security
We were discussing nasty software hacks today at lunch. The worst hacks are always in software, but those software hacks have an insidious tendency to seep into the hardware, too. I was reminded of Intel's infamous CPUID hack [http://linux.omnipotent.net/article.php?article_id=11457]: >
programming languages
I'm sure most of you are familiar with this famous Microsoft group photo from December 1978: Groovy. In case you were wondering, the photo is authentic. It's even featured on the official Microsoft Bill Gates biography page [http://www.microsoft.com/billgates/bio.asp]. Of course
programming languages
In the spirit of iPod modem hacking, Michael Steil documents how hackers compromised the Xbox security system. Mostly thanks to 512 bytes of rather buggy security code embedded in the Xbox boot ROM: The Xbox is an IBM PC, i.e. it has an x86 CPU. When the machine is
vb.net
I just noticed that Option Explicit [http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vblr7/html/vastmOptionExplicit.asp] is on by default for new VB solutions in Visual Studio .NET 2005: It's about damn time. There's nothing more vicious than making an innocent typo
software development concepts
Joel has a lengthy entry in which he asks, does having the "best programmers" really matter? This is something I've talked about before: extreme skill disparity is unique to the profession of software development. The odds of working with a genius or a jackass on any
programming languages
A colleague recently pointed me to a Steve Ballmer video I hadn't seen before; the one where he pitches Windows 1.0. All three of the Ballmer videos are essential viewing for any Windows developer: * Windows 1.0 sales pitch [http://media.ebaumsworld.com/ballmerwindows.wmv] * Dance Monkeyboy
programming languages
I'm currently working on a project where almost every function has its own region. At first I found this convention onerous, but as I used it, I saw why it was necessary. The default Visual Studio .NET outlining support leaves a lot to be desired. Take your typical
software development concepts
The anonymous mini-microsoft blog has a fascinating entry on the pitfalls of Microsoft’s curve rating system: I totally accept that we need to have a rating system, especially to reward our kick-butt super-contributors who end up doing most the hard work around here. I have not, however, come to
software development concepts
In a previous entry, I touched on the broken window theory. You might be familiar with the Pragmatic Progammers’ take on this: Don’t leave “broken windows” (bad designs, wrong decisions, or poor code) unrepaired. Fix each one as soon as it is discovered. If there is insufficient time to
programming languages
In “Who needs talent when you have intensity,” I proposed that success has very little to do with talent. This blog entry by Brad Wardell offers even more proof: In 1992, OS/2 came out and I felt I could get a competitive advantage by pre-loading OS/2 onto the
.net
Owen Winkler put together an overview of all self-installable blogging software, circa mid-2004. After surveying his options, he notes one clear trend: Even more disheartening: .Text is the only blogware that anyone suggested for the Windows platform. I asked and asked about it because I wanted to give Windows a
programming languages
I’ve been trying to improve my use of keyboard shortcuts in Visual Studio .NET. Here are the ones I use most often, what I consider my “core” keyboard shortcuts: Go to declaration F12 Debug: step over F10 Debug: run to cursor ctrl + F10 Debug: step into F11 Debug: step