becomming a c # (or is it c sharp ) programmer
well i'm still trying to pick this up. going ok. you see i went to college for programming - i have a degree in computer science. go figure i actually called it way back when. i knew i liked programming in high school. now i'm 38 soon to be 39 and i still like it. problem is years ago i made a few bad choices, the end result was me taking a job i did not like. it was an IT job and i am still here. i was single - the job was easy and i had no vision for the future. well now i am married and have 3 kids and the job is still the same. no challenge so i have set a goal of learning c# to have a skill that I can use outside of work. hopefully within a few years i will be able to work from home and leave this job behind me.
So my programming background is from command line COBOL, Pascal, Fortran, Basic etc...procedure based stuff. So now moving to the object oriented programming has been a bit of a change but the logic really has not changed. When I learned programming we built apps much the same way. 1 procedure to do 1 job. That's it. It made code manageable and you knew where to look if something broke.
Now with Libraries, classes etc. It all just seems a little to much overhead. I mean most of the work is making the program talk to the OS very little actual programming. Just seems to be alot of work for nothing. But I digress. I have been picking stuff up.
Now I am at a point where I need a project - so I think I will re-write a commission program that I did in Paradox years ago. It still works fine but I think the project would be easy enought to tackle so I will try to post progress on here every once in a while. Hope this does not bore the 1 person reading this.
later
.mike
Lost - 24 - House
If you look closely these are all shows thatmy wife and I watch regulaly. With Bones thrown in there every once in a while.
We watched the 2 hour season finally of Lose last night. After a so-so season it was nice to see that they can still write a decent episode. Something actually happened. Kinda had to since it was the season finally and you need a cliffhanger.
Couple of thoughts: Nice to see that no one is safe Charlie kicking it old school was a nice touch. Saving his friend and all. But really if Desmond hadn't told him how he would die would he have closed the door from the inside? I was wondering why he did not close the door from the other side? Go figure. My feeling is that he is really dead. Not like Mikahl, Locke or Charlie (the first time with the hanging.)
Jack in the post rescue scene referring to his father. Kinda odd - wondering if they are trying to throw us off the track.
Also Ben telling Jack that Niaomi is not who she pretends to be seems to be off as well. Since when has Ben told the truth. She may not pose the imminent danger that Ben thinks. It may well be that Ben knows his little monarchy is over if "society" finds them.
I like the fact that Jack played hard core with Ben as well. Ben has lost his hold over Jack. Jack out played him.
All in all a good finale -can't wait until next season.
Change of pace to 24.
Not a bad season but they really need to change it up. I heard that the writers are going in a different direction. This weapon of mass destruction plot is getting thin. Although you never know who will live and who won't. Gotta like that. Killed off a bunch of good guys as well as baddies.
I liked the season finale, blowing up stuff is fun. But that scene with Heller at the end was kind of off. Besides that it was good.
Lastly House.
The season finale is next week, thanks American Idol. Anyway still a great show. The whole sub-plot with the cop and the drug issue was a pain and did nothing to advance the characters. Fun show.
later
.mike
still nothing
Yep still nothing. Doing some stuff here at work. Just can't get into it today. I figured some stuff with c # out so that's a plus. It's just that I've been here 13.5 years and I just do not feel challenged anymore. Plus the fact that I'm taking a riduclous amount of time off for kids doctor visits, michelle's physical therapy and school visits I'm amazed I have not been "talked" to.
Well that's why I am learning C# perhaps a new language will help things along. I'd like to program from home. Just have to figure out a program that people would use. I'm sure there are plenty of good ideas out there. Just have to find one.
Well on the plus side I have a new computer with dual monitors and windows vista. I have no idea what people are complaining about, I like the new interface. Things look neat and what's wrong with that? Plus it's just cool as far as i'm concerned. I was one of the early Windows 95 users as well as 98 and xp. Each upgrade has been better than the last. Granted this one is a huge machine hog but hey i'll take it. I got a brandy new machine as well fun fun fun!! plus i want to stay ahead of the curve when we HAVE to start getting vista. now i can use the machine with out all that fighting to find stuff. xp seems archaic now. with transparent windows and the like. just a much nicer interface to work with. just my 2 cents.
listening to vh1.com radio right now the hair band station - slade's run run away is on. geez have not heard it in quite a while! i guess i'm starting to get old eh? graduated high school in 1986. yep i passed my 20 year reunion last year. i'm so proud of myself - i have not been to any reunion - except for the 5 year one which really does not count. my friends are now turning 40 and it's my turn next year. don't feel like 40. my parents seemed so much older at 40 than I feel. go figure.
ok spinal tap is on - sex farm - great movie!
i guess i have ranted enough
later
.mike
C# or C Sharp
Either way I am still learning it.
It is interesting to say the least. I went through some tutorials and that helped get used to the development environment. But I still need to learn a bit about the language and .net. Seems like I am not makeing any headway but I am, it is just slow. I just figured out reports, at least one aspect of them anyway. So that is a plus.
I think I set my goals to high so I get frustrated when I can not figure something out. I have programmed in Paradox for a while so I have that dowm. I also have used Visual Basic 6 and some VB.net but I figured a good way to learn would be to pick something completely new to learn. Maybe a mistake going that way but I am plowing ahead. I just get side tracked easily when I get frustrated. Like now I am writing in my blog instead of working out a new problem I have encountered.
Whee.
Anway should ge back to work.
Later
.mike
bang your head
well i'm an ax grinder
pile driver
mama sez that i never never mind her...
well if these lyrics sound familiar to you - excellent you grew up in the 80's as well.
i am listening to vh1.com radio station - 80's rock
and bang your head by quiet riot came on.
now i owned this CASSETTE back in the day so i may have listened to it a few times
did i mention that i was somewhat of a metal head?
anyway it came on and i remember the lyrics. go figure i have not heard this song for well over 10 years prolly closer to 15 still knew all the words. i can't remember what day it is or what i am doing tonight - but hey i can still lip sync to quiet riot.
rock on dude....rock on
.mike
life goal
or some such thing.
although it seems like a good idea. michelle gave me an article about reaching your goals and how to attain them. you write down on a piece of paper what you want if money, time, people etc... were of no concern. then you refine it to what you can do and put that at the top of your list. then you put down the item before the goal that would get you there. you work your way backwards until you have a starting point. i am over simplifying (sp?) it but you get the idea. the you give yourself a time table - a realistic one. not like 30 days. review your list frequently with friends family and yourself and keep to your time table. your list may be rewritten several times but keep in mind the big picture. get excited about it. pray about it. and get to it.
my goal job wise anyway is to be able to work from home writing software.
that's the end goal.
to reach that goal i have set up a path, actually two. i am not sure which one i will stick with. perhaps both. i'm not sure if i want to become an independent contractor or release a product(s). either way i will work out of the house.
still in the developmental stages. i'll let you know more as i know more!
later
.mike
