As we go around, we are only paying attention to those things which have already occupied us, or, better still, are so much a part of us that we lean into the next situation finding that we are already there – Frederik Sommer
This sentence contains a lie.
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Posted by Scott Kersey
There are many, many traits needed to be a good (or great) software developer. You see them mentioned everywhere: math skills, deductive reasoning, curiousity, craftmanship, etc.. I also think they need resolve.
Resolve to push through the tough times and the easy times. All of us are expected to adapt to new or changing requirements. A lot of us must also push through the moribund things we have done a 100 times and offer no challenge whatsoever. Just this week, I was cruising through some website changes in classic ASP, when one phone call turned the whole week to….well, nasty.
Just look at this example from Computerworld. I can guarantee you there are software developers involved in the decisions making process at these small businesses, helping decide whether to buy, build or maintain. That takes resolve too.
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Posted by Scott Kersey
For years I have followed Formula One racing. F1, it goes without saying, is the most advanced engineering exercise in all of motor sports. Engineers like myself can find plenty to like. Even if it means getting up at 4:30 in the morning (pre-Tivo era) to follow the action and the drama, it has always been worth it.
Lately, I have also taken an interest in photography thanks to a client and a vacation to Costa Rica. Of the 600 plus photos I took on that trip, one picture on the very last day stood head and shoulders above the rest. This and the opportunity to buy a new camera have lead to much research. During that research I came across the Big Picture from the Boston Globe.
Well, lo and behold. Today the Big Picture features Formula One.
Formula One is undergoing a rather tumultous season as the status quo has been upended due to rule changes. Some teams (actually, a few of the smaller ones) have taken advantage of the rules to dominate the start of the season. As they say, go big or go home (whether it’s racing or photos).
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Posted by Scott Kersey
It’s not what I am, however skilled, it’s who I am.
In the business world, actual know-how far exceeds prestige.
Creativity and discipline go hand in hand for successful entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurship often depends more on successful execution than radical reinvention.
No is a complete sentence.
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Posted by Scott Kersey
After having just been introduced to .NET Isolated Storage, I’m ready to give it my vote of confidence. It’s a pretty slick way to store info that may be required by a .NET framework application between sessions or throughout a ClickOnce update.
For me, I was struggling with an n-tier application that did not properly store connection strings in a central location. While searching for an elegant solution to that problem, this Isolated Storage bubbled up. I couldn’t use it for that problem, but the next day a new problem presented itself. It was question of how to enable a (different) software application to have a 90 day demonstration license upon install. Isolated Storage gave me a way to check for previous installs (and expiration dates) between sessions and installations. You see, the store can be based on an assembly’s identity, which is perfect in this case. I will tell you that anything that solves a problem for me, in an elegant fashion, is a winner in my book.
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Posted by Scott Kersey
While I was reading this great article on BusinessWeek about innovation, I was struck by how much the findings resemble what happens at the networking meetings I attend. Each of us, as small business owners, have problems we have to solve every day. One of those is “how do I get more clients?”. The answer is business networking.
Listen to these findings from the article…
“The further the focal problem was from the solvers’ field of expertise, the more likely they were to solve it.”
“…diversity increases the probability of coming up with a solution…”
“Serendipity is most likely to occur when a large number of diverse participants are aggregated in ways that expose them to a broad range of challenging problems”
People who engage in networking quickly find that a referral can come from anyone in any industry. As an example, one of my projects was referred to me by a commercial painter. The more diverse your network, the more likely you are to uncover opportunities. The more people you expose to your “problem” of needing or wanting new clients, the greater the likelihood of finding new clients.
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Posted by Scott Kersey
The title says it all, geek porn. Check it out here.
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Posted by Scott Kersey
Somewhere about 2 years ago, my wife and I decided we had earned a two week vacation in our (not so) short lifetimes. Many a places were discussed, Costa Rica was the choice. We saved and saved. We plotted and planned. We flew and drove. Costa Rica was a fantastic vacation.
But….
It meant severing most of my electronic ties for two weeks. No smartphone. No blogs. No programming. No news. No community. Barely any email. It was rough. Ok, not really. I learned to live without it. We kept ourselves very busy the first week doing the adventure part, so my longings faded really fast. We spent the second week on the beach and I found myself immersed in two autobiographies, iWoz by Steve Wozniak and Clapton by E.C. himself.
But….
Upon my return, it felt SO good to feel my electronic pulse returning. Instantaneous communication with my network. Sorting through the 1000’s of posts in my Bloglines account (SMB, Tech and Software). Updating the ball and chain called Facebook. Actually writing software again. Feeling comfy with my frameworks and toolsets. Parsing my email. It felt better than great, I felt normal. I feel like I have a pulse, albeit electronic, again.
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Posted by Scott Kersey
What made you choose Costa Rica?
Barbecue is one of the things people drive for.
They gave him six of the best.
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Posted by Scott Kersey
Here is a great article on a mid-size company transitioning from one generation of hardware and software to another. Great, simple read!
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Posted by Scott Kersey
