Like any good software company, when a project starts, we sit down with the client, and talk about what we can do to help. The result is usually a more or less complete SRS (Software Requirement Specification). The SRS serves as input to the design fase (we usually already have an architecture sketch when the SRS is made) and those two documents are used to brief the developers and keep everybody posted on what to build. If all done correctly, this should then result in a perfect piece of software right?
Hacking Your Way Through Codebases
I found a nice blog post which describes how it is after you leave school and start programming for a real company. You discover that programming is more like 80% reading and 20% coding.
Read the article at the Tired Architect’s blog titled “Hacking Your Way Through Codebases”.
Migrate from Windows to OSX
My wife got tired of her Windows/Compaq laptop. So 2 weeks ago, she decides to go out and buy a 15″ macbook pro (an excelent choice I might add). She was a bit worried about getting used to the new machine, but decided to take the risk. After no more than 3 days, with surprisingly little help, she figured out how to do everything she did on the Windows machine, and even installed her own software.
The last thing to do was to migrate all the stuff from her old Windows machine to her new “lappie” (yes, she actually gave this one a nickname 🙂 ). Although Microsoft tries hard to keep Outlook Express users locked in, I did find a tool that solved the problem completely for me.
WWDC 2008 Keynote video
I was watching the WWDC2008 text feeds yesterday (like the one from Engadget), and today the WWDC2008 video is online. It’s always better to watch this than to read an interpreted twitter feed. Today it was a bit of a challenge to view it because a lot of people are probably with me. I always set Quicktime to use the HTTP protocol over port 80, because that forces all the network packets to arrive in the correct order, and does not allow dropped packets.
Clone Windows HD on Apple OSX machine
Last week, lightning struck at my parents apartment building (literaly). Other damages aside, my dad’s PC also died.
The guy at the PC repair shop warned my dad that “we may need to wipe the HD, do you have a backup”? Ofcourse, all data was backed up daily and “off-site” at my house so all important data was safe. But just in case, we wanted to make an exact disk image of the drive, so that we could easily restore it when the PC returns from the store
New York online…
We have returned from our trip to New York. Actually, we’ve been staying in Weehawken, New Jersey to visit Manhattan. Today I maxed out my upload limit for this month to put the pictures online. You can see them at my 32hq account (because Flickr hurts my eyes).
Enjoy the pictures. When the monthly upload limit expires I’ll upload some more, so maybe it’s wise to subscribe to my photo feed.
Difference between Windows and OSX
Another great example showing the differences between OSX and Windows. Bot applications synchronize your phone over bluetooth. Both applications are simple to use, but one is simpler. And contrary to expectations, this time the Windows version (left) will cost you money, and the OSX version (right) is free.
Although you’d expect the Windows version to do more with all these bells and wistles on the screen, but it’s actually iSync that also synchronizes the calendar to my phone, and back. Automatically. No configuration needed, it does what is considered logical to the sensible mind.
Apple and OSX are just like a Volkswagen New Beetle. Either you like it, or you don’t. But either way, it’s good that it’s here.
For the record: I don’t like the Volkswagen New Beetle, and I do like OSX. My Mac Mini is absolutely by far the best computer I have bought in the past 5 years, maybe even the best computer I’ve bought ever. No kidding.
Don’t buy: Belkin TuneCast II
I am in the market for a new car. That means I’m in the market for a new car stereo. I decided that the iPod is a far better way to listen to my music in stead of keeping CD’s in the car or listening to the 10.000 crappy FM stations in the Netherlands. Since Dension does not make a cable for my new car, I decided to go for an FM transmitter. Buying the cheap Belkin TuneCast II FM transmitter, I got even less then what I payed for.
Again and Again
A while ago there was a bit of a hype on the net around the song “Again and Again” by “the Bird and the Bee”. It’s a great song, and the video is pretty okay. For MacBreak Weekly listeners this is old news, but actually there is a much better version of the video clip.
Sell Car, Buy Helicopter
I really like my racing car, but it takes up so much time to get everything right and be competative, that I’ve decided to sell it. The plan is to use the money to buy a Helicopter. Yes that’s right. An airborne lownmawer.