-cleaning out my closet to donate unused and old clothes to the Sisters of Charity (?) -- Mother Teresa's institution
- attend mass
- be a lazybones =
-- lie around reading the Sunday papers.
-- finish reading last week's Time Magazine issue.
-- or go out to Intramuros to do some photography work
12 August 2002
08 August 2002
Contraptions - A biased guide to the worst-designed products of late
1. cigarette: The surgeon general's warning says it all I suppose.
Redeeming Factor: helps fight stress
2. this kind of drinking glass: I believe it's more prone to getting knocked down, falling then breaking compared with mugs for instance
Redeeming Factor: It still does its job trying to contain whatever it is we put into it.
3. the ubiquitous plastic CD jewel case: chips off, breaks, cracks easily; a waste of material
Redeeming Factor: protects your CD, in the meantime that is
4. Windows OS: Need I say more?
Redeeming Factor: the most widely used PC operating platform
5. women's high heeled shoes: a lesson in torture; easily gives one blisters, calluses, leg cramps, etc.
Redeeming Factor: helps add some sophistication
*Photo of hand-held glass from Getty Images.
06 August 2002
The Best-Designed Products -- A biased guide
1. sunglasses -- thanks to Ray Ban
2. mugs -- can hold hot or cold drinks. A mug is sturdier and less prone to getting knocked down or off a table and risk getting broken more frequently than most
3. trains -- can carry a large number of people of all walks of life, freight, animals, vehicles, etc. for short or long distances
4. bikes -- non-pollutant, plus points for health benefits physically as well as environmentally, no need for a license
5. jeans -- comfy and never goes out of style
6. the telephone -- without it, there'd be no faxes, mobile phones, nor the Internet today
7. coffee -- helps keep one awake; very useful for programmers
8. Internet -- made sending and receiving mails faster, cheaper and more convenient; plus points for the tons of data one can get doing research
9. post it note
10. the Mac
2. mugs -- can hold hot or cold drinks. A mug is sturdier and less prone to getting knocked down or off a table and risk getting broken more frequently than most
3. trains -- can carry a large number of people of all walks of life, freight, animals, vehicles, etc. for short or long distances
4. bikes -- non-pollutant, plus points for health benefits physically as well as environmentally, no need for a license
5. jeans -- comfy and never goes out of style
6. the telephone -- without it, there'd be no faxes, mobile phones, nor the Internet today
7. coffee -- helps keep one awake; very useful for programmers
8. Internet -- made sending and receiving mails faster, cheaper and more convenient; plus points for the tons of data one can get doing research
9. post it note
10. the Mac
Software Development Life Cycle
There are eight steps in a software's development cycle. The 9th step is called job security. These get forwarded through email a lot among those working in software development. And I so related to these steps when I first read them that I felt sorry for myself after reading them. haha. After all, which other profession can make one groan in frustration, and sometimes, despair several times in a day? When, just as one has begun to think he's solved a problem or bug, another or more comes up, to one's horror. :P The ff are the 8 steps and my take on each:
1. Define what you want the computer to do.
-- and have a purpose to your programming work
2. Decide how your program shall look onscreen.
-- this step is somewhat parallel to step no. 1
3. Draw your user interface using common parts like windows, menus and command buttons (otherwise known as objects or controls in programming jargon).
-- enough said
4. Define the name, color, size and appearance of each object (These are called the object's properties).
-- We wouldn't want these objects to have identical properties and make our programming life hell, do we? haha. ;)
5. Begin coding to make each object do something.
-- This is the part where I should say, "But of course." So, But of course!! :P
6. Run your program to see if it works.
-- This is unit testing. It's when apprehension/excitement/stress starts to set in because.......
7. If the program doesn't work correctly, cry. It's required.
-- It happens: sometimes to one's absolute horror, innumerable colorful curses and temptation of throwing the PC out the window.
8. Fix any errors or bugs in your program.
-- Relive the strange mix of ambivalent emotions one goes through while doing this: elation, anxiety, exasperation, frustration, despair (?), doggedness, apprehension, excitement, horror, relief, etc.
9. Repeat steps 6 to 8 over and over again until you get tired of searching for more bugs.
-- Then, develop stomach ulcers in the process out of all the stress of doing them for extended periods of time.
So really, there goes a day -- or make that several days/weeks/months -- in the life of a software developer: sit in one's wretched butt the whole day doing these tasks, undergo all the aforementioned emotions, and then after all of the fuss, feel the accomplishment of several days' worth of hard work. I say "accomplishment" is the word. I refuse to say fulfillment. It's a far cry from fulfillment. And I wonder who would say otherwise. After all, work isn't always supposed to be fun or profitable.
So here's a quote I gathered from a book I just read for all developers out there: If a complete moron (like your boss) can use your program with little or no hitch, then most other people can use your program as well. So cheer up, until the next bug comes up. ;D
1. Define what you want the computer to do.
-- and have a purpose to your programming work
2. Decide how your program shall look onscreen.
-- this step is somewhat parallel to step no. 1
3. Draw your user interface using common parts like windows, menus and command buttons (otherwise known as objects or controls in programming jargon).
-- enough said
4. Define the name, color, size and appearance of each object (These are called the object's properties).
-- We wouldn't want these objects to have identical properties and make our programming life hell, do we? haha. ;)
5. Begin coding to make each object do something.
-- This is the part where I should say, "But of course." So, But of course!! :P
6. Run your program to see if it works.
-- This is unit testing. It's when apprehension/excitement/stress starts to set in because.......
7. If the program doesn't work correctly, cry. It's required.
-- It happens: sometimes to one's absolute horror, innumerable colorful curses and temptation of throwing the PC out the window.
8. Fix any errors or bugs in your program.
-- Relive the strange mix of ambivalent emotions one goes through while doing this: elation, anxiety, exasperation, frustration, despair (?), doggedness, apprehension, excitement, horror, relief, etc.
9. Repeat steps 6 to 8 over and over again until you get tired of searching for more bugs.
-- Then, develop stomach ulcers in the process out of all the stress of doing them for extended periods of time.
So really, there goes a day -- or make that several days/weeks/months -- in the life of a software developer: sit in one's wretched butt the whole day doing these tasks, undergo all the aforementioned emotions, and then after all of the fuss, feel the accomplishment of several days' worth of hard work. I say "accomplishment" is the word. I refuse to say fulfillment. It's a far cry from fulfillment. And I wonder who would say otherwise. After all, work isn't always supposed to be fun or profitable.
So here's a quote I gathered from a book I just read for all developers out there: If a complete moron (like your boss) can use your program with little or no hitch, then most other people can use your program as well. So cheer up, until the next bug comes up. ;D
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