If ("-1" != "-1" || true > 5) we want to hear your feedback



  •  I was asked to do a survey about our public transport, was given a card with a URL so I thought I'd do it from my mobile phone while in transit.

    Alas the entire site was Flash with nasty error:

    Browser Name : chrome
    Browser Version : 18.0.1025.166
    Flash Version : -1
    Java Version : NA
    JAVASCRIPT : Enabled / Active
    FLASH : <font color="red">Disabled / In-Active / Need to Upgrade</font>

    Idiots, I thought.

    Then I got to work and they had sent me an email with a handy link to the survey. So I thought yeah, I can do it now I'm on a computer with Flash installed.

    I'll give you a clue: the above was copied and pasted from Firefox.

    I'll let you all marvel at the multiple WTFs in the source...

    <div id="GIFailedInfo_text"  class="text"><p>Our apologies. You are unable to take part in this survey. Your PC and/or browser does not meet the basic survey requirements.
    <br/><br/>This means that some elements of this survey would not display properly on your screen making your answers invalid.<br/><br/>
    
    <br/><br/>
    Browser Name : chrome<br>Browser Version : 18.0.1025.166<BR>Flash Version : -1<BR>Java Version : NA<BR>JAVASCRIPT : Enabled / Active<BR>FLASH : <font color="red"><b>Disabled / In-Active / Need to Upgrade</b></font><BR></p>
    <center>
    <script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.tns-global.com/solutions/FPdetect/GI_AC_OETags.js"></script>
    <script>
    var requiredMajorVersion = 8;
    var requiredMinorVersion = 0;
    var requiredRevision = 0;
    
    if("-1" != "-1" || true > 5) {
    	// Version check based upon the values defined in globals
    	var hasReqestedVersion = DetectFlashVer(requiredMajorVersion, requiredMinorVersion, requiredRevision);
    	// Check to see if a player with Flash Product Install is available and the version does not meet the requirements for playback
    if ( !hasReqestedVersion ) {
    	// MMdoctitle is the stored document.title value used by the installation process to close the window that started the process
    	// This is necessary in order to close browser windows that are still utilizing the older version of the player after installation has completed
    	// DO NOT MODIFY THE FOLLOWING FOUR LINES
    	// Location visited after installation is complete if installation is required
    	var MMPlayerType = (isIE == true) ? "ActiveX" : "PlugIn";
    	var MMredirectURL = window.location;
    	document.title = document.title.slice(0, 47) + " - Flash Player Installation";
    	var MMdoctitle = document.title;
    
    	AC_FL_RunContent(
    		"src", "http://cdn.tns-global.com/Multimedia/L2/Vinai/js/playerProductInstall",
    		"FlashVars", "MMredirectURL="+MMredirectURL+'&MMplayerType='+MMPlayerType+'&MMdoctitle='+MMdoctitle+"",
    		"width", "550",
    		"height", "300",
    		"align", "middle",
    		"id", "detectionExample",
    		"quality", "high",
    		"bgcolor", "#3A6EA5",
    		"name", "detectionExample",
    		"allowScriptAccess","always",
    		"type", "application/x-shockwave-flash",
    		"pluginspage", "http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer"
    	);
    } else if (hasReqestedVersion) {
    	// if we've detected an acceptable version
    //	document.ctlform.submit();
    } else {  // flash is too old or we can't detect the plugin
    //	document.ctlform.submit();
    }
    } else {
    document.write("<a href=\"http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/\">Get Flash Player!</a>");
    }
    
    </script>
    </center></div>

    Obviously the chrome version is from my phone, since it's the exact same no matter which browser I use.

    This was apparently created in 2011.

     



  • And now I want to do this survey because the bus driver was sleeping and was late (I could see him across the bus interchange) and I've missed my connecting train. Hmm 15 mins wait. I guess in the long run it's a case of first world problems...



  • @Zemm said:

    And now I want to do this survey because the bus driver was sleeping and was late (I could see him across the bus interchange) and I've missed my connecting train. Hmm 15 mins wait. I guess in the long run it's a case of first world problems...

    Work from home. I understand your transit pains as I commute to a different city on an inter-city train in order to teach. One semester out of the year I'm commuting 4 hours in total there and back to teach a 3 hour class. I'm considering teaching the class via Skype.



  • In the "evacuate" thread I tried working for home. That was an epic fail. I have three children (3yo + 8mo twins) so the only way I could get any work done was to send them an my wife away for the day. My commute is normally 60 minutes including walking at both ends (about 35 on actual transit/waiting in the middle) and today it was 75. Problem is usually the bus-train transfers. If I can fill out the survey I have something negative now!



  • @Zemm said:

    This was apparently created in 2011.
     

    It was apparently created in Dreamweaver, too - judging by the "MM" signatures.

    (I could be wrong - I just remember "MM_" being liberally shat over source code I once reviewed)



  • I really can't understand what the purpose of ("-1" != "-1" || true > 5) is. I can't even understand or imagine the thinking process behind this... and I've been developing in JS for eight or so years.



  • @Soviut said:

    Work from home
     

    @Zemm said:

    In the "evacuate" thread I tried working for home. That was an epic fail. I have three children (3yo + 8mo twins) so the only way I could get any work done was to send them an my wife away for the day.

    Could you still work remotely? Even if your own home isn't a place conducive to work, could you still go somewhere out of home with WiFi (McDonald's, Starbucks, etc) or to a quiet location (local college, library) where you could work remotely and quietly - and yet still avoided the long commute?


  • Trolleybus Mechanic

    @Zemm said:

    And now I want to do this survey because the bus driver was sleeping and was late (I could see him across the bus interchange) and I've missed my connecting train.
     

    I want to complain because my bus driver was sleeping. I could see him at the wheel. He did not miss connecting with a train. Or the fire hydrant. Or the store.



  • @ubersoldat said:

    I really can't understand what the purpose of ("-1" != "-1" || true > 5) is.

    The purpose is to disable the code block.  It's somebody's idiosyncratic way of writing if (0).



  • Considered Harmful

    @DaveK said:

    @ubersoldat said:

    I really can't understand what the purpose of ("-1" != "-1" || true > 5) is.

    The purpose is to disable the code block.  It's somebody's idiosyncratic way of writing if (0).


    I've seen this crap before. It's some server-side variable expansion, possibly in a templating language too dumb to have branching structures. So something like: if( "<%= ShowFlash %>" != "-1" || <%= RequiredVersion %> > 5 )



  • Feh my bus is a full half-hour late nearly every day. Cry me a river.



  • @blakeyrat said:

    Feh my bus is a full half-hour late nearly every day. Cry me a river.

    I try not to use busses, for some reason every time there is an accident people panic and shit happens. :( (not sure if I'm unlucky with accidents or really lucky). I also laugh at the idea of predictable timetable for public transport, that has never happened here in the history of never



  • @serguey123 said:

    I also laugh at the idea of predictable timetable for public transport, that has never happened here in the history of never

    Ahha. Now I know where you live.

    You must be in Sydney.



  • @blakeyrat said:

    Feh my bus is a full half-hour late nearly every day. Cry me a river.

    So it's on time then? My route runs every half hour. Bus was great over Christmas as no one was on it and it ran early. Luckily both ends of my journey are where the bus waits to leave at the timetabled time. The boss has hinted he wants to move offices soon, so everyone is trying to get one near a train station to avoid busses completely.

    Also this is the first time I missed my connecting train in the two months I've been catching the bus. Entirely preventable by the driver. They only just increased fares too.



  • @joe.edwards said:

    @DaveK said:

    @ubersoldat said:

    I really can't understand what the purpose of ("-1" != "-1" || true > 5) is.

    The purpose is to disable the code block.  It's somebody's idiosyncratic way of writing if (0).


    I've seen this crap before. It's some server-side variable expansion, possibly in a templating language too dumb to have branching structures. So something like: if( "<%= ShowFlash %>" != "-1" || <%= RequiredVersion %> > 5 )

    Sounds about right. This thing stored all those variables in a peer-user session variable. Because once a user logs in they will never change computers or devices or upgrade software.

    And I need to complain because my wife bit off my head when I was 15 mins late. She is cranky because the twins are teething and she is not getting much sleep.



  • @Cassidy said:

    It was apparently created in Dreamweaver, too - judging by the "MM" signatures.

    (I could be wrong - I just remember "MM_" being liberally shat over source code I once reviewed)

     

    Nope.  There's no MM_blah in this code, just MMblah which is the signature of Flash or Flash Builder's playerProductInstall template file.

     



  • @Zemm said:

    And I need to complain because my wife bit off my head when I was 15 mins late. She is cranky because the twins are teething and she is not getting much sleep.

    Ho, come on, 15 minutes late? That's my "normal" schedule. I am at least once a week 1 hour late for work and 45 minutes late back home because my train miss my other train. Belgian Railroad company unable to stand to it's schedule.



  • @Zemm said:

    And I need to complain because my wife bit off my head when I was 15 mins late. She is cranky because the twins are teething and she is not getting much sleep.

    Ho, come on, 15 minutes late? That's my "normal" schedule. I am at least once a week 1 hour late for work and 45 minutes late back home because my train miss my other train. Belgian Railroad company unable to stand to it's schedule.



  • @Kyanar said:

    MMblah which is the signature of Flash or Flash Builder's playerProductInstall template file.
     

    Given Flash is an Adobe product, and Dreamweaver's a Macromedia product, and Macromedia was integrated into Adobe systems back in 2005....

    .... it's TAINTED!

    But yeah, I was wrong to think it equated to DWeaver.



  • @Zemm said:

    She is cranky because the twins are teething and she is not getting much sleep.
     

    You create the products, you must accept responsibility for product support and/or flack from adverse end-user experience.

    No sympathy.

    (d&rfc)



  • @Quinnum said:

    @serguey123 said:
    I also laugh at the idea of predictable timetable for public transport, that has never happened here in the history of never

    Ahha. Now I know where you live.

    You must be in Sydney.

    The statement "Sydney is a place with shitty public transport" does not imply that "A place with shitty public transport is Sydney". Not by a long chalk.

    Germany seemed to have it fairly well cracked, and I'm told Switzerland is unbelievably good. I've yet to see truly working public transport anywhere else.



  • @Cassidy said:

    @Zemm said:

    She is cranky because the twins are teething and she is not getting much sleep.
     

    You create the products, you must accept responsibility for product support and/or flack from adverse end-user experience.

    No sympathy.

    (d&rfc)

    Wasn't my fault a system out of my control doubled its output during my input cycle. (Releasing two eggs) we tried filing a bug report to the stalk but it was past the support contract eol.



  • @Ibix said:

    The statement "Sydney is a place with shitty public transport" does not imply that "A place with shitty public transport is Sydney". Not by a long chalk.

    This site strong suit is not logic or rationality, not by a long shot, that being said arriving on time is the smallest of our problems regarding public transport, sometimes arriving is an acomplishment here.



  • @Zemm said:

    Wasn't my fault a system out of my control doubled its output during my input cycle. (Releasing two eggs)
     

    I feel a Blakey "oh, blame the customer/recipient rather than the delivery system" retort fighting to get out...

    @Zemm said:

    we tried filing a bug report to the stalk but it was past the support contract eol.

    Said report will probably be closed after a period of stalk inactivity anyway, with a comment of "cannot reproduce".



  • @Cassidy said:

    cannot reproduce

    Due to the wonders of modern technology that is now literally true.



  • @Zemm said:

    Due to the wonders of modern technology that is now literally true.
     

    Aha, you've been patched? Or did you make the storage area read-only?

    No, don't answer that. It's your system, your scope. I'll busy myself with my own integration activities.



  • @Cassidy said:

    Given Flash is an Adobe product, and Dreamweaver's a Macromedia product,
     

    psssst

    hey

    flash is also macromedia.



  • @dhromed said:

    flash is also macromedia.
     

    It's all one amorphous mass.

    RUN WHILE YOU STILL HAVE THE CHANCE GET AWAY NOW SAVE YOURSELF


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