Giving it your all, no matter...

In reviewing my own blogging, it seems that I have something always negative to say in review of most topics. Perhaps I do not feel the need to blog on the topics that are positive or that do NOT need our attention. But I do think it important to celebrate those successes in life when achieved. I do think it important to tell your coworkers GOOD JOB when it truly applies. And I think it most important to keep a smile and something humorous to create smiles each and everyday, at home and at work. And last but not least, leave home problems at home and work problems at work. If you cannot do these things, then talk to someone professional about them. A professional can always make a difference.

Windows Workflow Foundation, oh boy!

There are two references you need to read, entirely, if you are considering WWF. And if you are considering WCF, also be aware of its preferences to webservices. Here are WWF references:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb887609.aspx#Multithreaded_topic1
Essential Windows Workflow Foundation
by Dharma Shukla; Bob Schmidt
Publisher: Addison Wesley Professional
Pub Date: October 05, 2006
Print ISBN-10: 0-321-39983-8
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-321-39983-0
Pages: 480
In review of the book, I thought it was very well written and covered the topic in great details with good exercises. I followed through the exercises to understand the value of WWF. Business processes, and especially the automation of such processes, has always been a difficult and complex coding operation. I have coded such requirements at least twice for large companies. OOAD makes it much easier. And the .NET languages are a great choice for tackling the processes of coding. But after following the book, all I can say is, GEE Microsoft, why do you wish to make it so difficult?

The article, mentioned above, is a MUST READ. In summary my impression of the article basically said that they felt WWF was an essential part of their solution while the details they after talk about how they had to recode WWF libraries to make it work as they required. And they also mention what a memory hog WWF is and how slowly it truely loads.

My crew are now in the midst of the same requirements. And my captain has stated that WWF is the key to the solution. As the chief coder, I only have questions at this point considering all that has been stated and knowing the details of what I have written in the past.

Agile intentions, Waterfall reality

I have always been humored by the new thoughts and introductions of AGILE models, practices, methodologies, or ANYTHING for that matter. The ideas that we will produce a product (a piece of software that may become a total enterprise) and although we work only on this or that piece for the moment, keep in mind that in the end, we want the whole pie. And of course, in the meantime, we may change our minds about certain pieces. AGILE to me means we have thought about the whole pie, PERIOD. Everytime I hear a manager speak these words, the next thing I hear is, but here are the next few pieces. Then we will see that we are still on track with user requests and continue on from there. OK, AGILE approach using WATERFALL development techniques. Even if the manager passes us a total time line with milestones (deadlines) for each phase (now called INTERATIONS in Team Foundation Server), the presence of deadlines suggest waterfall production. True AGILE development is a continuation of the development of a product to enrich it with new features and functionality. But you must have the base product to start this path. And in reality, what I hear most of the time is, OK, we will write 1, 2, and 3. And then I will tell you what to do next. That is not AGILE management either. That is piece meal programming in a waterfall management style. AGILE means that you a vision of the total product. NOT a suggestion of seeking a base product and I will make decisions about future parts later when I know something. We are so desparate in this industry to seek new ways of doing the same old thing that we make up words to denote old processes. AGILE is one of them. I always loved the word EXTREME programming. I have read several books on the subject and in all cases end up asking myself, what has changed? Why is this new? A developer has a short term development cycle, high demand, and total focus of the end product; GET-R-DONE! That is EXTREME programming to me. Many times done without a production document. While AGILE management should produce a production document for each production cycle and a total map (UML diagram or workflow diagram) of the total product when completed. And I personally get tired of hearing a word thrown around in casual conversation or meeting presentations that has no bearing on anything concerning the programming tasks at hand. And it is really being used because it is the LATEST FAD of lingo to use. It has no meaning.

The Power of Microsoft

I have never met a developer of any language who does not respect nor acknowledge the contributions Microsoft has made to the computing industry and indirectly to many other industries. I have met a few that do not like Microsoft for their business practices and distributions, me included. But I wish to be clear about this perspective to my readers. Microsoft makes some of the best programming languages in the world. They sell some of the best applications in the world. Their business practices of consuming smaller software production businesses who have great products is ruthless in most cases in their tactics. But then others would call that smart business sense. I mean really! After you have gone over the top of a multi-billion dollar company, don't you have a responsibility to help the smaller guys grow up; not consume them.

But the one practice that bothers me most personally is Microsoft's continued way of shoving unfinished, unproven software models down the throats of many developers, including me. They have done this since day one. Well, you say, you do not have to use their methodologies and practices in your programming projects. In fact their own gurus encourage you, as architects and developers, to come up with your own models, practices, and solutions to suit your business requirements. And I cannot begin to tell you the number of contracts I have programmed where I have relayed this advice to one manager after another only to hear the manager respond with, we are doing that way because that is the way Microsoft does it and their consultants told me this was best. Why recreate the wheel when Microsoft gives it to you for free?

So while there is an apparent contradiction of advice between the consulting received from the gurus in the webinars and the Microsoft consultants sent to your company site (when you hire them); they need to emphasize that the models and practices offered in MSDN and from Microsoft Press publications, are merely suggestions, nothing more.