Hazard's stuff

Comparison of C, C++, Java, Perl, Python, Rexx, and Tcl

— Posted by hazard @ 2005-11-28 00:24
I encountered an interesting paper - "An emperical comparison of C, C++, Java, Perl, Python, Rexx, and Tcl for a search/string processing program". Basicly the same task was given to a number of programmers, and then various parameters such as time to analyze the task, write the code, reliability, performance, memory consumption etc were compared. The results are in line of what I would expect for the specific task. Perl got the best score for the time to develop the code, while C/C++ had the best performance and memory footprint. Java performance was lower than I would expect, but that can be explained that the report is circa 2000 and nowadays JVMs should have much better performance.

The Country of Pitcairn

— Posted by hazard @ 2005-11-27 23:01
Ever heard of Pitcairn? According to CIA factbook, its an island in Oceania with an area of 4.5 sq. km and population of less than 50 people. Britain's most isolated dependency indeed - vessels visit the island about three times per year, so you should plan your trip ahead. :-)

Visitors are welcome to use Pitcairn's facilities:
  • The General Store, open several times a week. Note that flour, eggs, meat and butter are provided only if ordered several months in advance as they must be imported from New Zealand.
  • The Satellie Earth Station, equipped with a telephone and a fax. Open during business hours.
  • The Health Centre, staffed by Resident Nurse, an Assistant Nurse and a local Dental Officer who also doubles as an X-ray Technician. From time to time, doctors visit Pitcairn, usually as part of their own planned holiday, giving their services to the community. The Resident Nurse is usually the wife of the Island Pastor. Pitcairner, Meralda Warren currently serves as the Assistant Nurse. She is also the Island's Police Officer and Secretary of the local Co-operative Store. Steve Christian, who holds the position of Supervising Engineer, swaps his over-alls for the white Dental Officer's Coat to attend to the dental needs of the islanders. He has recently extended his skills to include the manufacture of dentures and has many satisfied clients. Steve is also the X-ray Technician.
  • The Church. Note that The Seventh Day Adventist Church is the only faith represented on the island.
  • And of course, the cosy Hostel, with enough space for eight people.


  • The island has two generators which provide 240 volt electric power for approximately six hours each evening and for three hours each morning. First paved road was opened on 13th of October 2005.

    In October 2004 the economy of the island was stuck by a crisis due to arrest of 1/4th of the labour force was arrested and ships couldn't be unloaded (the island has a labour force of 12 able-bodied men).


Color Bubbles! Yay!

— Posted by hazard @ 2005-11-18 03:52
A toy inventor has spent 11 years of his life to invent color bubbles. :) Very cool story (found through Slashdot).

Sony's DRM rootkit

— Posted by hazard @ 2005-11-16 01:20
Just in case you didn't know... Sony is in such despair to stop their customers from ripping audio CDs that they included a rootkit as part of bundled DRM software. You see, as soon as Sony's customer installs the player software from his legitimately purchased CD, he would not only have a player on his system, but also a rootkit hidden deeply inside Windows! Fantastic.

Everything was fine and dandy until Sysinternals discovered and blogged about it.

Following a public outcry, Sony released an "uninstaller" for the rootkit. However, as Sysinternals found, what it does is installation of an updated copy of DRM... Moreover, you have to fill in a couple of forms to get the uninstaller...

Already a few trojans have appeared that utilize cloaking capabilities provided by the rootkit. Obviously writers of these trojans didn't read Sony's press release, in which they would have learned that Sony DRM software does not present any security risk for customer's PC.

So, that's it? Nah. The player software is nice enough to access Sony's website each time you run it. Sure, having some extra information about your customers wouldn't hurt.

Now, imagine that rootkit was developed/distributed not by Sony, but by some teenage guy. Would he still be around?


System of a Down "Mezmerize" review

— Posted by hazard @ 2005-11-14 03:24
In "Mezmerize" System of a Down continues performing in the style of "Toxicity", i.e. having fun with instruments and voices. :) From the musical point of view, it is not as good, but is still fun to listen, particularly because of lyrics. Not for audiophiles.

Recommended tracks: B.Y.O.B; Revenga; Radio,Video; Violent Pornography; Sad Statue; Old School Hollywood.

Album rating: 7/10


Madonna "Hung Up" review

— Posted by hazard @ 2005-11-14 02:50
Madonna has my respect just for managing to stay in the POP music for so long. She adapts to whatever market currently wants and maintains high quality at the same time. "Hung Up" has proven that again - Madonna has decided to become a disco queen. :) Sound is quite refined and entire album is easy to listen.

My favourites: Hung Up, Future Lovers, Isaac.

Album rating: 6.5/10


茂 脗脜脷脕脤脣脧脟脧脤脴脦脧脥 "脨脡脳脜"

— Posted by hazard @ 2005-11-14 02:48
毛脮脨脡脤 Becks 脳 脥脕脟脕脷脡脦脜, 脡 脦脜 脷脕脥脜脭脡脤, 脼脭脧 脦脕 脦脜脥 脦脕脨脡脫脕脦脧 "non-alcohol", 脨脧脣脕 脮脰脜 脦脜 脛脧脫脭脕脤 脛脧脥脕 脡脷 脠脧脤脧脛脡脤脴脦脡脣脕. 冒脧脨脪脧脗脧脳脕脤. 么脴脝脮.

Carrefour in Cyprus

— Posted by hazard @ 2005-11-09 01:41
There is an intresting article in Financial Mirror about Carrefour acquisition of Chris & Carry and its plans for domination on the island. My feelings are a bit mixed, as for sure Carrefour will purchase everything abroad if it is cheaper and local business will suffer, while on the other hand they will bring more efficiency and lower cost of living, which in general should be positive for the economy.

"Carrefour took over the Management of Chris Cash and Carry on August 18th 2005 after the resignation of the three Directors -- Mr. Christos Vakis, Mr. Andreas Constantinides and Mrs. Vasiliki Andreou -- and the appointment to the Board of Directors of a) Mr. Jerome Loubere, b) Mr. Michael Hrostoff, c) Mr. Alain Goanvec."

"The policy of Carrefour worldwide is to be 3% cheaper than the cheapest retailer operating in the market."

"The giant has already imported 20 private label products under the Carrefour brand and now they are busy unloading containers of non-durable goods such as washing machines, refrigerators, TV screens, and their arsenal will soon be completed."

"Moving on to Limassol, where Carrefour is aiming for the town’s 28% share of the total market value for Cyprus and CYP 182 mln spent in food and drink per year, market rumours claim that Carrefour is busy with a gargantuan 7,500 sq.m. hyperstore at the Old Lanitis Stores, previously bought by Chris Cash and Carry having obtained a town planning permit already."



MTV Europe Music Award 2005 - review

— Posted by hazard @ 2005-11-06 22:59
Once again MTV shows how to do a good show. Live sound, partly hosted by Borak (ALI G), awards going out mostly to the right people (considering the public), good staging... What was wrong? Rammstein didn't get the best video.

Show rating: 7/10

冒脧脤脦脧脜 脹脧脮 脡 脡脷脗脪脕脦脦脵脜 脥脧脥脜脦脭脵 脥脧脰脦脧 脫脣脕脼脕脭脴 脫 脥脧脜脟脧 忙么冒.


莽脧脪脕 贸脕脥脧脙脳脜脭脧脳 - 冒脪脧 芒脕脪脕脦脕 脡 毛脧脷脤脕

— Posted by hazard @ 2005-11-06 20:02
卯脕 茂貌么 脦脕脼脕脤脡 脨脧脣脕脷脵脳脕脭脴 脦脧脳脵脢 脨脪脧脜脣脭 - 脙脡脣脤 脥脮脤脴脭脝脡脤脴脥脧脳 "莽脧脪脕 贸脕脥脧脙脳脜脭脧脳" 脨脧 脥脧脭脡脳脕脥 脫脣脕脷脧脣 脦脕脪脧脛脧脳 貌脧脫脫脡脡. 梅脫脜脟脧 脳 脙脡脣脤脜 52 脥脮脤脴脭脝脡脤脴脥脕 脨脧 13 脥脡脦脮脭 脣脕脰脛脵脢, 脡脭脧脟脧 11 脼脕脫脧脳. 毛脕脰脛脕脩 脫脣脕脷脣脕 脨脪脜脛脳脕脪脩脜脭脫脩 脫脨脜脙脡脕脤脴脦脧脢 脭脪脜脠脥脡脦脮脭脦脧脢 脷脕脫脭脕脳脣脧脢, 脷脦脕脣脧脥脩脻脜脢 脷脪脡脭脜脤脜脢 脫 脭脪脕脛脡脙脡脩脥脡 脡 脡脫脭脧脪脡脜脢 脦脕脪脧脛脦脧脫脭脡, 脣脧脭脧脪脕脩 脜脜 脫脧脷脛脕脤脕. 4 脦脧脩脗脪脩 脨脧脣脕脷脵脳脕脤脡 脨脜脪脳脮脌 脫脜脪脡脌 - "冒脪脧 脗脕脪脕脦脕 脡 脣脧脷脤脕". 铆脦脜 脨脧脦脪脕脳脡脤脧脫脴 - 脼脮脳脫脭脳脮脜脭脫脩 "脪脮脫脫脣脡脢 脛脮脠", 脕脦脡脥脕脙脡脩 脳脵脨脧脤脦脜脦脕 脳 脭脪脕脛脡脙脡脩脠 脧脭脜脼脜脫脭脳脜脦脦脧脢 脹脣脧脤脵, 脠脧脪脧脹脕脩 脧脷脳脮脼脣脕.

贸脣脕脼脕脭脴 脺脭脮 脫脜脪脡脌 脥脧脰脦脧 脮 脥脜脦脩 脫 忙么冒.