Comments for Brandon Staggs .Com

Comment on Implementing a Partial Serial Number Verification System in Delphi by Olav

Olav — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:22:01 +0000

Great article!

I am thinking of implementing something like this into my own software.

The thing I have issues with though, is making the operations secure enough.

Another concern is the amount of data needed to implement for example 16 bit ckeck words instead of bytes. And having 6 or 8 instead of just 4. These could also be CRC16 values of some data.

That makes the key very long…

Any thoughts on that?

Comment on Christians, the Bible, and Guns: is Self-Defense Vengeance? by Shaina

Shaina — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 06:13:10 +0000

Hi, I agree with most of this article, but you are portraying those who promote gun control laws in an unfair light. Not only is this generally unkind, it most certainly does not show Christlike love for
those who are of the world. If an unbeliever were reading this, what impression would it form in their minds of us, who are called to be the light and salt of the world? It also reads rather like ad hominem, which is a logical fallacy and generally unhelpful for the purposes of reasonable discussion.

Comment on Give a Delphi TToolBar a Proper Themed Background by pcunite

pcunite — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:01:49 +0000

C++ Builder 2007 example

#include

void __fastcall TForm1::ToolBar1_CustomDraw(TToolBar *Sender, const TRect &ARect, bool &DefaultDraw)
{
TThemeServices * pTheme = new TThemeServices;
TThemedElementDetails ElementDetails;
RECT pRECT = Sender->ClientRect;
pRECT.top = pRECT.top – GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYMENU);

if(pTheme->ThemesEnabled == true)
{
ElementDetails = pTheme->GetElementDetails(trRebarRoot);
pTheme->DrawElement(Sender->Canvas->Handle, ElementDetails, pRECT);
}
delete pTheme;
}

Comment on The Kindle Fire isn’t Pretentious by Mitchell Vincent

Mitchell Vincent — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 01:25:01 +0000

Spot on. I really like the Fire and the price is exactly where it needs to be. It’s well worth $199.

Comment on Commodore 64 by Alistair

Alistair — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 23:57:47 +0000

I swapped my SH101 synth for a Commodore 64 back in 1984 the moment that I saw a program called Electrokit which allowed you to create and sequence whole tracks of music just like in the games like Commando.
My Commodore took all sorts of electrical flac as I insisted on trying to connect various bits of equipment to the parallel ports etc and eventually I blew up my 2nd PIO chip, but surprisingly the computer still ran.
I did loads of music with it up until the 90′s when I got to use expensive recording equipment at music college that sounded great but all the sequencing principles I learned on the 64 helped immensely. Amazing computer – I used to sync it with my spectrum using the specdrum software/DAC which meant big drum sounds etc.
Great days.

Comment on Commodore 64 by Nymdok

Nymdok — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:29:11 +0000

In 6th grade I laid my hand on a c64 for the first time and for the next 6 years never looked back. So much computer for 400$ (900$ in todays money).
It was a high watermark for what could be delivered in technology and done at such a thin margin that it was wildly successful.
It was not intuitive (Remember Peek and Poke?). Had no GUI to speak of and no hard drive (till the 1 MB Lt Kernel) but it was an inexpensive gateway to an idea.
It was writing a few small BASIC programs that taught kids to structure their ideas. Think Rationally and systematically. Break down big ideas and problems into small ideas and problems. And of course, play some of the most compelling and interesting games EVER.
Impossible Mission
Airborne Ranger
The Bard’s Tale
Racing Construction Set
Mail Order Monsters
Archon

The list is almost endless…and I still miss Touchterm as a modem client :)

Comment on Christians, the Bible, and Guns: is Self-Defense Vengeance? by Sid Leo

Sid Leo — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:58:52 +0000

The Bible condemns a person seeking vengeance through violence. The Bible condemns murder, i.e. premeditated killing by an individual, but not self-defense, nor all killing by whatever entity. The Bible condemns violent resistance against legitimate government authority. The Bible condemns rebellion against legitimate government authority. The Bible does not condemn protection of life and limb of loved ones. The Bible does give responsibility to the head of the household to provide and protect those under his leadership. The means are not described nor proscribed. All of the scripture quoted in these posts, when taken in context, teach these principles. It is important to “rightly divide the scripture” by applying passages in their proper context, and by differentiating between interactions between an individual and a violent unlawful assailant and an individual and legitimate authority.

Comment on Christians, the Bible, and Guns: is Self-Defense Vengeance? by MikkoM

MikkoM — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:26:48 +0000

Charles John opposed quoting OT, and then himself quotes Jesus.

Dear sir, with all respect, you seem to have forgotten when the NT began (not before the death of the testator, according to Hebrews).

You can quote OT freely when God’s program has not changed concerning any particular matter. You just need to know if the program has been changed or not.

If NT does not give us anything about any change, then we have to go back to OT.

To apostle Paul was given instructions for us. Jesus prepared the 12 & the rest of the (believing) Israel for the coming tribulation. That is, Jesus and Paul had a context, in which they spoke / wrote. So according to Jesus you should not care about working either, because everything will be GIVEN, but you do care. Which is right, according to Paul.

Paul says that we should be in peace with everybody IF it is possible. And i myself believe this settles the issue.

Comment on Implementing a Partial Serial Number Verification System in Delphi by K. Bolino

K. Bolino — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:30:41 +0000

@Jamie Briant

No solution is “100% immune” to cracking. Even phoning-home/dialing-in can be spoofed, as a clever user can do the following:

1. Packet-sniff a legitimate handshake with the real authentication server.
2. Reverse-engineer the authentication protocol.
3. Develop a custom server that emulates the protocol.
4. Reconfigure the network (DNS and routing) to redirect authentication requests to the emulated server.
5. Run the program as-is (i.e., no patches) in said environment until it receives the response it expects.

You can introduce some cryptography to this process, but it will only frustrate an attacker, not completely defeat him. Of course, patching–which, “sane” or not, is commonplace–completely undermines key checking, with or without phoning home.

Comment on Christians, the Bible, and Guns: is Self-Defense Vengeance? by Michaeljon

Michaeljon — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:22:24 +0000

What about the scripture for us to obey the laws of the land?

Romans 13:1-2, TLB. Obey the government, for God is the one who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.

Doesnt this mean for me to obey the state government and the law that says I have a right to use deadley force if I feel my life or my families life is threatend? I surley would never want to shoot anybody. But It would be very hard to watch my 5 year old son, or my wife be beaten, taken or murdered when I had the means to stop it.

The bible also says to use judgement.
Resisting an attack is not to be confused with taking vengeance which is the exclusive domain of God (Romans 12:19). This has been delegated to the civil magistrate, who, as we read in Romans 13:4, “is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

I agree with one of the other posters, let the holy spirit guide you.