Development

The Illusion of Perfect Software

Perfect software doesn't exist - that should be "...elementary my Dear Watson."  Ok, so starting with that assumption where does one go with their quest for the "perfect" software, or perhaps the "perfect" tester, or the "perfect" whatever for that matter!  A couple of weeks ago I bookmarked a...

Communications and the Multi-Generational Development Team

Something I'd never thought about before reading Talking About My Generation  in the latest Entrepreneur magazine is how differently those of us in different generations prefer to communicate.  I have of course...

Changes, Users and Resistance

Let's face it, software development and design is complex - even when it's simple :-) There are some areas where it seems that no matter what is done there will be unhappy users - at least for a while.  I found myself in that category last week when it was announced by Data Access Corp that...

Application Design and Expectations

I believe I've stated before in this blog that at one time while working with some ERP software I became known as the man who "...wouldn't have designed it that way!"  Well, yesterday I saw that same user frustration and amazement (I'm being nice) with regard to an application that my friend was...

Fighting Shutdown during Slowdown

Certainly these are trying economic times for us!  We're all seemingly "trying" to keep our heads above water economically, or at least minimize our losses.  We're "trying" to make sense of an economy gone into a spiral, and "trying" to maintain balance during all the turmoil.  These "trying"...

The IT Worker Telecommuting

Somehow or another in spite of my best efforts to escape computer-speak when I'm not actively at work :-) it seems that even my personal "life" is laced with computer and IT geeks.  Of course, as I've blogged about previously, I don't really try to separate my "life" into a "work-life" and...

Factors Against a Custom Application

My previous post pointed out a few of the reasons why one might choose to create a custom application.  For this post I'd like to further the discussion to review some of the reasons (valid and otherwise) for NOT creating a custom application.  I would include in this...

Identifying Potentially Valuable Custom Applications

Without fail, in my experience as a developer any potentially valuable custom application project has been the result of identifying some area of operation which:

• Has become unwieldy, requiring too many steps or multiple data entry
• Has become more and more demanding as a...

Why Create a Custom Application?

First -- In the interest of public discloser I must confess that perhaps I am biased on the subject of custom applications.  While writing my previous post I found myself once again becoming excited about application development, and more especially the value that such an application can...

Application Value

Earlier this week I was speaking with a client for whom I had developed a custom solution for tracking and maintaining records of truck use mileages.  The company has multiple locations scattered within a 200 mile radius or so, and crossing state lines.  The project started out specifically as...