My internet is down. Again. This isn’t the second time this month, or even the third. I have logged ten days without service for more than an hour in the last four weeks. Just today, I’ve been without service three times. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘rant’
Why People Kill Puppies
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010Wanted: Adults
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008I have been searching for a good programmer to work on certain projects with for the better part of the last six months. I’ve gone through four. All came highly recommended or seemed like good candidates based on their resumes. They all listened to what I expected of them and said they were willing to accept the jobs. They all responded that they understood when I explained that I needed a firm commitment – that if there was any reason they thought they could not complete the assignment on schedule I would rather them back off before we started. All four have screwed me – causing me to miss various deadlines.
I never thought that programmers could be prima donnas. I was wrong.
You people are costing me time, money and credibility. If you say you’re going to do something… DO IT!
Don’t give me excuses right before a deadline. I don’t want to hear them. I can’t publish an excuse. I can’t send it into a client. And I certainly can’t show it off to a potential business partner. Put up, or shut up.
Don’t tell me your computer went down. I’ve had computer issues a handful of times. I’ve had them during crunch time before deadlines. I’ve always gone out of my way to make sure I remedied the situation. In the US, if my connection goes down I go to Starbucks. Yes, it costs me money to get online, but it’s more important to do what I say I’ll do and swallow the internet fee. I’m not IN the US – I’m in Bulgaria. You know what happened when a publisher and I were having issues and my internet wasn’t cooperating? I drove two hours to another town to use the internet there. It wasn’t working there, either? I drove two more hours back in hopes that the old connection was back up. Why? Because it’s my professional duty to make sure I do everything in my power to get my work in on time, and to spec.
The biggest one: communication. Answer your email or I’m going to kill you if we ever meet in person. Tell me you’re having issues. Heck, lie to me for all I care. Don’t you dare keep ignoring me – not when you’re past a deadline and only 20% of the way to the finished product. I started working online while in a war zone and I did fine. If I can answer emails between dodging mortars and convoys, etc… Well, then you can keep in touch with a guy that wants to send you thousands of dollars.
Give me one, just one, adult and I’ll show you someone who is worth their weight in gold.
The rest of you suck.
Reading is Fundamental
Friday, August 31st, 2007…but so is comprehension.
Instant messengers and IRC channels are wonderful tools. I use them every day. But I think the quick fire, short lines, sound bite communication they engender oft times erodes a person’s ability to read and comprehend what another is saying the them. Instead of reading an entire thought, perhaps given in multiple post or messages, people get erroneous interpretations. If they would take the time to read and digest what the other is saying, perhaps they would understand.
But twice in the past day I have witnessed people jumping to conclusions based on a portion of what another was trying to say to them. In both cases, the follow-up statements were buried beneath reams of quick-fire remarks. The initial poster was simply unable to finish their thought. That’s sad.
Tell Me!
Friday, August 3rd, 2007This entry kind-of rambles. So be it.
When someone says they are going to do something, I expect them to do it. If for some reason they can not, I expect to be told. And I don’t want an excuse—just give it to me straight. I’m a big boy. I can handle it. Don’t come up with some lame reason. My favorite one these days is “My computer crashed and I lost all my files.” BS. Either you didn’t do it, or you’re embarrassed by the result, but don’t blame your dang computer. Be a man and tell me you screwed the pooch.
I’ve not always had a sterling record when it comes to giving my word. Ok, I used to lie. My parents were so convinced I couldn’t tell the truth that I grew up thinking my Dad’s belt had my name on it. I even got whipped for things I didn’t do, because they’d never believe I wasn’t involved. I was a little hellion.
But now? Now I just want to truth—warts and all. Tell me my writing sucks. Tell me why, too, so I can fix it. Tell me you don’t like me. Tell me why, if you have a reason. Tell me you don’t want to work with me. Tell me you have to bail on a project. Tell me… But don’t hide behind a lame excuse. Just spit it out.
Oh, and tell me how cool I am, too. I like compliments.