Thoughts on my performance review, 2011 edition

Wait, "passionate?" My project is to add and subtract numbers from different columns, while trying to prevent smart, well-funded invaders from adding and subtracting numbers from other columns, so that numbers in still other columns don't go too far negative.

How about we meet halfway with "unreasonably easy to motivate given the circumstances?"

1) In most programs, the design doesn't actually matter; just make it work. This is why Java can actually be used successfully to build most programs.

2) In some programs (or parts of programs), the design really matters. If you screw it up, disaster ensues.

People accustomed to writing type-1 programs can be caught by surprise when a type-2 problem hits and they try to use a type-1 solution.

I think this model pretty much exactly explains my experience with delegating tasks to other people.

"The result of this document will determine whether we lose tens of millions of dollars or don't. I guess I can justify spending a couple of hours on it."

Strange fraud scheme of the day: cheque kiting. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-check-kiting.htm

This reminds me of when I realized that you can actually store data in internet links. How much data? Well, bandwidth*latency. As soon as it emerges from one end of the link, send it back the other way. Ta da! Free storage! Well, storage someone else pays for, as long as you keep churning your CPU.

Building a secure system is a thankless, near-impossible job. To win, you have to get every detail perfect, and make absolutely no mistakes that anyone anywhere can find.

Breaking into a system is exciting, high-adrenaline, and easy. To win, you just have to find one mistake, and the whole system crumbles at your touch.

Things I didn't mean to do when I drag a downloaded file into a browser window that supports drag-and-drop in some spots:

1. Totally throw away the page I'm on and switch to a different URL.

Hmm, from the talk invitation: "Kevin Mitnick was the most elusive computer break-in artist in history."

I kind of doubt that, given he was caught.