Here's my updated schedule:
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Yes, I'm still too lazy to type it all up and make it pretty.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
COLLABORATE 09: What's Your Latest Schedule?
Goodness, there are quite a few classes to choose from. I don't even want to know what it's like deciding at OOW.
Here's my updated schedule:
Yes, I'm still too lazy to type it all up and make it pretty.
Here's my updated schedule:
Yes, I'm still too lazy to type it all up and make it pretty.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
COLLABORATE 09: What's Your Schedule?
Just in case you didn't know yet, I'm attending COLLABORATE 09 in Orlando, FL next week. I scored the coveted (?) media credentials as a blogger.
As long as I keep seeing "Beginner" in the "RAC Attack" hands on session, I'll be there. Naturally the site doesn't mention who is putting on the event, but I've been able to glean that at a minimum, Dan Norris and Jeremy Schneider will be there.
Others from the University Seminar list, full and half day classes on Sunday and Thursday, that interest me are:
U1: Data Modeling Made Easy
U9: Ask Tom Kyte Live!
U10: Securing Oracle
Those are all full day courses (Sunday).
On the speaker front, I plan on catching the keynote by Charles Phillips and can hopefully catch Tom Kyte as well. Though it might do me some good to hear people I am not familiar with. Will probably be a last minute decision.
I was going to link up my schedule but there doesn't seem to be a way to (easily) publish it. So I took a screen grab of it.
Yes, I've asked about 37 times already...but who is going to COLLABORATE 09? I owe one-to-many beers to at least one-to-many people.
Update
I was just looking through my OraNA feed and found that Todd Sheetz is going as well. I don't know him...but I'll have to find him, anyone with a last name like that HAS to have a great sense of humor.
As long as I keep seeing "Beginner" in the "RAC Attack" hands on session, I'll be there. Naturally the site doesn't mention who is putting on the event, but I've been able to glean that at a minimum, Dan Norris and Jeremy Schneider will be there.
Others from the University Seminar list, full and half day classes on Sunday and Thursday, that interest me are:
U1: Data Modeling Made Easy
U9: Ask Tom Kyte Live!
U10: Securing Oracle
Those are all full day courses (Sunday).
On the speaker front, I plan on catching the keynote by Charles Phillips and can hopefully catch Tom Kyte as well. Though it might do me some good to hear people I am not familiar with. Will probably be a last minute decision.
I was going to link up my schedule but there doesn't seem to be a way to (easily) publish it. So I took a screen grab of it.
 |
Yes, I've asked about 37 times already...but who is going to COLLABORATE 09? I owe one-to-many beers to at least one-to-many people.
Update
I was just looking through my OraNA feed and found that Todd Sheetz is going as well. I don't know him...but I'll have to find him, anyone with a last name like that HAS to have a great sense of humor.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Software Development: Pros vs. Hacks
I've been mulling over this one for quite some time.
I'm looking to define the difference between a Software Professional and a Software Hack. Hack, defined by urbandictionary.com
My definition of Hack is pretty much the same. Someone who knows enough to get the job done functionally, but fails to take into account the bigger picture.
For example, your requirement is to store credit card numbers. The design phase, for a Professional, would include questions like:
1. Should we store this encrypted?
2. Who/what will be able to "see" this number?
3. What built-in options are available to help secure it?
4. Will it propagate to another system?
That's for starters anyway.
For a Hack, it would be:
1. Do we store it in a VARCHAR2 or NUMBER field?
And then?
And then it ends. Coding begins.
Hacks say things like:
"We'll get to that later."
"We don't have time for that right now."
"The business needs this NOW." (i.e. we don't have time for that right now).
"Fixing that is too much trouble." (i.e. we don't have time for that right now).
Which leads me to this question:
How do you prove that the Hack's way is wrong or bad for an organization in the long run? Support costs are higher right? Same goes for basic maintenance. Is there research out there that shows this definitively though? I feel like I know this intuitively, that's it is cheaper to spend (a little) more time in design to try and take into account all that you can.
"We don't have time for that right now."
I understand you have to balance what needs to get done with doing it the right way. I've always understood that. I think I had a good upbringing.
"We don't have time for that right now."
Yes, you do.
Who Makes The Decision?
I believe that the Business drives IT, not the other way around. Yes, we know how to automate things, but rarely do you find someone in IT who knows more than the Business.
With that said:
A Professional will give the Business Option 1 (a hack), Option 2 (a true fix) and Option 3 (a blend of 1 and 2). The Business will then make the decision (since they pay our bills right?) based on the information at hand.
A Hack will give the Business Option 1 (the "fix") and Option 2 (technical jargon that sounds like something but doesn't really do anything). The Business will choose Option 1 because they believe that to be their only choice in the matter.
In summary, Hacks do have a purpose...I just don't know what it is yet.
I'm looking to define the difference between a Software Professional and a Software Hack. Hack, defined by urbandictionary.com
A temporary, jury-rigged solution, especially in the fields of computer programming and engineering: the technical equivalent of chewing gum and duct tape. Compare to kludge.That's definition number two, not to be confused with "hacker," the first definition:
To program a computer in a clever, virtuosic, and wizardly manner. Ordinary computer jockeys merely write programs; hacking is the domain of digital poets. Hacking is a subtle and arguably mystical art...That last one I would more readily attribute to a Professional, though when you start talking mystical I think overly complicated.
My definition of Hack is pretty much the same. Someone who knows enough to get the job done functionally, but fails to take into account the bigger picture.
For example, your requirement is to store credit card numbers. The design phase, for a Professional, would include questions like:
1. Should we store this encrypted?
2. Who/what will be able to "see" this number?
3. What built-in options are available to help secure it?
4. Will it propagate to another system?
That's for starters anyway.
For a Hack, it would be:
1. Do we store it in a VARCHAR2 or NUMBER field?
And then?
And then it ends. Coding begins.
Hacks say things like:
"We'll get to that later."
"We don't have time for that right now."
"The business needs this NOW." (i.e. we don't have time for that right now).
"Fixing that is too much trouble." (i.e. we don't have time for that right now).
Which leads me to this question:
How do you prove that the Hack's way is wrong or bad for an organization in the long run? Support costs are higher right? Same goes for basic maintenance. Is there research out there that shows this definitively though? I feel like I know this intuitively, that's it is cheaper to spend (a little) more time in design to try and take into account all that you can.
"We don't have time for that right now."
I understand you have to balance what needs to get done with doing it the right way. I've always understood that. I think I had a good upbringing.
"We don't have time for that right now."
Yes, you do.
Who Makes The Decision?
I believe that the Business drives IT, not the other way around. Yes, we know how to automate things, but rarely do you find someone in IT who knows more than the Business.
With that said:
A Professional will give the Business Option 1 (a hack), Option 2 (a true fix) and Option 3 (a blend of 1 and 2). The Business will then make the decision (since they pay our bills right?) based on the information at hand.
A Hack will give the Business Option 1 (the "fix") and Option 2 (technical jargon that sounds like something but doesn't really do anything). The Business will choose Option 1 because they believe that to be their only choice in the matter.
In summary, Hacks do have a purpose...I just don't know what it is yet.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Have You Ever Referred To Yourself As An Oracle Nerd?
<shameless self promotion>
Now's your chance. For a limited time only you can join the ORACLENERD group on LinkedIn and have the ORACLENERD logo display on your profile!
Recruiters will love you. Future employers will understand your dedication to you craft. Friends will envy you.
Just send $19.95 to...act now and it's only $9.95! Be one of the first callers and...
</shameless self promotion>
Now's your chance. For a limited time only you can join the ORACLENERD group on LinkedIn and have the ORACLENERD logo display on your profile!
 |
Just send $19.95 to...act now and it's only $9.95! Be one of the first callers and...
</shameless self promotion>
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