Software That Makes You Angry

Isn't it peculiar?  Some pieces of software are actually an almost physical pleasure to use.  Others make one actively angry.  Or is that just me?

I will refrain from mentioning a specific piece of software, here -- it would just be a distraction.  The software in question has been pissing me off the whole afternoon.  All I want is to make a simple change to some templates.  But it turns into a huge bloody performance: hoop jumping, contortions, hystrionics and hysterics, all resulting in a Resort to Strong Drink.

The software itself is not such a terrible piece of work.  In some places it is excellent, and the rest of it certainly gets the job done.  But the thing taken as a whole just makes me angry.  Microsoft Windows has much the same effect on me.

On the other side of the fence are pieces of software that just slide effortlessly into your life.  When you stop and bother to notice them, they're just... effortlessly there for you.  No muss, no fuss.  They just get out of your way and work.

So what's the key?  I would certainly only like to write the latter kind of software and avoid foisting the former on the world.  I think it boils down to "Do things my way or else" vs. "Let me serve you; here's what I do... I'll stay out of your face, now."

What software pisses you off?  What software do you love?

The last 10% takes 90% of the Time

I guess its easy when it's a larger project.  There's a Project Manager, there are Account Managers, there are User Representatives.  They may or may not be actually doing much.  But they're there, pushing for completion.

When it's only two developers working together, it's hard!  How do you keep the focus, keep the energy going, especially on a short-term project that you have zero interest in...?

Software Testing

OK, I confess: I'm a crap software tester.  I totally lack the nit-picky, step-by-step, over-and-over, document-each-step patience and discipline needed for the task.

Jason and I are just trying to finish-off the last 3% of a project.  You know!  The 3% that takes 50% of the time.  We're bored with the project, sour on the whole concept, and have much more exciting ideas we would rather be getting on with.  My job is to drive the testing, and I'm having a rough time knuckling down to it.  How I wish we had a good tester on the team!

Good testers are worth their weight in gold.

Old New Venture

Sometimes you just plain run out of energy.

That's what happened to us last year.  Bruised and sore from the sheer amount of energy we put into Flightwish, only to be repeatedly turned down, we gave up.  I even contemplated selling our domain names – a nice block of four closely-related names – on eBay.

But, as renewal date for the domains approaches, we have decided to give it a go once more.  After all, before we got involved with business plans, venture capital companies, bullshit artists, prototypes and minds-games, the idea really was cool, and targets a real need.  After all, the concept originated with my Dad -- a total non-techie, which gives it a lot more credibility than most of the web startups out there.

So we've started kicking the tyres again, and lo and behold! The fun is creeping back into it!  We've no idea whether we can make any money out of this, now or ever.  We don't care, right now.  We have a cool idea for a web community that we want to put together with some help from our friends, and we're going to have some fun doing it for as long as we can keep the lights on.  Drop me a line if you're at all interested...

We've put up a fun front-page so far, where we can drop a few hints as we work on the software.

Technorati STILL sucks (and blows!)

In response to "The Technorati prism vs reality":

Technorati is a joke - a complete fucking waste of time. 

As a source of statistics it is meaningless, inconsistent within their its own presentation, and takes forever to catch up with reality - sometimes months.

As a search engine it sucks.  Google's blogsearch is way, way better at finding relevant blogs and articles.

And then Technorati have the gall to present Alexa stats on blogs, too, as if Alexa's stats were any better.

This has all been covered before.  Ad nauseam.

Frankly, I'm not sure why we all keep using this piece of crap. Perhaps its time to build something that actually works!

Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam!

Far too long away from this blog, but its Spring, and matters non-technical have had my attention for some time.

Received a spam this morning (not unusual, in itself) from Computicket (no link, google for it - fuck them - why should I help spammers gain pagerank?) - a local company who do movie, theatre and event bookings.  I didn't even really look at what they were advertising.  Besides, most of it was in images, blocked by my mail client.

In response I dropped a BLOCK message onto the Spam-L mailing list - one of the most respected anti-spam resources in the 'net (also all relevant abuse addresses):

Spam from computicket.com to an address never given to them.  Spam is
also in violation of locally applicable spam law (ECT Act requirements) (such as it is):

(Notice the "Urgent" priority on what is really "Bulk")
Delivered-To: <x>
Received: by 10.67.26.19 with SMTP id d19cs590002ugj;
       Mon, 30 Oct 2006 09:22:35 -0800 (PST)
Received: by 10.66.242.20 with SMTP id p20mr4513321ugh;
       Mon, 30 Oct 2006 09:22:35 -0800 (PST)
Return-Path: <info@mcentre.computicket.com>
Received: from smtp.mcentre.co.za (pdpapp3.mwebhosting.net1[96.2.145.115])
       by mx.google.com with ESMTP id 53si3074470ugd.2006.10.30.09.22.31;

       Mon, 30 Oct 2006 09:22:35 -0800 (PST)
Received-SPF: neutral (google.com: 196.2.145.115 is neither permitted
nor denied by best guess record for domain of
info@mcentre.computicket.com)
Received: from mail pickup service by smtp.mcentre.co.za with Microsoft SMTPSVC;
        Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:16:49 +0200
X-Abuse-Contact-Mail: abuse@mcentre.co.za
X-Abuse-Contact-Tel: 27860 200 121
MWEB-Business-BatchID: 59867
MWEB-Business-ClientID: 177
MWEB-Business-MessageType: H
MWEB-Business-MessageID: <x>
MWEB-Business-SequenceNo: 26946
From: Computicket <info@mcentre.computicket.com>
Reply-To: info@computicket.com
To: <x>
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:11:37 GMT
Subject: Special Newsflash
Priority: Urgent

Recevied a reply from an MWeb droid.  MWeb are the spamhaus who actually did the wetwork on behalf of Computicket.  I won't bore you with the full (lengthy) reply.  The summary reads:

Dear Mike Morris,

Thank you for making use of the MWEB Business Technical support mail service.

You received this mail sent as a solicited mail from Computicket, in accordance with The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act. 2002 Chapter VII - Consumer Protection

[ i.e. Fuck you.  It's legal.]

Disclaimer: This email is considered a business record and is therefore property of MWEB. This email, and any files transmitted with it are confidential and are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. This communication represents the originator's personal views and opinions, which do not necessarily reflect those of MWEB. If you are not the original recipient or the person responsible for delivering the email to the intended recipient, be advised that you have this email in error, and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. If you received this email in error, please immediately notify asptac@mweb.com

Included were lengthy quotes of semi-relevant sections of the Electronic Commerce and Transactions Act.  Sections I could probably recite by heart.

On principle, and basically because of their crass "legal disclaimer", here is my reply to them in full.  We'll see how this one plays out...  But for now, caveat emptor: MWeb have taken a business decision to become a spamhaus. If you run a mail server, please add the following domains to your blacklists:

mweb.com
mweb.co.za
mwehosting.co.za
mcentre.co.za

My reply to them (spelling errors and all, in the interests of full disclosure):

Dear Phillip Bresler

On 31/10/06, MWEB <asptac@mweb.com> wrote:

> You received this mail sent as a solicited mail from Computicket, in accordance with The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act. 2002 Chapter VII - Consumer Protection

You may wish to fool yourself that it was solicited. Given the dismal
state of SA email legislation and regulation you may even be able to
claim that it was "legally" solicited in some narrow legalistic sense.

However, as an employee of a large ISP and email service provider, you
surely cannot be so ignorant of universally-accepted Internet "best
practise" with regard to email solicitation, mailing lists and bulk
email.  If this is, indeed, the case, I will be happy to assist you in
this matter.  My normal consulting rates will apply.  As an Internet
user and mail system administrator since 1989, I can assure you that,
though you might not, I DO understand best practice and how to
implement it.  This spam from Computicket, spewed directly from MWeb's
servers, using a wholly inappropriate routing priority, follows
anything BUT best practice.  Its was:
 1. Unsolicited.  I have never given permission to Computicket or
MWeb to contact me with marketing email.
 2. Bulk.
 3. Email.

In short: UBE, or spam.

Furthermore your usage of the word "solicited" falls so far outside
the dictionary definition, as well as the common person's
understanding of the term, as to be laughable.

> The act states:
> Electronic Communications and Transactions Act. 2002 Chapter VII - Consumer Protection 45. Unsolicited goods, services or communications
>
> 1) Any person who sends unsolicited commercial communications to
> consumers, must provide the consumer
>
> a) with the option to cancel his or her subscription to the mailing
> list of that person; and

No such option was supplied, which is precisely why I mentioned that
it is not in compliance with the ECT Act.  Strike one.

Perhaps the "opt out" details were in a picture - blocked in my email
client and unavailable to visually-impaired users, and hence
discriminatory in terms of the constitution.

> b) with the identifying particulars of the source from which that
> person obtained the consumer's personal information, on request of the consumer.

No such particulars were provided.  Strike two.

> 4) Any person who sends unsolicited commercial communications to a
> person who has advised the sender that such communications are unwelcome, is guilty of an offence and liable, on conviction, to the penalties prescribed in section 89(1).

You are hereby advised that ALL commercial communications from MWeb's
servers to me are unwelcome, whether originating from MWeb or any
other party using MWeb as a spam service.  All such communications
will, without exception be listed on various anti-spam activism sites.
Hopefully in time this will lead to the widespread blacklisting of
MWeb's mail servers, since it is obvious that MWeb has decided to
become a spamhaus.

Guy Kawasaki Finally Catching-up with Me?

In “Is Advertising Dead?” Guy Kawasaki finally reaches the place I was at in "Why Advertising is Broken", posted back in July.

Welcome, Guy!  Its going to be very interesting to see how this story plays out.