The Old New Thing : May 2009

Friday, May 29, 2009 7:00 AM

Lessons from the state police, like what to do when they pull you over

Keep your hands on the wheel where they can see them.

Posted by oldnewthing | 14 Comments

Filed under: Non-Computer

Friday, May 29, 2009 7:00 AM

Alternatives to using the #error directive to check whether the compiler even sees you

Not saying it's the only way, just a way.

Posted by oldnewthing | 21 Comments

Filed under: Code

Thursday, May 28, 2009 7:00 AM

An unexpected application of the First Law of Thermodynamics

Conservation of furnace functioning.

Posted by oldnewthing | 24 Comments

Filed under: Non-Computer

Thursday, May 28, 2009 7:00 AM

I'm sorry, you don't have permission to know where this shortcut file should show up in the Explorer window

It's confusing when a file's sort order changes.

Posted by oldnewthing | 26 Comments

Filed under: Other

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 7:00 AM

Before designing and implementing around an assumption, it helps to check that your assumption is true

Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.

Posted by oldnewthing | 24 Comments

Filed under: Other

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 7:00 AM

How to hide privacy violations in a privacy disclosure statement, part 2

Ruling out only that which is already illegal.

Posted by oldnewthing | 27 Comments

Filed under: Non-Computer, Reading the fine print

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 7:00 AM

What do you call a gadget that is used for debugging which looks at the properties of other gadgets?

It's naturally the inspector gadget.

Posted by oldnewthing | 5 Comments

Filed under: Other

Monday, May 25, 2009 7:00 AM

The latest installment of Wallace and Gromit coming to Seattle

One showing only.

Posted by oldnewthing | 4 Comments

Filed under: Non-Computer

Monday, May 25, 2009 7:00 AM

Why can't you change the alignment of an edit control after it has been created?

Because that would reduce to polling, at least back in the day.

Posted by oldnewthing | 25 Comments

Filed under: Code

Friday, May 22, 2009 7:00 AM

Chicken chicken chicken chicken

Chicken chicken chicken.

Posted by oldnewthing | 43 Comments

Filed under: Non-Computer

Friday, May 22, 2009 7:00 AM

If an event is signaled more than once, are they delivered in the order in which they were signaled?

Um, how can you tell?

Posted by oldnewthing | 18 Comments

Filed under: Code

Thursday, May 21, 2009 7:00 AM

First, try reading the error message: Episode 1

It may very well be right there in front of you.

Posted by oldnewthing | 61 Comments

Filed under: Tips/Support

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 7:00 AM

Signs that your new building was originally designed for another purpose: Rest rooms

Gender balance.

Posted by oldnewthing | 42 Comments

Filed under: Non-Computer

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 7:00 AM

Just letting you know I had to reboot my telephone

These fancy phones now with their 404 errors.

Posted by oldnewthing | 34 Comments

Filed under: Non-Computer

Monday, May 18, 2009 7:00 AM

How do I know whether a window message was processed?

By the same mechanism the window manager uses.

Posted by oldnewthing | 6 Comments

Filed under: Code

Friday, May 15, 2009 7:00 AM

Windows Vista User Experience Guidelines is online and downloadable

Another go.

Posted by oldnewthing | 40 Comments

Filed under: Other

Friday, May 15, 2009 7:00 AM

Imagine our luck when we found one of the fancy conference rooms available for our meeting

Rrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Posted by oldnewthing | 13 Comments

Filed under: Non-Computer

Thursday, May 14, 2009 7:00 AM

Parents billed when kids miss school: Pay for play

Obligations vs. desires

Posted by oldnewthing | 40 Comments

Filed under: Non-Computer

Thursday, May 14, 2009 7:00 AM

Creating shortcuts in the same folder as the target isn't as stupid as you may think

Dragging and dropping is tricky for some users, and that may include you.

Posted by oldnewthing | 18 Comments

Filed under: Other

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 7:00 AM

People become more trustworthy the more you trust them

Just ask.

Posted by oldnewthing | 24 Comments

Filed under: Other

Tuesday, May 12, 2009 7:00 AM

Microspeak: T-shirt sizing

Rough estimates.

Posted by oldnewthing | 16 Comments

Filed under: Other, Microspeak

Monday, May 11, 2009 7:00 AM

How do I get a window back on the screen when it moved far, far away?

Ah, the keyboard interface.

Posted by oldnewthing | 63 Comments

Filed under: Tips/Support

Friday, May 08, 2009 7:00 AM

Writing a sort comparison function, redux

Further highlighting the importance of getting your comparison function right.

Posted by oldnewthing | 47 Comments

Filed under: Code

Thursday, May 07, 2009 7:00 AM

A puzzle: Why are so many fake LiveJournal blogs written by 29-year-olds?

At least we think they're fake.

Posted by oldnewthing | 32 Comments

Filed under: Other

Thursday, May 07, 2009 7:00 AM

When you subclass a window, it's the original window procedure of the window you subclass you have to call when you want to call the original window procedure

Not the window procedure from some other window.

Posted by oldnewthing | 23 Comments

Filed under: Code

Wednesday, May 06, 2009 7:00 AM

You can tell which people listed blogging as a performance review goal

Blog posts with little added value.

Posted by oldnewthing | 36 Comments

Filed under: Non-Computer

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 7:00 AM

The social skills of a thermonuclear device: Why did you hang up?

Sorry, I'll do it again.

Posted by oldnewthing | 45 Comments

Filed under: Non-Computer, The social skills of a thermonuclear device

Monday, May 04, 2009 7:00 AM

The dummy icon that doesn't know that its fifteen seconds are over

Just there to support a balloon.

Posted by oldnewthing | 17 Comments

Filed under: Other

Friday, May 01, 2009 7:00 AM

When advanced users outsmart themselves: The device removal notification icon

What you want is on the basic menu.

Posted by oldnewthing | 135 Comments

Filed under: Other

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May 2009 - Posts

Lessons from the state police, like what to do when they pull you over

Alternatives to using the #error directive to check whether the compiler even sees you

An unexpected application of the First Law of Thermodynamics

I'm sorry, you don't have permission to know where this shortcut file should show up in the Explorer window

Before designing and implementing around an assumption, it helps to check that your assumption is true

How to hide privacy violations in a privacy disclosure statement, part 2

What do you call a gadget that is used for debugging which looks at the properties of other gadgets?

The latest installment of Wallace and Gromit coming to Seattle

Why can't you change the alignment of an edit control after it has been created?

Chicken chicken chicken chicken

If an event is signaled more than once, are they delivered in the order in which they were signaled?

First, try reading the error message: Episode 1

Signs that your new building was originally designed for another purpose: Rest rooms

Just letting you know I had to reboot my telephone

How do I know whether a window message was processed?

Windows Vista User Experience Guidelines is online and downloadable

Imagine our luck when we found one of the fancy conference rooms available for our meeting

Parents billed when kids miss school: Pay for play

Creating shortcuts in the same folder as the target isn't as stupid as you may think

People become more trustworthy the more you trust them

Microspeak: T-shirt sizing

How do I get a window back on the screen when it moved far, far away?

Writing a sort comparison function, redux

A puzzle: Why are so many fake LiveJournal blogs written by 29-year-olds?

When you subclass a window, it's the original window procedure of the window you subclass you have to call when you want to call the original window procedure

You can tell which people listed blogging as a performance review goal

The social skills of a thermonuclear device: Why did you hang up?

The dummy icon that doesn't know that its fifteen seconds are over

When advanced users outsmart themselves: The device removal notification icon