Archive for meme tag
Friday Fill-Ins #91
Started by Janet, picked up via Brad.
- Settling down in the Redmond area and being with my team are some of the things I’m most looking forward to in October.
- Sometimes I am so deep in thought when people ask me a question I look dazed and confused, failing to answer them.
- People grow and situations change and that’s why there is a saying, “never say never”!
- When I’m down, I take a nap, wake up and do something different or creative.
- Microsoft Building 35 is where you’ll find me most often.
- A rainy day is good for splashing in puddles, getting wet and drying off near something warm with cocoa.
- And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to wrapping things up, tomorrow my plans include going out with my Vancouver friends one last time and Sunday, I want to go parkouring and start packing!
How did I get started in software development?
Ken Egozi tagged me with the latest meme and this time it’s at least relevant :)
How old were you when you first started in programming?
Some time between 10 and 12 when my father bought home a ZX Spectrum and I ended up delving into the excellent programming manual when I finally ran out of games to play. At the same time my school opened up the computer room at lunchtimes…
What was your first programming language?
BASIC on the Sinclair Spectrum (evenings) and BBC Micro (lunch-times and after school). Multi-platform from the outset ;-)
What was the first real program you wrote?
Probably the MultiFile +3 disk & file management tool for the Spectrum in a mix of assembler and BASIC but I was also creating menu and copy protection for the BBC Micro around the same time.
I also trashed an expensive 3” disk drive at the time with a small bug in my end-of-disk detection code that resulted in the drive trying to step itself beyond the end several times and knocked it out of alignment.
What languages have you used since you started programming?
Well I’ve *used* the following although ones in italics for only brief periods involving one or two small applications.
- BASICs: Sinclair, BBC, Microsoft, QBASIC, Mallard, QuickBasic, ASIC
- Assemblers: Z80, 6502, 8051
- Visual Basic, VBA, VBScript, VB.NET
- C, C++, Objective-C, C#, Java, JavaScript, ActionScript
- Turbo Pascal, Delphi, SQL, PHP
- COBOL, RPG, SmallTalk, Algol, Prolog
I’m not sure if XSLT/XPath or RegEx’s count.
What was your first professional programming gig?
Writing IBM AS/400 (iSeries) banking applications in COBOL age 17 joining a team where the leader was already known as the Kindergarten Cop as everyone in his team was “only 23-25”. I got to delve into the kernel, general ledger and securities systems eventually single-handedly developing intricate multi-base-currency support leaving days before my 19th birthday. (Okay, a little pride there ;-)
If you knew then what you know now, would you have started programming?
Without a shadow of a doubt.
If there is one thing you learned along the way that you would tell new developers, what would it be?
Enjoy the journey, new languages are going to come and go so learn them just-in-time ;-)
It’s a shame computers and languages are more complex now but with the Internet and great books available there is no real barrier to entry.
What’s the most fun you’ve ever had programming?
Any application that brings a smile to a users face :)
Some ‘interesting’ moments have been revisiting school-level physics for a pool game and an on-the-fly domain class construction system for an international configurable payroll package.
Who am I calling out?
I’m not sure any of them are reading my blog any more but you never know ;-)
[)amien
Five things you didn’t know about me
I’ve watched this go round all the .NET development blogs I read but alas none of them tagged me.
This in fact turned out to be a bit of a blessing because now that Alex has tagged me I suddenly found I couldn’t think of five things nobody knew about me.
So here are five things you may or may not have known.
- I learnt to simultaneously program on the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and the Acorn BBC Micro at age 11. Both originally in BASIC then later in Z80 and 6502 assembly respectively – I guess I’ve always been platform independent ;-)
- I was the first Internet Service Provider in the Channel Islands providing free Internet e-mail via my Black Ice BBS a few years before Guernsey.Net and Local Dial formed.
- I want to build my dream-home in British Columbia, Canada in a small-town a few hours away from Vancouver. Now I’ve passed my degree I have enough points to emigrate without needing to find a job before I go…
- I accidentally set fire to my kitchen last year. I was out of the house when I got a phone call and upon returning home found the place full of firemen. Whilst the kitchen needed major work everything else was ok and even better the owners insurance paid up for the damage.
- I’m very lucky in most areas of my life – from little things like finding parking spaces and things I want to landing good jobs and surviving what should be serious accidents with minor scrapes. Alas the luck doesn’t extend to relationships.
I’ll tag Gringod, Steve, Wilco, Arild and Swoo.
[)amien
Another meme
Questions stolen from the same source as the last one ;-)
- Time of starting?
21:43 - Were you named after anyone?
Indeed, after the priest in The Exorcist. - Do you wish on stars?
Not really. - When did you last cry?
A couple of months ago when I tripped while running and had to go to hospital. Needed glue stitches and a couple of visits to the dentist :( - Do you like your hand writing?
Very much so, I’ve been gradually learning calligraphy and adding flourishes. My pencil writing still looks like a school teachers ABC board tho. - What is your favourite meat?
Chicken. - What is the most embarrassing CD on your shelf?
Shakespear’s Sister – Hormonally Yours. We all make mistakes. - If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you?
Yes but one of us would actually need to arrange something social… - Are you a daredevil?
Sometimes. Last year I went rock climbing and white water rafting and I ski every year. Next year is going to have a parachute in it. - Have you ever told a secret you swore not to tell?
Most likely although I fail to recall any at the moment… - How do you release anger?
I tend to get stuff of my chest the moment it arrives so there’s never much to release. - Where is your second home?
No idea, not too sure where my first home is. I move house. Rather a lot. - Do you trust others easily?
Depends very much on the person and scenario. - Favourite toy?
My car. Fun, responsive and just downright enjoyable regardless if it’s a 3 minute or 3 hour journey. - Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Nope. - Have you ever been in a mosh pit?
I’ve been in a sort of moshy area at Watersplash in Jersey. Probably doesn’t count but it did get very physical. - What do you look for in a guy/girl?
There’s no one thing, it’s whole package/combination thing. - Would you do a bungee jump?
It doesn’t appeal to me because there’s no involvement. You jump, you wait, you get off, you try not to be sick. Give me a solo parachute jump or hang-glider… - Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
No, my shoes are sufficiently large enough to slide off and on without such tedium. - What’s your favourite ice cream flavour?
Cool Brittania from Ben & Jerry’s was the best but alas, gone. Strawberry cheesecake is good too. - What are your favourite colours?
Depends totally on what it’s applied to. - What is your least favourite thing?
Seafood. - How many people do u have a crush on right now?
Eine, un, uno, 0×01, 00000001, 1, one.
Okay, well there’s Natalie Portman too…
- What do you miss most right now?
My girlfriend but we’ll be spending Christmas together so not long to wait. - What colour underwear are you wearing?
Black. - What are you listening to right now?
The loud clickety click of my keyboard. - If you were a crayon, what colour would you be?
Some sort of non-primary colour. Maybe this one. - What is the weather like right now?
Overcast, cold and windy. Welcome to the UK. - Last person you talked to on the phone?
My girlfriend. - The first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
I don’t notice the opposite sex any more honest ;-) - Favourite drink?
Cherry Coke. - Favourite alcoholic drink?
WKD Blue or Lager + lime. - Eye colour?
Blue. - Wear contacts?
Most of the time but today is glasses day. - Siblings?
Three sisters and two brothers. Christmas can be tricky. - Favourite month?
July. - Favourite food?
Spiced forms of chicken – curry, fajitas, bbq… - Last movie you watched?
The Lost Boys (we have a movie night at mine once a week). Going to see Goblet of Fire tonight. - Favourite day of the year?
I’m not going to say Christmas…
- Have you ever been too shy to ask someone out?
A few times but more often than not I’ve gone for it.
- Scary movies or happy endings?
Neither. - Summer or winter?
Winter despite July being my favourite month. I’m a snow king wrapped in Goretex. - Hugs or kisses?
Depends on the occasion and recipient. - What book/magazine are you reading at the mo?
I’ve actually picked back up Dan Brown’s Deception Point. There’s a chance I’ll finish it this time. - Time of finishing
22:19 – I was multi-tasking.
[)amien