A Minor Tweak

Posted on July 11, 2008
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Just another day at work.

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Reported a minor bug to a system (interface). Not even a bug, just a minor tweak. I can almost feel that it won’t be entertained before I reported it, but since it is such an eyesore to me, I  went ahead and report it. Lo and behold! It was not entertained. <LOL>. It could have been done in 2 minutes, but it doesn’t. I guess an application in .NET is just that hard to modify (even though it doesn’t have anything to do with .NET).

Here’s what I see actions that will happen if the bug is entertained.

4 + 13 + 9 + 4 = roughly 30 minutes (30 minutes doens’t mean the time spent is continuous, maybe its spent 20 minutes today, 10 minutes tomorrow).
Ok, it might interfere with the assigned’s flow on whatever he’s doing but its tough, working with lots of people, lots of stuff happens around you.

The bug doesn’t even need to be tested. As you can see from the picture, its just a minor tweak. In my previous employment, my boss will be breathing down my neck to get it fix. Right now, right away! Because it doesn’t look good. And I have to agree with him.

This is just a rant, no hard feelings to anyone involved! :D

Deadlines & Estimates: Part 1

Posted on July 10, 2008
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I’ve had my share of deadline horror. Burning the midnight oil and crap like that. For starters, I’m very optimistic, hence the 5 word that I usually said, "How hard can it be?", in many occasions have came back and stab me.

So, I’ve had it enough with my reckless optimism and this will serve as a note for myself or whoever is reading it.

Online Trial Exam Form System

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I’d like to remind myself on the Trial Exam form project. The project started when I was suddenly summoned by my boss regarding the issue of students can’t apply for a trial test. The current system which is developed in ASP.NET and has some sort of flaw that I can’t remember (I’m trying to get the info from the system analyst but is unavailable, went off to some seminar). So, my boss’s voice seemed like it was needed badly, like RIGHT NOW, badly so asked me if can do it and set this as the HIGHEST priority.

I listened to the requirements of the form, quite simple actually @ "How hard can it be?" and nodded. After the requirements brief finished, I was asked when can the system be finished. Whoa! Since it was "urgent" I was eager to help! I told him I can finish it today. Big mistake.

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Storing files in the database or the filesystem?

Posted on July 7, 2008
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Storing files in the database or the filesystem? Take a look at wikipedia’s server layout diagram.

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Ok, take a good look at the diagram.

I could not think of any applicable situation where storing files in the database is the best way. Maybe for small applications you could use the database for storing files but then when it grows, changing it to the filesystem will just add lots of headache in the future. Why not do it right from the start?

"Too many inherent problems in storing binary data in the database, IMHO. The database is for data, and the filesystem is for files."
- Best way to store file with SQL server as its database

Youtube, Wikipedia, uses filesystem to store files. And it works. Do we have time to try out methods that doesn’t work? Maybe it could work, but the down the road, the pain that must be endured.

Here’s some points on filesystem vs database thing (taken from other sites).

A Hungry Cat

Posted on July 1, 2008
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This post doesn’t have anything to do with software development. Its just a rant about a hungry cat.

Last night, on my way to get something to eat, I saw a cat. A kitten maybe, I think its 3-5 months old. No, I didn’t eat the cat, although I’m tempted to do so. Anyway, the cat is on the sidewalk attempting to pry something out of the cracks on it. Maybe trying to get something to eat, a roach or a lizard or some other insect. I called out to the cat and waved, it followed me for a short distance and stopped when I walk too fast.

So I ate some roti telur and after finishing it, went to the counter to pay. On my way, I was thinking about the cat, and I thought I should buy some cat food for it, without realizing that I have passed the counter went out of the restaurant and nearly arrive at the grocery store. Absent-minded or maybe just preoccupied on the thought about the cat.

After paying up, went to buy some cat food and proceed home. I didn’t expect the cat to still be at the sidewalk but there the cat is. With kids (going home from night class) calling out to the cat, feeling amused without realizing that the cat is hungry. So I called out to the cat, and the cat left the kids to come over to me. I opened up the cat food that I bought, and poured it on the ground and left the cat to its feast.

Podcasts that I listen to

Posted on June 24, 2008
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Requests on URL of the podcasts that I listened to:

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