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July 29, 2005
Code Metric Tools
A post with links to several code metric tools for .NET. It would be interesting to have some semi-automatic tools to run against our DelMar IT source code. While I think you have to be careful with how you interpret the numbers, it could be a way of comparing the sizes of the projects we're working on.
http://www.robincurry.org/blog/CodeMetricsAndCodeMetricsTools.aspx
Code metrics is something covered in CPT 405 and a list of some of the most common tools (not just for .NET but for all of the more popular languages) would be good. Maybe talk about the metrics in general and an assignment could be to have the students find and review a tool for their language of choice.
Posted by mikel at 01:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 27, 2005
Open Source .NET configuration library
Kyle has an INI class that we use but this looks like it does quite a bit more.
via the Daily Grind.
Posted by mikel at 03:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 25, 2005
Buggy Software
Waiting for a meeting to discuss CPT 405 and ran across this article that fits into the class.
Posted by mikel at 12:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Options Pricing Software
In graduate school I took Professor Goldman's IT Economics course where we talked about options pricing. Here's an article about calculating the true cost of software by breaking it up it into it's seperate components.
http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2005/07/21/software_pricing.html
Posted by mikel at 08:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Target the small
Interesting article about a neglected software market.The new breed of side-businesses dont need scaled down versions of enterprise apps or small business apps (which are just scaled down versions of the big ones anyway) they need new types of software. They need brand new thinking. They need apps that cant be categorized. They need apps that break the rules that no longer apply. And these apps need to be smaller, simpler, less. This isnt about features, its about what can I get done with this thing and how long will it take? Its about is this better than paper? Its about how is this better than just winging it like I am already? Those are the questions. Whos got the answers?http://37signals.com/svn/archives2/sidebusiness_software_the_neglected_software_market.php This is basically the market targetted by DelMar Envelopes Easy. There are lots of programs that can print envelopes. There are word processors that can do it. There are programs that manage lists of contacts that can do it. But for someone who doesn't have a enterprise level application like ACT! but just wants to quickly print professional looking envelopes it fits the bill.
Posted by mikel at 07:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 22, 2005
Summer Vacation 2005
We had a great time visiting Jessica's Aunt Debbie and Uncle Stan in Annapolis with Matt and Alicia. Here's a few of things we did. For all the pictures, see the gallery.
We did two days of site seeing in Washington D.C. We saw the war memorials (WWII, Korea, and Vietnam). We went to the top of the Washington Monument and had good views of the Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and White House which we also saw on the ground. We also took the subway out to Arlington National Cemetary. The changing of the guard ceremony was one of the coolest things we did. We spent most of the second day at the Smithsonian Natural History and American History museums. On Saturday, Matt and I made it out to Elkridge, MD to Rockburn Branch Park to play a round of disc golf. The course was really overgrown. Matt lost 4 discs (2 on one hole), he found one, and I lost one. That plus waiting out a thunderstorm by hiding in the playground equipment made for a long day.
The best part of visiting out east is the food. While in the Annapolis and D.C. area we had dinner at the Fisherman's Inn, the Chart House, and Mike's Crab House. Before we left on Sunday we went to church at New Life in La Plata, MD before having an excellent dinner that Debbie fixed.
We left Annapolis Sunday afternoon and made it to the Latham Hotel in city center Philadelphia just before the rain started. After the rain let up, we walked around Rittenhouse Square and had an excellent pizza at Pietro's. Monday we walked down to the water and took the ferry to the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ. So our vacation took us from Camden, IN to Camden, NJ. It also took us from KSBC to First Baptist Church of Philadelphia which was right next to our hotel and was founded in 1698. After the aquarium, we walked around historic Philly and saw Betsy Ross's house, the oldest residential street in the U.S., Independance Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the Love Statue in JFK Plaza. Apparently, we got out of Philly at just the right time. A few hours after we left on Tuesday police shot and killed a naked man who stole a police car.
The food update for Philly. We had great Philly Cheesesteaks at Sal's and from a street vendor. Beside the pizza at Pietro's we also had a good dinner at the Black Sheep.
Tuesday morning Matt and I got in a round of disc golf at Sedgley Woods. The course is pretty much right down town and a lot of fun. Matt shot even par and I was 13 over. So pretty much what we normally shoot on a course of that size.
So overall, we did a lot of walking, ate a lot, and had a great time. This post is dedicated to all the little crabs that gave their lives so we could have good vacation.
Posted by mikel at 12:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 21, 2005
Shareware Starter Kit
http://blogs.msdn.com/danielfe/archive/2005/07/10/437293.aspx
Something to look into for our software. Possibly to use or just to get ideas. Some selected items we could use or improve on.
Integrated E-Commerce
Product Activation
Product Registration
Product Feedback
Exception Handling Reporting
via The Daily Grind
Posted by mikel at 11:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 11, 2005
Indiana workers big time wasters
Indiana workers waste a lot of time.That's the result of a new survey conducted by America Online and Salary.com. The survey shows that Hoosiers waste 2.8 hours a day doing things like surfing the Internet, socializing with co-workers and "spacing out." Only Missouri workers waste more time.
http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?id=14368
Maybe they'd work more if they didn't spend so much time taking online surveys about wasting time at work. Now get back to work.
Posted by mikel at 05:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Server Hosting in Indiana
Here's a link to a hosting place in Fishers, IN that does shared Windows, Linux, and dedicated hosting. We're fairly happy with our current host for delmarit.com, but it's always good to have options and everything else being equal it would be nice to go with another Indiana company.
Posted by mikel at 05:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack