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submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by otter@lemmy.ca to c/programming@programming.dev

The word, used by computer scientists to mean ‘no value,’ has created long-running challenges

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[-] Amputret@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 15 hours ago

Anyone got a non-paywall link? I’m changing my name soon and this is highly relevant to my interests.

[-] einkorn@feddit.org 89 points 1 day ago

When Your Last Name Is Null, Nothing Works

No, when people DON'T PROPERLY SANITIZE THEIR USER INPUT, nothing works!!!

Looks like little Bobby Tables has some extended family.

[-] infeeeee@lemm.ee 13 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago)

This topic pops up in random news sites like every 5 years, and usually the conclusion is people with these names have less and less problems, as systems evolve.

Nowadays names which looks like some vulgar words cause more problems, it's called the Scunthorpe problem from the city of Scunthorpe. As this is a shitty article, this actual problem is not even mentioned, classic.

[-] y0kai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 14 hours ago

Lol one of the characters in my D&D group is named Farthard (pronounced Far-thard) and his steed is named Shithead (pronounced Sha-theed)

[-] cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 18 hours ago

little bobby null

[-] pHr34kY@lemmy.world 15 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

I've seen XML parsers that will convert element content from strings to native types by default. So "0" becomes an int, "true" becomes a boolean, and "null" becomes an actual null. I had to take extra steps to keep everything as a string unless explicitly told not to.

JSON does not have this problem, BTW.

[-] calcopiritus@lemmy.world 9 points 20 hours ago

I don't think anyone actually chooses XML. There's no reason to use it over JSON unless you need to.

[-] ChairmanMeow@programming.dev 15 points 20 hours ago

The entirety of the banking world uses XML very heavily, as it's part of the SWIFT standards.

[-] calcopiritus@lemmy.world 6 points 18 hours ago

I didn't say that it's not used. I say that you shouldn't if you have the option.

If the entire X world uses Y technology. You have no choice other than using Y technology.

[-] piccolo@sh.itjust.works 3 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

Really? Right in front of my AJAX?

[-] NABDad@lemmy.world 18 points 22 hours ago

Representatives for the internet provider she had used in her old apartment initially told her they couldn’t cancel her account because there was no last name associated with it.

She had been paying the company for months. She has since switched internet providers.

Are people this silly? Just stop paying them. They'll figure out how to cancel the account.

[-] Pieisawesome@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 18 hours ago

They might report you to a credit agency or keep your deposit

[-] piccolo@sh.itjust.works 9 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

"We're sending you to collections"

Oh so you have my last name?

"...no..."

[-] remotelove@lemmy.ca 30 points 1 day ago

Who the hell writes if 'null'? If it's a thing, what language would interpret a string like that?

[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 10 points 23 hours ago
[-] kamiheku@sopuli.xyz 16 points 22 hours ago

No it doesn't?

> Boolean(null)
false
> Boolean('null')
true
> null == 'null'
false
[-] sir_pronoun@lemmy.world 1 points 23 hours ago
[-] GoodEye8@lemm.ee 13 points 22 hours ago

Javascript is fun. The video takes a few jabs at ruby and then gives a glimpse into the insanity that is Javascript.

[-] Lemjukes@lemm.ee 1 points 20 hours ago
[-] dneaves@lemmy.world 5 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago)

!![] + !![] == 2

[-] ursakhiin@beehaw.org 4 points 20 hours ago

I'd bet it's less simple input sanitizing and more 2 mistakes made separately because they don't know any better.

  1. The input field converting everything to a string indiscriminately
  2. Because they did 1, converting everything back to the assumed type

If the front end Dev makes the first mistake, null would be sent in the body as "null". Then on the backend, somebody might even be binding the variables correctly, but before hand realizing they have to deal with the market and rather than just have a conversation undoes it in their own code.

[-] MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 6 points 19 hours ago
[-] 0x0@programming.dev 8 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

This seems to be old news, and paywalled.

Edit: gee, thanks MSN. The article i'd read was about the license plate.

Morgan Null, in black, with her parents and brother, all Nulls. lol

Not that rare of a name apparently...

[-] solrize@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago

Wait til they meet my friend Little Bobby Tables.

[-] Schal330@lemmy.world 7 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

At this point I would think most people know, but for those who don't:

https://xkcd.com/327

[-] PhobosAnomaly@feddit.uk 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Taking the issue at face value, I wonder what Johnny Null's workaround would be for his (or their) name?

N'ull? Nul-l? \Null? Null? JohnnyN ull?

[-] drunkosaurus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 1 day ago

Definitely not N'ull, that would trigger a SQL error when it can't interpret the ull after the string delimiter.

[-] bravesilvernest@lemmy.ml 4 points 19 hours ago

If they're not sanitizing that, they deserve to have their system broken lol

[-] 0x0@programming.dev 1 points 21 hours ago
[-] VerifiedSource@sh.itjust.works 4 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago)

NuII works

SpoilerUpper case i

this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2025
79 points (96.5% liked)

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