Friday, March 19, 2004

Rockin Laptop, Rockin Demo

So this morning when I came in this morning, by Boss told me that he had signed for my laptop today and it is in the building. So I had to do my best to not jump up and down and clap like a fool. I got a new Dell with 1.7ghz Processor, 1 Gig of RAM and a 60gig Harddrive. Of course it has WiFi and Bluetooth. My phone is Bluetooth is it should be a happy little device. So this weekend is going to be taken up with playing...hmmmm I mean working with the new laptop. My first impression is that it is larger than I thought it would be, but it is beautiful.

Yesterday was other vendor demo. It differed from the previous by the answers to the questions. Everywhere we were told "No" in the demo on wednesday, we were told "Yes" in the demo yesterday! So that is just amazingly impressive. Something that works out of the box and yet is amazingly customizable and cofigurable. I am sold. If the decision was up to me we would have gave them a check yesterday.

One part of the demo that I really enjoyed was their Chief Architect , Scott Hanselman going over the architecture of the product. It really open'd some eyes! I was in heaven. I am very thankful Scott took the time to go over that with us. I have to say later that night I had visions of XML Schemas dancing in my head!

One of the other thing that I got from Scott's presentation was CodeSmith. If you aren't using CodeSmith, why? I know what you are going to say, I don't really like the idea of code generators. Well, what about one that you write the template for, hmmmm? Something that saves you 60% of your time doing the redunant coding for you. Okay wait it gets better. Eric Smith has made it a freeware. Now there is a professional version, but isn't only about 80 bucks. Come on, does it get better than that. That is so worth the two to three hours we all spend finding that typo on the easy stuff that we just goofed on.

Thursday, March 18, 2004

thought for food

The images that was posted here is no longer available

More Quotes

Absurdity, n.: A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion.
Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914), The Devil's Dictionary

The time to stop talking is when the other person nods his head affirmatively but says nothing.
Henry S. Haskins (1878 - 1957)

I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.
Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965), on the eve of his 75th birthday

Architecture is the art of how to waste space.
Philip Johnson (1906 - )

Wednesday, March 17, 2004

The long Parade of Salesman

So today was the first in the Long Parade of Salesman. We are going through the vendor demos for the project at work. It's a large project for us, so the vendor demos last about 8 hours. Yes friends 8 hours! Dare I say it again, 8 hours.

Today was the first one and it went fairly well. Tomorrow is the one I am looking forward too. It's a great company that starts with the letters "cor" and ends in "illian". I get to meet Scott Hanselman tomorrow!

Monday, March 15, 2004

Fuzzy's ready to go

Who's Fuzzy? Actually the question is what is Fuzzy? Before your minds go to far with this..Fuzzy is the Quad that my Dad, brothers and I build. It started life as a YZ 490 dirt bike and is now a full fledge quad. Fuzzy is a purebred mut! It's front suspension and brakes are off of a Honda 250R FourTrax. The Latter half of the rear swingarm and brake are from a Suzuki LT250R, while the first part of the swingarm is the stock YZ490 parts. It using the YZ 490 rear shock and linkage. Keeping with the Mut theme, the front plastic is from a 1986 Honda 250R FourTrax and the Rear Plastic is from a 1987 Suzuki LT250R. The Tank is (strange enough) stock YZ490. We fabricated, modified and welded the frame ourselves. We had a friend do the aluminum welding that merged two swingarms in to one.

In the end, Dad has a one off quad that doesn't look, sounds or ride like anyone else's. It is fast and stable and just a lot of fun to ride. There is a lot of bragging rights that goes with building your own quad. Anyone can buy one, but not everyone can make one!

Sunday, March 14, 2004

Quotable Quotes

I currently don't have anything interesting to say, so I will differ to those that do.

No animal should ever jump up on the dining-room furniture unless absolutely certain that he can hold his own in the conversation.
-Fran Lebowitz

Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
-Benjamin Franklin

We all have strength enough to endure the misfortunes of others.
-Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.
-Mark Twain

Our chief want in life is somebody who shall make us do what we can.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Do not be awe struck by other people and try to copy them. Nobody can be you as efficiently as you can.
-Norman Vincent Peale

It is a waste of energy to be angry with a man who behaves badly, just as it is to be angry with a car that won't go.
-Bertrand Russell

Why is it drug addicts and computer aficionados are both called users?
-Clifford Stoll

Home computers are being called upon to perform many new functions, including the consumption of homework formerly eaten by the dog.
-Doug Larson