Perhaps my greatest shock came when I found an innocent loop that had no test in it. No test. *None*. Common sense said it had to be a closed loop, where the program would circle, forever, endlessly. Program control passed right through it, however, and safely out the other side. It took me two weeks to figure it out.

This paper examines this most frequently deployed of software architectures: the BIG BALL OF MUD. A BIG BALL OF MUD is a casually, even haphazardly, structured system. Its organization, if one can call it that, is dictated more by expediency than design. Yet, its enduring popularity cannot merely be indicative of a general disregard for architecture.

At some point, you, the nerd’s companion, were the project. You were showered with the fire hose of attention because you were the bright and shiny new development in your nerd’s life. There is also a chance that you’re lucky and you are currently your nerd’s project. Congrats. Don’t get too comfortable because he’ll move on, and, when that happens, you’ll be wondering what happened to all the attention. This handbook might help.

Even moderate amounts of the stimulant can lead people to hear voices and see things that are not there, the researchers warn.

Previous studies have shown that too much caffeine can lead to heart palpitations, insomnia and even affect a woman's chances of becoming pregnant.

Game! is the free, purely browser based RPG with a wacky sense of humour. With over 250 fabulous items to find, such as the Unusually Usual Dog House, the Pony Seed and the Large Maul, 150 different monsters to slay, and 70 areas to explore, Game! has more than enough fun for the whole family. Plus, with more stuff being added all the time, there's always something new to try.

The Hacker's Choice, a non-commercial group of computer security experts, has released a video showing a cloned passport being approved by a security scanner at a Dutch airport. When the reader scans the passport it is revealed to belong to one Elvis Aaron Presley, complete with picture.

Linux may seem like a good alternative to Office, but all that is happening in linux is that the windows interface is cleverly hidden away. It still needs the drivers and software services in order to run, and in most cases - that happens WITHOUT a valid windows licence.

One Man’s Life With Cute Overload

Hello Kitty gear: rear view mirrors, laptop computers, bicycles, toasters...

From what we can tell, no group on this list is running the world from behind its locked doors. But those without keys can never be sure.