References—yes, but code samples?

Are you going to ask your surgeon to perform a sample surgery—so that you know how she works? Ask the body shop to change a tire to proof they are able too?
Yet in programming…

Many forget, that there are major ethical implications: Is it right to take code from your place(s) of employment and share it with others? (And sometimes it is getting really bizarre: A friend was asked to share the whole source code of a software because the sample code didn’t show enough of his skills…)
What happens with the code you shared?

Besides that—what is a code sample really telling you about the quality of a programmer?

Not much, because you might very well end up with some code that has been beautified for the pure purpose of getting hired. Or, even worst, the code of someone else (found on the net).

Does it prove the programmer will be able to perform what you need done?

Of course not!

Is it nothing than a relic from old times when nobody really knows how to figure what makes a descent programmer?


Can a code sample show you how well a programmer works in a team?


Or is it simple that hiring managers are clueless and too lazy to educate themselves?

Asking for source code tells you more about the hiring company than the programmer!

Tags: body shop code samples hiring company hiring managers new doctor programmer proof relic source code
 

Since more than 10 years I am using the same software to handle my personal finances. But after installing the latest updates for my OS the software runs stable for a few minutes and than crashes…

I did some research and really do not like what I’ve found:

• One software went so far to sum up my income over all the years and named that my “net-worth”. Gimme a break!
• Import and export is usualy limited to newer software—I would lose all my old data or have to type it in again.
• And why do so many think that every application has to be a web application? A few graphics are nice, but…
• Subscription? Sorry, but I already find it annoying when a bank wants me to pay them for bringing my money to them!
• Trials so limited that you can’t try anything.
• There are so many features that you feel lost without first studying handbooks for days.
• The screens so loaded that you think you are running a government but not your finances!
• Not planning scenarios. Which in my opininon makes them useless: My number one reason for using software at all is the ability to plan.

For now I am using a vurtual machine to keep on using the old software.

Would you agree that most software nowadays is blown up with features nobody uses? Except maybe the manufacturers to increase the price?

Why aren’t all banks offering their customers software?

Tags: 10 years banks crashes import and export money net worth old software personal finances scenarios web application
 

If IBM takes over Sun—will it kill Java and/or MySQL?

Tags: ibm java mysql sun
 

Lenovo To Make Windows XP Available Until 2009
Hewlett-Packard will also provide Windows XP to business customers that want to downgrade from Windows Vista after June 30.

I installed the Vista upgrade advisor and—after finding that most software wouldn’t work—came fast to the conclusion to stay with XP.

And you?

Tags: conclusion live forever vista upgrade advisor windows xp
 

There are hundreds if not thousands of applications available that support management in tracking hours worked.

And still, we all have seen those awkward spreadsheets used to track hours and projects employees and contractors work on. Studies have shown that the use of automated systems are less error prone and save HR hours of work.

How fast will you get rid of those spreadsheets?

Do you think it’s the right way to manage time?

Is this even time management?

Tags: automated systems spreadsheets support management time management
 

Damn, we don’t normally do too much media-on-media stuff, but reports are surfacing that tech mega-publisher Ziff Davis (owner of PC Mag, EGM, DigialLife, etc.) is fricking filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy as a shield from some $225m in debt.

Tags: chapter 11 bankruptcy egm pc mag ziff davis
 

It’s official: The German supreme court approved the “Bundestrojaner “. German link only, but I am sure many links in all languages will follow soon…
Anyway, the Bundestrojaner is a trojan horse the government put’s on your computer.
The spying is only ok if human lives or the existence of the state are endangered. What do think how many other countries love those German politicians and judges right now? And especially Germany, a country haunted by their Third Reich past.

We all know how those things work out: Give the government a finger and they’ll rip out your arm. Or more.

We all know that laws are broken; by bad guys the so called criminals and by the good guys; just look at the news and the amount of complaints and lawsuits. But putting spyware on peoples computers?

1984 wasn’t that bad, or was it?

Or maybe this was a stroke of genius from the German government - to decrease unemployment rates. Think about it: Now everyone will get busy to get more and more anti-spy-software. Anti-government software. And the Government will get busy to write more and more trojans. It also gives a totally new meaning to buyer beware: “This computer is officially government infested.” Welcome to the world of the anti-anti-anti-trojan…

Of course the one thing you will not see is that this trojan will land on the computers of those government officials that do wrong, steal, lie, betray, molest, abuse power….

What a sad day for human kind.

Wouldn’t you agree?

PS: Germany, the same country that has states paying hackers to decrypt Skype conversations…

Tags: abuse power anti spy software bad guys bundestrojaner conversations german government german link german politicians german supreme court good guys government officials government software hackers lawsuits legal government sad day stroke of genius third reich trojan horse unemployment rates
 

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