Michael Slade: Software

Fri, 01 Aug 2003 03:11:05 GMT

I have been thinking of another software project. I have so many articles, code, pictures, etc. that I need to organize. I have been following the Microsoft Research project MyLifeBits for the last few months. I am thinking of doing the same. I have 12 file drawers, and many boxes of white papers, pictures, code snippets, and magazine articles. I do not know how long it is going take, but I am looking at cutting down on all the clutter in the home office. One of my computers currently has 240 GB of code snippets, software projects, and betas which I need to burn to DVD. The oldest stuff dates back to when I was in high school.

Sun, 20 Jul 2003 16:13:33 GMT

Last night, actually very early this morning, I added a section, Software Projects, to the website which details the work that I am doing on the various software projects. This section will contain screen shots, sample code, and other project related materials.

[Now Playing: David Lanz - Cristofori's Dream - Free Fall (04:23)]

Wed, 16 Jul 2003 02:28:22 GMT

One of the things that I have been thinking about with regard to the PSP tools is the ability to have a web log as part of the tool. I could use the web log as a journal to document project inspirations, project actions, as well as interruptions. The PSP process includes a time log which details the amount of time spent actually working on the project. SEI typically says that a software engineer only gets to work on their project for 15 hours out of the 40 hours in the week. This is based on the data they have collected from many PSP classes and many TSP projects that they have coached. The other 25 hours are spent on answering phones and e-mails, supporting customers, answering questions from other engineers who stop by, meetings, etc. The challenge to others: keep track of how all the time you spend during the day, and how much was actually spent on the one project that you are supposed to be working on.

[Now Playing: Swing Out Sister - The Best of Swing Out Sister - NOTGONNACHANGE [O'Duffy's 7' Single] (04:20)]

Wed, 16 Jul 2003 01:49:45 GMT

The challenge: What software process do you use when developing your own software versus developing software for a company? I am just starting the early planning stages of my PSP tool. Do I follow the standard development process that I use at work, or cut corners? I believe that whether you develop software for just your use or for a company, you should always follow the same process, without cutting corners. I am going to use the PSP development process to develop my PSP tool. The first step in the development process is to put together a conceptual design. I am going to put together some prototypes for the UI – a smart client, a Pocket PC client and a web client. I then will use the ORM capabilities of VS.NET to map out of the database design. I will maintain a time log and a defect log separately until the tool is ready.

[Now Playing: Swing Out Sister - The Best of Swing Out Sister - Now You're Not Here [Original Single Mix] (04:44)]

Sun, 13 Jul 2003 06:18:42 GMT

A few of the software projects that I plan on working over the next few months will include:

1) Getting a version of N. Wirth’s Concurrent Pascal compiler running. I had already converted the code to C

2) Working on a new tool to help me estimate software development projects. This tool will allow me to combine my data from various Personal Software Process (PSP) and Team Software Process (TSP) projects that I have been involved with over the last two years. I would like this project to be able to have a central data repository, and be able to be accessed from within a number of Microsoft products, like Word, Excel, VS 6.0, and VS.NET 2003. I also want a mobile interface for my PDA. The PSP and TSP are software development processes and methodologies that were developed by Carnegie Mellon’s Software Engineering Institute (SEI), as described in Building High Performance Teams Using TSP and PSP.

3) Working on an Office add-in to pull in 401K information from Fidelity directly into my analysis spreadsheets.

4) Building a new skin for Windows Media Player that is somewhere beteen the toolbar version in XP and the skin mode.

[Now Playing: Swing Out Sister - Filth And Dreams - Closer Than The Sun (03:43)]