A Personal Blog
Archive for October, 2003
Possible? Yeah, Possible.
Oct 31st
I recently wrote a little blurb on Longhorn. Specifically I commended MS for being as open as they are being.
Mike, a frequent commenter here, took offence to a certain part of my post, which he is free to do. Here’s what he didn’t like:
MS is being more open than I’ve seen any company be in the development phase, with the possible (read: possible) exception of Open Source projects
I’ve bolded what he didn’t like. I wrote the “possible” bit knowing it might raise some backs. A little controversy is never a bad thing, after all. Here’s my take on it. Possible?
Yup, possible ;)
Open Source isn’t actually “we’ll do what you say with the code”. Nor is it “we’ll even take what you say into consideration”. It’s more draconian, much more draconian, though it is in an “open” fashion.
Typical Open Source (including Linux, PHP, Apache and MySQL) is, basically “we’re going in a direction, you can do what you want with what we’re giving you”.
After all, when was the last time you got to contribute personally to any of these projects? My experience with the PHP/Apache/Smarty groups has been that the team does as they see fit.
That doesn’t bother me. I said “possible” for a reason. Because, as always, it’ll be up to the project leader.
That applies whether it’s open source or not.
In essence, I feel that Open Source projects are more likely than most corporate projects to ask for this degree of feedback during the development phase. I do not believe, though, that Open Source by definition means that feedback will be sought during development. In fact, it doesn’t even mean feedback will be sought after development.
Ensight Blogroll Goes Hi-Tech
Oct 31st
I’ve finally put the Ensight blogroll through BlogRolling for ease of management. I’d never seen the benefit before, but it truly does give you a much easier way to manage your blogroll than doing it manually through MT.
Phone Interviews on the Rise
Oct 31st
Finally! The Guardian reports on a rising trend in companies to conduct more interviews via phone.
This really makes perfect sense, especially for first and second-tier interviews. It ensures there is no discrimination, but also allows the candidate to put their best foot forward and also requires less time than an in-person interview (average phone interview being half the length of a face-to-face).
I’m not sure I’m convinced that it’s the best mechanism for all phases of interviewing, but considering most companies’ records in terms of quality of hiring how much worse could it really be?
Why Techies are Like my Wife
Oct 31st
I’ve decided, so it’s therefore official. All techies are just like my wife. No, not gorgeous people I’d love to have a nice dinner with and cuddle all night. God no. No, techies are like my wife because we never really enjoy a ‘moment’.
DISCLAIMER: Before I go any further I have to say that I love my wife and she is the most fantastic person in the world. She knows I’m writing this post, and we often laugh at this tendency of hers, so it is in no way disrespectful.
Moving on then.
The other day we got a new couch. Nothing fantastic, just a new couch because we had a few old ratty chairs and felt a nice new couch would look much better. So, we go get the new couch. As soon as it’s in my wife says:
We really need a new dinette set, and it’d be nice to paint Evan’s room.
Now, I agree with both of these statements, however the tendency in question is to get one thing done and to move directly onto the next thing. The fact of the matter is we could be given a whole new house, decked out with perfect furniture and interior design and my wife would want a new car. It’s always something.
Techies are exactly the same. We never stop to appreciate the moment, the quality of a product or anything. Unless, of course, it is our product of choice being attacked.
You can see this on a daily basis if you want. Just go to Slashdot and find any article on Microsoft. Or any article on Apple.
Read the comments. What’s happening?
MS guy: “Microsoft just released a whole new security model” Other guy: “Yeah, but it’s still insecure, they should show their products before release so people could review it” MG: “They just did with Longhorn” OG: Yeah, but they didn’t open up the source MG: They did with .NET. OG: ….
Ad infinitum. I’m not saying Open Source guys are evil, not at all. MS guys are just as bad towards Apple. Sun guys are the same towards IBM guys. Etc, etc, etc.
We all have ‘lists’ of things we feel the ‘other guy’ should change. The instant it happens we don’t congratulate them, we get either defensive or aggressive and drop a new thing on top of the list of things that will eventually make the other guy’s product ‘worthy’ in our eyes.
It’s pathetic.
Why can’t I say ‘congrats’ to Panther? Why can’t the xNix guys who look at LongHorn Blogs and congratulate MS on several advances? Why can’t…
Ergh, I’m not really frustrated, I just wish we were an “open source” community in terms of our ideas and ideals. Letting them be constantly adjusted for the good of the whole. Where we don’t discount anything as unworthy just because it isn’t in our sphere of …
Okay, someone in the office is singing. That’s my cue to shut up.
Longhorn Linkdump
Oct 31st
Well, today’s part of the move is done, so I figured it’d be time for another Longhorn/.NET linkdump since the MS PDC is now done.
PDC 2003 Harvester – notes, source code and presentation for all sessions Avalon is Hot – Andrej’s linkdump on Avalon since the PDC Good News for Gamers – info on how longhorn will affect gamers New Command Shell for Longhorn – possibly the one thing all xNix people say they wish they had in Windows Slides & Code from PDC (official) Avalon Review
