✧✦Catherine✦✧
new episode of Crackhead Engineering https://crackhead.technology/contact-sales-for-dimensions/
(although this entry is more "Crackhead Sales"... doesn't have the same ring to it, does it now?)
"Contact sales for complete package dimensions"

When the alternative to signing an NDA is

Crackhead Engineering
Feb 4 at 2:52amWeb
Show thread✧✦Catherine✦✧Feb 4

some people try to make fun of open source devs writing bad code, but i don't like that:

  • everyone writes bad code before they write good code, it's nice if they feel safe enough to publish it
  • they'll probably read it and get angry or sad
  • lots of programmers have zero chill and an ironclad belief that their personal preference is objectively the best

i make fun of corporations releasing products:

  • they really ought to know better after the 15th IoT devce on the market
  • corporations don't have feelings and the people making chea... value-optimized devices come home and don't think about what they've done
  • bureaucracies are great producing unbelievably dumb shit no single individual could possibly manage
Show thread✧✦Catherine✦✧Feb 4
anyway i take submissions
Show threadPeter BrettFeb 4
@whitequark On the software side, I submit Cadence Virtuoso
Show threadchrisgj198Feb 4
@krans @whitequark Seconded! I curse icfb.exe, though I'm sure the version I learned to hate predates any possible involvement on your part! BTW, try xschem, it is fun to use with ngspice, and the developer is nice. I used it a bit for schematics when I was trying to put something on the Skywater tapeout that Google funded, but I couldn't figure out how to do the layout in MAGIC and the process wasn't quite set up in klayout yet when I looked.
Show threadPeter BrettFeb 4
@chrisgj198 (For context, I'm a software architect for Virtuoso)
Show threadchrisgj198Feb 4
@krans yes, I just figured that out! The versions I last used and hated were in 2001- 2010 so likely not your fault.
Show thread✧✦Catherine✦✧Feb 4
@krans don't you work on it
Show threadNRoach44Feb 4

@whitequark my current personal beef, for:

* NDA'd datasheets, for everything
* Garbage WiFi chips
* Upstream kernel support for their SoCs (Great!) but somehow are un-bootable on commercial boards (maybe this is a skill issue)

Marvell! Even their SATA <-> IDE bridge chip datasheet is NDA'd

Show threadplaesFeb 4

@whitequark ERP with "fat" desktop client that has "superuser" database credentials hardcoded in application. And these credentials are basically "app:app".

#erp #badsoftware #fail

Show threadchrisgj198Feb 4
@whitequark The buggy, feature-incomplete closed-source Windows-only application that is the only supported way to use every $50k+ laboratory instrument, that forces you to implement automation by simulating mouse clicks on their GUI, and that is very unlikely to get any updates after your payment clears.
Show threadMayaFeb 4

@whitequark

"the people making chea... value-optimized devices come home and don't think about what they've done"

Laughs until ey starts to cry

Those are just such soul corroding jobs for people who actually give a shit.

Show threadSnowFoxFeb 4

@whitequark
Me: "81-pin SPI flash? What are all the pins for?"

Me, later: "... oh. That explains it, but now I have more questions."

Show thread✧✦Catherine✦✧Feb 4
@snowfox I think it's for alignment