1/14    Why is NULL defined to be "0" in C++ instead of "((void *) 0)" like in
        C?  I have some overloaded functtions where one takes an integer
        parameter and the other a pointer parameter.  When I call it with
        "NULL", the compiler matches it with the integer version instead of
        the pointer version which is a problem.  Other funny effect is that
        sizeof(NULL) is different from sizeof(myPtr).  Thanks.
	...

4/04    Is there a good way to diff 2 files that consist of columns of
        floating point numbers, such that it only tells me if there's a
        difference if the numbers on a given line differ by at least a given
        ratio?  Say, 1%?
        \_ Use Excel.
           1. Open foo.txt in Excel.  It should convert all numbers to cells in
	...

4/29    Why were C and Java designed to require "break;" statements for a
        "case" section to terminate rather than falling-through to the next
        section?  99% of the time poeple want a "case" section to terminate.
        In fact some compilers issue warning if there is no "break;" statement
        in a "case" section.  Why not just design the languages to have
        termination as the default behavior, and provide a "fallthru;"
	...

7/19    In C or C++, how do I write the code of a function with variable
        number of parameters in order to pass the variable parameters to
        another function that also has variable number of parameters?  Thanks.
        \_ The usual way (works on gcc 3.0+, Visual Studio 2005+):
               #define foo(fmt, ...) printf(fmt, ##__VA_ARGS__)
           The cool new way (works on gcc 4.3+):
	...

3/7     I have a C question.  I have the following source code in two identical
        files t.c and t.cpp:
                #include <stdlib.h>
                int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                  const char * const * p1;
                  const char * * p2;
	...

2/4     random C programming/linker fu question.  If I have
        int main() { printf("%s is at this adddr %p\n", "strlen", strlen); }
        and soda's /proc/sys/kernel/randomize_va_space is 2 (eg; on)
        why is strlen (or any other libc fn) at the same address every time?
        \_ I don't pretend to actually know the right answer to this, but
           could it have something to do with shared libraries?
	...

2/12    I need a way to make a really big C++ executable (~200MBs) that does
        nothing.  No static initialization either.  Any ideas?
        \_ static link in lots of libraries?
        \_ #define a   i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0;
           #define b   a a a a a a a a a a
           #define c   b b b b b b b b b b
	...

9/28    http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html
        Java is #1!!! Followed by C, PHP, C++, Visual Basic, Perl,
        C#, Python, Javascript, then finally Ruby. The good news is
        Pascal is going waaaay back up!
        \_ C is still more popular than C++?  I feel much better about myself
           now.
	...

8/6     In C one can do "typedef int my_index_t;".  What's the equivalent in
        C#?  Thanks.
        \_ C#? Are you serious? Is this what the class of 2009 learn?
           \_ No.  I have to learn .NET code at work.  I am Class of '93.
           \_ python is what 2009 learns, see the motd thread about recent
              cal courses and languages
	...

7/20    For those who care btw, it looks like eclipse is now A Standard Tool
        at UCB ugrad cs, probably replaced emacs.  Furthermore, people get
        angry at seeing Makefiles, (since eclispe takes care of that).  I
        guess it's just a sign of the times.
        \_ The more people at my work use eclipse the less the code is
           managable in emacs.  I'm not sure which application's fault
	...

3/9     http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/1024-bit-rsa-encryption-cracked-by-carefully-starving-cpu-of-ele
        I failed to see why you must starve the CPU of electricity. Why
        can't you just simulate that in software?
        \_ And if you can simulate that in software, why not just single-
           stepping the simulated CPU and get the key out?
	...

12/29   Sounds like the GSM encryption key has been recovered via a
        brute force attack:
        http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/technology/29hack.html
	...

8/5     Laptop with names of 33K people in the 'Clear' program stolen.  Data
        was (of course) unencrypted.
        http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2008/08/laptop_with_tru.html
        \_ http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080805/bs_nm/tjx_theft_charges_dc
           When are people going to learn to encrypt sensitive data?
           \_ When encryption becomes transparent enough that noone has
	...

8/5     how is power usage on my laptop if i encrypt everything
        http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2008/08/laptop_with_tru.html
        \_ Steve Gibson's analysis on performance was that Trucrypt on a WinXP
           laptop was actually faster, but I don't know about battery.
           laptop was actually faster, but I don't know about battery life.
           \_faster?  How can that be?  Also, I don't see that in the article.
	...

6/25    some XCF or CSUA person had a web page about a project they were
        working on where I set up a machine, and you set up a machine
        somewhere, and they both passively back each other, i believe with
        an encryption key so i can't read your backups.  when your disk
        catches on fire, i just give you a copy of your data.  anyone remember
        the name of this?
	...

6/8     CSUA code guru please help. I need to see my random number
        generator with a good seed (I just need random 18 bit
        identifiers). The usual time(NULL) is OK, except my program
        might be invoked faster than once a second, and seeding using
        time() produced the same result. I tried clock() but it seems
        to return 0. My program needs to be run in Linux/DOS (Watcom
	...

4/21    Yahoo Instant Messenger is not encrypted. Are there chat programs
        that are a bit more secure than YIM?
        \_ what OS are you using?
        \_ What are your goals? Corporate security, or preventing your wife
           from eavesdropping on you? If you're using IM for internal company
           communication, you shouldn't be using anything where you don't
	...

2/21    Cold Boot Attacks Against Disk Encryption:
        http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2008/02/cold_boot_attac.html
        http://citp.princeton.edu/memory
	...

9/11    Hi does anyone else run linux/freebsd on their Desktop?
        Do you encrypt your home directory?  How does that play nice
        with hibernation/suspend?  Do you have to enter in a secret
        key when you log in?  Could you give a short summary of how
        this all works?  thank you!
        \_ I'm a FreeBSD user.  I do not encrypt my home directory
	...

10/27   Anybody tried the "PDF decryptor" or "PDF password delete" type of
        software?  I have a PDF form file that won't let me save.  I'm
        considering getting one of those type of software to unlock the
        file.  I really don't want to pay to try it out though.  Are there
        free open source PDF unlock programs?  Thanks.
        \_ I've used Elcomsoft's (of "Free Dmitry Sklyarov!" fame) PDF
	...