saw this on digg and thought you'd enjoy it:

Top 20 replies by Programmers to Testers when their programs don't work

COUNT DOWN......

20. "That's weird..."

19. "It's never done that before."

18. "It worked yesterday."

17. "How is that possible?"

16. "It must be a hardware problem."

15. "What did you type in wrong to get it to crash?"

14. "There is something funky in your data."

13. "I haven't touched that module in weeks!"

12. "You must have the wrong version."

11. "It's just some unlucky coincidence."

10. "I can't test everything!"

9. "THIS can't be the source of THAT."

8. "It works, but it hasn't been tested."

7. "Somebody must have changed my code."

6. "Did you check for a virus on your system?"

5. "Even though it doesn't work, how does it feel?

4. "You can't use that version on your system."

3. "Why do you want to do it that way?"

2. "Where were you when the program blew up?"

1. "It works on my machine"

o.k...so now that things have calmed down a bit, i have time to come back to the blog.

as many of you know, the last week has been awful for me. i dont really want to get into the specifics, other than to say thanks for the words of encouragement.

on to the real post:

i bought the Zune. i own an Ipod Nano. so why?

 aside from my fascination with shiny new toys, i have an unhealthy addiction to portable devices that deliver audio/visual goodies in a multitude of ways. and such was the case with the zune. sure the ipod has a video device. but the screen is small. and size matters, despite what Yoda says.

i watch ALOT of webcasts. and i do mean ALOT. and so i embraced the idea that I might be able to cart those webcasts around town and feast upon them on my own terms.

and now brace yourself, because I'm going to say something that many of you have not heard me say before: I really think that Microsoft dropped the ball on the Zune.

Here's what I dont like about the Zune:

First: The software is buggy. And before you Apple-ite Ipodaholics kick in with the "well we all knew that would happen cause its Microsoft" I would remind you that publishing such statement with some assertion of intelligence would be ignorant and mindless of the past. Dont forget, my friends, that I too have an Ipod. And I dont think that I've ever endured a stretch of time wherein Itunes hasn't had to update prior to running. For a while there, it was just "normal" that I would have to download a patch to fix Apples buggy little program. And I'm fine with that. And in line with that declarative patience, I am willing to wait for the coming deluge of Zune patches as well.

Secondly: The Zune software does NOT support the import of AVI files. And that will involve all of the DivX and Xvid that you and I possess. I've talked to quite a few developers and they universally agree that 90-95% of their video/media content is AVI files. So I'm wondering, did anyone at Microsoft even do a market usability study? Surely they had to have asked at least one person, "what will you put on your Zune?"
But I guess not. Microsoft, in their documentation, states that a third party tool or Media Encoder 9 could be used to convert the film prior to syncing with the device. But the process is not easy. And for Non-Nerd types, it would be impossible.
Thirdly: Getting DVD's ripped and onto the device is only possible with third party tools. This, for me, was a HUGE mistake on Microsoft's part. I own (yes, I physically own) alot of DVDS. Some of those, I'd like to watch on the go...hence the need for a Zune in the first place. You would think that the software would have a simple "Click here to import DVDs" to the Zune. And you can add all the cheesy DRM dependencies that you want. i wouldn't care. I bought the DVD and have no plans to share it. But the software DOES NOT make it easy to get video onto this device.
Let me repeat that, for the blue-badges that might be reading this: The Zune Software does NOT make it easy to get normal video content on to this device. And by normal, I mean my DVDs, Divx and Xvid movies.
"But aren't DivX and Xvid flicks typically pirated movies?" Sure. Probably. But I really dont care. I use DivX and Xvid as the compression of choice for my video camera rips of the various home movies that I have of the childrens at play. It keeps the file sizes small and quality is high.  So I've tried a thirdy party DVD ripper tool (Xilisoft) that seems to work o.k.  I've ripped Blade Runner and Fifth Element to the device and the movies look awesome on the Zune.  But ripping the DVD to .wmv format took over an hour.  Depending on the size of the movie, it could take anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes to rip to the appropriate format.  That just seems like such a long time given the fact that I'm running a dual Intel board with 2 gigs of ram.  But I digress.

NOW.... What I like about the device was enough to keep me from returning the device.
I love the Zune Marketplace. Specifically, I like the Zune Pass. Much has been left unsaid about the Pass. In the same fashion that Napster and Yahoo would offer up a subscription service, the Zune Marketplace has delivered the same for a monthly fee of $15. This is cool. Why? Well for my Nano, there was no "easy" way to get subscription music to the Apple device. As a matter of fact, I quit trying. But the Zune Pass, allows me to simply click on a "Download Album" button and the music is delivered straight to the device on the next sync. I dropped 3 gigs of albums to my shiny new toy on the first night. And the marketplace has most of the music that I've ever wanted to hear. Much like Napster and Yahoo, there are a few songs/albums here and there that aren't available for download or subscription, but that's o.k. I've been able to grab 95% of the stuff that I'm after. And its worth $15 a month for me to be able to find the music, click download and have it on my device with little effort or conversion. It simply works. And I like that.
I also like the quality of the device itself. The video (when you do manage to get some in there) is sharp and doesnt stutter or pixelate. The interface is easy to use and I actually enjoy it more that the Ipod. I never really liked the wheel, so I was glad to see the directional pad working as I'd expected.
It's easy to que up music on the thing. I can quickly add music to playlists which, on the nano, was not intuitive.
I dont really care that the device is bigger and heavier than an Ipod. I'm not so weak that a few ounces more will kill my left bicep when i wear the thing to the gym. And yes...I'll be taking this puppy to the Y for a field test this week. We'll see how that works out.

So overall... I like the device enough to keep it. Software patches will help, but ultimately (and it hurts me to say it) I'm disappointed in the Zune.

-Sorry Uncle Bill, I really tried to love this thing.

so this is cool:

except now i wanna go back to robotics coding.

WAHOOOOOOOOO!

So the complete draft of the BizTalk book has been delivered to Apress!
I still have some copy edit to work through, but the hardest part is over.
I totally just wrote two books in one year!
So now what?
What's on the hobby/obsession list for me now?
Well I still have this whole day job thing going for me and that continues to push my knowledge level to new heights.  And I still have my side projects that I've been plugging away on and will begin to ramp back up on, devoting more time as the requirements come available.
But here's the question that so many of you have asked:
Will I write another book?
All of my friends are nodding their heads, "Yup...he'll do it...watch.  he can't resist.  he's addicted to it."  And thats nearly correct.  I am addicted to it.  I love writing.  And I love new technology.  So naturally combining the two is a somewhat exhilirating endeavor.  But don't be deceived.  it is an endeavor.  Many of you know what the last year has been like for me.  The job-changing situation.  The whole kidney-stone week-from-hell episode.  It's been an emotional rollercoaster, thats for sure.  But it all pays off, when I walk into Barnes and Noble and see my book sitting there.  And now I'll have two.
And maybe, just maybe, I'll get some rest and number three will be on the horizon.
:)

so what just showed up at my house?  thats right..the replacement dvd drive for the HP computer that I returned for a full refund - A MONTH AGO!
so because some ignorant Indian tech support couldn't be bothered to click on the "Cancel Shipment" button when I asked, his company will have to eat the entire cost of this little tech support nightmare.  Somebody had to box the drive, ship it and process the administrative requirements behind the warranty repair.  And consequently, someone will receive the drive I send back (notably similar to the one they delivered), send that drive to refurbishing and reshelf the product when complete.  All because some underpaid, anti-skilled helpdesk guy couldn't be bothered to do his job correctly.
Congratulations HP!  You're on the downward spiral to a crappy reputation.  You're picking right up where Packard Hell (or Bell for you non-profane types) left off.
Also....NO INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS!  If you'll recall from my earlier post, I had clearly asked if there would be detailed instructions, as the drive was not a simple pull and push exchange.  In fact, to look at the PC, its rather difficult to figure out how the drive would be withdrawn.  The brilliant helpdesk person (i hesitate to say person, because that implies that he has the cognitive abilities of a person) had said "Yes, you will receive it in 3 days and you'll have directions to install it yourself."  Wrong on both accounts!  A month late and no directions.  Just a dvd drive with an invisible note attached that read "HP hates your business."

taken straight from a local news site (www.woodtv.com):


so where do you think Kent County should start?

so i'm in the final stages of the BizTalk book.  I'm actually working on the BAM chapter tonite, trying to get my fubared BAM portal up and running.  Under a bit of pressure to get this out and i'm feeling a sense of urgency, so it filled me with great discontent when i had to reboot the BizTalk box and the first thing that popped up was:

Now Installing 1 of 42 updates.  Please do not restart your computer.  You are hosed.

so here i sit, waiting.  30 minutes so far.
some days, the cards are just stacked against you.

Like many of you, i receive a substantial amount of crap-mail.
for the most part, my illustrious spam-filters intercept them at the door, promptly beat the crap out of them and send them tumbling out into the alleyway.
but one lucky slob made it thru.  And of all companies to impersonate, he chose my personal favorite...
do i even have to say it?  sure i do - Microsoft!
so the "wrap-it-up-soon" synopsis of the mail is that I've been chosen:

Dear lucky winner,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Our Global Email Lottery
program held on the 13th October, 2006.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 37511465899-6410 with serial
number 4872-510 drew lucky numbers 7-14-88-23-3545 which consequently won
in the 1st category, you have therefore been approved for the sum of $
1,000, 000.00 USD (One Million United States Dollars).

wahooo!!! I'm a millionare!  yay!!!!
so today i quit my job and bought a new lexus.
o.k...
i didn't.
its obvious that the mail is about as promising as four more years with Granholm.
but what i found to be really stupified:

To file for your claim, please contact our claims office:
=====================================
DR. KEVIN GREEN (MICROSOFT CLAIMS OFFICE)
32 Palmstraat, Amsterdam-Netherlands.
Tel: (31) 644-789-007
FAX. (31) 847-506-277
E-Mail: micropromo001@aol.co.uk
=====================================

@aol.co.uk????

so Microsoft is using AOL service now?  I knew that AOL was aggressive, but come on!
so incredibly lame.
For all of you phishers, spammers and European/African internet con-artists:
Please take the nearest sharp object (preferably scissors or a nice crisp number 2 pencil) and shove it into your left eyeball.
that would be great...thanks.

if you look closely..you'll see: "Server Error in '/SSPriceCheck' Application - Sql Server does not exist or access denied."
attention newbs.  its called error handling!  this shouldnt happen on a store-level device that is public facing.  i wont mention the store name, as i have friends working there and wouldn't want them to get called out for my comments (AGAIN).  but if you know me...you know where.  thats all i'm gonna say.

seriously.  error handling.  here's an idea:
have an application level unhandled-error handler that either disables the device or puts up a nice pretty "oops..i'm fubared" splash screen.
just a thought.