tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206Sun, 01 Sep 2024 20:46:06 +0000The random jottings of a DB2 Systems Administrator, DBA, part-time systems programmer, Rexx officionado, general mainframe consultant and troubleshooter, Linux sysadm-wannabe and accomplished cynic.http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)Blogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-7040223145524072899Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:00:00 +00002009-04-15T15:21:48.747+01:00This website, presents an interesting perspective on the evaluation of the technical career development of a programmer.It's also quite worrying, and presents a warning in large, friendly yet urgent letters: KEEP UP TO DATE!I think I may have to do a little more extra-curricular reading and development in order to keep up with the times... (Like keeping a blog, for instance!)...But why bother, ifhttp://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2009/04/programmer-competency-matrix.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Spufidoo)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-4769095478417924055Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:07:00 +00002009-03-24T18:06:03.902+00:00To celebrate Ada Lovelace Day 2009, I would like to honour Edel Sherratt (nee Stephens), my database lecturer in Aberystwyth University Computer Science Department, 1986-1990. Her passion and enthusiasm for Computer Science was infectious, and her whimsical Irish charm made her lectures a pleasure to attend. She made the subtle complexities and elegance of SQL easy to comprehend: something for http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2009/03/ada-lovelace-day.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Spufidoo)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-1910333463381273869Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:32:00 +00002009-02-26T11:46:56.964+00:001. Q: What is the chief end of each individual Christian?A: Each individual Christian's chief end is to get saved. This is the first and great commandment.2. Q: And what is the second great commandment?A: The second, which is like unto it, is to get as many others saved as he can.3. Q: What one work is required of thee for thy salvation?A: It is required of me for my salvation that I make a http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2009/02/semi-pelagian-narrow-catechism.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Spufidoo)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-5852784066887394565Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:49:00 +00002008-04-25T12:49:51.443+01:00Nice blog site.http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2008/04/cute-pictures.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Spufidoo)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-3754529545987974332Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:41:00 +00002008-04-25T12:44:41.115+01:00Want to know more about Twitter? Follow this link: http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/commentary/alttext/2008/04/alttext_0423"Like an elderly widow keeping the TV on for "company," I keep a Twitter window open whenever I'm online."http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2008/04/pringles.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Spufidoo)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-168533665488229654Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:39:00 +00002008-03-27T23:40:15.193+00:00http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2008/03/superchick.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Spufidoo)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-1605051841532451267Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:06:00 +00002008-03-27T10:07:18.773+00:00http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2008/03/waste-energy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Spufidoo)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-1115634017695115654Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:30:00 +00002008-03-17T14:39:12.473+00:00http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2008/03/twitter-in-plain-english.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Spufidoo)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-1313259994125079146Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:09:00 +00002008-03-14T16:14:25.846+00:00The MP3 player I bought for myself from a Hong Kong dealer on eBay, several years ago, has just died. It won't turn on. It makes a rather bulky 128MB USB drive, but that's about it.Searching for new firmware from its manufacturer's website, www.onki.cn, I find the following "mission statement". I'm thinking of adopting it myself!JiaHongFengHui Technology Co.,Ltd.Time which in the after PC time, http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2008/03/create-splendid-future.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Spufidoo)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-2980402844808105365Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:58:00 +00002008-02-01T10:00:22.633+00:00Why is it that offshore developers don't have a clue?I mean, they couldn't get a clue if you covered them in clue musk and locked them in a nightclub full of horny clues and made them do the clue mating dance.RTFM!http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2008/02/offshore-cluelessness.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-9070744406516241427Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:48:00 +00002008-01-29T09:52:13.152+00:00After the last post about Inemuri - "power naps" - I had opportunity yesterday to indulge...We had a 2.5 hour "roadshow" from senior management to endure, including presentations, a patronising sketch to teach us how to project-manage, and a tepid Q&A session. I suppose it was an opportunity to find out what was going on in the company, but I used it to catch up on some zeds.As it turned out,http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2008/01/not-getting-enough.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-6667934915550572407Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:18:00 +00002007-11-28T12:21:42.482+00:00At last! The excuse I've been looking for, and one that Joe should have heared about long ago to explain his extended naps at the keyboard!http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7114661.stmI think I'll try it out now......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzhttp://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2007/11/inemuri-are-you-getting-enough.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-1720870383553248350Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:16:00 +00002007-11-28T11:17:29.283+00:00One day, an IT Manager from another company saw the Help Desk Samurai at a coffee shop. Approaching the Samurai, the manager inquired of him."I have just finished giving my yearly performance reviews to my staff. Yet instead of being grateful for my feedback, they are resentful and grumble against me. They say that I do not care about their development, and they feel blindsided by some of the http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2007/11/art-of-feedback.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-7939358927365505499Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:02:00 +00002007-11-02T12:17:21.077+00:00Well, I have just been transferred to the Dark Side and have achieved enlightenment. I now see the Light Side for what it really is - a bunch of no-hope cowboys who should be sent to India sooner than you can say "Single from Bradford to Bangalore, please." Already I have been asked to bypass the change control system and monkey around in the live system. Considering the implications of dismissalhttp://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2007/11/welcome-to-dark-side.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-8633075013425290079Thu, 11 Oct 2007 12:16:00 +00002007-10-11T13:20:10.818+01:00Well, it's day one after the sad and unnecessary departure of my old friend, Sian.Not much has happened in the meantime. No change there.Borat is back in his desk behind me, so I'm seriously considering jumping into Sian's coffin while it's still warm.Bob Hoskins is still bumtroubling, so things are desperately quiet.http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2007/10/day-one.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-114311354013943411Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:32:00 +00002006-03-23T11:35:01.060+00:00In these blog entries, one might find random rantings, personal opinions on whatever happens to be going on, what I do as a DBA, what I would like to do, what I can't do because of bureaucracy, but most of all, any hints, tips and horrible warnings to all who would tread the path of Database Administration...http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2006/03/what-i-hope-this-blog-should-achieve.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-114302908008423022Wed, 22 Mar 2006 12:04:00 +00002006-03-22T12:05:38.940+00:00In the land of IBM DB2 for z/OS, the way of getting to your data (and indeed data base) was through an option off DB2 Interactive called "SPUFI." Originally meaning SQL Processing Using File Input, it came to mean Systems Programmers Un-Friendly Interface.Round about the time when the Scooby Doo movie came out, I was asked to write a Rexx/ISPF application to automate and audit the execution of http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2006/03/why-spufidoo.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3867206.post-83168418Fri, 18 Oct 2002 14:04:00 +00002006-01-05T13:42:21.430+00:00Life's too short to blog.http://spufidoo.blogspot.com/2002/10/lifes-too-short-to-blog.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)