James Crook
James CrookHi folks,
This Wiki thing is (still) amazing (several years on).
I'd like to discuss some design principles. I'm trying for a somewhat radical rethink of compiler design. I think compilers currently prevent us refactoring designs in certain ways. If you'd like to join in try:
More about me at http://www.catalase.com/james.htm (but the e-mail address is bogus :) try crookj@indigo.ie instead).
In case that's unreachable, I'll just say here that I have some background in mathematics, molecular biology and animation and that I also like garlic, which is what that page said. My work is writing embedded software for telephone exchanges! A while back, I successfully retrofitting Xp to a shipping product from the company I worked for. Our previous cherry-picking approach to bugs just was not good enough. The biggest gain was that developers, including me, started taking pride in the work again, whereas we previously had felt we were just patching up a stovepipe system. This change alone counted for a lot.
Oh, I also know something about how to get into 'flow' when programming, not just accidentally but on purpose. It is very useful, and I wish I could teach it somehow.
I was also using a wiki in work to organise miscellaneous pages of information. Its biggest use was in tracking meetings, and actions from those meetings where the collaborative and free format nature and the ease of linking to pages of additional information really scored. We reduced our time-wasting microsoft project plan to a minimum. Instead we had milestones maintained on the wiki. We never updated the project plan with 60% complete etc, only milestone done or not done.
-- JamesCrook
Just wanted to drop by. It's been a while and I saw your comment on my page. Let's pick it up, I've updated some of my info. -- SvenNeumann
Just popped by to say 'Hi'. -- DannyAyers
"Come join you on the road to hell?" Now how could I refuse an invitation like that? I assume you are developing the "devil's advocate" metaphor in this. But I have to warn you, I'm not used to that "going against the grain" thing. :) -- WaldenMathews
James, sorry for not replying to your message of some time ago. I've been OffWiki for some time. Let me give it some thought. -- PaulTevis
James, It'll be interesting to see if you end up thinking what I think about this experiment. I won't spoil the fun by telling you yet what I think. -- WayneConrad
Thanks for your short and true statements in PromotingWiki. -- SebastianPetzelberger
Nice story in RefactoringTestCode! ThankYou.
And yes, I agree on [compilers currently prevent us refactoring designs in certain ways]. -- GunnarZarncke
It's amazing how fast RethinkingCompilerDesign evolved into a WellFactored page. Well done! -- .gz
And thank you Gunnar, it wouldn't be where it is now without your ideas / clarity / factoring. -- .jc
I have seen http://www.catalase.com/thought1.htm. Do you know HowTheMindWorks? -- .gz
I ordered it from Amazon four days before you put this comment here, along with Mind Hacks (O'Reilly). Am reading. -- .jc
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