Rampid Byter

Doesn’t seem like too much of a difficult question, but when asked to developers some sit with blank stares. I’ve listened to that question be asked in three interviews this past week, and I really didn’t hear any decent answers. One candidate actually asked us what we do to stay current after a long pause without answering the question.

I recall when Katie Couric asked Sarah Palin what magazines she read to stay current. I thought that was a silly question to begin with because who actually reads printed news material anymore? Still seems like a question you either know, because you do, or don’t because you’ve never tried to. Those people who don’t know often pause, mumble, and just in general seem very confused.

Just thought that was an interesting take away from this week’s interviews.

Business, Offbeat

Ok, I built something I am excited about. The one biggest gripe I’ve had with blogs is that it’s often hard to sort and filter the posts to find the posts I’m most interested in. In comes Microsoft Pivot. Microsoft Pivot allows for viewing data in an intuitive filterable manner in a completely visual context. Incredibly cool for filtering images, magazines, or even the magic the gathering card collection. Take that single column blog lists!

My idea last night is to view blogs through Pivot. I set about programming the cXML schema into a series of .Net classes, and then built an input mechanism to build a static cXML file with my blogs postings. It’s still in the early phase of just the roughest information, mainly blog title and descriptions, but given another day of polishing will have additional meta data with appropriate blog links. I also realize how terrible my categories are since the Pivot category filtering is very limited with my junk data input.

Below is a screen shot of the very rough data output I created with cXML for viewing in Microsoft Pivot. Now that I have my framework together I can expand the idea to anything with categories.

I will keep the cXML path displayed in the Pivot screenshot so if you’re interested you can also view the generated blog Pivot output as it goes through the transition to getting cleaned up totally.

Programming, .Net, Third Party Controls

Coming from a C# background I was a little jealous of VB literals (still hate VB.) Recently I was flung into the VB.Net world on a new project, and my only consolation was finally being able to work with VB literals first hand. The first thing I needed to do was iterate a collection of objects to custom build an XML message. I did a little Google, and Bing action to no real results on looping a collection within XML literals. Eventually I found the solution as XML literals do not directly support loops as we know it. Fortunately that is where LINQ steps up to the plate:

   1:  Dim xml = <Processes>

   2:                 <%= From process in Processes 

   3:                       Select <Process><%= process.Name %></Process>

   4:                 %>

   5:            </Processes>

In this example I’ve created an XElement variable called “xml” that contains the literal XML. Using a LINQ query within the “Processes” element the select query will iterate through the items in the processes collection object. Each item will output a process element that will be included within the processes element.

.Net, Programming

Ditched Sprint. I’m saving $70 a month with Cricket’s unlimited text and unlimited talk. My new phone service plus iPad data plan costs exactly $70 per month combined, and still ends up with me saving $40 per month compared to Sprint. If Sprint had the EVO in stock I might be talking about my EVO instead of a new carrier.

Offbeat

For the last year or so I’ve been taking a vested interest in the design and development of some electronics kits. Nothing super fancy just trying to understand how to program and understand electronics. After two degrees I’ve come to understand that I really like the community environment of a classroom to pall around with other people doing like minded things. I’ve bought a few off-the-shelf learning kits here and there, but I really wanted to get serious with learning more about electronics.

That got me started looking into the local community colleges to get into a basic robotics class or even a pre-engineering setup where I’d get exposure to circuit design and analytic with lab focus. Little did I know apparently NO local community college in the area even comes close to offering anything computer or electronics related. The closest I could get would be computer support specialist (glorified tech support), or a few classes in networking or graphics.

My options were between UC Raymond Walters College, Brown Mackie, Wilmington, and Thomas More College. There were a few other ‘online’ only programs, but they’re all repeats of the same lame program offerings of these other colleges. There are tons of criminal justice, office automation, medical billing, and other degrees like ‘websites’. I just don’t even know what to think, but all those stories I see popping up on Hacker News about college being a waste is suddenly making a whole lot of sense.

The problem is I am not close to the major institutions, I am not a day student anymore, and I’d be doing this for fun instead of college kid needs a job sacrificial mindset. I have to admit I was really hoping to find a college program because while I am in it for the passion I also want to make sure I align myself for the paper backing in case it becomes a career calling. Still makes me wonder what the job market can handle with all the influx of these criminal justice and computer support specialists.

College

I was in a Chinese buffet today near my new work, and whenever a worker walked around to refill my drink the expression on the waiter’s faces was one as if they’ve just been to a funeral. It wasn’t just a single waiter. I’ve never seen such an unhappy brood of workers in my life. That struck me in that every single Chinese buffet I’ve been in I don’t think I can ever recall even a single smile on anyone’s faces. I think the only time I’ve even seen a hint of a smile was when cashing out to leave when asked whether everything was alright.

Is it me or is being a waiter in a Chinese restaurant the most depressing job in the world?

Offbeat

Really perturbed by the recent move of AT&T to change data plan structure of the iPad 3G. I am about a week into using the 3G service after having signed up for the now defunct “unlimited” plan just last week. I’m still using it off-and-on while at work to listen to Pandora. I even hit the 606MB mark today.

The thing that bothers me the most about the plan change is that the allowed usage dropped significantly per month with more reoccurring charges in the event of exceeding the usage limit. That is complete and utter bull fecal mater. At thirty dollars a month I was still on edge after considering using the service, and the availability of the “unlimited'” plan being the ONLY selling point for me going 3G over the iPad WIFI only model.

For a device touted as the new way of doing portable computing and portable entertainment the sudden loss of a “unlimited” plan, zero alternatives to AT&T, and the increased reoccurring costs of using my portable data device  makes the device a novelty to be used occasionally at best. Frankly with that in mind FUCK YOU AT&T. Also, Apple, fuck you too buddy. Apple, you stuck us with AT&T. I don’t care for them one bit, but I bought the iPad 3G because I COULD get an unlimited plan at an OK price. For doing nothing more than streaming some music for a month by the months end with the new plans I'd have spent more to access the internet through a crap network than I do through my awesome Time Warner Roadrunner Business Class connection. Seriously?

Now I’ve seen a few other people rant and rave about how AT&T isn’t the culprit, and how AT&T is just trying to recoup for the overly consumed “cheap” network usage. I’d like to point those individuals to the fact that the US is decades behind on upgrading our networks. The US is seriously lagging behind countries like Japan, South Korea, and Finland who are spanking the US’s butt on broadband speeds. Why? Because we’re stuck with legacy outdated telecoms so far removed from quality of service that the entire country is held behind because of their cold almost dead hands strangling the pipes.

Bah, and here I was starting to think PC was becoming more and more “Professional Computer” instead of “Personal Computer” because of my newfound Appledom. PC I’m sorry I doubted you buddy.

iPad

I went through the enlistment process for the US Army. There was a fair bit of paperwork that required guaranteeing a person isn’t gay. I do know that much. When I was at boot camp there were two guys dismissed from the army for having sex in a bathroom who were caught by a drill sergeant. They both had women at home and most of us suspected that it was a ploy just to get out of boot camp. Let’s face it besides the occasional nightly beatings, constant exercise, and coming to grips with being “owned” for the first time in a persons life boot camp makes or breaks a person.

The thing I think is nice is that there IS a “don’t ask don’t tell” policy. In a room full of 148 guys we knew the outright gay ones. The sometimes perverted ones who’d stand in the group shower leaning against the wall starring at the constant flow of sausage as it passed by the door. We knew. We all knew. Not saying there weren’t a few that we didn’t know, which there probably was. Every person walking through those Army entrance doors were different. The one thing that was the same at the end of the day was they were all soldiers.

The problem isn’t so much that you’re not allowed to be gay. Nope, not a problem at all with most so long as you’re not a creepy son of a gun and keep it to yourself. The biggest problem is that sodomy is a violation of the army code of conduct. Anyone caught getting even a blow job violated policy. The Army has regulation for everything. Seriously, with sex you’re only allowed to have sex in the missionary position. I had to sit through a class where we actually were told how to have sex, and were instructed that if we deviated from the acceptable position be smart don’t take pictures. They will bring disciplinary actions against you. If you’re gay it’s kind of obvious you’re not going to be having missionary sex. At least I'm not informed enough to know whether that is indeed possible for gays, and honestly don’t feel particularly compelled to Google that.

In my opinion I don’t believe that policy should be repealed or changed in any way. Having a formal policy in place won’t change how people are treated. I understand it will keep those who are ousted from being discharged. I’d ideally just let the person’s service record distinguish whether they were let go in those cases. The thing that bothers me personally is everyone is up in arms about the ‘right to be gay’. I think if you had a room full of naked women walk into a shower to find a naked guy standing there watching them the consensus would be to kick the guy out. Why should that be any different if it happened to be a lesbian standing there instead? It’s still just not right to give that one person a free pass. Not saying there may not be others among them who are gay but they’re not outright displaying it. It’s all about work as a team, act like a team, or get out.

Offbeat