Richard Lennox
- setting rather than resetting CSS styling: http://bit.ly/drvmMK
- does anyone know if Windows 7 starter (netbook) can use an external projector?
- Why do some e-commerce platforms get Javascript so wrong? http://bit.ly/awXZvZ from @econsultancy
Archive for July, 2006
Alan Shearer’s Testimonial
On May 11th 2006 I was lucky enough to have tickets to Alan Shearer's Testimonial game against Celtic at St. James Park. Check out my gallery, for a few photos I took on the evening with my Mobile Phone of all things!
Why Good Programmers are Lazy and Dumb
In my time trawling through google results for the answer to my questions I have stumbled upon an article in Google Blogoscoped – Why Good Programmers are Lazy and Dumb. This is really what I do and it caught my attention.
The basics of the article sum up the efforts that as a programmer I am constantly making. To sum it up a programmer must be lazy – to prevent being repetitive in his work, repeating oneself over and over means that you have to maintain the work everywhere, doing it once and re-using it the lazy way ensures that it is inevitably clean and tidy code, leading to a better application that is easier to debug. A programmer must be dumb so as not to become too "smart" to learn the latest techniques and technologies. He must dumb down, when asked to solve a problem, asking the simple questions to ensure that the parameters of the problem are set out in full and not someones impression of the parameters of the problem.
It is funny how on reading this, I understood exactly what the guy is saying. I am constantly fighting to stop myself repeating code because it is easier to write if I just copy it. I would also say 90% of my support queries can be answered using the simple question method – I even had one where they phoned up and said they can't access the software or any other web page – he had forgotten to plug in his network cable. Ok, so that is a little exaggeration on my part, but it is so easily done, and the simple answer is usually the right one. I recommend the article if you have time for a quick read, I will be one happy programmer the next someone calls me either lazy or dumb!!
Help make the World Wide Web Irrepressible
Today I found out about the Amnesty International campaign named Irrepressible. It is a campaign to try and end the censorship enforced by some governments and some large web service providers on certain parts of the World Wide Web.
The Web is the first place where the mass populations can publish their own thoughts and opinions without recourse. While many societies are not democratic, we must look very carefully at how the large service providers, such as Google have put profits before the human rights of certain cultures. The irrepressible campaign has begun a petition aiming to stop the censorship and attempts to control access to the world wide web of information. Sign up at irrepressible.info to support the campaign to give the same freedom of expression that we take for granted to these repressed countries.
I am not usually one for jumping on a bad wagon like this, but I believe that if starts to move forward, the free nature of the web will change for us all. I want to continue as we are. The debate on the quality of the web content and its dangers will continue but if we give control to big business we will all be worse off.
2 Years On – CS Class Reunion
It is the middle of a heatwave and not much is happening. I must admit while I enjoy warm weather and long evenings, I am not so keen on the extreme heat. I find that it tires me and leaves me with not much energy, meaning a lot doesn't happen.
Despite the heat, it was the CS reunion on Saturday. CS being the HWU Computer Science class of 2004. It was a long afternoon out in the sun with a few beers and a bit of geeky chat. We are, after all, Computer Science graduates. There was a football and a Frisbee but it was too hot for that, so the beers and the chat won out. Although the beers soon got to the warm stage. After that it was on to Zizzi's at the start of the Canal for a pretty decent dinner and then on to the Chanter (formerly the Hogshead) for a few further drinks. It was a great night in the end, good to catch up with a lot of folk.
Ban on low-power fm transmitters looks to be lifted
It looks as if the use of my iPod may just get better. While good speakers for my iPod are expensive, the FM transmitters widely available may become legal in the UK in the coming year. It has been one of the most annoying thing is that some people do not use their discretion, everything is black and white, no grey areas. Using the low power FM transmitters (that only transmit a short distance) would currently get you a two year jail sentence – almost as long ass some rapists. Is that a joke or what. Those radio stations clammering for this to be enforced are ridiculously out of touch. These transmitters will save big bucks – no fancy set up required for the car (even a hire car) or the office, or at home. I am looking forward to finding a cheap one when it is legal.
On my IPod
I have a fairly vast and eclectic mix on my IPod. It ranges from the coolest jazz sounds of Miles Davis and John Coltrane through Mozart all the way to heavy rock anthems. This week I have added the Goo Goo Dolls album Let Love In.
Accepting multiple currencies balanced by Performance Testing
I thought I might take a minute to mention what I was up to at work. My work is currently 2-fold. My role in continually updating the SK Chase system, is steadily growing. Following last month's launch of a fuller and inevitably more complex checkout and payment process, the next challenge is to make the system fully capable of handling multiple currencies.