SPDS - Stupid People Developing Software

Yes, that is!!!!

We are just too stupid to develop good software, or even, to develop a software in the right way. I have just changed my work place, and I am still looking at super heroes all around. I don't see people worried to make the thing in the right way, just to make the thing like a super vilan.
Like a super vilan? Yes that is: instead of just killing the hero they need to create a BIG weapon and tortuous plan, just like us developing software.

If you need to create a file, why don't you create a validator for that, and use it to test? Noooo you need to send it to someone that will read, spend a day to give you an answer about. Or if you integrate with another system, why don't you start makeing good boundery tests? Noooo we still need to call everyone.

You it seens that things are only good when we need to spend at least 5 weekends working. The most that I like from Agile is fast deploy to the user, but no one cares about it; 1, 2 or even 6 months of development and a deploy in the last possible week, is it clever?

No it isnt't. Come on people let's put our brain to work, let's stop playing Superman, let's do you job as we are supposed to do: with wisdom, not just inteligence.

I'AM SICK AND TIRED OT IT!!!!!

Dealing with record files

Have you ever worked with COBOL? Do you remember the DATA DIVISION?

Well in fact it doesn’t matter, probably if you work with Legacy code you will need to read or generate fixed size file, those files that the record is specified by the length, and probably you know how boring is to look at them and discover if the data is right or not.

Actually I am working with that kind of file and after some search in the internet I have found a interesting project: RecordEdit. There you can import a Cobol descriptor of the file and the program will be able to understand the file and split it to you.

Take a look, it is quite good and it saves a lot of time.

Just a advice: it is good to remember something from Cobol if you want to import some copycook, things like start at column 8 and end up at column 72 are still alive.

Prototyping

Do you remember why the spiral development lifecycle was created? Exactly: because of the prototyping. At the beginning the idea was to prototype a little bit, develop a little bit, and this thing goes on...

Well I am not here to talk about the spiral development lifecycle, I am here to talk about prototyping.

There is a lot of ways to prototype a application, most of them are related to develop a preview of the software. But let's say that we want something more simple, and fast; basically a draw of the screen.

In that case most of us end up letting your Picasso goes out and get into some software like Gimp, Photoshop or even the PowerPoint. It is possible to draw a screen with them, sure it is, but we can use something born to it!

Here I would like to show you a Firefox 3 plug-in, free, light and enough for most of the tasks. But before saying the name, I would like to let a word: Scketching. If you need to search for this kind of screen draw it is the word.

Well let's go to the plug-in: Pencil Scketching. Download, take a look and enjoy!

Diamonds from a software source

I am going to post here so diamond that I have found in my short life as a programmer.

Some of them I will need to translate to english, but you will get the idea!

private void InicializaMenu() {
  TelaAtual = "3";
  lnkDadosCliente.Enabled = true;
  lnkDadosRisco.Enabled = true;
  lnkSelecaoPlano.Enabled = true;
  if (TelaAtual == "4") {
    lnkTermoAdesao.Enabled = true;
  }
}

Can you tell me the reason for the IF? It is a production code!