SeeWhatTimBaconsBeenUpTo

Things I've been up to

• Left ThoughtWorks: now working as an independent consultant
• Working on XmlUnit for .Net
• Started blogging
• Some more public speaking
• XmlUnit v1.0 released
• Had a couple of interesting coaching engagements with ThoughtWorks
• Stepped into the murky waters of .net programming
• XmlUnit v0.8 released for compatibility with JUnit 3.8 - now working on last story for v1.0
• Working like a loon to try and rescue a hideous demon-spawn of a project that is fast sinking below the waves... how do doomed projects survive so long?!
• More reading: XPExamined and PunishedByRewards?
• Heard JimHighsmith talk at DSDM conference that discussed HowToCombineDSDMandXP
• Left JPMorgan to enter the brave new world of ThoughtWorks
• Had a reading frenzy: AgileSoftwareEcosystems?, XPApplied and SoftwareCraftsmanship?
• Started working on TheNose
• Had a lot of fun using IbmEclipse: it rockz!
• Got very worked up when someone started the XpIsUp thread
• Read SoftwareForYourHead
• Playing with Xindice and Axis
• Released XmlUnit v0.5
• Read TheManagerPool, recommended!
• Soapbox moment (stand up and be counted): SoftwarePatentsAreWrong
• Finally released version 0.4 of XmlUnit, working on v0.5
• Donated some code to the Jakarta-commons Latka project (cos I liked using it so much)
• Wrote some distinctly un-Java-like code for the WabaVm
• Finally got my web site up -- http://www.primeEight.co.uk
• Put forward a proposal for OT2002 - alas rejected :-(
• Adding Trax support to XmlUnit v0.3
• Moved on from Silage to JP Morgan -- where was the XpRecruitment when I needed it?!
• Finished James Highsmith's Adaptive Software Development -- see http://www.adaptivesd.com/adaptive_software_development_bo.htm. Highly recommended
• GoodVsEvil

Places I've been

• Spoke at XpDay2, AgileSussex?
• Went to meet the LanguageLlama
• Spoke at XpDay 2001
• AspectJ caught my eye at http://aspectj.org/servlets/AJSite
• Programemos en AspectJ, website launched for the Hispanic community at http://www.programemos.com
• Oxford: wahey! I went to OT2001
• The Agile Alliance: all the big names unite under one manifesto -- http://agilealliance.org
• Refactoring home page: like the book only more of it -- http://www.refactoring.com
• PairProgramming pages -- http://pairprogramming.com is a good starting point, and Laurie Williams' page at http://collaboration.csc.ncsu.edu/laurie/ has links to some interesting papers she co-authored with AlistairCockburn
• MartinFowler has a good site: start at http://www.martinfowler.com and while you're there try to take in his articles on The New Methodology -- http://www.martinfowler.com/articles/newMethodology.html -- and Is Design Dead? -- http://www.martinfowler.com/articles/designDead.html. For some strange reason the proxy server we use at work won't let me access this site, sinister or what?
• Adaptive Software Development -- the JimHighsmith take on lightweight processes, lots of interesting articles
• Patterns-- IMO the Portland Pattern Repository at http://hillside.net/patterns/ has outgrown its original usefulness (tho it can be worth a trip if you have time to spare), and JamesCoplien has an repository of Organisational Patterns at http://www.bell-labs.com/cgi-user/OrgPatterns/OrgPatterns which are interesting to compare with XP practices
• Coad / TogetherSoft? take on XP -- http://www.togethercommunity.com/coad-letter/Coad-Letter-0070.html (tho I do object to some of the sweeping statements made)
• Philip and Alex's Guide to Web Publishing at http://www.arsdigita.com/books/panda/ is an interesting site -- plus you can judge the results for yourself (and find some pretty pictures) at http://photo.net
• Advogato at http://www.advogato.org -- is it a self sustaining community or a clique that won't accept newbies? (Interesting that SourceForge has adopted a similar trust-based ranking...)
• Apparently RUP and XP aren't that different (according to, ahem, Rational) -- read what the company that sells the Unified Proce$$ have to say say at http://www.therationaledge.com/content/mar_01/f_xp_gp.html and http://www.therationaledge.com/content/apr_01/f_xp2_gp.html

• Practical advice at http://www.GetEthical.com
• Greater Good.com sites: Rainforest Site -- http://www.therainforestsite.com and Hunger Site -- http://www.thehungersite.com (and there are other alike sites, see for example http://uk.dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Issues_and_Causes/Philanthropy/Free_Donations/)
• Give Water -- at http://www.givewater.org
• Charities Aid Foundation -- at http://www.cafonline.org

• JSIG sometimes has interesting seminars (on Java, duh) -- http://www.jsig.com/
• PDF creation tool -- http://www.ctrlp.com