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Comment: Re:I'm a non-degree slacker (Score 1) 655

I graduated Grade 12 in the early 80's. Was going to go for a CS degree but put it off for a year while I worked. Then another year went by, and so on. Back then, the vast bulk of "nerds" loved this stuff as a hobby and could slide into a work role easy enough. Then people started going to school to 'learn teh computerz' as it seemed like an easy way to make cash. Those are the folks who were dumped during the dot-bomb. Fact is many of the best IT folks I know who also have excellent technical skill were self-taught.

Same with me, but during the mid-90's.

For the first five years of my work life, I'd half-seriously tell my friends that I was getting paid to do what I would already have been doing in the first place.

Comment: Re:As someone who runs an IT company (Score 1) 655

Not at all. My expectations are usually along these lines: "Hey, Person J says her computer keeps locking up. Can you go figure out what's going on?"

Good IT: "Sure." "Turns out she had installed a toolbar that kept popping up a hidden prompt for her to click on. It's all cleaned up now, and she is good to go."

Bad IT: "Sure." "The screen seems frozen. What do I do?" "Ok, I hit alt+tab, and there seems to be a prompt. What do I do?" etc.

Real IT Person: "That's against company policy to unfreeze this computer"

Real IT Person: "Did you try turning it off and back on again?"

Real IT Person: "Hold on while I ask my colleague..." **CLICK** <dialtone>

Comment: Re:Next billboards close the street, please. (Score 1) 516

by Christian Henry (#39477085) Attached to: NHTSA Suggestion Would Cripple In-Car GPS Displays

Drivers should focus on the street and the traffic and not being distracted by some ads.

You bring up a great point actually, especially in the day of the electronic billboard. They're all over the place here, it's like looking at a HUGE TV screen...gee no distraction there...

You should see some of the ones Bell Canada uses around here (Toronto, Ontario, Canada area). Along one highway, there's one in particular that's so damned bright, I once drove past when it instantly flipped from a dark ad to an almost-100%-white ad, and almost swerved into the next lane over due to reflex action.

Comment: Re:Want a great example? (Score 1) 516

by Christian Henry (#39477055) Attached to: NHTSA Suggestion Would Cripple In-Car GPS Displays

"I would argue that the reason we have analogue displays is that they are easier to comprehend."

This was the argument in car circles once digital readouts started to become popular. Some enthusiasts, apparently looking at Sopwith Camels and P51 Mustangs pointed out that these high performance aircraft used analog, so that must be best.

The argument fell apart when it was pointed out that the latest aircraft both commercial and military all used digital readout because it got information to the pilot faster.

The argument pretty much ended. I *prefer* analog gauges, but I realize they're not better, they simply look more elegant to my 20th century brain,

Personally, I find digital gauges (including clocks / watches) require more "thinking" for me to interpret. If someone asks me, "How fast are we driving?" a digital gauge will allow me to quickly answer, "110 km/h." However, it will take me a second or two to "internalise" how fast I'm driving.

With an analogue gauge, if someone asks me the same question, it'll take me the additional second or two to convert the needle position into "110 km/h", but I instantly will be able to see, "Oh, I'm going a few km/h above 100 km/h."

I have the same issues with watches. With a digital watch, I easily can figure out the current time. To figure out how long I have, say, until I need to get out the door to go to work, it'll take me longer to figure out with a digital watch. With an analogue watch, I find it easier to figure out I have, "about a quarter of an hour" until I need to leave.

Comment: Re:My phone has a camera (Score 1) 652

by Christian Henry (#39198367) Attached to: Rearview Car Cameras Likely Mandated By 2014

Just like GP says: on most cars, with the mirrors properly adjusted, a vehicle exiting the field of view of the rear-view mirror will simultaneously cross into the side mirrors, and exit the side mirrors as it enters your peripheral vision. A quick sideways glance may be required to pick it back up at this point, but in most cases it should be nearly alongside you once it's out of the mirrors (this is not strictly true in, say, a convertible with the top up, but it still holds in most cases). This isn't to discount the importance of a good long look before changing lanes, but generally, you should be able to have constant 360-degree situational awareness without craning your neck around the B-pillars.

Should be able to. In my case, at 6'3", the following vehicles are physically incapable of having their mirrors adjusted properly (typical issue: I cannot move the driver's side mirror out far enough, or the mirror is too close for me to get the proper angle, even when the right side of the mirror allows an even transition to the left side of the rear view mirror):

  • VW Golf (*any* year)
  • Honda CR-V (*any* year)
  • Hyundai Sonata (at least any model made after 2005)
  • Nissan Versa 5-door

There are other's, but the above are ones I'm intimately familiar with.

Comment: Re:My phone has a camera (Score 1) 652

by Christian Henry (#39198259) Attached to: Rearview Car Cameras Likely Mandated By 2014

> And every time I'm on the expressway, I wish I had a camera for my blind spots.

You're doing it wrong. Seriously, when you mirrors are _properly_ configured in a car you should NOT have ANY blind spots.

Angle your mirrors out more. You should be able to track a car in your rearview mirror, to your side mirror, to the right/left WITHOUT moving your head.

Most people "toe in" their mirrors WAY too much, which means they need to move forward to see "more." This is inefficient, lazy, and just bad (as in accident prone.)

Seriously, you're being dense.

At my height (6'3"), a significant number of vehicles do *not* allow me to set my mirrors this way, no matter how hard I try. The main issue is the mirrors are designed to *not* move far enough out so that I can cover the blind spot between the edge of the rear view mirror and my direct vision, even when I'm looking 90 degrees to the left or right. Sure, if I shrank 6 inches and moved my seat far enough forwards so my chest touches the steering wheel, I could eliminate the blind spots from most vehicles, but this obviously isn't reasonable.

Also, with some cars (hatchbacks, especially, including the current-model Nissan Versa), the "C" pillar is so large that it's *very* easy for a motorcycle or bicycle to fall out of sight, no matter how well you position either or both of the side mirrors.

Don't automatically assume that all vehicles have mirrors that can be properly adjusted.

Comment: Re:Sounds completely logical (Score 5, Funny) 312

by Christian Henry (#38907447) Attached to: Oklahoma Politician Wants To Tax Violent Video Games

I would like to propose a tax - 10% of any politician's annual income everytime they attempt to speak with their ass. As Rep. Fourkiller is apparently doing.

Unfortunately, that won't work. They don't attempt to speak with their asses; it just happens naturally. :-)

Comment: Re:Missing the point. (Score 2) 297

by Christian Henry (#38127718) Attached to: How To Get Into an Elite Comp-Sci Program

I'm already working an average of 50-60 hours a week, but my last review from my boss was "I need you to be available more". My jaw pretty much dropped to the floor. I'm salaried at way under my paygrade and have been a workhorse for the past few years just making the things that others break work and spending my evenings for the company. All the company has to say is "You're not doing enough". Damned companies.

Was that the only bad thing your boss said?

In some organizations, if your boss can't find anything wrong with you, HR rules will state they have to find a nit to pick, no matter how minor; otherwise, you end up being perceived as having no growth potential, and (oddly enough) are more expendable than the employee who is just coasting by.

Comment: Re:Water? (Score 1) 191

by Christian Henry (#33962006) Attached to: UK-Developed 'DNA Spray' Marks Dutch Thieves With Trackable Water

Of everything. Because this is a fine mist that will stick to everything, even your hands, shoes, clothes, socks, the bag, the tools, the stolen property. So you'd need to do a job and then ditch everything you have in a forensically secure way.

Or simply wear the same clothes to attack / burgle at least one other location that might use a similar spray.

In other words, what happens when the original layer is obscured by multiple, overlapping layers from some other site? Or, just as bad, if the layers mix, producing a chemical similar to, but sufficiently different from, the original layers?
