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The first time we attended the ACCU Conference back in April 2007 I was rather struck by how much I would enjoy writing for that audience. I actually started writing an article (something I've not done in a while due to time pressures) while I was there. If I tell you that I started writing it on a PDA using a stylus, you'll probably have an idea of how enthusiastic I was about it at the time).
After the conference ended the draft sat there for months. Every so often when I had a spare few minutes I'd fire up Pocket Word and write a bit more. By this year's ACCU Conference I was feeling guilty about it, and after being rather heavily "leaned on" to present a session at ACCU 2009, I decided to get a bit more serious about it. As ever, work got in the way (specifically, the development of Visual Lint 2.0) so it wasn't until the summer that I had something I was reasonably happy with.
In late August Gail Ollis wrote to me to tell me she was guest editing the next edition of the ACCU journals CVu and Overload, and asked if I'd be interested in writing a "Visual Studio 101" type article.
That was the kick I needed - and as I had something almost ready, it made sense to submit that rather than write something new. As a result, part 1 of "Taming the Lint Monster" was submitted to the editor for publication this afternoon. 
I've reproduced the introduction (entitled "An All Too Common Story") below to give you a flavour of the article:
"It's such a common story. Partway through a project, the company starts to become anxious about the number of defects that are being identified in the product, and how long they are taking to fix. Even worse, customers are beginning to notice.
Something must be done. Additional resources are thrown at the problem, but somehow it doesn't ever seem to be enough. The codebase is large, complex and hard to understand and maintain. It is - for all intents and purposes - a "Big Ball of Mud" (not that anyone in the company would know such a term; after all - they are far too busy firefighting to read tech blogs and keep up to date with current trends in software development).
After several months of throwing additional firefighters at the problem, someone has the bright idea™ to find out just how much hidden nastiness is lurking in the code base waiting for the right moment to let loose it's wrath on the unsuspecting team.
An appropriate tool is identified and procured, and then the real fun starts - actually using it.
Inevitably, it never quite turns out the way the team (or their managers) expect. Not only does it turn out to be an absolute nightmare to configure and use (after all you never appreciate how much work compiler project files can save you from until you have to maintain something comparable yourself), but when the team do finally get it working to their satisfaction the results it produces are so volumous that nobody quite knows what to do with them. Worse, they contain some really bad news <super>(TM).
As all too often happens, dealing with the issues the tool raises is deemed to be a) too expensive, b) too risky and c) not as much fun as writing new copy-paste code (though nobody is ever quite honest enough to admit to the latter).
The team conveniently forget about the whole experience and go back to compiling at warning level 3 as they always have done. The installation disk for the offending tool is quietly hidden away in a desk draw and forgotten...and of course, the Big Ball of Mud grows ever bigger until the inevitable "lets just re-write it in language 'X'" event a year or two later. With an eye on what language 'X' would look like on everyone's CV, of course...
But it sure did seem like a good idea at the time..."  Incidentally, if you are interested in software quality and innovation and haven't joined ACCU, you really should...
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Last November we attended the European Shareware Conference (ESWC 2006)[^] in Cambridge.
This was the first conference we had attended as a company, and the first I've encountered which was specifically targetted at Independent Software Vendors (ISVs). As a result, we didn't have any real preconceptions of what to expect (the programme certainly sounded interesting), and the fact that the first item on the agenda was effectively "meet in the pub get to know everybody" the night before indicated that this conference was a highly social event.
Aside from being plyed with drinks by Microsoft and Digital River, this was also an opportunity to meet some of the "characters" in this part of the industry. One of them is Mike Dulin, who runs an internet radio podcast site targetted at ISVs. If you've ever met Mike, you'll know why I refer to him as a "character"...I don't need to say any more. 
The upshot was that we were talked into doing an interview the following morning. At 9am (and still slightly hung over from the previous night) we wandered up to Mike's hotel room upstairs, which had been converted into an impromptu recording studio for the duration of the conference. It was a new experience for us, and we've been watching Mike's site (www.sharewareradio.com[^]) every Thursday since then to see when it would appear (Mike records his interviews en-masse at conferences such as ESWC, and podcasts them over the following months).
On Wednesday we had an email from Mike to tell us that the podcast was to be broadcast the following day. :->
I listened to most of it yesterday, and I have to say that despite being quite nervous at the time it comes over far better than I expected (let's face it - I wouldn't be linking to it if it was that cringeworthy). It is also interesting to compare what we've done over the past few months with what we said we were going to do at the time - suffice it to say that our plans have changed a little, but not drastically.
We will of course be at the ESWC 2007[^] (now called the European Software Conference) in Cologne this November, so if Mike is there we will no doubt be in front of the microphone again. Hopefully I won't have a hangover this time, though...
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Wi-fi gets everywhere these days. Even my rather battered Vaio laptop has had it for a little while now, and I have to say it's really convenient not having to run cables everywhere.
With that freedom, there is of course a risk - security. If a wi-fi network is unsecured, anyone can wander in and poke around. For example, articles often talk of "warchalking"...an activity which involves driving around with a laptop looking for unsecured wireless networks and using them.
There are apparently plenty such networks out there, which shouldn't be surprising given how unaware many people are of the need to secure their desktop machines. Personally, I've not used wi-fi enough to come across security issues, and wouldn't even consider setting up an insecure network. To do so is just madness.
Last Wednesday we encountered just that in the last place we expected - during my weekly electrolysis session (I've had 44 hours so far, incidentally). While I lay on the table being "stabbed, shocked and plucked" (it's worth it, honest!) by my electrolgist Vanessa, Beth was writing on her laptop, and noticed that it had picked up an insecure network in the vicinity. Whose it was, we don't know (and didn't look to try to find out), but we know it wasn't in Vanessa's house. Most likely it was one of her neighbours.
The lesson is of course that you should never assume only someone in your house can see your network. Secure it!
Anna ![Rose | [Rose]](https://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/rose.gif)
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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Last night I finally did what I've been promising to for ages - I picked up one of my swords again and did some training. 
It all came about because of my friend Mark (who I only got back in touch with last Summer after bumping into a bunch of my old group at Tewkesbury in July). I've been saying I'd give it a go for some time, but wanted to wait until I was a little further on in my recovery before finding out just how out of condition I was!
It was pretty strange going back after 6 years away, but fun...as well as quite a few old friends there are a lot of new faces there who don't know who I am or about my past. While I don't particularly mind if the newbies find out about me, it's rather fun to keep them wondering for a while - which I'm sure they will if I start playing with polearms again!
Anyway, although I only sparred for a little while with shortsword and buckler it rapidly became obvious that I haven't forgotten how to fight. Despite falling flat on my bum at one point (that'll teach me to wear healed boots I guess... ) I got past Mark's guard a few times, and felt like my swordsmanship was far safer than I expected it to be after all this time.
That said, I'm still pretty weak at the moment and it's going to take quite some time before I'm ready to don full armour and throw a polearm around - or take part in a "mass bash" (as the "games" the group play at the end of a training session are known).
I didn't get back home until 2am, so today I'm both aching and knackered!
Anna
P.S. Unfortunately I didn't take any pics this time but sooner or later I'll try to post some...apparently I pull some real odd facial expressions when I'm fighting!
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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LOL sounds fun. I used to do some stuff like that. I got put off a bit when I almost lost an eye to spear attack (even if it was padded!)  .
I used to be pretty handy with a THS, but I am more likely to be skilled with chains these days as I used to practice chain swinging (one in each hand), trying to get them to move in complicated patterns in front/behind and crossing over sure gave me a few sore head spots!
I never got used to running around in chain mail. :phew:
So do/did you do much fight reconstruction then?
Roger Allen - Sonork 100.10016
Strong Sad: I am sad I am flying
Who is your favorite Strong?
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Roger Allen wrote:
LOL sounds fun. I used to do some stuff like that. I got put off a bit when I almost lost an eye to spear attack (even if it was padded!)
It sure is. 
Would I be right in guessing that you were doing live action LRP? I guess the difference is that with steel you must train for safety...it's not so essential if the weapons are padded. Anyone who thrust a spear at head height in any of the groups I've fought with would probably be subject to a severe kicking below the waist, or be thrown out entirely....
When we used to do Viking events we had an entertaining little game we used to play if we got bored called "The Spear Game". Trying to catch a (steel tipped) spear that's being thrown at you is kinda fun.
Roger Allen wrote:
I used to be pretty handy with a THS, but I am more likely to be skilled with chains these days as I used to practice chain swinging (one in each hand), trying to get them to move in complicated patterns in front/behind and crossing over sure gave me a few sore head spots!
Please tell me you had a friend with a camcorder there at the time!
Roger Allen wrote:
I never got used to running around in chain mail. :phew:
Believe it or not, plate armour is lighter than chain! I've a mail shirt, and it's way heavier than my breastplate/backplate[^]. Mind you, once you add a bevour and sallet (a German style helmet with a visor and articulated neck guard) it gets a lot heavier.
Roger Allen wrote:
So do/did you do much fight reconstruction then?
I started training with The Hounds of the Morrigan (the group I visited last night) in October 1993, and my first real event (as a member of Greyhound Company of the Tudor Household) was at Battle Abbey in May 1994[^].
Over the next few years I took part in events ranging from Ryde Regatta (Vikings go to the seaside), Wars of the Roses events such as Bosworth, Old Sarum and Tewkesbury through to Landsknect shows at Deal Castle, Rye (a 4 hour long running street battle!) and the 600th anniversary celebrations at Burg Satzvey near Hamburg.
I dropped out in early 1998 as the birth of our firstborn approached, and for various reasons wasn't able to even consider going back until recently.
Incidentally, if you ever see the BBC "War Walks" documentary on The Battle of Bosworth Field I'm in it (a real close up too!) - but I bet you won't recognise me if you see it. 
Anna
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote:
Would I be right in guessing that you were doing live action LRP?
Initially it was for live action role playing, but I got involved with a group that wanted to do reenactment as well. One of the things we practiced was the barbarian hordes vs the romans. We only had 3 romans and 4 barbarians.
The romans were setup as 2 shield men protecting a spear man - the only one with a weapon, which the barbarians all had THS, but couldnt get too close to each other for fear of chopping their mates arms and legs off.
Because of the way the situation was and me being a barbarian at the time, I got poked with the spear and it hit me right on the eyebrow, bent the spear and it sprang upwards away from my eye socket instead of down into it. Would have been bad if it went the other way.
The group aso did some stuff with solid metal swords etc, but I was not too interested in that. After the eye incident I kind of stopped going. 
Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote:
Please tell me you had a friend with a camcorder there at the time!
Its something I still practice now and again, but I do not have any videos of it. I still get a sore head when practicing.
Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote:
Incidentally, if you ever see the BBC "War Walks" documentary on The Battle of Bosworth Field I'm in it (a real close up too!) - but I bet you won't recognise me if you see it.
If I get the change to see it I will. There is a small chance I may recognise you, I think I remember seeing your bio when you went by your old name Andy.
Roger Allen - Sonork 100.10016
Strong Sad: I am sad I am flying
Who is your favorite Strong?
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Roger Allen wrote:
Initially it was for live action role playing, but I got involved with a group that wanted to do reenactment as well. One of the things we practiced was the barbarian hordes vs the romans. We only had 3 romans and 4 barbarians.
The romans were setup as 2 shield men protecting a spear man - the only one with a weapon, which the barbarians all had THS, but couldnt get too close to each other for fear of chopping their mates arms and legs off.
Because of the way the situation was and me being a barbarian at the time, I got poked with the spear and it hit me right on the eyebrow, bent the spear and it sprang upwards away from my eye socket instead of down into it. Would have been bad if it went the other way.
We actually did something similar at a Romano-Celtic show in Southend in Easter 1996. The Romans (about 20 of them) had formed a hedgehog in the centre of the field, and we surrounded them with spears. It was a bit of a stand off for a little while - until two of our guys dashed in with hand axes and started pulling Romans out by hooking their shields!
We really had to work hard to stick to the script and lose that one.
Roger Allen wrote:
The group aso did some stuff with solid metal swords etc, but I was not too interested in that. After the eye incident I kind of stopped going.
Quite honestly I don't blame you after that. I once hit a friend on the nose with a steel tipped spear when he ducked as I was thrusting...fortunately the training worked and I pulled the blow instinctively. Even though the tip touched his nose, it didn't even leave a mark...although the colour did drain from his face rather quickly.
Roger Allen wrote:
Its something I still practice now and again, but I do not have any videos of it. I still get a sore head when practicing.
Ouch!
Roger Allen wrote:
If I get the change to see it I will. There is a small chance I may recognise you, I think I remember seeing your bio when you went by your old name Andy.
I'll give you a clue then! I'm the one wearing the colours of the Woodville Household over rather beaten looking armour...
Anna
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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It's been one of those days when I've felt like I'm bashing my head against a brick wall. 
It's not any single thing, but more a combination of them...broken builds, frustration at old code, lack of specifications for new products, out of date tools (we're still waiting for Visual Studio.NET at work - I've had a copy for home use since August 2002!) and so on...not to mention the emotional load I'm carrying outside of work.
I shed a few tears today, but at least it passed quickly...and as always something happened to make me smile. About an hour before leaving work I wandered into the canteen to refill my mug (I know - I drink way too much coffee at work) and discovered that some considerate soul had left some lemon cake out for anyone that fancied a nibble.
It may not be chocolate, but this girl ain't fussy...or at least, not when it comes to free nibbles!
Anna
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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Note to self, we need an emoticon for a box of chocolates 
I hope your week gets better Anna...
Marcie
CP Blog[^]
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Marcie Robillard (Datagrid Girl) wrote:
Note to self, we need an emoticon for a box of chocolates
We sure do.
Marcie Robillard (Datagrid Girl) wrote:
I hope your week gets better Anna...
Thanks hun. I hope so too...it feels totally mind numbing right now. 
Anna
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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I'm kind of afraid to ask, but what is an acoustic tracking system?
Marcie
CP Blog[^]
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Hi Marcie,
It's a system for tracking vehicles (ROVs, AUVs etc.) underwater using sonar. The basic premise is to measure the time taken to transmit a sonar signal (analogue tone-burst or digital spread spectrum) from a transmitter to a receiver. From that, the distance between them can be calculated, and (assuming you have enough measurements) the position of the vehicle computed.
There's a pretty good description on my company's website - see http://www.sonardyne.co.uk/theory.htm[^].
You'll often find our systems used in marine survey or oil exploration. An example of the former is the survey of the wreck of U166[^] in the Gulf of Mexico last year. It's an interesting area to work in, but unfortunately not leading edge as far as the software is concerned - though working on the UI I do get a fair bit of freedom to innvovate.
Anna
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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Neat! Thanks for the explanation Anna, it sounds like pretty cool stuff.
Marcie
CP Blog[^]
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Anytime hun!
It certainly can be...although I've not had a chance to get away from my desk onto a boat for a couple of years now and I'm getting rather fed up with the office...
Anna
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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Anna,
How long ago did you work for Sonardyne?
I used to work with Nauticos (probably too small for you to know about), and then Oceaneering (too bog for you not to have ).
IIRC, we used some of your USBL 'ducers and dots, though I can't remember models.
I got out of that world in '05, after too much time away from the family.
----------
Have you had our beard electrolocized (sp?)?
If so, how long did it take, and how painful (physical and wallet) was it?
My wife likes me clean shaven. I do to, except for the shaving part.
Thanks,
Richard
Opacity, the new Transparency.
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Hi Richard,
Oceaneering is a name that indeed rings a bell. Did you know Bruce Baker (our Product Manager) by any chance?
IIRC I was at Sonardyne from June 1998 to August 2004. I worked mostly on the generic Pharos product (which became Fusion LBL/USBL/Navigation and so on). Really interesting stuff to work on, and as I was mostly chained to my desk by the company I didn't have to pull any long offshore stints beyond the occasional week long trials in Plymouth Sound.
I honestly couldn't tell you how much I've spent on electro and laser. I did about 16 sessions of laser in 2002-2003 (£220 a time, though I could have got it cheaper with a different laser type) but I'm still having occasional electrolysis (must be close to 200 hrs now) to kill off the outliers. Hair follicles can lie dormant for something like 7 years, so it does take a while.
That said, laser's a reasonably quick and cheap way of "thinning it down". Shop around (Lasercare are one of the big ones) and it's about £100 a session.
Anna
Tech Blog | Visual Lint
"Why would anyone prefer to wield a weapon that takes both hands at once, when they could use a lighter (and obviously superior) weapon that allows you to wield multiple ones at a time, and thus supports multi-paradigm carnage?"
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Pole dancing![^]
The scene of the crime? Mummies[^] in Pattaya.
It was quite a night. After going to see Natta dancing on her final night at the Honeypot Bar on Soi 9, we grabbed some some roadside munchies and took a Baht Bus (much more fun than a taxi) for the trip to the club at 2am.
I've not danced so hard in years (I broke a heel jumping off stage at one point!)...and when they started playing rock at 4am that was it, and I joined my friend Helen for some impromptu pole-dancing.
It was rather fun, and I'll certainly do it again...
Anna
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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Hi everyone!
I've now managed to get a (somewhat intermittent and only 26k ) net connection established here in room 307 at the Mercure Hotel in Chonburi so while I've a little time this afternoon I thought it was time I said hello and thank you for all the moral support I received before embarking on my big adventure. I'm not getting time to track what's happening here (or anywhere else for that matter) so my apologies if I'm a little slow replying!
The big question of course is "How did it go?". Well I'm happy to say that the surgery (on the 14th) went so smoothly that Dr. Suporn completed it in 5 hours - which surprised even him! The staff at the clinic & hospital have all been brilliant (several I now consider to be close personal friends) and I've only had two causes for complaint - neither major, and both being dealt with. Neither affects me in particular, by the way.
I'm healing well and no longer in any significant pain, although I've learnt a fair bit about pain and painkillers (anyone tried morphine?  ).
The atmosphere out here is fantastic, and I've met some new good friends - both at the clinic and other patients from around the world. Quite an adventure. I've also kept a very detailed diary which tells the story of my adventure here.
I hope it's not "too much information" for anyone - although the diary[^] is candid and detailed, I've restricted the pictures that bring it to life (with one exception at the beginning of the third page which I felt necessary for those following me - and it's not gruesome in any way) to ones unlikely to upset anyone or the organisation they work for.
It goes without saying that if you or your organisation are likely to find the content difficult, please don't read it. If you do then complain, I'll set my halberd on you... 
Hugs to everyone. I've been thinking of you all during my adventure here.
Until I get back, khàwp khun khâ!
Anna
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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I'm quite frankly stunned.
After three weeks of what can only be described as sheer emotional torture, something's finally happened to swing things back entirely the other way. I'm not out of the woods yet, but this will most certainly help!
I originally made enquiries of the Suporn Clinic[^] about my surgery (combined Genital Reassignment Surgery and Facial Feminisation Surgery) in June, at which time they weren't yet scheduling for January 2004, when I was intending to have surgery. I'd already moved the date forwards once (from Spring, which I'd opted for in part to fit in with work) after realising I couldn't wait that long.
When the Clinic opened its scheduling at the end of August I was informed that they were no longer booking combined (GRS + FFS) procedures (for reasons I completely understand). However, that left me with a problem, as my company limits paid sick leave to 13 weeks per calendar year.
With my GRS booked for 21st January, I just couldn't see a way to fit in the FFS the same year...and the lack of certainly and doubt in my mind about what to do has only served to aggravate the problems of isolation and resultant depression I was already having at work (which were already bad enough, believe me).
By this Monday morning I was finally "with it" enough to write back to the clinic and inform them of the difficulties I was having. I also wrote an initial enquiry about FFS to Brian Musgrove in Manchester (a UK surgeon specialising in FFS), as a possible fallback.
I haven't had a reply from Musgrove yet but it's now rather academic, as yesterday morning I had an email from the Suporn Clinic informing me that a cancellation date might be available this year. A flurry of emails ensued, the end result of which is that as of yesterday evening my GRS has now been rebooked for 14th November!!!
Words aren't adequate here. I'm absolutely and totally stunned, and believe me if I had a bottle of champaigne handy right now there's be a party down here tonight for sure!
Incidentally, the date I had booked for GRS (21st January) is now the date of my FFS, so those who expected to bump into me in Thailand then still will...I'll just be a bit more post-op than I expected to be by the evening of 21st January...
8 weeks to go!
Anna
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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The thought had crossed my mind!
I'm taking my laptop with me with a Wi-Fi card (you never know!) but if all else fails the clinic provides a machine with internet access for use by patients, and there are internet cafes in Chonburi and Pattaya.
I won't be totally in hiding, although most of what I write will go to the TS support groups (there'll be way too much detail for CP!).
You'll certainly hear from me occasionally though, I promise you that.
Anna
Homepage | Tears and Laughter
"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch
"Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart"
- A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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