Monday, March 27, 2006
Sun Fire T2000 Performance Contest
The rules for winning the Sun Fire T2000. Thanks to Frostyland for the links. I'll have more information soon, since I solved my serial cable problem.
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Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Sun Niagra Server
After reading this entry on Feld Thoughts about Sun letting people try a Sun Niagra server for 60 days. I followed his links to this form to see if I could qualify Global Decisions for the trial.
The Niagra could replace potentially three i386-based servers. Two development and test servers in my home office and a production server that we lease from Tek Alchemy.
I was soon contacted by the Sun rep., since two of the three servers are based in my home office and the server was to be delivered to my home when he ran a 'D&B' it threw up a red flag. But when I explained the situation he understood and one hurdle was overcome.
To keep the story short I read the blog entry above on Feb 22nd, by the 24th I had been approved and today I received my server. So now it's time to put it through its paces. And I'll let you know how it goes as it happens.
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Determining Business Value
Today I am going to make some broad statements: We write Business Applications; most programmers today write Business Applications. But how much of the business does the average programmer know?
When was the last time yous looked at a Quarterly Sales Report, a Balance Sheet, an Income Statement? Don any of those reports mean any thing to you? How does what you are doing affect the bottom line of your company? The more telling question in my mind is do you even care? And are you willing do so something about it?
Why should we care? Isn't our job all about sling code? Churning out the RTF's that the customer told us they needed this release, or this iteration. We don't need the information the Balance Sheet will give us to help us code, or design, or test or any or the multitude of mundane tasks that make up a typical day in a common programmers life.
Chad Fowler wrote an excellent book(My Job went to India(And All I Got Was This Stupid Book) 52 Ways to Save your Job) with more than one reason that you should be interested in the business end of your company, Chapters 21 and 24 specifically.
But I'm not just talking about saving your job. I'm talking about making you a better corporate citizen. I'm talking about figuring out where you and your team fit in the company and making an impact. Maybe you aren't a software company, so your company doesn't sell the product you develop. Then find other ways to make you contribution make a difference. Those Running Tested Features should make a difference to the bottom line. Find out how. That is my challenge to you. From one common programmer to another.
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