Hippolite Musings | Tena Koutou Katoa, This month I managed to: - Code in PHP for the first time in years;
- Protest the Emissions Trading Scheme;
- Complete my annual performance evaluation;
- Watch a World-Cup football game (my first ever);
I’ve got a new motto: Boycott ‘Carbon-Neutral’ as a meaningless marketing term. Blessings,
James
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Community Development | Grenada Village Online - Simplified “Query Documents” page into “Search” page.
- Reduced number of text boxes to fill in down to just one Search field (as per Google).
- Modified business layer code to accommodate for one search term in multiple fields.
- Learned how to include parentheses in SubSonic queries in the WHERE clause.
public DAL.DocumentCollection GetData( string searchValue, string audience) { _qry.From(DAL.Document.Schema); if (searchValue != null) { _qry.WhereExpression(columns.DocumentName).ContainsString(searchValue); _qry.Or(columns.Author).ContainsString(searchValue); _qry.Or(columns.Purpose).ContainsString(searchValue); _qry.CloseExpression(); } else return null; if (audience != null) _qry.And(columns.Audience).ContainsString(audience); _qry.OrderDesc(columns.DateWritten); _ret.LoadAndCloseReader(_qry.ExecuteReader()); return _ret; }
Align Church Online
Wellington Home Education Network
- I was right: this website is probably on an Apache server, as it accepted a PHP page.
- Coded an online Application Form which is processed server-side and sends a formatted email to an administrator.
/*
Sends the mail and outputs the "Thank you" string
if the mail is successfully sent, or the error string otherwise.
*/
if (mail($email,$subject,$message,$headers)) {
echo "<p>Your application form has been posted.</p>";
} else {
echo "<h4>Can't send email to $email</h4>";
}
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Developer News
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Run the following in any database for some stats on your tables in SQL Server.
USE [DatabaseName]
GO
EXEC sp_table_count
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Study News
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My upgrade to Visual Studio 2010 on my laptop did not impact my study for MCTS Exam 70-503 (Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 – Windows Communication Foundation) as much as I had originally anticipated, as the requirements for the study material includes Vista, which my Telecom-issued COE (common operating environment) does not contain!
So, I had to re-install a Virtual PC environment (thankfully I’m MCT and have one handily lying around) with Vista & Visual Studio 2008 installed.
Next problem was that the requirements for chapter 4 were for Internet connectivity. Yes, I know that Virtual PC will enable Internet, but the MCT environment I was using (Course 6461A) did not allow for it, and for the life of me, I couldn’t work out how to make it work! Very frustrating couple of days. If anybody has any clues how to make this happen, I’d be grateful for a link.
Meantime, I was able to do Exercise 1 back in Visual Studio 2010 on my DEV PC (which has Internet connectivity), but not Exercise 2! Exercise 2 introduce concurrency, and ran into the problem “cannot update control on a thread that did not create the object” error. I didn’t manage to overcome this problem either.
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Telecom News
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Significant redundancies
Occurring around me at present.
Sign of the times, unfortunately.
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Microsoft News
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This was (somewhat) useful (if slightly unprofessional):
See the story of a Web Form developer who decided to take a closer look at this radical new approach to ASP.NET development
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Situations Vacant
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Parameter Manager
Stretch the limits
Lead and develop a high performing team and ensure continuous improvement of service delivery. Drive quality through the team's processes to support zero error tolerance. Utilise your commercial, analytical and business acumen and really stretch the limits. Ensure all framework, processes and tools are in place and used to develop people capability.
Our Parameters Management Group is responsible for the management and 'gate keeping' of parameters for internal Telecom billing systems to ensure a smooth end-to-end operation across our business from customer contact to bill presentation. Have full accountability for managing a team of 'subject matter experts' on parameter changes during the feasibility, design, build and testing phase. With a solid understanding of the complexities of our business, assist in the design of future strategies, ensure the right capabilities within the team and allocate resources effectively.
Your previous leadership and people management skills mean you have the ability to ensure learning and growth within the team. You're capable of ensuring compliance and audit processes are adhered to. Your problem solving and negotiation skills are top notch as is your ability to work under pressure. You're strategically focussed on delivering results for the team and the wider business.
Our Parameter team is part of the Business Operations and Finance Group which sits in the Transformation, Technology and Shared Services Business Unit. We're a centrally managed function primarily responsible for the delivery of Shared Services processing and accounting functions to the pan Telecom Group. Join a high performing team that's professional and motivated.
Enterprise Architect
Are you an experienced Enterprise Architect?
It's a great feeling to be valued for your expert knowledge and advice. Customers and colleagues alike look to you to show them the way. Join our Consulting and Design team and get the recognition you deserve.
Your customers look to you to match high quality technical knowledge to their business drivers and provide valuable technology solution roadmaps. Be the most trusted of advisors as you consult on the issues that matter to them. Work at a variety of levels, from presenting whitepapers to applying robust technical governance practices.
Significant experience in an ICT vendor environment is a given. Your knowledge of TOGAF and possibly other EA frameworks is robust, but you are also not a purist in how you deploy these methodologies. Equally important as your Enterprise Architecture skill is your ability to relate technical solutions to business outcomes and to design and deliver should the need arise. You have excellent communication skills and a strong customer focus. Your experience with infrastructure strategic planning and technical evaluation is impressive.
Providing a breadth of services unparalleled in the New Zealand market, Gen-i is NZ's ICT market leader. This Wellington-based role sits within our high-performing Consulting and Design team. We help organisations generate greater value from their IT spend by offering innovative solutions for the issues important to them.
Be valued for your expertise. Apply today.
Senior Technology Consultant - Capacity & Availability
Are you an expert in capacity & availability analysis across an extensive range of technologies?
It's a great feeling to be valued for your expert knowledge and advice. Customers and colleagues alike look to you to show them the way. Join our Consulting and Design team and get the recognition you deserve.
Your customers look to you to match high quality technical knowledge to their business drivers to create valuable technology solutions. Be the most trusted of advisors as you consult on the issues that matter to them. Work at a variety of levels, from presenting whitepapers to the nitty gritty of technical designing.
Significant experience in an ICT vendor environment is a given. Your knowledge of infrastructure capacity & availability analysis across Windows, Unix\Linux and/or EMC Storage is robust. Equally important as your superior technical design and delivery skills, is your ability to relate technical solutions to business outcomes. You have excellent communication skills and a strong customer focus. Your experience with infrastructure strategic planning and technical evaluation is impressive.
Providing a breadth of services unparalleled in the New Zealand market, Gen-i is NZ's ICT market leader. This Wellington-based role sits within our high-performing Consulting and Design team. We help organisations generate greater value from their IT spend by offering innovative solutions for the issues important to them.
Contact James if interested.
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Training News
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http://mcitpguide.net/how-many-people-are-already-mcitp-certified-worldwide/
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INETA News
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A summary of Significant Dot Net User Group Chatter
- 02-Jun, Video Problems with VS2010, 6 replies
- 15-Jun, Accessing Properties of Domain Objects, 23 replies
- 22-Jun, TFS/VS 2010 Pricing, 13 replies
- 22-Jun, FogBugz, 9 replies
- 23-Jun, Xero Architecture, 13 replies
- 25-Jun, Developer Laptop, 40 replies
- 29-Jun, Problems Using DataContractSerializer, 6 replies
- 30-Jun, Problem with WCF Study Material, 15 replies
- 30-Jun, Microsoft’s confusing partner programme, 6 replies
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PASS News
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A summary of Significant SQL Server User Group Chatter
- 15-Jun, SQL Server Data Auditing, 7 replies
- 17-Jun, 24 Hours of PASS Recordings Now Available, 0 replies
- 21-Jun, Using FOR XML AUTO with a synonym, 0 replies
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Events Schedule
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In this section, I highlight dates, times and venues of events either I am presenting at, or of interest to Geeks. I’m available for bookings.
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Humour
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Comments made in the year 1955!
That's only 55 years ago!
- I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $20.00.
- Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $2,000.00 will only buy a used one.
- If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. 25 cents a pack is ridiculous.
- Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging 10 cents just to mail a letter
- If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.
- When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage.
- I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either HELL or DAMN in it.
- I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas ...
- Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the President.
- I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.
- It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.
- It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.
- I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.
- Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to government.
- The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.
- There is no sense going on short trips anymore for a weekend, it costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.
- No one can afford to be sick anymore, at $35.00 a day in the hospital, it's too rich for my blood.
- If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it.
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Humour
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PUNS FOR THE EDUCATED
- A thief broke into the local police station and stole all the toilets and urinals, leaving no clues. A spokesperson was quoted as saying, "We have absolutely nothing to go on."
- Evidence has been found that William Tell and his family were avid bowlers. Unfortunately, all the Swiss league records were destroyed in a fire... and so we'll never know for whom the Tells bowled.
- A man rushed into a busy doctor's office and shouted, "Doctor! I think I'm shrinking!" The doctor calmly responded, "Now, settle down. You'll just have to be a little patient."
- A marine biologist developed a race of genetically engineered dolphins that could live forever if they were fed a steady diet of seagulls. One day, his supply of the birds ran out so he had to go out and trap some more. On the way back, he spied two lions asleep on the road. Afraid to wake them, he gingerly stepped over them. Immediately, he was arrested and charged with transporting gulls across sedate lions for immortal porpoises.
- Back in the 1800's the Tate's Watch Company of Massachusetts wanted to produce other products, and since they already made the cases for watches, they used them to produce compasses. The new compasses were so bad that people often ended up in Canada or Mexico rather than California. This, of course, is the origin of the expression: "He who has a Tate's is lost!"
- King Ozymandias of Assyria was running low on cash after years of war with the Hittites. His last great possession was the Star of the Euphrates, the most valuable diamond in the ancient world. Desperate, he went to Croesus, the pawnbroker, to ask for a loan. Croesus said, "I'll give you 100,000 dinars for it." "But I paid a million dinars for it," the King protested. "Don't you know who I am? I am the king!" Croesus replied, "When you wish to pawn a Star, makes no difference who you are."
- An Indian chief was feeling very sick, so he summoned the medicine man. After a brief examination, the medicine man took out a long, thin strip of elk rawhide and gave it to the chief, telling him to bite off, chew, and swallow one inch of the leather every day. After a month, the medicine man returned to see how the chief was feeling. The chief shrugged and said, "The thong is ended, but the malady lingers on."
- A famous Viking explorer returned home from a voyage and found his name missing from the town register. His wife insisted on complaining to the local civic official who apologised profusely saying, "I must have taken Leif off my census."
- There were three Indian squaws. One slept on a deer skin, one slept on an elk skin, and the third slept on a hippopotamus skin. All three became pregnant. The first two each had a baby boy. The one who slept on the hippopotamus skin had twin boys. This just goes to prove that... the squaw of the hippopotamus is equal to the sons of the squaws of the other two hides.
- A sceptical anthropologist was cataloguing South American folk remedies with the assistance of a tribal Brujo who indicated that the leaves of a particular fern were a sure cure for any case of constipation. When the anthropologist expressed his doubts, the Brujo looked him in the eye and said, "Let me tell you, with fronds like these, you don't need enemas."
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