CLI Custom Presets (Episode V: The Mooch Strikes Back)

Discussion of the HandBrake command line interface (CLI)
Forum rules
An Activity Log is required for support requests. Please read How-to get an activity log? for details on how and why this should be provided.
Locked
bry2k
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:15 am

CLI Custom Presets (Episode V: The Mooch Strikes Back)

Post by bry2k »

KonaBlend,

Jake closed the other thread, but I did want to reply to this:
by KonaBlend » Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:45 am
I'm wondering if you'll address why you are ignorantly classifying a feature request as "simple" and oblivious to the true complexities of the task. Or you can go on sidestepping that faux pas and trolling in an attempt to mask it.
I wasn't sidestepping. I just felt that exchanging barbs with you was a higher priority at that point, since you were being an equally ignorant jerk. :P

In any event, I would like to explain my characterization of the request as "simple", because it may help you see how unnecessarily negative and reactionary you guys often are on this forum, in that you seem to absorb every comment or criticism of Handbrake offered by its users (or "moochers of free software" :roll:) as an insult, rather than as enthusiastic feedback and constructive criticism. (Actually, I have no illusions that what I'm writing will help you improve yourself, but I'll say it anyway since you invited me to reply).

When I said it would be "simple", I meant: Considering the complexity of Handbrake as a whole, and considering how intelligent (spoken sincerely, not sarcastically) you guys are, having reached so many other milestones with Handbrake over the years (I've been around here since the early days of Mediafork and witnessed many of those goals achieved), and considering how dedicated the dev team is to improvements, and considering how Jake has already written code to parse XML presets, it seemed as though it would be relatively simple by comparison with all those past accomplishments to implement the idea I suggested, which is to have the GUI display an equivalent CLI string based on the GUI settings.

The word "simple" was, in essence, intended as a compliment. :shock: I just didn't spell it out for you by writing a long preamble filled with gooey praise. I didn't know (or rather, I forgot), that I was dealing with apparent neurotic teenagers who have serious self-confidence issues.

I understand it would be work to implement the feature request I suggested, but I assumed, I guess wrongly, that based on your skills, it wouldn't be particularly challenging - perhaps merely tedious; but worthy, since it would bridge the learning curve gap between the GUI and CLI rather intuitively, and assist the less technical GUI users with the task of making good use of the CLI.

Considering how many requests for support there are on these forums regarding the CLI syntax, this feature I've suggested would save you TONS of time, energy and bandwidth. It's strange that you don't consider that.

Perhaps you want those kinds of questions, because without them, you would miss all the opportunities that present themselves daily for you guys to be flaming sarcastic chastising holier-than-thou pendejos whenever you reply to the "n00bs" (not human beings) who are trying to figure out your software.

I understand the sync issue you referred to, but as I understand it, that issue already exists, hence the need for manicure to parse XML into CLI strings. You've got a sync problem inherent in the current architecture of these two totally "discreet" products (as you described them). My feature request doesn't exacerbate that problem. It merely highlights the flaw in Handbrake's current architecture. You are either going to have to fix it eventually, or Handbrake is going to be severely feature locked by virtue of its current design. What a shame.

In summary, I think you guys are smart in one sense, but equally stupid in many others. That's just my honest opinion KonaBlend, and I appreciate you inviting me to share it with you. :wink:

PS - In the end, the whole thing I was trying to accomplish (using my liberated ATV to run encodes whenever I'm not using it so I can put otherwise wasted CPU cycles to good use) was negated by the fact that 0.9.3 CLI, which requires Leopard, doesn't run on the ATV, which runs Tiger. I can encode DVD sources on the ATV, but not files. So, in the end, I ended up with half a solution. By virtue of your refusal to directly assist me in any way, I learned for myself how to use the svn, how to install the Ruby plist gem, and how to use manicure. Anybody can learn anything themselves. It's just nice when, God forbid, someone lends a hand now and then.

PPS - Now go ahead and lock this one up too Jake, 'cause I've said all I want to say. I will not burden you with any support or feature requests again.
dynaflash
Veteran User
Posts: 3820
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 8:19 pm

Re: CLI Custom Presets (Episode V: The Mooch Strikes Back)

Post by dynaflash »

Nah, I will be happy to oblige. Quite simply no one has done it because no one wants to nor see's the need on the dev team. Since you seem to be so handy at learning yourself feel free obviously to mod hb to your needs.

Though as the owner and heavy user of two atvs ... the notion of running hb on one seems quite honestly absurd considering the temps reached just *decoding* video with an atv, much less the stress hb puts on a cpu when encoding. But hey, knock yourself out.
KonaBlend
Novice
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 2:35 am

Re: CLI Custom Presets (Episode V: The Mooch Strikes Back)

Post by KonaBlend »

bry2k wrote:PS - In the end...I learned for myself...Anybody can learn anything themselves.
I see you finally fell off your high horse and did something for yourself. Congratulations; you are now on the road that leads to righteousness.
That other road you were on, you know the one where you could not accept a "no" to your feature request, does not lead to righteousness.
bry2k
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:15 am

Re: CLI Custom Presets (Episode V: The Mooch Strikes Back)

Post by bry2k »

dynaflash wrote:as the owner and heavy user of two atvs ... the notion of running hb on one seems quite honestly absurd considering the temps reached just *decoding* video with an atv, much less the stress hb puts on a cpu when encoding. But hey, knock yourself out.
Precisely my point. If u didn't think of it, it must be an "absurd notion". That's the equal part stupid I was talking about.

:roll:
rhester
Veteran User
Posts: 2888
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:24 pm

Re: CLI Custom Presets (Episode V: The Mooch Strikes Back)

Post by rhester »

Just let us know when you smoke your ATV.

Rodney
jbrjake
Veteran User
Posts: 4805
Joined: Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:38 am

Re: CLI Custom Presets (Episode V: The Mooch Strikes Back)

Post by jbrjake »

bry2k wrote:and considering how Jake has already written code to parse XML presets, it seemed as though it would be relatively simple by comparison with all those past accomplishments to implement the idea I suggested
No. It wouldn't. I already explained this to you and you just mocked me instead of listening. Doing what Ruby-based Manicure does, in C, would be *torture*. Mnaicure depends on: dynamic arrays, the Plist gem, blocks, string grepping, hashes, convenience methods for type conversion, and an object-oriented code structure. How the [Censored] am I supposed to do that in C without, effectively, writing a new scripting language or alternatively wasting weeks/months of my life working around the lack of high-level of abstractions that make Manicure feasible to maintain in the first place?

You have absolutely no clue what you're talking about.
bry2k
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:15 am

Re: CLI Custom Presets (Episode V: The Mooch Strikes Back)

Post by bry2k »

jbrjake wrote:
bry2k wrote:and considering how Jake has already written code to parse XML presets, it seemed as though it would be relatively simple by comparison with all those past accomplishments to implement the idea I suggested
I already explained this to you and you just mocked me instead of listening.
I wasn't mocking you for explaining that it would be difficult. I mocked you because you are so arrogant, melodramatic and wrapped up in yourself. Believe me, all I was looking for was a simple, helpful reply, which could have been easily given and used far less bandwidth than all the BS replies you guys have wasted time to write: "Use this thing called Manicure that you don't know about. That's the only way for now. Download here. Install plist gem first. Good luck!" Instead, I got all your usual ugly ranting. You could have posted no reply at all, and let another user help me.

This is why I, and so many others, rarely post on these forums.
Doing what Ruby-based Manicure does, in C, would be *torture*. Manicure depends on: (blah blah). How the [Censored] am I supposed to do that in C without (blah blah)
Writing C extensions in Ruby is easier than in Perl or Python, with a very elegant API for calling Ruby from C. This includes calls for embedding Ruby in software, for use as a scripting language. A SWIG interface is also available. Ruby can load extension libraries dynamically if an OS allows.]:

I guess that's all nonsense. There's always a reason why something can't/won't/wouldn't/shouldn't work when you are discussing it.

You just don't get it. Regardless of how well informed you are regarding the subject, you lack all credibility because of the way you talk to people. You earn no respect. Quite the opposite, you demand contempt. Questions or comments about HB always result in a response from you along the lines of: "What? Huh? You can't do it that. Why would you do that? That would be torture! Umm. Why are you asking for that? Huh? What? Uhhhh? You don't have a clue. You have no idea what you're talking about!", etc, ad infinitum. Search the forums for those words and you get scores of posts from jbrjake. That's how you talk. It's "torture" trying to communicate with you.

So forget about my silly little feature request. Carry on with being miserable and chastising everyone you cross paths with. I'm outta here, 'til the next time. :wink:

PS -
Just let us know when you smoke your ATV.
Rodney
Oh, gosh! I wouldn't want that to happen. Thanks for the warning dude! I'll get right back to ya on that. Hold your breath! :shock: :roll:

Google results for My Apple TV burst into flames

PPS - Here's a PM I received during this exchange with you guys:
(positive) comment on your post
Sent: Tue Jun 09, 2009 6:42 pm
From: ******
To: bry2k

Hi,
I saw your forum postings and wanted to comment. In fact, I registered just so I could send you this PM.

I would have replied in the thread, but the mods locked it.
My comment: You are 1000% right-on. (And you are far more articulate than me!)
The developers have a real attitude problem that will frankly discourage me from continuing with the software. My take after reading a number of threads in the forums:
- If you request a feature that the developers don't agree with, you are simply wrong. No amount of persuasion will change that.
- If you are not a software developer (e.g, coder), the core dev group has the attitude that you can't possibly know what you are talking about.
- If you make any request they disagree with, you are reminded that they are volunteers and unless you are willing to code, don't bother asking for anything

I happen to have worked in IT for 20 years, and while I am not a hardcore coder, I do know a think or two about software development. One think I've learned is a successful development effort is not just about the coding. Successful coding includes business analysts (e.g, the USER's VOICE), project managers, QA, testers, etc. It is a *team* effort. It is especially important to develop to the ENDUSER'S SPECIFICATIONS, not your perception of what those should be. Unfortunately, the handbrake developers do not seem to know this.

Developers who think they are god and who think everyone else is an idiot are frankly anachronisms in most successful software shops. Unfortunately, the handbrake developers seem to have this attitude. I can tell you, they would not last long at my company!

I really, really want to like & use the Handbrake program. However, there are a few things that it doesn't do, such as group (batch) encoding of files, that for some reason the developers have a stick up their a** about not supporting no matter how many people request it. I haven't even bothered posting about this because I know they will just reply with a condescending attitude and lock the thread. Frankly, it turns me off to the whole software package.

You have a thicker skin than I do for even trying to engage them -- and I commend you.

Anyhow, don't let the petulant teenagers get you down.
Good luck
KonaBlend
Novice
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 2:35 am

Re: CLI Custom Presets (Episode V: The Mooch Strikes Back)

Post by KonaBlend »

bry2k wrote:
Doing what Ruby-based Manicure does, in C, would be *torture*. Manicure depends on: (blah blah). How the [Censored] am I supposed to do that in C without (blah blah)
Writing C extensions in Ruby is easier than in Perl or Python, with a very elegant API for calling Ruby from C. This includes calls for embedding Ruby in software, for use as a scripting language. A SWIG interface is also available. Ruby can load extension libraries dynamically if an OS allows.]:

I guess that's all nonsense. There's always a reason why something can't/won't/wouldn't/shouldn't work when you are discussing it.
I see you put your as*hat back on and are once again heading down the road of unrighteousness... can't say I'm surprised. Anyways, you haven't the first clue about costs involved in creating and maintaining alternate language bindings.
User avatar
s55
HandBrake Team
Posts: 10350
Joined: Sun Dec 24, 2006 1:05 pm

Re: CLI Custom Presets (Episode V: The Mooch Strikes Back)

Post by s55 »

Locked

I think your post shows perfectly how rude you and your friend really are. The fact that you have to slander someone is really telling.
Locked