Monthly Archives: December 2006

I'm coding in Java this week and next!  …and I'm a bit uncomfortable.  The problem isn't really Java per se, it's mostly unfamiliarity with the existing architecture and the different toolset.  Here's what I think so far: The language difference is…   … Continue reading →

My team had a conversation about code statistics at lunch the other day, specifically about Cyclomatic Complexity numbers.  The gist of the conversation was whether or not it was important or useful to regularly run these metrics on your code.  … Continue reading →

Before you go any farther, a Code Smell simply implies that there *might* be something wrong with your code and that you *definitely* need to evaluate your code.    Downcasting, in my opinion, is a code smell.  Specifically, I think code like this below … Continue reading →

This post isn't really a rant, more of a warning.  I really, really think that testability should be a first class consideration for doing software design.  From experience, retrofitting an existing codebase with automated testing is problematic.  One of the … Continue reading →

The first ship is away!  The first ship is away!   Download the StoryTeller v0.50 at http://storyteller.tigris.org/servlets/ProjectDocumentList?folderID=0. At Scott Bellware's request I'm making an alpha release of StoryTeller today along with a little introduction to the capabilities that are built into … Continue reading →

It's never fun relearning something you already knew… Last year I worked a lot against a database that was missing a lot of referential integrity and even a few uniqueness checks.  You know how the old timers say that's a … Continue reading →

… or irrefutable evidence of an unhealthy team.   Can your team do an iteration retrospective with a minimum of venom and squirming?  Is everybody unafraid to speak up in a retrospective?  Can you calmly talk about what’s not going well and what … Continue reading →

  I want to comment a bit on The Problem of Open Source in the Microsoft World from Ayende.  Please go read his post and add your voice somewhere.  I actually do believe that Microsoft listens to us, we just have to start asking … Continue reading →