SQL Unit Tests
23 December 2004
22 December 2004
03 December 2004
21 November 2004
Autism research
Brain inflammation link to autism
"Researcher Dr Carlos Pardo-Villamizar said: "These findings reinforce the theory that immune activation in the brain is involved in autism, although it is not yet clear whether it is destructive or beneficial, or both, to the developing brain.""
"Researcher Dr Carlos Pardo-Villamizar said: "These findings reinforce the theory that immune activation in the brain is involved in autism, although it is not yet clear whether it is destructive or beneficial, or both, to the developing brain.""
17 November 2004
Ergnosis
A company called Ergnosis, in Bristol(!), developing an IDE. Apparently it does all sorts of things but doesn't allow you to manually edit the code yet. An interesting approach.
19 October 2004
16 October 2004
Googley things
Google Desktop Search is very nice and very fast. No more slow windows searches for me.
For some reason it makes me think of those Janet and John books...
"Bill looks at the computer.
The computer runs quickly.
See the computer run, Bill.
It is quick..."
However, I am not so sure about the GMail Drive shell extension. Is that allowed? When a company gives you something for free I think you should stick to the intended use.
For some reason it makes me think of those Janet and John books...
"Bill looks at the computer.
The computer runs quickly.
See the computer run, Bill.
It is quick..."
However, I am not so sure about the GMail Drive shell extension. Is that allowed? When a company gives you something for free I think you should stick to the intended use.
07 October 2004
It *is* rocket science
An interesting article on agile development being used at Lockheed Martin by a flight software development team. I liked the following line:
"Essentially, team members rely on traditional processes until they get in the way. They use the capability maturity model and concepts such as ISO, for example, but only as benchmarks for comparison and team process improvement."
In my experience it doesn't take very long before CMM and ISO start to get in the way of any project.
"Essentially, team members rely on traditional processes until they get in the way. They use the capability maturity model and concepts such as ISO, for example, but only as benchmarks for comparison and team process improvement."
In my experience it doesn't take very long before CMM and ISO start to get in the way of any project.
30 September 2004
ASP.NET Resource kit
It's free, from Microsoft. Just like a free lunch, or free beer or something that doesn't cost anything...
28 September 2004
Green energy
Keep eating the spinach, these sites have some more practical solar power panels...
Solar Panels and more and the Solar Trade Association.
Green boilers (which might come in other colours) and comparisons of boiler efficiency.
The Centre for Alternative Technology
Bristol and Somerset Energy Advice and The Energy Saving Trust
Comparing electricity suppliers
Solar Panels and more and the Solar Trade Association.
Green boilers (which might come in other colours) and comparisons of boiler efficiency.
The Centre for Alternative Technology
Bristol and Somerset Energy Advice and The Energy Saving Trust
Comparing electricity suppliers
23 September 2004
12 September 2004
11 September 2004
10 September 2004
FIT test framework
FIT is a testing framework developed by Ward Cunningham. It's available in a variety of flavours including .NET.
07 September 2004
04 September 2004
03 September 2004
Web design tools
Fagan Finders URLInfo is a very useful site for web designers. It provides access to a number of tools including language translation, HTML validation, spelling, and accessibility.
29 August 2004
27 August 2004
FireTweaker
"Emilsoft FireTweaker XP is the ultimate extension to your Mozilla Firefox browser.With more than 30 tweaks, it will make your browser act just the way you want it to. "
Not sure if this will make it act just the way I want it to or just like Internet Explorer? At least some of the tweaks seem to make it act like IE. I'm not planning to try it out, as maybe it will make the security act like IE's. Ok, I'm joking, I'm sure it is worth tweaking...
Not sure if this will make it act just the way I want it to or just like Internet Explorer? At least some of the tweaks seem to make it act like IE. I'm not planning to try it out, as maybe it will make the security act like IE's. Ok, I'm joking, I'm sure it is worth tweaking...
24 August 2004
Cactus
The Cactus website says:
"Cactus is a simple test framework for unit testing server-side java code (Servlets, EJBs, Tag Libs, Filters, ...)."
It doesn't look entirely simple yet...
"Cactus is a simple test framework for unit testing server-side java code (Servlets, EJBs, Tag Libs, Filters, ...)."
It doesn't look entirely simple yet...
XP for CIO's
CIO.com has an article on on How to build an Agile IT department. It all looks very corporate and official. I'm not sure what the XP practices for a CIO are. Something to research...
Wal's Retreat
Wal has finally succumbed to pressure and started blogging. I'm not sure what he is retreating from, but Wal's Retreat looks as though it will be a very fine blog indeed, and an excellent resource for any stalkers who have been trying to keep an eye on Wal.
18 August 2004
10 August 2004
09 August 2004
07 August 2004
Various things
1. This site can show you how any web page looks to someone with colour blindness
2. A free book: Essential XML Quick reference. (I can never resist a free book, this one is from DevelopMentor, so it should be well worth reading.)
3. The Daily WTF is a brilliant blog. Proof if proof was needed that there is a lot of strange code in the world.
2. A free book: Essential XML Quick reference. (I can never resist a free book, this one is from DevelopMentor, so it should be well worth reading.)
3. The Daily WTF is a brilliant blog. Proof if proof was needed that there is a lot of strange code in the world.
05 August 2004
04 August 2004
Software Factories
The idea of a "development environment configured to support the rapid development of a specific type of application" doesn't sound so bad, but when you find out it is called a Software Factory I think it sounds a lot worse. Programming this way might be a lot less fun.
"Other industries added capacity by moving from craftsmanship, where whole products are created from scratch by individuals or small teams, to manufacturing, where a wide range of product variants is rapidly assembled from reusable components created by multiple suppliers, and where machines automate rote or menial tasks."
I have always enjoyed hand-crafted code. Z80 machine code was so much nicer when you compiled it by hand. Assembled code just doesn't compare. ;)
The gatherers of metrics are already trying to turn software development from a craft to a manufacturing activity. Can we measure the development process, and calculate a cpk figure to tell us whether the process is in control? Maybe, but you could just try actually talking to the developer instead.
It may be time to start doing something creative, possibly without the aid of a computer. I'm not sure how many "product variants" I could maintain an interest in.
"Other industries added capacity by moving from craftsmanship, where whole products are created from scratch by individuals or small teams, to manufacturing, where a wide range of product variants is rapidly assembled from reusable components created by multiple suppliers, and where machines automate rote or menial tasks."
I have always enjoyed hand-crafted code. Z80 machine code was so much nicer when you compiled it by hand. Assembled code just doesn't compare. ;)
The gatherers of metrics are already trying to turn software development from a craft to a manufacturing activity. Can we measure the development process, and calculate a cpk figure to tell us whether the process is in control? Maybe, but you could just try actually talking to the developer instead.
It may be time to start doing something creative, possibly without the aid of a computer. I'm not sure how many "product variants" I could maintain an interest in.
03 August 2004
22 July 2004
Autism Research
Bristol University will search for possible environmental causes.
US National Alliance forAutism Research will search for genetic causes.
US National Alliance forAutism Research will search for genetic causes.
20 July 2004
Google rank
It's nice that Google ranks my homepage so highly. I'm wondering if they have changed their algorithm to give a high rank to very modest pages. If so this can only make the web a nicer place. :)
19 July 2004
01 July 2004
Useful things
Microsoft Product Feedback site
Visio Stencil for UML from Pavel Hruby
Ten Must-Have tools for .NET
And, not forgetting the Wayback Machine.
Visio Stencil for UML from Pavel Hruby
Ten Must-Have tools for .NET
And, not forgetting the Wayback Machine.
29 June 2004
16 June 2004
US Changing Climate
This is really good news, US scientists who have called on Bush to act on climate change.
Were they waiting for the film to come out first?
Were they waiting for the film to come out first?
06 June 2004
Venus Transit
The safest way to observe the venus transit is online.
If Tycho Brahe was around today, I'm sure he'd be observing it that way.
You can also project the image with a pair of binoculars, which is safer than using scratched filters of dubious origin.
If Tycho Brahe was around today, I'm sure he'd be observing it that way.
You can also project the image with a pair of binoculars, which is safer than using scratched filters of dubious origin.
26 May 2004
21 May 2004
05 May 2004
The world is about to become a safer place
I like MI5's ten tips for tackling terrorism especially number 4:
4. Keep gardens free from dense shrubbery
Well, it looks like we've solved the problem of global terrorism, but look what it's done to biodiversity!
4. Keep gardens free from dense shrubbery
Well, it looks like we've solved the problem of global terrorism, but look what it's done to biodiversity!
27 April 2004
Does gmail really work?
It can't be right. I haven't had any spam from my old friend Abnegator H. Aerator.
25 April 2004
GMail
I'm very impressed by gmail. I like not having to delete things, and I'm getting used to the conversations feature. Searching is very good. But the best thing by far, is my new email address, it's my name, no numbers or underscore characters, just MyFirstName.MySurname@gmail.com.
I don't have a problem with the ads. I hope they keep the interface as simple as it is now, even with broadband it's nice to have pages that load quickly.
I don't have a problem with the ads. I hope they keep the interface as simple as it is now, even with broadband it's nice to have pages that load quickly.
24 April 2004
14 April 2004
Getting rid of Access
Now that the .Net framework allows you to open an xml document as a dataset, reading in a schema and then creating tables to contain the nodes of the document, is there any excuse for using MS Access? It's also possible to update the data and write out the xml.
06 April 2004
Angry animators?
Apparently, if you want to create successful animated movies the best plot line is to kill off the mother as early as you can in the movie. Don't worry about the censors as they will classify your work as "Universal"; suitable for all.
Just look at the evidence:-
Ice Age. (Mother drowned in icy water after being attacked by sabre toothed tigers)
Brother Bear. (Mother bear killed by hunters)
Finding Nemo. (Mother fish eaten alive by a really vicious looking barracuda thing)
I rest my case.
Remember, these films are fun for all the family and especially great for children of a nervous
disposition.
Please, can someone give the studios a new plot, this one is getting a bit thin.
Just look at the evidence:-
Ice Age. (Mother drowned in icy water after being attacked by sabre toothed tigers)
Brother Bear. (Mother bear killed by hunters)
Finding Nemo. (Mother fish eaten alive by a really vicious looking barracuda thing)
I rest my case.
Remember, these films are fun for all the family and especially great for children of a nervous
disposition.
Please, can someone give the studios a new plot, this one is getting a bit thin.
25 March 2004
Microsoft Developer day
Some thoughts on a Microsoft Developer day that I was fortunate enough to attend:
1) Everything seems to have been mixed up into a huge identity crisis, so the file system is now a SQL database, databases can contain XML or objects, and video can be shown as the background on any control. Presumably all these design decisions MS are making are driven by a desire to improve things but it all seems so different that at this stage it's hard to tell how this will turn out. I am glad that Longhorn seems to be a long way off as it gives us all a chance to catch up.
2) I really must start doing something with web services, and reading about Indigo and Avalon.
3) Is it a good idea to keep saying to a room full of developers "You will need to write a lot less code..."?
ASP.Net 2.0 does look very impressive, and the code that you won't have to write is the awkward difficult stuff for handling things like paging. This is handled as everything else will be, declaratively, which is nice.
4) Whitehorse really should come with UML support out of the box, not as an add-on.
5) How is Linux going to compete with this?
1) Everything seems to have been mixed up into a huge identity crisis, so the file system is now a SQL database, databases can contain XML or objects, and video can be shown as the background on any control. Presumably all these design decisions MS are making are driven by a desire to improve things but it all seems so different that at this stage it's hard to tell how this will turn out. I am glad that Longhorn seems to be a long way off as it gives us all a chance to catch up.
2) I really must start doing something with web services, and reading about Indigo and Avalon.
3) Is it a good idea to keep saying to a room full of developers "You will need to write a lot less code..."?
ASP.Net 2.0 does look very impressive, and the code that you won't have to write is the awkward difficult stuff for handling things like paging. This is handled as everything else will be, declaratively, which is nice.
4) Whitehorse really should come with UML support out of the box, not as an add-on.
5) How is Linux going to compete with this?
Where did we meet?
It could only have been one of these places.
Unfortunately I've never been to Alaska or Hawaii, they are only shown red because I spent 3 days in New York. Well, that's the USA done!
You can make your own map here.
Unfortunately I've never been to Alaska or Hawaii, they are only shown red because I spent 3 days in New York. Well, that's the USA done!
You can make your own map here.
19 March 2004
News to me:-
1. An introduction to WinFS.
2. A new approach to User Interfaces from NASA, analysing nerve commands to the throat.
1. An introduction to WinFS.
2. A new approach to User Interfaces from NASA, analysing nerve commands to the throat.
16 March 2004
News (to me):-
1. Knoppix is a free open source linux that boots from a cd.
2. Training on using Visual Studio with Office.
3. Microsoft bloggers + more
4. Foldable paper robots in pdf format.
5. Introduction to Avalon on the Longhorn SDK site.
6. XML Document Map is an annotated XML example
1. Knoppix is a free open source linux that boots from a cd.
2. Training on using Visual Studio with Office.
3. Microsoft bloggers + more
4. Foldable paper robots in pdf format.
5. Introduction to Avalon on the Longhorn SDK site.
6. XML Document Map is an annotated XML example
06 March 2004
14 February 2004
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