Definition of "wanker"
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We Australians know what this term means and many around the world may be able to surmise the definition. There are many synonyms including: jerk, tosser, toffey-nosed and something to do with sheep that Rex is unwilling to allow me to print because, well, it's a little too expressive.
However, Rex feels that it is necessary to point out exactly what this means. Put simply, a "wanker" is one who masturbates. The most common term to describe this is "jerk." (According to Kurt Vonnegut, a jerk is one who masturbates and a twerp is one who farts in the bathtub and tries to bite the bubbles - but, of course I am paraphrasing ... and I digress). The name may vary, but the concept is the same. It's the idea that I've gotten some vague success so, therefore, by self-dictated fiat I am God and will start imposing unsubstantiated dictums upon my followers.
Here lieth, the Wanker. Take, for example, what was once Rex's favourite photo website: betterphoto.com. It used to be the case that anyone could post a photo and would even aspire to win their best photo of the month category. But now, unless you pay you're not even in the running. So Jimmy, am I wrong? Is this a wallet popularity contest? Rex got two honourable mentions, but now, he feels he can't even get a toe in without expense.
Allow me to level the playing field by saying that Flickr allows virtually infinite free posting - limited by monthly bandwidth, rather than Miotke's 30 picture maximum - so, to display your wares, who would you rather post with? Admittedly, Miotke offers prizes - oh, sorry, he used to - wasn't it the case once when you could submit a picture to compete for a free professional account?
Apparently Jim's revoked that. Rex's best guess is that it's because his site has become too exclusive. Let's face it, if you can't spend his four bucks-plus-change per month - um.. that's $48 plus change, (as opposed to Flickr's $24..ish - per year) - then you're too little for him.
Hey! I need a professional photographer. I need a really cool photographer. I need ... Kiren Chang - but I don't think I need anyone on betterphoto.com - let's face it, they've become (refer to the post heading)...
ps: Jim, sue me and prove me. Bring back the free comp (or, if Rex is wrong I'll be delighted to print a resounding retraction - if you follow Rex then you know he's passionate!). But seriously (and this is no paid plug - just a good friend) - Kiren Chang - Give the man a call. Let's face it, there are a lot of people on this planet who suck a whole lot worse - like Rex, for example ... oh crap, I think I'm out of a job .... |
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Customer service or lack thereof
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What follows is a dialog in response to Rex's query about the new Delphi Prism scripting language for .NET. The product, using a core compiler known as "Oxygene" promised to allow developers to use a flavour of Pascal as a scripting language for ASP.NET applications.
This is exciting stuff. Rex and I love Pascal so the promise sounded enticing. But mismanagement seems to have pissed on our parade. Go ahead and see if you agree with Rex:
The original question was:
The Wiki describes the new with syntax very nicely, but I can't find anything about how to actually set the compiler option to allow legacy with. To clarify, yes, in a project there is the compatibility options, but if one is making a stand-alone web page using Oxygene, there's no detail on using a compiler switch. Is it:
{$allowlegacywith true}
?
(well, no it's not - I tried this and, of course, the compiler freaked). Is there something like this I can use? Better still, can I put something in the web.config to do it? If so, where, how?
tia
rts
And this was the first response:
It's in the project options, it's a global setting.
Patrick was nice enough to come to Rex's defense:
Carlo,
sorry to contradict you, but not for an ASP.NET project. In addition, it seems there is no possibility to define a global conditional symbol in an ASP.NET project.
This was the final straw for Rex. His response follows:
Correct, Patrick. I'm talking about an ASP.NET project (web page, more accurately, as opposed to an application, web or otherwise) which has only two ways of defining a compilation settings - either, potentially, by a classic Delphi/Turbo Pascal type switch in the code with the {$xx} syntax or by a setting in the web.config. Either would be acceptable and would make me happy.
You know guys, when I heard that there was a Pascal scripting language for ASP.NET I was very excited and began making plans for my company to make the switch (from VB.net). I've been evaluating the product for a couple of days now and I have to say that I'm not all that impressed. If Carlos's flippant response (obviously given without taking the time to read or understand my question) is representative of the kind of customer service I can expect then that's one more reason for my company to not make the switch.
Let's face it, you guys are asking for a lot of money for this product but you've butchered the "with" statement (with a vague promise that I can use the old one but no direction), I still haven't received a response to my question about subrange types - apparently you've gotten rid of them for no valid reason that I can see - and documentation is virtually non-existent. You're relying on a wiki which is tantamount to saying "if you want documentation then write it your damn self."
Well, if my company is going to spend the exorbitant price you're asking for your product then you're really going to have to do a hell of a lot better. I'm sure I won't be the only one to say "screw it, we'll just stick with VB despite it's shortcomings." I strongly suggest that you go away and think it over again. For this kind of money I expect:
Solid, good quality documentation (that should be available for evaluation - if I'm testing a product I want to know if it can do what I want it to do and wasting my time by having me fumble around for a solution is pathetic customer service).
Reasonable and thoughtful customer service - not a "oh say anything because they're wasting my time" type of throw-away response. If I'm bothering you then I'm more than happy to go somewhere else.
The features that Nicklaus Wirth wanted in pascal. It's not your language to screw with as you please!. "Enhancement" means "improvement" not gratuitously changing things because you don't like them.
Not impressed, boys, not impressed. I think you can pretty much kiss my company's money goodbye and probably anyone else who reads this evaluation (which will be posted independently because I just know you'll take it down).
rts. |
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