Mike's Attic

Road Trip

2012-05-04T16:48:00.001-04:00

I was playing around with FileMaker Pro 12 and created a road trip application for the iPhone. I am looking for ideas on how I can improve on it. Here are screen shots of the Trip Analysis. Not shown are the Rest Area Exits and Other Exits forms.

One of things that I like about it is that it shows that if you drive a little slower than the surrounding traffic, you won't sacrifice a lot of time. You should also have a more relaxing and safer trip by not tailgating and switching lanes very often.

It requires the free FileMaker Go 12 app in iTunes.

This is a link to the FileMaker file to download: RoadTrip.fmp12

These are the instructions to use iTunes to transfer the data file to the iPhone: Transferring Files with FileMaker Go.

David’s laws of specification

2010-04-04T11:38:00.005-04:00

I still get a kick out of reading David Bayliss. This is from his 1997 article in Clarion Magazine, Computer Aided Disaster.

The specification is always wrong.
Insofar as the specification is right it is too vague to be useful.
Insofar as the specification is right and specific it almost certainly doesn’t meet the system requirements.
Insofar as the specification is right and specific and meets the system requirements when you get the specification it won’t when you finish the application.

The lesson is simple. Producing a program that meets the specification is a flawed, short-termist concept. What we should be attempting to do is produce a program structure that is able to meet the specification (model if you prefer), whatever the specification happens to be.

Washington Rules

2010-04-03T17:11:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of Al Kamen, Washington Post Staff Writer

Beleaguered voters seem confused and often outraged at the way Washington conducts business. That's because people on the outside don't understand how the game is played. Floating around the Hill, apparently for use as a training tool for new staff members, is a one-page guide entitled "Washington Rules" giving the basic rules that are key to effective play in Congress and throughout the government:

If it's worth fighting for, it's worth fighting dirty for.
Don't lie, cheat or steal unnecessarily.
There is always one more son of a bitch than you counted on.
An honest answer can get you into a lot of trouble.
The facts, although interesting, are irrelevant.
Chicken little only has to be right once.
"No" is only an interim response.
If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you ever tried.
The truth is a variable.
A porcupine with his quills down is just another fat rodent.
You can agree with any concept or notional future option, in principle, but fight implementation every step of the way.
A promise is not a guarantee.
If you can't counter the argument, leave the meeting.