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User: drpentode

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  1. Re:Use Grails - Ignore your RoR zealots on Ask Slashdot: One Framework To Rule Them All? · · Score: 1

    Every time I hear that Rails isn't scalable, I laugh. I work on an RoR site that handles millions of page views a day. The scalability solutions for RoR are the same as any framework: caching, database clustering, app server clustering, and load balancing. With a team of smart developers and sys admins, you can make any site based on a solid framework scalable. Since the poster's shop has extensive PHP experience, picking a solid PHP framework is probably best for him, although he shouldn't discount the productivity gains he may experience with Rails or another Ruby framework (Sinatra, etc.).

  2. Re:I'm not too good for code reviews on Are You Too Good For Code Reviews? · · Score: 1

    I've had good luck with making it a mandatory part of the process. A developer fixes an issue, and before it can move into the "test" bucket, it has pass through the "code review" bucket. We do round-robin code reviews where a developer just grabs someone who's not too busy, and they take 10-15 minutes to do the review. No need for hour-long reviews since reviews tend to be done on smaller pieces of code. Different processes work for different groups. This is what worked for us.

  3. Re:this on Are You Too Good For Code Reviews? · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Finding a bug in your own code costs one of unit of work. QA finding a bug in your work costs 10 units of work. Having a customer find a bug in your code costs 100 units of work. Doing code reviews increases efficiency. Plus, you get to both teach and learn from your peers.

  4. Re:In the words of the great Ken Titus... on US Youth Have Serious Mental Health Issues · · Score: 1

    A helmet also saved my life. It shattered into little pieces instead of my skull. However, I draw the line at knee and elbow pads. Scraping your knee won't kill you, and stitches are something to brag about.

  5. Re:Men aren’t so dumb... on Not Enough Women In Computing, Or Too Many Men? · · Score: 1

    I'm allergic to tomatoes and lactose intolerant, you insensitive clod!

  6. Re:N00b thing? on Geocities Shutting Down Today · · Score: 1

    Well, I'm 3 2-digiters. Boo yeah!

  7. Re:N00b thing? on Geocities Shutting Down Today · · Score: 1

    Not at first. When I signed up, the visual editor didn't exist. I uploaded my first site off a floppy. I wrote my HTML on a 286 using an old DOS-based text editor. Anyone ever use VDE? Anyway, the visual editor didn't appear until months later.

  8. Re:True that on The Duct Tape Programmer · · Score: 1

    Misspelling words won't break your code as long as you misspell consistently. Once "orginal", always "orginal". :D

  9. Re:PDFs? on 20 Years of MS Word and Why It Should Die a Swift Death · · Score: 1

    PDFs have their place...particularly distribution of complicated forms and contracts. Print a PDF of a contract, sign it with a real signature (e-sigs not accepted everywhere), re-scan and send. With today's multi-function scanners and printers, this is actually faster than faxing. Better yet, my insurance agent has a special stylus for electronically signing documents. The end result is a PDF that gets sent to the main office to be filed with all the other paperwork. Sometimes, a real sheet of paper is still a requirement.

  10. Re:PIck a different module or direction on How To Get Out of Developer's Block? · · Score: 1

    I've also found this technique useful. If I'm not inspired to work on my current task, I'll just jump to a more interesting one on the list. Usually by the time I'm done the more interestng one, it has become dreadfully boring, and the original task becomes interesting again.

  11. Re:Come on, Detroit isn't that bad. on The Worst US Cities To Work In IT · · Score: 1

    I second that. I've been to the Grand Rapids area many times, and I've loved it every time. Plenty of forests, not a lot of traffic, and very intelligent and friendly people. I would have moved there if it wasn't for the winters and lack of jobs.

  12. Re:What happened to... on Sedate Your Kids While They Play · · Score: 1

    You've obviously never had to see your kid off to open heart surgery. The kid WILL freak out at the alien-looking nurses in their shower caps and bright yellow smocks. Anything to reduce the fear is a good thing.

  13. Re:find other references inside the company on How To Handle Corporate Blackmail? · · Score: 1

    I have found that client references tend to be some of the best, especially if they've been happy with your work. If your client is happy, it means you probably made your employer happy.

  14. Re:-1, Hoary old joke on Ubuntu Download Speeds Beat Windows XP's · · Score: 1

    Tap with two fingers instead of one on the touchpad. I think there's a system preferences setting for this, but I forget.

  15. Feedback Loop? on Japanese Scientists Claim To Reconstruct Images From Brain Data · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Would looking at the image your brain is generating at the same time you are generating it create a feedback loop much like holding a microphone too close to a speaker?

  16. Re:What? on Web Singletons? · · Score: 1

    Absolutely. Is Moodle still around?

  17. Re:Remix Scene on Commodore 64 Still Beloved After All These Years · · Score: 1

    One word...JiffyDOS! Sped up the 1541 by 10 times or more.

  18. Re:The secret to smart kids?? easy... on The Secret to Raising Smart Kids · · Score: 1

    Now I know why I'm so messed up (in the fixed-mind mentality). My mom and dad used to flip out whenever I made a mistake like that. The bigger the mess, the more the yelling. I learned to avoid mistakes and now suffer for it. Guess it's time for a big mental change.

  19. Re:Not sure 3D is always the best on The User Experiences Of The Future · · Score: 1

    I hope it's not like a Xerox machine where you become a copy of a copy of a copy and your face is covered in smudges and your features are indiscernible because you've been copied too many times.

  20. Re:Oh please on IT and Divorce? · · Score: 1

    Your theory intrigues me. I've wondered why wealthy, intelligent people have fewer children. One would think that they would want to spread their good genes around more.

  21. Re:It's called reality on IT and Divorce? · · Score: 1

    And there are managers that correctly allocate 40 hours per week per developer and ask their developers to put family first. And these managers actually mean it. However, sadly, I have found that to be more of the exception than the rule. I look for these types of managers when I go job hunting, and it's been totally worth the trouble.

  22. Re:Obesity comes from a simple condition... on Obesity Contagious? · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm one of those people. I work out several times a week, walk everywhere and never take an elevator. I eat about 2,000 calories a day, but I am still gaining weight. It hasn't stopped.

  23. Earth science exam on Your Best Exam Stories? · · Score: 1

    One time I took earth science as a gen ed course in college. I showed up an hour and a half late to the final because I overslept. The professor chewed me out but relented and let me take it. I finished it in 10 minutes and got an A.

  24. Re:Caught cheating on Your Best Exam Stories? · · Score: 1

    That reminds me of when I took the ITBS in fifth grade. The teacher said that no one, absolutely no one, would be able to complete the math section early. It was too hard. She didn't want to see anyone finish early. I finished in five minutes. I scored in the 99th percentile. :)

  25. Re:Good! on Gender Gap in Computer Science Growing · · Score: 1

    Works better than a condom.