martenshinwarts

"Sure the guy didn't test the parameter as being empty, but if you pass a string instead of a float, an error should be raised"

Just like you should not pass strings in place of numbers, in accounting software of all things. Why can't just everbody get it absolutely right the first time?

Any language that can do anything also allows you to shoot yourself in the foot. And I think that was the case here, brainless programming; PHP hardly pulled out the rug under something reasonable in this case, they simply defined previously undefined behaviour... and when that happens, that always breaks crappy programs that depended on it, no matter in what language they're written. It's the big problem with idiots; PHP has nothing to do with it.

I more or less ONLY take photos of stuff I found. And usually kitsch, too. Insects on flowers, clouds, swans, street art is basically 50% of my photos. For me it's not so much "look at what I've made", but "look at what I've found!". Maybe there is still an element of pride in it, but it's more the pride of a kid bringing sea shells home from the beach... and it's not my problem if boring adults don't get that :)

Having said that, having worked with a photographer for a while, I don't consider what I do "real photography"... that woman thought about shots for months, planned them for weeks, made them in hours or over the course of days! Now that is actually what it says on the tin, "painting with light".

So without any bitterness, I simply cannot call what you and I do, no matter how much we enjoy it, the same thing. It would be like comparing writting a shopping list to "writing", to Kafka or something. It may seem to be the same act to the casual observer, but it really isn't. But then again, by that standard most professional photographers aren't photographers either. Hmm I'm rambling, sorry; that woman impressed me loads, what can I say. So obsessed, so good.

I loved the photo of the Hudson River sunset.

But generally, maybe you can swap out "mediocre photos" with "better" ones either by yourself, or by others who gave you permission? Not because your photos are so bad, but because there are sweeet photos out there, from photographers who would love to help / show off - and photos that "say something" would help drawing people in, and keeping them reading.

I'm thinking of the Luminous Landscape (google it, explore it, wear it like a funny hat) here, which tends to have articles that explain something, and then a photo that illustrates the technique -- but without talking a whole lot about that specific photo. Maybe you can draw some inspiration from that, and try to "decouple" the photos and the articles if you will?

I'm saying this because I LOVE the general idea of the site, and that it's without clutter (though personally I think the font sizes are a bit huge). It's bookmarked to help out newbies when I run into them; now if you kindly could turn it into the best there could possibly be? Thanks :) I like what you're trying to do, and wish you all the best doing it.

Oh, and I think the whole point about art is a bit, uhm, besides the point. Yes, if you want to make great photos you don't read about shutter speed -- at the same time, if you want to learn about shutter speed a book of art photographs is perfectly useless, too :P

"This bug report highlights the problems you run into if you use it for serious work."

Indeed. Passing an empty string for a parameter which is expected to be a float is SUCH serious work.

"if it breaks your stuff then tough shit because we're a bunch of amateurs."

You say that, but it rather seems like it broke amateur code.