Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()

#1

Post by surine » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 8:57 AM UTC

Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()
stackoverflow.com

Re: Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()

#2

Post by frisco » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 10:15 AM UTC

This reminds me of the "isUserAMonkey" thread: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7792123/strange-function-...

That turned out to refer to automated testing harnesses as opposed to live users (see: http://developer.android.com/tools/help/monkey.html). Unfortunately, http://developer.android.com/tools/help/goat.html 404s.

The Android API is known for lots of little hidden references and Google jokes. The SensorManager for example has a bunch (i.e., GRAVITY_DEATH_STAR_I and SENSOR_TRICORDER: http://developer.android.com/reference/android/hardware/Sens...).

According to the Chrome team, the "Goats Teleported" reference in Chrome is just a random number: http://www.quora.com/Google-Chrome/How-is-the-number-for-Goa...

So, it appears that isUserAGoat is most likely just an engineering joke that shipped.

Re: Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()

#3

Post by gadders » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 10:15 AM UTC

Returns True on LL Cool J's phone: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.O.A.T.

Re: Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()

#4

Post by surine » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 10:26 AM UTC

frisco wrote: post #2

This reminds me of the "isUserAMonkey" thread: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7792123/strange-function-... That turned out to refer to automated testing harnesses as opposed to live users (see: http://developer.android.com/tools/help/monkey.html ). Unfortunately, http://developer.android.com/tools/help/goat.html 404s. The Android API is known for lots of little hidden references and Google jokes. The SensorManage…

The code responsible for enumerating goat teleportation (on very low contrast page): http://100-geek.net/articles/goats_teleported

Re: Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()

#5

Post by chris_wot » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 10:34 AM UTC

surine wrote: post #4

frisco wrote: post #2

This reminds me of the "isUserAMonkey" thread: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7792123/strange-function-... That turned out to refer to automated testing harnesses as opposed to live users (see: http://developer.android.com/tools/help/monkey.html ). Unfortunately, http://developer.android.com/tools/help/goat.html 404s. The Android API is known for lots of little hidden references and Google jokes. The SensorManage…

The code responsible for enumerating goat teleportation (on very low contrast page): http://100-geek.net/articles/goats_teleported

kNuthMagicNumber?

Re: Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()

#6

Post by chris_wot » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 10:39 AM UTC

So, uh... What happens if the goat counter overflows?

Re: Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()

#7

Post by surine » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 10:41 AM UTC

chris_wot wrote: post #5

surine wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The code responsible for enumerating goat teleportation (on very low contrast page): http://100-geek.net/articles/goats_teleported

kNuthMagicNumber?

Looks like golden ratio (phi, about 1.618) * 2^30. Maybe something to do with Knuth's Surreal Numbers? (http://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~uno/sn.html)

Re: Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()

#8

Post by wulczer » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 10:44 AM UTC

chris_wot wrote: post #6

So, uh... What happens if the goat counter overflows?

It can't

http://git.chromium.org/gitweb/?p=chromium.git;a=blob;f=chro...

(link found on some other page, can't remember where)

Re: Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()

#9

Post by shocks » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 11:14 AM UTC

Using Chrome 25.0.1323.1 dev-m and I don't see Goats Teleported. Anyone else?

Re: Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()

#10

Post by wladimir » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 11:37 AM UTC

frisco wrote: post #2

This reminds me of the "isUserAMonkey" thread: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7792123/strange-function-... That turned out to refer to automated testing harnesses as opposed to live users (see: http://developer.android.com/tools/help/monkey.html ). Unfortunately, http://developer.android.com/tools/help/goat.html 404s. The Android API is known for lots of little hidden references and Google jokes. The SensorManage…

"LIKE_TRANSACTION", "TWEET_TRANSACTION", on the lowlevel IBinder RPC interface in Android also made me laugh a bit: http://developer.android.com/reference/android/os/IBinder.ht... . "There is no response returned and nothing about the system will be functionally affected by it, but it will improve the app's self-esteem.".