend Jim

I present myself to the world in four ways

1. how I speak
2. how I act
3. how I write
4. how I dress

How I speak and write are a function of form and content. When I meet someone for the first time and see a person who is dressed well and acts respectful (in terms of possibly posture, body language, etc.) I form an immediate opinion (although one subject to change). If that person then opens his mouth and says something like, " Me and Dave were at the pub and Dave axed me.." my opinion is immediately revised to "here is a person who does not care how the rest of the world sees him". It may be unfair but I immediately discount any opinion from that person as being uninformed and uneducated.

First impressions may be unfair but you only get one chance to make one.

In my experience your boss determines whether your workplace is heaven or hell, or somewhere in-between. In my 29 years at one corporation I had four different bosses (for the same job). I was part of a group of 5-7 real-time system software specialists.

My first boss (male) tried to get us all fired (so he could set up his own consulting company to take over our jobs). My second boss (female) was better qualified and much nicer but couldn't handle the office politics (too many people to report to above her). My third and fifth bosses (male) were the same guy. He was the boss from hell. He was a hostage taker (he loved to talk). Any meeting with him present tripled in duration. He never missed an opportunity to belittle and his operating principle (I have him on tape saying this) was "you're going to get shit no matter what you do." The boss I had in between 3 and 5 (female) was the ideal boss. Qualified, intelligent and actually concerned about feedback on how she was doing as a boss. She fostered co-operation and preferred positive rather than negative feedback. Except in rare cases she saw no reason for any meeting to last longer than 20 minutes. She actually started as a co-worker at my level (she is about 30 years younger than I am) and when she was promoted to a position as my boss (as a buffer between me and the boss-from-hell) I was ecstatic. …

@basit_3 - We are not here to conform to your schedule.

That's a problem with any language that has been around for as long as English. Take English in the time of Chaucer, for example

To thee clepe I, thou goddesse of torment,
Thou cruel Furie, sorwing ever in peyne;
Help me, that am the sorwful instrument
That helpeth lovers, as I can, to pleyne!
For wel sit it, the sothe for to seyne,
A woful wight to han a drery fere,
And, to a sorwful tale, a sory chere.

Hard to read. Go back a little farther and it becomes almost completely foreign. Even in Shakespeare's time there was no standardized spelling of words. Add to that the fact that the pronunciation of words evolves faster than the spelling. In old(er) English it was common to pronounce the "gh" and the now silent "k" at the start of "knight" and "knife". You can't blame the language if the pronunciation doesn't match the spelling. You could certainly start spelling plough as plow and through as thru (or throo) but what do you do with the terabytes of published text that uses the current spelling? At some point you just live with it.

It is also common practice in English to adopt words from other languages when there is not an equivalent word in English. Why invent a new word for toboggan, for example, when the Micmac alrready had a perfectly good word. In that case, do you blame English for the peculiarities of the language where the word originated? Germany …

It's highlighting because it isn't a valid statement. Take out the line.

I think the problem is not that English is a difficult language. I think the problem is that our schools have gotten so overwhelmingly bad at teaching. When I was a lad (many eons ago) when you failed to show proficiency in a given subject, you failed it and had to take it again (and again). For decades now it has been the practice to just push the kids into the next grade. The result was generations of grade twelve graduates, many of whom could read and write at barely a grade eight level, and, in some cases, not at all.

This goes hand in glove with a lack of teaching of basic grammar. Again, when I was in school, parsing seentences was a common exercise. My kids did not do any parsing when they were in school.

Another problem is laziness. I've heard people with advanced college degrees using phrases such as "Me and Dave saw the show last night." This could be partly due to the lack of teaching of basic skills but you would think that at the PhD level (yes, the person who said that has a doctorate in physics), a person would motivated enough and disciplined enough to learn the basic rules of grammar.

We will answer specific questions if you provide appropriate information. For example, "I am getting an error at line xxx. Here is the error message" or "I want this piece of code to do xxx but when it runs I see yyy instead". Posting a wad of code and asking "what's wrong with it" is NOT a specific question.

If you won't take the time to comment your code so that I can see what its intention is then I won't take the time to try to figure it out myself. You've already said the code isn't working the way you want. Reading the code will not tell me what you want it to do.

And since you still haven't got the hint about the CODE tool, let me spell it out. This site uses Markdown syntax, not BBSCODE. You keep putting code blocks between [code] and [/code] tags. That does not work here. All lines of code must be indented by at least four spaces to format properly.

What can I say but
SMBC
SMBC
SMBC
SMBC
SMBC

Reminds me of the How to Do It Monty Python sketch.

If you want a sensible language then learn Esperanto. Although I suspect that even that would eventually evolve into a hodge-podge.

The main form should be the form that you spend the most time in and from which other forms are shown. Make that form the main form in the design phase. If you need to show the signup/login form before any other form you can do

Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

    frmLogin.ShowDialog()

End Sub

The main form will not show until after you close the login form. If you want to do the login AFTER the main form has loaded you can do

Me.Hide()
frmLogin.ShowDialog()
Me.Show()

If you don't need/want to hide the main form then you can remove the Hide/Show lines. Because you are displaying the login form using ShowDialog, the form will be shown as Modal (the calling form will be inactive).

That depends on how you define "help"? Do you mean "will someone please do it for me" then the answer is likely "no". I posted a complete solution for encrypting/decrypting in one of you (many) other threads here. All you had to do was copy/paste into your application. I suggest you build the application in vb.net without encryption, then add that capability once you have the bugs worked out.

the problem that i don't know when to start

You start by writing the parts that you can and stubbing out the rest. Then you can ask specific questions about the stubbed out parts. When I see phrases such as "I want to make something like..." my first impression is that you haven't really thought about what you want to do. If that is the case then you are going to have to put some effort in up front.

There are differences but I don't do any asp.net programming so I can't tell you what they are. If you are programming in asp.net I suggest you post your questions in the asp.net forum. If you do, please remember to use the CODE tool in the edit box toolbar to insert code so that it gets formatted properly.

This is at least the third time you have asked essentially the same question. If you are unclear on the answers you have been given then ask for clarification in that thread. Also, please use the CODE tool for posting code.

i would like to have my encryption appear on my database

You have to learn to ask a clear question if you want a meaningful answer. The phrase "appear on my database" is effectively meaningless. I've been trying to help you here but you don't seem to want to continue that discussion.

Someone else tried to help you in this thread but again you abandoned that discussion.

I knew one person in high school who consistently did poorly on IQ tests because she was OCD (not a common term back when I was in high school). She was obsessive about very carefully and completely filling in each o (to indicate her multiple-choice selection) with her pencil. A non-OCD would quickly make a mark and continue. She would spend 5-10 seconds carefully filling in.

A third party library is certainly not required here. If the OP can be more specific with expected input and output I'm sure we can help with a solution.

From zdnet

Windows 10 goes one very large step further.

When you upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, the Windows 10 setup program checks your current activation status and reports the result to the activation servers. If you're "genuine" (that is, properly activated), the Windows activation server generates a Windows 10 license certificate (Microsoft calls it a "digital entitlement") and stores it in conjunction with your installation ID and the version you just activated (Home or Pro).

It didn't need a product key to do that activation. All it needed was the proof from the Software Licensing Manager utility that your underlying activation was legit.

You can now wipe that hard disk completely, boot from Windows 10 installation media, and install a squeaky clean copy.

The Setup program asks you to enter a product key, but in a major change from Windows 8 and 8.1, it allows you to skip entering that key.

From wikipedia

It was already known that Microsoft used two keys, a primary and a spare, either of which can create valid signatures. Microsoft had failed to remove the debugging symbols in ADVAPI32.DLL, a security and encryption driver, when it released Service Pack 5 for Windows NT 4.0, and Andrew Fernandes, chief scientist with Cryptonym, found the primary key stored in the variable _KEY and the second key was labeled _NSAKEY.

Microsoft denied the speculations on _NSAKEY. "This report is inaccurate and unfounded. The key in question is a …

Actually, my wife and I have had some of our most productive "relationship" discussions by written letter. And those were while we were in the same house. We still are, in case that last sentence left you wondering. The nice thing about the written argument/discussion is that nothing gets said in the heat of the moment. And if you save the letters there is never any disagreement over who said what later on.

Then there is the often parodied (and rightly so) "team-building" seminar.

Paul Thurrot makes several good points. Indeed, perception often shapes reality. So does reputation and Microsoft's reputation is certainly not stellar. It doesn't help when certain settings (except for Windows 10 Enterprise) can be set to "disabled" and still send information back to Microsoft. It also doesn't help when privacy settings are scattered, seemingly willy-nilly, throughout the system.

Do you recall a few years back when Microsoft said that the reason for the price difference between Windows Server and Windows XP was that they used a different core code set? And then someone showed that the only real difference was in software settings. I don't fault Microsoft for charging more for a server version of Windows. Many devices come with capabilities that are disabled unless you pay for them. I do fault Microsoft for lying about it. Reputation is important and if you think you are so big that reputation doesn't matter then you have a serious problem.

I would rather debate/argue with someone by email (or in a forum like here) than in person.

1. You (hopefully) have time to make a ratiional rather than emotional response
2. You get a chance to consider/research your answer
3. You never get interrupted
4. You can organize your thoughts/response into a coherent form

Not to mention the great bonus of being able to delete your post if, in a minute or two, you realize you just made a giant a$$ of yourself. Sometimes you can unring a bell.

Even as far back as Windows NT 4 (Service Pack 5) there was a variable name, _NSAKEY. I'm not saying this is what it looks like, but it sure looks like what it looks like. You can be sure that when the NSA says they are no longer spying they really mean that they have gotten better at covering it up so I can only imagine that _NSAKEY is still present, but under a less obvious name.

One time I was able to recover the text only from a corrupt word file by using strings.exe which is available as a free SysInternals tool. That program will extract all text strings from any file. If the file is compressed then you are likely out of luck.

From what I've read, the upgrade uses your existing registration (available from your current installation). The upgrade can be done (supposedly) without having to reinstall any of your existing apps. Once you have done the upgrade, a hash value of your current basic hardware is sent to Microsoft where it is used to identify your computer. Once MS has this value you can (if you like) do a clean install and your computer will be recognized as legitimate. As with any major procedure of this type, do a full backup before starting.

However, you should check the links in this thread, as well as this article and also this article. Windows 10 has so many issues with privacy that I would never consider installing it in its current state.

In 29 years at my former place of business (approx 5000 employees) I've seen two times when consultants came in to administer personality tests. Each time we were given a fancy pop-up card with a colourful graph to display on our desks for the dubious benefit of promoting better interaction with others. Management eventually saw these tests for what they really are - a pseudo-scientific scam to separate corporations from their money.

How do you know they weren't communicating with each other? They probably weren't, but can you say for sure?

Can you save the username and password in the database without using encryption? If so then just replace the password with the encrypted password. If that doesn't work then what error are you getting?

What do you mean by "connect it to the database"? Are you saying that you cannot connect with the database or that you cannot encrypt/decrypt data to/from the database?

It would also help if you commented your code. When I see code with no whitespace and no comments I mostly ignore it.

Are you getting any errors? What indications are you seeing that your code isn't working? Have you taken the two minutes needed to read Please Read This Before Posting? If so, what parts of

• Explain what your code is supposed to do as well as what it is doing.

and

• Please include any error messages and the place in the code where the error occurs. There are thousands of ways for code not to work. Be specific.

are unclear?

Did you try a search on DaniWeb to try to find examples? There are many examples in the code snippets of how to connect to a database. In this one I have code to connect to a MS SQL database using both SqlClient and OleDB.

Try clearing your cache and reloading the page.

I presume the error is from

sum1 = (dr("slpri").ToString)

My guess is that you haven't specified a field name for the SUM in the query. I'm not that familiar with mysql but you could try either changing the query to

qry = "Select total=sum(slpri) From sales where slsnum > '" & 10000 & "'"

then using

stotxt.Text = dr("total")

or (this may work) leaving the query as is and using

stotxt.Text = dr(0)

ARS Technica reports that Windows 10 still sends info to Microsoft even when specifically told not to. Some services apparently connect to Microsoft's servers through unencrypted channels, possibly allowing the interception of download traffic.

It's like using an index at the back of a book to get the page (address) of a particular topic. Instead of scanning the book looking for the topic you just get the address from the index and go directly there. You can add an index for any field (or combination of fields) but with every index you add there is a penalty in that it requires extra space for the index and extra processing time to maintain the index.

Unless you live in certain states in the US where they penalize you (financially) for putting up solar panels. The rationale is that you are "stealing" from the utility companies by getting power for free from the sun.

Try here

Plus with wind resistance, terminal velocity is much lower for small creatures.

If your file consists of nothing but records of comma separated values then Excel can open it directly.

As far as I know the only way to get your encrypted adta back is to pay the ransom. Typically you are given a set number of days to pay the ransom. If you don't pay it before the deadline you are screwed. Removing the virus has the same effect as missing the deadline. It's sort of like in the movies when the hero cuts the wrong bomb wire and the timer fast-forwards to zero.

This article has a slate of benchmark results for Windows 7, 8 and 10. I really don't see a significant enough difference to warrant upgrading.

As I understand it, DARPA initially developed the first internet to create a communication grid that could not easily be shut down and now it seems the biggest complaint that government has with the internet is that it cannot easily be controlled. Kind of ironic, don't you think?

I now have a US Patent for adaptive systems

Do you mind if I ask how you managed to get a patent without the "big boys" claiming they thought of it first? As I understand it, it is common for deep pockets to threaten to tie you up in court (knowing you don't have the cash for lawyers) unless you sell out for a fraction of what the technology is actually worth.

But I'm not bitter.

Perhaps because Microsoft has defined progress, not as a more secure, more efficient or easier to use operating system, but as more profits for Microsoft.

We can help you if you have specific programming questions.

It gets better. It's a "free" upgrade if you are running 7 or 8.x but there are certain things you must pay extra for. Windows Media Centre? Extra. You like solitaire? Sure, you still get a free version but if you want to play without ads you have to pay $1.49 (or there abouts) per month. The Start Menu (after a fashion) is back but by default it streams content (including ads) and does not have anywhere near the functionality of the Windoows 7 Start Menu. You want privacy? Forget it unless you

1. have the Enterprise version
2. disable a dozen or more settings in a dozen or more different places

For the first point, there is a setting that says "disable" but if you choose that in any version other than Enterprise, Windows just says fuck you and re-enables it.

Through tattered clothes small vices do appear;
Robes and furred gowns hide all.
Plate sin with gold,
And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks;
Arm it in rags, a pygmy's straw does pierce it.

William Shakespeare (King Lear)

I can't try your example locally but I have a couple of suggestions. First, I suggest you have a look at this tutorial about Background Threads. It explains how to use delegates to update foreground controls (which you will need to update a progress bar). The second thing is a detail about progress bars. In order to display how much of a task has completed, it has to know the definition of completed. For your example, you have to tell it how many records will be displayed once the loading is complete. If you don't know then an alternative would be to update a label with the number of records loaded (again, using a delegate). At least that will provide feedback to the user.

Never underestimate human stupidity. A while back a security company showed how vulnerable a government building's compter system was. This was after the IT department claimed that they were bullet-proof. What high-tech technique did they use? They left USB memory sticks on the ground in the parking lot. Curious employees, on finding the sticks, couldn't resist plugging them in once they got to their desks.

I tell my father-in-law the danger of downloading and installing software. And every three months or so I have to wipe his system and restore a good image because he has pooched his laptop with a thousand or so pieces of adware, spyware, malware, etc. from downloaded software.

Recently he got a pop-up from his anti-virus software warning him that the website he was trying to go to was a known source of (paraphrased here) bad shit and stuff. I asked him what he did in response and he said "I clicked GO THERE ANYWAY".

Now go back and reread my first sentence.

some philosophers have long argued that we’re actually more likely to be artificial intelligences trapped in a fake universe than we are organic minds in the “real” one.

Without researching the philosophic writings that propose this, it seems to me that if this is the case, then you could make the same case for the intelligent beings running the simulation, ad infinitum. That's about as satisfying as saying that you've solved the question of creation by claiming "God made everything" without explaining how God came into existence. Shades of "the church of last Thursday".

I posted a couple of things RE privacy in the Windows 10 thread. As for the WiFi shariinge risks, you may want to read this.