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For the last few weeks I've been fiddling with an old MFC app for a client; when they gave it to us we knew it's current incarnation dated back to the NT4 era. Based on the bulk of the code reading like C not C++ (eg structs with pNext to create linked lists as a primary data structure, char* not string); I've suspected large parts of the codebase were even older. Just before I went out for lunch I found the smoking gun, a file with large commented out blocks of calls to XSetSensitive[^] and other X-Windows GUI functions.
Sadly, whoever wrote that file appears to've cared more about code documentation than whoever ported it to MFC and the people who did other bits of maintenance on it over the years. The information in the function comment headers is woefully out of date (relevant to the commented out X code); but the only this does that comments in the MFC part are my notes on the bits I've figured out what's going on. 
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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Dan Neely wrote: Based on the bulk of the code reading like C not C++ (eg structs with pNext to create linked lists as a primary data structure, char* not string); I've suspected large parts of the codebase were even older
I haven't touched C++ in nearly a decade, and I still have nightmares about these sorts of things.
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I am ready to read anyone's (short) story about your personal experience with leasing a car.
Advice, warnings, heads-up; all are welcome.
Suggestions on successful navigation are equally welcome.
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If you drive a lot leasing may not be for you. Also depending on what they cover (do you or they pay for the oil changes) it may not be the most cost effective way to get a car.
I have only leased one car and ended up purchasing it because I went over the millage way too far.
Mongo: Mongo only pawn... in game of life.
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I have never done it. It never made sense. I pay for gas, insurance, maintenance, repairs, I gain no equity, and am limited in the amount of miles I can put on the thing, and they charge me for damage. At the end of the term it's gone with your money, like it never happened. I have never understood the benefit to the consumer.
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It's the lazy way to always have an almost new car. With the gap between what the stealership gives you to take your old car off your hands and what they turn around to sell it for; I'm not sure if leasing works out cheaper than just buying a new car and reselling it a few years later. The number of gotchas in the contracts are enough that I doubt I'd ever sign one.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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Leasing is nice if you're are renting one of the current crap-cars anyways which are lemons as they roll off the assembly line.
Well, I've leased and I bought the extra miles right at the outset.
I remember the sales person saying, "Now we don't want you to waste money on this. You don't have to buy those miles, now. Now you don't have to." 
Me: "I've calculated it out and I know exactly how much I drive. We'll drive our other car for trips."
3 years later at the turn in.
Car guy with wild look in his eyes:
"Let's calculate your total mileage!! Oh, yes. Yes! Yes!!!"
Me: "Okay"
Car guy: "Uh, you don't owe any extra miles." Deflated 
Yep!
Make sure you know what you're signing. They hide so much crap. If they offer the extra miles, buy them early for cheap.
Good luck.
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I always used to buy until an accountant told me that it makes more sense to lease. Plus you get a new car every 2-3 years. I've leased from VW, Lexus, Honda and Ford and had no problems to speak of. I am thinking about giving mine back soon and buying an older car outright simply because I walk to work so don't really need a car most of the time any more.
I believe that you can claim some of the tax back on your tax return (but not in California, of course!). Check with an accountant.
The really unpleasant part of the car leasing.buying experience is dealing with the scum bag parasites in the dealerships.
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R. Giskard Reventlov wrote: scum bag parasites in the dealerships
Now, I don't think we need to use that kind of harsh language when talking about
...the scum-sucking bottom-feeding parasitic diseases who work at the dealerships...
So, let's just ease up. 
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My neighbour does it - she works as a Care Worker, visiting the elderly three times a day. As this is a very rural area, the council she works for arranges a lease car for her - and pays most of it - and she's on about her third or fourth. The only hassle she's had is when it's returned they go over the bodywork with a fine tooth comb and try to charge her a fortune for any scratches. Even if they weren't there when she handed it back...
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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OriginalGriff wrote: the council she works for arranges a lease car for her - and pays most of it
That's the only time a lease makes sense IMO--when somebody else pays for it.
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My son and his wife have been leasing for at least 10 years. They get a new car every three years, and often pay less for the new one than the old. However, this is specific to a certain manufaturer and dealership in the UK, so is probably not representative, nor relevant to the US.
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I still drive the car[^] I bought new in 1991. 
At one point I thought about selling it, but thankfully came to my senses.
/ravi
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My wife still drives her 1987 Camry.
I was driving a 2003 Jaguar most of the time, but since the stroke, I don't drive, but we did buy a new 2015 KIA to carry around my 350 lb power wheelchair. The KIA Sedona miniVan has a hydraulic lift installed.
I'm dangerous when I start going in the power wheelchair!
Once I stop runningf into things with the char, I'll give some thought to drivving a car!!
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E.
Comport Computing
Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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That's awesome about the Camry! Wish you a swift and complete recovery, Walt! 
/ravi
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I need to hire a van next week to move some furniture around, so hunted for my driving licence yesterday. Couldn't find it, so picked up a renewal form at the local Post Office and duly filled in the details. Gave the DVLA a ring before posting the form to ensure I'd got the details right, only to be told they had revoked my licence in 1994!
They have no record of why, and I have had no problems hiring (or insuring, or driving my own) cars in the years since. But according to them I haven't had a driving licence for 21 years....
So I've sent the form off anyway, let's see if I get a licence back 
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This one looks awesome
like some angel floating in the sky
Regards,
Palash
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Sorry about that, unexpected minor emergency!
The answer was CORRUSCATION: Anybody want to explain why (without having to set it tomorrow, that's my problem)?
The clue was: "Sparkling in the grain, they mixed one outer layer of input / output? (12)"
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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Well I was going to say that but as it's only 11 letters ..... !!!!!!
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Since when?
CORRUSCATION
123456789012
CORRU SCATI ON
5 + 5 + 2 = 12
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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Since it was spelt with only one R ..... or always as we prefer to call it!
I got the outside as CORN and I assume the layer of input/output gives the IT or the IO but after that I'm lost (even if working with your wildly incorrect spelling!)
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Um .. yourself. All of them are wrong ... hell, they're on the web .. of course they're wrong. When did I found it on Google become synonymous with fact?
It comes directly from the Latin coruscare which you will note has but one R. The double R is an errant spelling based on the assumption that the word has similar roots to correct, correspond etc. and perpetuated by the Internet. It is not accepted by OED which is the only dictionary that counts nor by Chambers which is the next best thing to the only dictionary that counts.
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Hmm...
in the grain = COR...N
outer layer = RUS...T
??? = CA
input/output = IO
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