juliansimpson.org

I'm going to enjoy eating you, little chillies.

2008-07-26T11:28:00.003+01:00

We have about 8 chilli plants. All cultivated from seed, which I'm proud of. Some were bought in a packet, some were scooped out of a chilli that I was de-seeding to cook with.

Last night, I dreamt in code ...

2008-07-25T12:32:00.002+01:00

... and the code was Perl. It was slightly disturbing; it's not like I've written any Perl in years. What does it mean?

Debian on my eeepc makes me happy

2008-07-15T22:59:00.004+01:00

I ruined the Xandros install on my Asus Eeepc weeks ago. So I've just done my second Debian install on it, this time using an 8Gb SDHC card to host the OS. There's a tangible lag sometimes because the SD card is connected via USB2, but not enough to matter. Mostly I just write stuff using Vim, if I get a seat on the train.

Blimp over London

2008-07-14T22:36:00.003+01:00

Taken from London Bridge this afternoon. I'd write something funny but I burnt my finger cooking poppadoms.

Radiator construction at the Guardian - a guest post at www.build-doctor.com

2008-06-23T20:55:00.004+01:00

(click here to skip my introduction and go directly to the post)

The last project I did for ThoughtWorks was at Guardian News and Media, working on the redesign of their website. It should have been a dream project: I used to read the newspaper cover to cover, I'm really interested in media, and it's a chance to see what running one of the biggest websites in the UK is like. I was a bit shocked when I got there.

Like any software project, there were issues. The developers were doing their damnedest to meet some aggressive deadlines, the testers were writing automated tests like their lives depended on it, but something really wasn't gelling. It didn't seem to matter that the automated build that ran the functional tests was broken for days at a time. ThoughtWorkers the world over are capable of amazing amounts of discipline in software engineering. It felt like we weren't hitting that level and it wasn't clear why. What I did to try and fix this?

In the project room, there were 32 inch TV's on the walls to display the state of the website. It was just coincidence that the developers were housed next to the Guardian's excellent systems operations team. The developers had a Wi-Fi rabbit. It was no contest. Something had to be done. In the very first guest post on The Build Doctor, Michael Brunton-Spall picks up the story of how we built an Extreme Feedback Device called the Build Radiator.

Link

blog and job news ... the ThoughtWorks split is permanent

2008-06-15T22:32:00.007+01:00

(Causeway Coast, Ulster, 1993)

News:

My blog, the Build Doctor is no longer on the Planet TW aggregator. You can subscribe to the RSS feed, of course: Link
There's a new RSS feed for this blog. The old one redirects to this, but for what it's worth: Link
And I passed my 3 month probation at Beazley Furlonge. My new office digs are at Monument (ironically just over the road from the old TW offices); I'm really enjoying being back in the City. Do I miss my ThoughtWorks colleagues? Loads of them. Do I miss consulting for ThoughtWorks UK? Negative. I'm enjoying life.

The 20th Woking Bikeathon

2008-06-15T20:55:00.004+01:00

The Woking bikeathon starts at 10am sharp. Once the speeches had finished, we set off about 10:20. To be fair, they had Alastair Campbell, a past Mayor of Woking and a present Mayor of Woking and other dignitaries queueing up to have their speech.

This year the route took us through New Haw, along the M25 in a zigzag fashion, through Virginia Water past the Wentworth golf course, across the M3 and back in Woking via Chobham and Horsell before heading back to Sheerwater where the ride starts. This route came very close to our street, but we didn't give in to temptation and go home for cups of tea.

It felt a lot easier this year. I put it down to the bike. Last year I was riding a mountain bike with street tires; this year I actually bought a hybrid road bike. It makes all the difference in comfort and speed. This year also felt easier because it wasn't hosing with rain. 30 miles quickly vanished under our tyres. Fueled on doughnuts (apparently, the staple food of the bikeathon), we did our bit for Leukemia Research in about 3 hours. I think I'll try it towing a child next time.

To all those who sponsored and encouraged us: thank you. It means a lot.

Tim's latest project: shelter for writers

2008-06-15T10:25:00.007+01:00

My friend Tim is a London based Rails developer . He has given you such things as http://whenshouldwe.com and http://smarterfitter.com He just announced his latest site, Writer's Residence. In his own words:

Writer's Residence is a product specifically for writers who need to market themselves and their writing. It's a fast, easy way to create professional portfolio site including CV / clippings / samples / tear sheets / publication lists. It's designed for showing off work to commissioning editors or potential employers.

I really like the concept: allowing people to focus on promoting their writing and not piddling around with blog skins, etc. The site was born out the frustration of a real freelance writer trying to promote herself online.

Link

A precious moment

2008-06-01T22:39:00.002+01:00

Today, both my daughters were riding bikes, unaided. Lesley and I are over the moon about it.

We decided that it was time to get Emma a bike. After a visit to the fine Action Bikes in Woking, we learned that:

Abby, the older one was using a bike that was too small
The bike that Emma fancied in the shop was also too small.

We ended up buying Abby a new bike sans trainers, and putting the trainer wheels back on her old bike to give to Emma. It's rough being the youngest. There's an abandoned go-kart track near us in Woking that's now a park, so we went out there and let the kids loose. Emma went tearing off on her "new" bike. Abby had gained confidence after some false starts, and proceeded to demonstrate it by riding about 5 times around the track without stopping.

Both Lesley and myself knew that she had the cycling bug when she went around the track without stopping to talk to us. Now we need to get a cycle rack so we can all race around.

Two kids, each knocking off a rite of passage. Magic.

Last chance to sponsor us before the Woking bikeathon.

2008-05-08T22:42:00.002+01:00

Leukemia is horrid. Riding bikes is good. That's why we are riding in the 2008 Woking Bikeathon for Leukaemia Research. More info: Link

Scaling up CruiseControl ...

2008-04-21T18:22:00.002+01:00

... is my latest CruiseControl best practice post. In English and Chinese.

Do you have a Mac OS 7 install CD or disks cluttering up your office?

2008-04-07T20:34:00.003+01:00

I'm going to either:

- give away my beloved Apple MacIntosh SE/30, or
- make the thing work.

I'm looking for a copy of Mac OS 7 so I can make it boot. With the 80Mb hard disk that I used to run my business on in 1996, an external SCSI CD-RW drive and a little luck, I think I stand a decent chance. Drop me a comment if you know where I might get a copy. Thanks.

Update: It looks like I'll need to resurrect the x86 machine in my cupboard, burn some floppies to boot from, and then boot up the Mac. I should have been doing this on those long winter nights ...

Looking for the CruiseControl validator?

2008-04-01T22:55:00.003+01:00

Short Answer: Sorry about that. You can find it on Build Doctor.

Longer Answer: After my hosting firm destroyed my server, I set up a blog on blogger to keep going with. Tonight I decided to have a spring clean and get rid of my single static HTML site at www.juliansimpson.org, and redirect the blogger blog to that address. Things might be weird for a day or so.

Riding 30 miles for charity again

2008-03-31T22:47:00.001+01:00

We're riding the annual Woking bikathon in support of Lukaemia Research, on May 11. Link

My latest CruiseControl Post in English and Chinese

2008-03-08T10:52:00.002Z

English version on www.build-doctor.com: Link

Chinese version on blogjava.net: Link

I'm glad that's over

2008-03-02T22:17:00.002Z

We moved house in the latter part of January. I was looking forward to getting an office again. My last office was converted into a small child's bedroom after a prospective buyer of our old house was heard to mention "There's nothing but computers in there!". Abby was so happy with her hastily arranged new bedroom that I couldn't bring myself to kick her out again.

So for the first time in about 3 years, we have an office. It still looks like a bomb hit it, but I have been able to do some blogging. Now that the broadband is alive again. We changed phone and broadband providers with the house move. A week with no BT line. 40 days and 40 nights (literally) with no broadband. Thank you, as yet unnamed telco. It's amazing how inadequate dialup is. Especially when you've just had to hand back your shiny new Mac Book Pro to your old employers and need to set up a new computer.

I can sympathize with Warren Ellis.

This weekend I did manage to upload a new CruiseControl Best Practices post. I'm publishing on Build Doctor at least in the interim. I'm not sure what the deal is for ex-ThoughtWorkers posting on the ThoughtWorks studios blog. There's another in the pipeline, too. I also finished a couple of other new posts for build-doctor.com as well.

Goodbye, ThoughtWorks

2008-02-20T14:07:00.002Z

This is my last afternoon as a ThoughtWorker. After 7 major projects in 3 countries, I'm calling it a day.

It's a difficult decision: I have learned so much about people and technology since I started nearly 4 years ago. Especially about people.

In my career so far, I have only worked for two or three companies where I have actually felt proud to say I worked there. ThoughtWorks is one of them. More on the new role later.

My latest CruiseControl best practice post in Chinese

2008-02-18T14:41:00.001Z

Fresh from our star translator Guanglei:

http://www.blogjava.net/chelsea/archive/2008/02/17/180326.html

CruiseControl Enterprise Best Practices, part 4

2008-01-24T13:19:00.000Z

The guys at ThoughtWorks Studios just published my fourth post on CruiseControl Enterprise Best Practises, here.

Irradiating your developers

2008-01-02T21:55:00.000Z

I recently wrote an article on building an Information Radiator for my project, here.

How to reply to a FreeCycle offer

2007-12-27T11:22:00.001Z

Freecycle is a wonderful way to help save the planet. It's a very simple idea - a mailing list for people in your area to give away unwanted things (or ask for things that people might want to give away). We're having a premature spring clean this month because we're moving house. So we're listing loads of things, and we've had loads of replies. Some are fast and terse, some are polite and thoughtful. If you want to be the person to collect the goods, here's the best way to ask for something:

Greet the person who posted the message. It's only polite. I find that the word "Hello" helps. Or the abbreviation "Hi".
Tell them that you would be interested in the item (without presuming
that they will give it to you).
Tell them how it would improve your life, or someone else's life.
Don't abbreviate your message. Use full words.
Make sure that your email software is set up to use your full name. I'd
much rather agree to pass something on to a named person, instead of
'booboo75@yahoo.co.uk'.
Thank the person for their time.

Some may argue that speed is of the essence, and that the fastest email
will win. Maybe. But unless you're sat there watching the emails roll
in, you're probably not the first to reply, anyhow.

Besides: Freecycle is about reducing consumerism and landfill use. Which email approach do you think is most appropriate?

My daughter isn't even 5 yet and she draws mind maps

2007-12-19T16:41:00.001Z

Sometimes when I feel the need to get an overview of something, I draw a mind map. Yesterday I announced my intention to do just that when Abby said: "I can do mind maps!". She proceeded to do this animal themed map in my notebook.

I feel very proud and old, at the same time. I was 20 when I first read about mind maps.

build vs. deploy

2007-12-05T22:05:00.000Z

I just wrote an email on confusing Build with Deploy on my other blog:

http://www.build-doctor.com/2007/12/on-confusing-build-and-deploy.html

XP Day 2007: Brilliant!

2007-11-25T20:07:00.000Z

Presenting an experience report while recovering from a bout of stomach bug: Interesting. I think I did well considering. The response was positive, with two pieces of negative or neutral feedback, but 17 positive. I presented this talk at Agile 2007 this year with my friends Shane and Rolf. We assumed that was it (we all binned our talk notes, which didn't help me), until Angela Martin kindly suggested that we submit it for this conference.

Top tip: if you present 3 person report without the other two people, rewrite slides so you know what it's really on about.

I'd never been to an XP Day before; I was very pleasantly surprised by the lovely people and the great sessions. Highlights for me were:

Catching up with former colleagues, people from CITCON, and other conferences
Being prepared to argue about Non Functional Requirements in Sally Ann Freudenberg's fishbowl, and having Nat Pryce and Keith Braithwaite argue most of what I wanted to say anyway.
Duncan Pierce and Rachel Davies' standing-room-only session 'Cognitive Bias in Decision-making'
The final session for the second day of the developer track was Steve Freeman's panel: 'Have we lost our Mojo?'. It was great to see so many notable people debating the state of the Agile community.

In summary: It's well worth attending.

I think the Mojo is behind the cushions on the sofa, anyhow.

I'm presenting at XP Day London next week

2007-11-14T10:02:00.000Z

I'm presenting an experience report called "Large Build Teams: Help or Hindrance?" at XP Day London this Monday. Looking forward to it.