WTF, Linux contractor loses contract for using Linux.



  •  http://linuxlock.blogspot.com/2009/11/linux-contractor-fired-for-using.html

    In a nutshell, the guy is hired to work on Linux servers, but can't take the skills test because he uses a Linux desktop and Firefox and the skills test web site doesn't support anything but IE.

    In reality, it was just a friggin skills test.  Man up, go to the local library and take it there.

     

     

     



  •  @lizardfoot said:

    Man up, go to the local library and take it there.
    Or fire up XP in a VM and do it that way.  Surely he has a copy of XP lying around somewhere, I mean, doesn't everyone?



  • @bstorer said:

    @lizardfoot said:

    Man up, go to the local library and take it there.
    Or fire up XP in a VM and do it that way.  Surely he has a copy of XP lying around somewhere, I mean, doesn't everyone?

    Or use IE in wine.  Or do what I do and launch a Windows Server instance in EC2 and RDS in.



  • Having read the article, I think it's a bit more of a WTF that a Linux project manager didn't know that Linux could be used as a desktop OS and didn't know what Firefox is.

    I mean, it's not a very big WTF, since the vast majority of IT project managers have no idea what they're doing, but that doesn't mean it's not wrong.



  • Having read the article, it's even more a WTF that he wasn't fired for using Linux - he was dropped because he informed the competency test running company that their website was incompatible with Linux.

    No, really, that's why.  They contacted the hiring company, who then decided he was "refusing to work with Windows".

    All because he merely attempted to find out why it didn't work in Linux while he waited for their shipped Windows laptop to arrive.

    That's The Real WTF(tm).



  • @morbiuswilters said:

    Or use IE in wine.
    According to the article (assuming it’s accurate), he tried that and it didn’t work.

    Honestly, the guy is probably better off not working for a group of people like the ones mentioned in TFA. If he’s getting fired over this, I can’t imagine what would have happened when there an issue that came up that was out of his control during the project. (Fired and sued, perhaps?)

    Also, Indian contracting company. I think that the article probably could have just stopped there.



  •  Response to op: Or use a vm like virtualbox, or install ie on linux etc. Actually would be funny if that was part of the test :)



  •  "What's this Foxfire thing?"

     

    I've notice that most people who are not particularly knowledgable about computers always seem to refer to Firefox as "Foxfire".  They don't seem to be dyslexic when it comes to other words.  WTF?

     

     



  • @Heron said:

    All because he merely attempted to find out why it didn't work in Linux
     

    I use Windows but I would have had the same problem (at least temporarily) since I use Firefox.  The problem isn't that the website "didn't work in Linux".  The problem was that the website didn't work in Firefox.  TRWTF is people who create bizaare abominations that will only work in IE.

     



  • The best is when they stick a Mazolla on the front.



  • @El_Heffe said:

     "What's this Foxfire thing?"

     

    I've notice that most people who are not particularly knowledgable about computers always seem to refer to Firefox as "Foxfire".  They don't seem to be dyslexic when it comes to other words.  WTF?

     

     

    Perhaps they've encountered foxfire somewhere else.



  • @El_Heffe said:

    "What's this Foxfire thing?"

     

    I've notice that most people who are not particularly knowledgable about computers always seem to refer to Firefox as "Foxfire".  They don't seem to be dyslexic when it comes to other words.  WTF?

    What you've never had someone talk about their UBS Stick? Or tell you they can't find the UBS Port in the hard drive?



  • @El_Heffe said:

    @Heron said:

    All because he merely attempted to find out why it didn't work in Linux
     

    I use Windows but I would have had the same problem (at least temporarily) since I use Firefox.  The problem isn't that the website "didn't work in Linux".  The problem was that the website didn't work in Firefox.  TRWTF is people who create bizaare abominations that will only work in IE.

    How do you even create something that ONLY works in IE?  I mean, I understand how to write something that doesn't render properly (styling, colors etc.), but not how to make it not work at all.


  • @amischiefr said:

    How do you even create something that ONLY works in IE?  I mean, I understand how to write something that doesn't render properly (styling, colors etc.), but not how to make it not work at all.
    If I had to guess, I'd suppose it uses Javascript that only works in IE, or worse, ActiveX.



  • @bstorer said:

    @amischiefr said:

    How do you even create something that ONLY works in IE?  I mean, I understand how to write something that doesn't render properly (styling, colors etc.), but not how to make it not work at all.
    If I had to guess, I'd suppose it uses Javascript that only works in IE, or worse, ActiveX.

    I can understand ActiveX since it is Microsoft only, but "Javascript that only works in IE".  How is that possible?  Does IE only use it's own wierd subset of Javascript?


  • @El_Heffe said:

    How is that possible?  Does IE only use it's own wierd subset of Javascript?

    1. Pick a compatibility table at random from quirksmode.   This one, for example.
    2. Notice all the differences.
    3. Be glad you don't have to deal with it.


  • @amischiefr said:

    How do you even create something that ONLY works in IE?  I mean, I understand how to write something that doesn't render properly (styling, colors etc.), but not how to make it not work at all.

    I'd quess it checks the browser version usign javascript and then pops out everebody's favourite alert("Sorry but this page requires Internet Explorer version 4.4 or higher"); window.location="http://youfail.com/fail/horribly.asp". Srsly did you notice that people that fail to support "alternative" browsers still support the most ancient versions of IE?



  • @amischiefr said:

    How do you even create something that ONLY works in IE?  I mean, I understand how to write something that doesn't render properly (styling, colors etc.), but not how to make it not work at all.

    Probably 80% of the time it's using document.all.

    The other 20% is relying on IE's particular implementation of getElementById. (If IE can't find that ID, it'll look for the element's Name instead. I don't believe any other browsers have this particular quirk, probably including IE8.)



  • @blakeyrat said:

    Probably 80% of the time it's using document.all.
    Maybe, maybe not. Gecko has emulated document.all for quite some time (on quirks mode pages). My money would be more on heavy use of proprietary event handling and reliance on the float wrapping effect of hasLayout.



  • The thing I hate the most is when they do a browser check and refuse to let you see the page at all if you don't match exactly what they want. My bank does this (they support FF but only up to 3.0, 3.5 is not supported and has no chance of working according to them). If I spoof my user agent then I see that actually it does work, flawlessly. Same with some sites that claim only IE compatibility and don't let you even try the others. I don't mind if they give you a quick warning that "this page may not render correctly in your browser", but actually denying you access to the page is just plain retarded. In these cases again, the majority of the time the page works fine in other browsers once you spoof your user agent.



  •  @Kemp said:

    The thing I hate the most is when they do a browser check and refuse to let you see the page at all if you don't match exactly what they want. My bank does this (they support FF but only up to 3.0, 3.5 is not supported and has no chance of working according to them). If I spoof my user agent then I see that actually it does work, flawlessly. Same with some sites that claim only IE compatibility and don't let you even try the others. I don't mind if they give you a quick warning that "this page may not render correctly in your browser", but actually denying you access to the page is just plain retarded. In these cases again, the majority of the time the page works fine in other browsers once you spoof your user agent.

    That's usually the result of a much deeper WTF: the reason they don't want to let you use an un-tested browser is that their site *relies* on Javascript for some mission critical function.



  • @Hitsuji said:

    @El_Heffe said:

    "What's this Foxfire thing?"

     

    I've notice that most people who are not particularly knowledgable about computers always seem to refer to Firefox as "Foxfire".  They don't seem to be dyslexic when it comes to other words.  WTF?

    What you've never had someone talk about their UBS Stick? Or tell you they can't find the UBS Port in the hard drive?

    My favourite is the USA port.



  • @blakeyrat said:

     @Kemp said:

    The thing I hate the most is when they do a browser check and refuse to let you see the page at all if you don't match exactly what they want. My bank does this (they support FF but only up to 3.0, 3.5 is not supported and has no chance of working according to them). If I spoof my user agent then I see that actually it does work, flawlessly. Same with some sites that claim only IE compatibility and don't let you even try the others. I don't mind if they give you a quick warning that "this page may not render correctly in your browser", but actually denying you access to the page is just plain retarded. In these cases again, the majority of the time the page works fine in other browsers once you spoof your user agent.

    That's usually the result of a much deeper WTF: the reason they don't want to let you use an un-tested browser is that their site *relies* on Javascript for some mission critical function.

    Well, think of it this way: if your shiny new browser has some bug that breaks their app, they could be in a lot of trouble if they don't make an effort to block you out.  It might be somewhat hard to hold people to financial contracts if the possibility of platform quirks was allowed.  It's probably not the right way to go about it, but my guess is it's a legal CYA.  I don't really know, though.



  • My bank example probably wasn't the best option as I can see how there might be a whole world of CYA there. I've seen it happen on much less important or secure sites though. desperately trying not to mention webct/blackboard/whatever abomination it is now



  • @Kemp said:

    My bank example probably wasn't the best option as I can see how there might be a whole world of CYA there. I've seen it happen on much less important or secure sites though. *desperately trying not to mention webct/blackboard/whatever abomination it is now*

    True.  I'm not even saying it's a good thing, just that there might be some legal/regulatory hurdle for financial institutions.



  • @Heron said:

    Having read the article, it's even more a WTF that he wasn't fired for using Linux - he was dropped because he informed the competency test running company that their website was incompatible with Linux.

    No, really, that's why.  They contacted the hiring company, who then decided he was "refusing to work with Windows".

    Isn't that actionable slander, especially since not only was he fired for it, "It is reported that he has been blackballed from any future projects"

    @snover said:

    @blakeyrat said:

    Probably 80% of the time it's using document.all.
    Maybe, maybe not. Gecko has emulated document.all for quite some time (on quirks mode pages). My money would be more on heavy use of proprietary event handling and reliance on the float wrapping effect of hasLayout.

    Yeah, but it returns false on if(document.all), so code that depends on it but checks for it (like the "all, no? ok, layers, no? ok, go away" pattern common in the 90s) will fail.



  •  @Hitsuji said:

    @El_Heffe said:

    "What's this Foxfire thing?"

     

    I've notice that most people who are not particularly knowledgable about computers always seem to refer to Firefox as "Foxfire".  They don't seem to be dyslexic when it comes to other words.  WTF?

    What you've never had someone talk about their UBS Stick? Or tell you they can't find the UBS Port in the hard drive?

    I've never heard that, but it's sort of understandable.  Transposing a letter doesn't seem as odd to me as transposing half a word -- especially when they have an icon on their desktop that says "Firefox"


  • @El_Heffe said:

    I've never heard that, but it's sort of understandable.  Transposing a letter doesn't seem as odd to me as transposing half a word -- especially when they have an icon on their desktop that says "Firefox"

    Doesn't seem that odd to me.  Transposition and human memory have nothing to do with the "number of bytes moved" or anything like that.  Foxfire is a familiar term to many older people, Firefox is not.  The former existed first, they learned it first, so it sticks.  Is that really hard to comprehend?



  • @lolwtf said:

    @Hitsuji said:

    @El_Heffe said:

    "What's this Foxfire thing?"

     

    I've notice that most people who are not particularly knowledgable about computers always seem to refer to Firefox as "Foxfire".  They don't seem to be dyslexic when it comes to other words.  WTF?

    What you've never had someone talk about their UBS Stick? Or tell you they can't find the UBS Port in the hard drive?

    My favourite is the USA port.
     

    This sounds just like my manager.



  • @El_Heffe said:

    Firefox as "Foxfire". 
     

    Maybe, just to complexify the explanation, it's an object-subject-predicate sequence error in their heads.

     As in, "Fox of Fire" gets imprinted on their brains, instead of "Firey Fox"

     



  • @El_Heffe said:

    Transposing a letter doesn't seem as odd to me as transposing half a word -- especially when they have an icon on their desktop that says "Firefox"
    Most of them, if told to glance at the text under the icon, would insist that it says "Foxfire," too.  The brain sees what it wants to see, and, as morb explained, it'll want to see Foxfire.



  • @bstorer said:

    Most of them, if told to glance at the text under the icon, would insist that it says "Foxfire," too.
     

    Really, complete with the comma? 



  • @Zemm said:

    @bstorer said:

    Most of them, if told to glance at the text under the icon, would insist that it says "Foxfire," too.
     

    Really, complete with the comma? 

     

    The icon also says "Islam is the light" to them.



  • @Zemm said:

    @bstorer said:

    Most of them, if told to glance at the text under the icon, would insist that it says "Foxfire," too.
     

    Really, complete with the comma? 

    lern2grammar, tard.


  • @bstorer said:

    @Zemm said:

    @bstorer said:

    Most of them, if told to glance at the text under the icon, would insist that it says "Foxfire," too.
     

    Really, complete with the comma? 

    lern2grammar, tard.
     

    I feel that putting punctuation inside quotes is silly in most cases. Especially in computing, as it makes ambiguities. Open up a cmd window and type "del." If you included the dot you'll delete everything in the folder, if you didn't then it's a syntax error. This is the simplest example I can think of (it is after midnight here).



  • You do understand that written English and shell scripts are two different languages, right?



  • @bstorer said:

    lern2grammar, tard.
    Give him a break.  This is the same dude that continually screams "I've got mail!  I've got mail!" and thinks that his ISP is "I've got mail!"



  • @Zemm said:

    @bstorer said:

    @Zemm said:

    @bstorer said:

    Most of them, if told to glance at the text under the icon, would insist that it says "Foxfire," too.
     

    Really, complete with the comma? 

    lern2grammar, tard.
     

    I feel that putting punctuation inside quotes is silly in most cases. Especially in computing, as it makes ambiguities. Open up a cmd window and type "del." If you included the dot you'll delete everything in the folder, if you didn't then it's a syntax error. This is the simplest example I can think of (it is after midnight here).

    American English calls for punctuation to always be placed within the quotes.  Supposedly there is some typographic reasoning for this, but mostly it's because we hate the rest of you people.  Also, ignoring that your example is terrible, your underlying point is still incongruous.  I would never include punctuation inside a quote if describing, say, how to accomplish something on the command line.  In fact, I go further than that, opting for a different font face and, ideally, putting the commands on their own line.


  • @dhromed said:

    The icon also says "Islam is the light" to them.

    Pfft.. that's probably a ham sandwich.



  • @bstorer said:

    Most of them, if told to glance at the text under the icon, would insist that it says "Foxfire," too.  The brain sees what it wants to see, and, as morb explained, it'll want to see Foxfire.

    I always thought Firefox was a stupid name.  I guess this confirms it.

     



  • Well the PM is obviously ignorant, but the story does miss one critical bit of info. Perhaps I'm just used to people telling "their" side of the story, but it seems to me that the external windows/IE only test site was from a 3rd party. A 3rd party that was most obviously tasked with testing the competence of the guy in the story. Probebly not even created the website themselves.

    Now our guy first contacted the PM about getting the laptop, fine. But then he contacts the company that runs those tests and tells them he can't make the test. Now we don't know what he actually told that company, but that company responded with the only thing they could do and that was to inform the PM that this guy could not complete the test. Assuming this company works with all kinds of standard protocol forms, it would probebly be the same message when candidates fail the test. 

    Then of course the PM makes the mistake of not thinking and/or simply follows her protocol, which is declaring him not suitable for the job. Resulting in the guy not getting the job. Now I don't understand why they told him the project was canceled, but it might just be misinterpetation on his part, or mis-information on the PM's part.

    Either way I think there is a rather large chance that the guy screwed himself over.

    If large companies are looking for someone to tell them their hiring procedurs have a flawed element they will create a hiring procedure to hire someone to tell them that. It is very much not advisable to mention such things, at least not before you get the job.

     



  • @stratos said:

    If large companies are looking for someone to tell them their hiring procedurs have a flawed element they will create a hiring procedure to hire someone to tell them that. It is very much not advisable to mention such things, at least not before you get the job.

    Which is a WTF in its own regard.



  • My take on this whole thing? The company was a bunch of dumbasses and didnt understand what the hell they were doing :V

    As to why people call "Firefox" "Foxfire" (Note, my father got a degree in CS from NM Tech, he'd know his shit and HE does it) is because of the era of people. Most people that use Firefox are <30 years old or are from Europe. Hence, they call it "Firefox". However people who are >30 years old and/or not from europe have heard of a series of books on living in the country known as Foxfire, originally written as a magazine. See the wikipedia article for more. Its the people.

    addendum: Foxfire is also the name of a glowing fungus. Serious beans.


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