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Phil Factor The Wrong Fabia
by Phil Factor | 04 July 2008 |  15 comments |
There is often more than a twinge of embarrassment when an Email goes astray, and is received by the wrong person. Phil remembers an occasion when it nearly ended a career, but somehow, ironically, changed it for the better. Read more...
Anna Larjomaa The First Business Application Programmer
by Anna Larjomaa | 02 July 2008 |
David Caminer, who died on June 19th must surely be the First Business Application Programmer. He invented the software concepts and systems that we still use today to develop business software. He wrote the worlds first working computerized payroll system,... Read more...
Phil Factor The Walrus and the Manager
by Phil Factor | 05 June 2008 |  6 comments |
Why do Phil's eyes water whenever he hears the poem 'The Walrus and the Carpenter'? Is it the voice of his conscience or memories of struggles selling software services to large companies? Why does he identify so strongly with the eldest oyster? Read more...
Richard Morris Risking your Reputation
by Richard Morris | 27 May 2008 |  2 comments |
IT companies sometimes don't survive an incident that damages their reputation. Often, when happenstance brings a commercial disaster, businesses make things worse by their instinctive reaction to clam up. We sent the square-jawed Richard Morris off into the rain in... Read more...
Phil Factor The Time Bomb
by Phil Factor | 29 April 2008 |  5 comments |
Phil cheerfully admits to his fair share of accidental IT disasters. His experiences some time ago with the Time Bomb, where his software crashed and threatened civil unreast in a far-away country were, however, deliberate. Read more...
Richard Morris The Burning Men - The IT drug habit
by Richard Morris | 29 April 2008 |  11 comments |
It would seem bizzare that IT staff who depend on their quick wits for their living should ever think it a good idea to fry their brains with recreational drugs. It is therefore worrying to hear that there has been a 34 percent increase in IT employees in the US... Read more...
Neil Davidson The Paradox of the Middle Man
by Neil Davidson | 23 April 2008 |
As we get swamped by more and more information, and more and more choices, we're going to need more and more help filtering the data and making our choices...It's a paradox: the more we can remove middle men, the more we need them. Read more...
Richard Morris Blogged to death
by Richard Morris | 14 April 2008 |  4 comments |
Suddenly, Bloggers aren't just writing the news, they are the news. Are we expected to believe that the pressures of the job are enough to cause premature death and disease amongst professional bloggers? Is it now time to feel sorry for the high-profile... Read more...
Andrew Clarke Selling Software
by Andrew Clarke | 27 March 2008 |  7 comments |
In some ways, wanting to make a living as a Software tool writer is like wanting to be a professional rock star or footballer. The success-stories are more visible than the others. Here, Andrew Clarke salutes the others and explains some of the pitfalls. Despite... Read more...
Phil Factor The New Man
by Phil Factor | 25 March 2008 |  16 comments |
Working in IT, one meets all sorts of people, but rarely quite so odd, or creepy, as a 'New Man'. Phil Factor relates how a brush with such a character got him the sack on the second day in a new job. Read more...
Richard Morris The Dark Arts of Journalism
by Richard Morris | 16 March 2008 |  2 comments |
Although the IT industry is usually blamed for security breaches in confidential databases, it is likely that it is usually the staff that operate the databases that are responsible. Should we be designing IT systems that log and report every access by the users? We... Read more...
Richard Morris Level Playing Field
by Richard Morris | 27 February 2008 |  3 comments |
The Federal Government in the States accepts tenders for their IT projects from a wide-range of competent, innovative software companies. In Britain, by contrast, 11 firms account for 80% of the UK government IT projects, despite some spectacular disasters. Why... Read more...
Richard Morris Exporting our Competence
by Richard Morris | 05 February 2008 |  9 comments |
There are several initiatives that have ambitions to replace the Internet. Some of these, in the States and Europe, we know about, but the ones that should concern us are the ones we know almost nothing of. In China, the funding and the political will is at its... Read more...
Richard Morris The Seven Billion Dollar Man
by Richard Morris | 29 January 2008 |  10 comments |
When the incredible news broke, last week, that a trader at the third-largest bank in France, the Société Générale, had allegedly managed to over-ride the entire compliance mechanism of the bank, implemented at immense cost by a department of 2000 IT compliance... Read more...
Phil Factor Creation by Committee
by Phil Factor | 25 January 2008 |  10 comments |
Phil Factor got to wondering how on earth the wonderful frescos of the Sistine Chapel ever got painted, if the type of corporate 'best-practice' and management now seen in IT development projects were in place then. Phil Factor imagines the pressures on Michelangelo... Read more...
Richard Morris Cybercrime Cop-out
by Richard Morris | 21 January 2008 |  1 comment |
In the US, the IC3 has shown the world how to tackle the immense threat of Cybercrime. Britain's current government record makes a painful contrast. Richard Morris, our roving reporter, exposes a sad, but familiar, tale of British muddle and spin. Read more...
Richard Morris The Winter of our Missing Disc Content
by Richard Morris | 08 January 2008 |  11 comments |
The UK government, ten years ago, launched several reforms of the public sector, pinning their faith in radical IT initiatives to create a powerful, efficient, welfare state. Only now is the full extent of the failure of this dream becoming apparent. Our... Read more...
Phil Factor Tomorrow will be our Dancing Day
by Phil Factor | 13 December 2007 |  13 comments |
Someone recently told Phil that it was impossible to tell a good ghost story about IT Development. Great mistake. Noone of a nervous disposition should read this.... Read more...
Patrick Index The Resurrection of the Contractometer
by Patrick Index | 27 November 2007 |  14 comments |
Patrick is gripped by nostalgia for the golden age of IT Contactors in London, and proposes a revival of the Contractometer, a software device for increasing morale Read more...
Richard Morris A Life After Crime
by Richard Morris | 25 November 2007 |  5 comments |
Our redoubtable reporter goes in search of the stories of some of the IT high-flyers who blew their tech career by getting in trouble with the law. Read more...
Phil Factor The Computer that Swore
by Phil Factor | 13 November 2007 |  25 comments |
Database Developers occasionally get crazy ideas into their heads. Phil Factor should know; He confesses that he's had a few completely loopy notions that he pursued to destruction before realising his error. Read more...
Richard Morris Restraining the Workplace Bully
by Richard Morris | 05 November 2007 |  10 comments |
Workplace bullying is not to be taken lightly. For the victim it can be traumatising. It is a symptom of poor management and badly-functioning teamwork, and now, at last, it is not only contemptible but also illegal Read more...
Phil Factor The Joy of NAD
by Phil Factor | 30 October 2007 |  11 comments |
Phil Factor convenes a short meeting to discuss the data architecture for storing a client's contact details...how painful could it be? Phil Factor discovers that even the simplest database can be a major cause of grief and complexity Read more...
Richard Morris IT Interviews and the law
by Richard Morris | 09 October 2007 |  4 comments |
Have you ever wondered whether those odd questions and tests you are sometimes asked at interview are actually legal and pertinent. The answers may interest you and are important for any interviwer to know Read more...
Phil Factor Captain Codd and the Simple Proposition
by Phil Factor | 26 September 2007 |  10 comments |
A Pantomime for Database Professionals. Read more...
Richard Morris Handcuff Your IT Staff
by Richard Morris | 24 September 2007 |  3 comments |
Our fearless and intrepid reporter investigates the constant struggle between IT headhunters and the IT departments that are using employment contracts to defend against their activities. Read more...
Patrick Index A Cynic's Top Ten Tips for IT Contractors
by Patrick Index | 24 August 2007 |  33 comments |
As autumn approaches, Patrick Index produces ten hot chestnuts for IT Contractors like himself, with a jaundiced 'contractors-eye view'. Read more...
Richard Morris When the wheels come off
by Richard Morris | 21 August 2007 |  3 comments |
It is somewhat comforting to know that even the great and the good in industry make mistakes. The IT industry is amongst the leaders. Our investigative reporter is on the trail... Read more...
Richard Morris The DBA and the Battle for Reputations
by Richard Morris | 18 July 2007 |  8 comments |
Richard Morris comments on the perception amongst some DBAs that the reputation of their profession is declining. In today’s world of burgeoning information theft, are DBAs part of the problem or part of the solution? Read more...
Phil Factor Smoke and Mirrors
by Phil Factor | 13 July 2007 |  13 comments |
It seems hard to imagine that a presentation on a new IT application to the directors can go too well. Phil doesn't need to imagine- it happened to him. He winces at the memory. Read more...
Phil Factor The Challenge
by Phil Factor | 19 June 2007 |  10 comments |
In which Phil is challenged to organize a concerted beer drinking session in an establishment dedicated to beer manufacture. Read more...
Phil Factor Hens that Crow
by Phil Factor | 25 May 2007 |  12 comments |
Short on results, but long on superficially plausible technical excuses, Phil Factor describes his dealings with the hen that crowed… Read more...
Phil Factor Fired With Enthusiasm
by Phil Factor | 30 April 2007 |  20 comments |
After years working his fingers to the bone on his own IT business, Phil was enjoying the relative tranquillity of work at a City of London bank. However, he was shocked by the number of "light arms" in the IT department, who didn't do a stroke of useful work all... Read more...
Bob Cramblitt David Atkinson: The who, what, when, where, why and how of software testing
by Bob Cramblitt | 16 April 2007 |  5 comments |
Red Gate Software's approach to testing is famous for its precision and thoroughness. So what's it like to be a tester in such an exacting environment? David Atkinson, Red Gate's test manager, gives us a glimpse behind the scenes. Read more...
Richard Morris Enabling the Blind to See the Web
by Richard Morris | 14 March 2007 |  1 comment |
For most net users, trying to navigate a badly designed website means irritation. For disabled people, particularly those with a visual impairment or who find it difficult to use a mouse, bad design means many sites are out of bounds. Not only are these websites... Read more...
Phil Factor The March of Technology
by Phil Factor | 28 February 2007 |  20 comments |
In which Phil, under the influence of a surfeit of lobster, some fine wine and a large book, conjures up an imaginary Bill Gates, lets him know why people aren't flocking to SQL 2005, and offers him a turning off of the path to ever more complex and bloated database... Read more...
Richard Morris Second Life: A Virtual World of Real Money
by Richard Morris | 29 January 2007 |  4 comments |
As more and more people invest in alter egos to live a pseudo life online in Linden Labs' latest creation, Richard Morris investigates the potential of Second Life's cyberspace and the motivations of many corporate brands to join the international virtual world. Read more...
William Brewer Falling off the Web Log
by William Brewer | 18 January 2007 |  1 comment |
Getting statistics out of website usage isn't a real problem. There are many ways to do it and plenty commercial packages that provide a 'turnkey' solution. The real problem is getting your hands on those elusive, meaningful statistics that will give you true... Read more...
Jesse Liberty Are there ethical limits on whom you'll work for?
by Jesse Liberty | 11 January 2007 |  16 comments |
It can be all too easy to turn a blind eye to the moral values of the organization that provides your salary. Jesse Liberty explains why he believes we should stop and think more often...and also how difficult this task can be. Read more...
Richard Morris Why editorial freedom is worth fighting for
by Richard Morris | 05 January 2007 |  3 comments |
One of the biggest challenges in running any publication is balancing editorial freedom …the ability to report on all events that affect the community without fear or favour …against the need to meet your "bottom line". Currently, the advertorial, pop-up and... Read more...
Richard Morris The India Skills Gap
by Richard Morris | 28 December 2006 |  15 comments |
As outsourcing demands continue to grow, Richard Morris investigates a worrying shortage in India's pool of IT talent, and its potential consequences for their burgeoning technology sector. Read more...
Claire Brooking The Simple-Talk Cookbook
by Claire Brooking | 21 December 2006 |  8 comments |
Written by geeks, for geeks, the Simple-Talk Cookbook is a quirky culinary collection of recipes by SQL Server and .NET MVPs and experts, who would like to inspire Simple-Talk readers to ditch their microwave convenience meals for some more nourishing dishes this... Read more...
Phil Factor Phil Factor on the Law
by Phil Factor | 21 December 2006 |  7 comments |
Taking the adversarial system to task with vigour and courage, Phil Factor gives us his view on how to handle the trials of litigation if all cannot be solved by a hearty pub lunch. Read more...
Richard Morris An Interview with Tim Berners-Lee
by Richard Morris | 20 December 2006 |  2 comments |
Richard Morris offers some revealing insights into what the "father of the web" thinks about his invention, where it is heading, and how it can fulfil its full potential. Read more...
Jesse Liberty Breaking Spam
by Jesse Liberty | 20 December 2006 |  12 comments |
'SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM...lovely SPAM, wonderful SPAM'. Spam, like the Viking call in Monty Python's famous sketch, is persistent and annoying. Jesse Liberty offers his opinion on how we can combat this issue now and in the future. Read more...
Sarah Blow Women in Technology: Innovation and Girl Geek Dinners
by Sarah Blow | 15 December 2006 |  5 comments |
An interview with Sarah Blow, founder of the London Girl Geek Dinners. Read more...
Phil Factor Free Phil Factor eBook: Confessions of an IT Manager
by Phil Factor | 13 December 2006 |  8 comments |
Download a 108-page eBook in which Phil tells all on a career spent in the rough-and-tumble of the IT industry. It's FREE for registered users! Read more...
Jesse Liberty Programmer Superstitions
by Jesse Liberty | 11 December 2006 |  27 comments |
Why do we cling to some programming traditions so strongly? Jesse Liberty asks us to pause, ponder and re-assess the value of many of our superstitions. Read more...
Phil Factor On Training Your IT Manager
by Phil Factor | 23 November 2006 |  11 comments |
A keen new manager, with ambitions to make his mark, can cause all sorts of unpleasantness in the workplace. Phil Factor explains how to train your new manager to the required standards... Read more...
Richard Morris Tales of Corporate Espionage
by Richard Morris | 16 November 2006 |  1 comment |
Corporate espionage eats into an organisation's wealth, but Richard Morris explains how corporate detectives are often hired at great cost to root out what is sometimes viewed as a harmless crime. Read more...
Jesse Liberty Being Out at work
by Jesse Liberty | 08 November 2006 |  48 comments |
Jesse Liberty, MVP and President of Liberty Associates, Inc. discusses the often complex and life-changing decision to come out in the working environment. Read more...
Richard Morris Cyber Crime
by Richard Morris | 23 October 2006 |  8 comments |
Richard Morris investigates the increasingly sophisticated tactics of an industry that survives and thrives by feeding off the wealth of others. Read more...
Tim Gorman Bad CaRMa
by Tim Gorman | 16 October 2006 |  30 comments |
From hope and euphoria, to desperation, firings and the ultimate demise of a company. Tim Gorman charts the rise and fall of a "visionary" IT project. Read more...
Richard Morris The CV Detectives
by Richard Morris | 12 October 2006 |  24 comments |
As more and more CV fraudsters creep into the technology sector, increasingly covert tactics have to be employed to hunt them out. Richard Morris reveals all... Read more...
Phil Factor The Yancey Men
by Phil Factor | 03 October 2006 |  7 comments |
Ever wondered what the perfect IT director might be like? Phil Factor experimented... Read more...
Damon Armstrong Contract Coding: Ensuring your Client pays up
by Damon Armstrong | 26 September 2006 |  22 comments |
Damon Armstrong learned the hard way that not having a clearly defined project scope or contract can come back to bite the contracting programmer. Here, he offers his tips and insights on how to avoid similar conflict with your own contracts and clients. Read more...
Phil Factor The Essex Men
by Phil Factor | 14 September 2006 |  9 comments |
A band of muscly Essex men take on the geeky IT department in a basketball match - if you think the victor of this challenge sounds like a foregone conclusion, read on... Read more...
Phil Factor Was Offshoring Responsible for Hamlet?
by Phil Factor | 05 September 2006 |  5 comments |
Phil Factor imagines how Hamlet ended up as the play we know and..err..love, with a little help from cost-cutting and offshoring. Read more...
Jim Fuller XML and RDBMS: 10 years on
by Jim Fuller | 25 August 2006 |  13 comments |
As we approach the 10-year anniversary of XML, Jim Fuller provides a personal retrospective, focussing on how XML has been and will be used with the RDBMS. Read more...
Phil Factor If IT had been responsible for the Creation
by Phil Factor | 09 August 2006 |  15 comments |
In which Phil Factor takes the liberty of retelling the Creation story to make it 'relevant' to the modern IT professional. Read more...
Adrian Furnham Cultivating Creativity in your IT team
by Adrian Furnham | 25 July 2006 |  7 comments |
Professor of Psychology, Adrian Furnham, discusses whether or not you can teach your IT team to be creative. Read more...
Phil Factor The Whipping Boy
by Phil Factor | 21 July 2006 |  10 comments |
Talented and highly-valued IT professional or convenient corporate whipping boy? Phil Factor walks the line... Read more...
Tony Davis Editorial: a Guided Tour of the new Simple-Talk
by Tony Davis | 14 July 2006 |
A whirlwind tour of some of the Simple-Talks's new features, including article commenting, blogs and forums. Read more...
Phil Factor The Ghost in the Machine
by Phil Factor | 27 June 2006 |  4 comments |
I have always felt rather second-rate as an IT pundit as I have yet to introduce my own TLA (Three-letter Acronym ) into the IT industry. I would therefore like to suggest a new branch of IT: solving IT problems by Antiquarian Research in Technology. Or ART, to us... Read more...
Dominick Reed Creating Usable Applications
by Dominick Reed | 21 June 2006 |
If I had a penny for every person who said “usability is just common sense”, I’d have a pretty reasonable stack of pennies – maybe 30 or so. Clearly I’m not going to be able to retire on this, but at least it demonstrates that many people have misconceptions about... Read more...
Phil Factor Talking Technical
by Phil Factor | 26 May 2006 |  1 comment |
Developers, programmers and designers tend to be deeply geeky types, immersed in the minutiae of the technology. In stark contrast, many IT managers appear to have difficulty working the remote controls on their television. This cultural gap between the foot soldier... Read more...
Tony Davis Editorial: a new Simple-Talk
by Tony Davis | 16 May 2006 |  691 comments |
By the end of May we will have launched a brand new version of the Simple-Talk web site. In this article, I explain my vision for the new site, and talk about the process I went through to get it to the brink of launch. Read more...
Phil Factor Betting on Promotion
by Phil Factor | 09 May 2006 |  1 comment |
The process of appointing managers in large IT department is shrouded in mystery. The bewilderingly random and illogical nature of the process makes it a gambler's delight, and it's often difficult for workers to resist the odd wager on the outcome. Read more...
Phil Factor The Writing on the Wall
by Phil Factor | 27 April 2006 |  5 comments |
Phil Factor offers an intriguing theory on why so many, hugely complex, government IT projects fail. Is it because there is a world of difference between the business processes that really take place in a company and the management's understanding of those processes? Read more...
Helen Joyce Driving up software quality - the role of the tester
by Helen Joyce | 20 April 2006 |  38 comments |
Have you ever wondered what a software tester does? Helen Joyce, test engineer at Red Gate software gives us an insight. Read more...
Tony Davis On Microsoft CTPs and long release cycles
by Tony Davis | 13 April 2006 |
Microsoft’s CTP program can result in higher quality, more usable, and more secure products— but when badly managed, it can also cause confusion and fuel doubt. Read more...
Matt Stephens Agile Development and ICONIX
by Matt Stephens | 06 April 2006 |  2 comments |
Software projects fail for all sorts of reasons, although the same reasons crop up over and over again. The ICONIX process might offer a way out. Read more...
Phil Factor IT Agencies and the Devil
by Phil Factor | 15 March 2006 |