Author: admin

T40T, 6th June 2008 to 9th June 2008

Csharp kitteh

(kitteh codez: ./;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;)

Time to start C# familiarisation, this long weekend is the weekend to start. My guide is the book: “Pro C# 2008 and the .Net 3.5 Platform” written by Andrew Troelson

Having last been semi-professional in Java about 10 years ago, there are many similarities. But lots of new platform learnings. Unix shell, paths and commands are difficult things to dump.

Just ensuring I understand the fundamentals before I jump into the deep end of the BCL and other .Net goodness

So, some new things:

  • using the Visual Studio Command Prompt to pre-setup paths
  • @*.rsp files for input to csc.exe (to replace command lines)
  • Console.* and Environment.* for command-line/console style apps; along with return values
  • Escape characters vs. @”sss” verbatim strings
  • Narrowing/Widening datatypes at compile time (short/ints)
  • out, ref, params (leave params as last argument)
  • operator overloading (sans generics), arrays, simple objects, enums’
  • structs on the stack, vs referenced types on heap
  • Nullable types (using ? at the end of the type declaration, ?? as default override if value is null)
  • Objects, default constructors
  • constructor chaining using this. keyword
  • Encapsulation using properties (auto getters and setters, or Accessors and Mutators)
  • partials (one class across multiple *.cs files)
  • class diagrams; same 3 base things of OO programming (encapsulation, inheritance and polymorphism)
  • base class construction
  • nested classes
  • virtual, override in polymorphism; as keyword + null test in polymorphism
  • SEH. Structured exception handling
  • The heap, generations as a method of marking objects as “more likely to stick around” in System.GC
  • Finalize. Finalize when unmanaged (ie: Pinvoke) objects
  • Dispose. call Dispose on an object that implements IDisposable (if x is IDisposable…)

Inspecting ur classes

New feature of Visual Studio 2008, LOLCAT edition. CATROSPECSHUN OV UR CLASSEZ

Sensationalist Titles. Journalism Fail. Advertising Win.

Sensationalist Titles

“Router crashes blamed on Windows XP SP3” rings the alarm bells of Australian Personal Computer. Thanks Dan Warne, now every owner of a router (that is, everyone connected to the Internet) is going to blame SP3 for weird internet issues.

Does this mean there is a series bug in XP SP3? Do all routers have this issue?

A concerned netizen, and Windows XP SP3 user: I click on the link and read the article.

 

Journalism Fail.

Billion, a premiuim brand of home ADSL internet router which I personally own, evangelise and enjoy, is blaming Windows XP SP3 for crashing one series of their routers.

According to Billion’s documentation (22nd May 2008) on this issue,

Windows XP SP3 uses Option 43 data in its DHCP packet; and Option 43 was not compatible with Billion’s Original defintion.

Further research into DHCP, and this “Option 43” using the industry’s specification, the Request-for-Comments (RFC) and specifically RFC 2132.

RFC 2132 details Option 43 in section 8.4 of the specification, a specification last updated in March 1997. 11 years ago.

In other words, Billion routers were not fully compliant with an 11 year old specification; or at minimum not tested in accordance with the RFC.

My contention is that the sensationalist title should read: “Billion 5200-series Routers need Firmware Upgrade for Full DHCP Compatibility”

 

Advertising Win.

The separation between editorial and advertising does not exist on the Internet. Truth in titles does not attract eye-balls, and more importantly, ad click-through stats.

Truth in titles, usually the domain of the little-talked about subeditor (known as copy-editor in Wikipedia), is the key to online readership in a dark-art called SEO. Search Engine Optimisation.

Secondly, as contextual advertising systems such as Adsense (sense is the operative part of online newspeak) is tied to the content of the story, ensuring a title that results in a series of highly valuable advertisements is paramount. In this example, writing a bland story on DHCP, Billion and Option 43 will probably result in niche books such as Douglas Comer’s appearing.

In both instances, the editorial side of the traditional chinese wall is broken. The precepts of truth and independence in journalism online are diminishing.

 

A Call

Come on, journalists (and subeditors) We do not want this fledgling world of Internet journalism to be further sullied.

And a call out to the online advertising engine community. Time to move beyond algorithmic big contextual text engines. The money behind these engines is corrupting journalism.

And for APC, please stop throwing fake rocks at Microsoft. By all means, blame us for when we do wrong. But the constant hailstorm of negativity hides the resonant truth.

8th June Followup:

The Role of New PR

Last week I presented at the Victorian Branch of the IABC (International Association of Business Communicators). Thanks to Dr Jennifer Frahm for inviting me, sight unseen, to speak. Onstage after Ross Monaghan from Deakin University and The Media Pod was a tough gig. Therefore, it was time to flip the controversial switch.

A premise that I articulated was that “online, people smell the fake” – and from questions and comments during Ross’ presentation, this is of major concern to PR professionals.

How do organisations communicate both internally and externally in a PR-spin weary world?

To respond to this, I described an emerging job role: “digital community specialist". Nothing new here; the idea stems from Laurel Papworth’s work over the last 15 years. What is new is that PR’s audience is quicklu shifting to online/digital mediums (ref: ACMA Report 2006/7). People online can and will invoke the nuclear option (ref: Mark Pesce) And this is a normal part of their lives. Online is as real as offline. (ref: danah boyd’s research)

Organisation can and must use social networks to engage stakeholders. Not using than use “fake names” or “brand names”, No astroturfing nor sockpuppeting. Just as people use online networks to connect with their friends, organisations can use social networks to make connections.

People connect with other people. One role of the new PR is to hire/foster real employees to act on behalf of the organisation online. Do not outsource this important role. My suggestion is to find a star in the internal sales team, customer service team. An individual who is already online out of hours, who also understands the foibles of your organisation.

Empower your new ambassadors with the freedom to connect, act honestly, and tell the truth. Provide tools to permit them to right the wrongs that all organisations do.

The role of the new PR is to manage the image these new digital diplomats. Be their internal champions and measure their work.

Release your best ambassadors into the digital world.