There's no relation, but I'd happily do anything the song describes

Run Linux on the machine, and run Windows as a standalone should you need to use Office instead of Libre. It's not ideal, but, especially for presentation Libre lags Office.

I'm curious what you're using as alternatives?

You mentioned Outlook and not Exchange, and didn't mention Excel, so I'm imagining not a corporate set-up?

8=D

if I'd had a daughter when I stopped really giving a shit about this place, she'd have eaten cum at least once by now.

probably a son too.

but it's nice to hear from/about people other than Vlad. cheers.

nt

I came here for ponies.

Slashdot got bad. The ponies are the stallions of what was right about this place. Yet they still choose not to return.

I will return next year, in seek of ponies.

to

too

Not being a Grammar Nazi, just pointing out how such an error can completely null the point you're trying to make (and null that to any others listening). Some others:

Effect and affect
It's and its
Where and were (this mind boggles me, I suppose it is a West Coast accent thing, I have no idea)

Don't let your argument be straw-manned for the sake of a few basic errors; it happens again and again.

I hear there are only crap informercial for closetted ghery asstards on that silly excuse for a web site. Even Taco had some more to offer instead of that junk.

http://sensorly.com/

Has already done much of what this project is wanting to accomplish

Very much agree here.

the opportunity for every schoolchild to learn one of four "priority" languages- Chinese, Hindi, Japanese or Indonesian.

Learning is surely great in all forms. But I am confused why Hindi is a 'priority language'. Every corporate senior person I've met from India - Director type level - not only speaks several Indian languages, but also has flawless English in terms of grammar and vocabulary mixed with a somewhat local accent depending on where they're from in India, unless, as an in-joke among Indian colleagues goes, they're walked past the US Embassy and are suddenly embroiled with a thick US accent.

Chinese, for dealing with anyone outside the BPO / ITO / major trade companies: government, state owned and specialists yes.

Japanese, things in Japan tend to happen in Japanese despite the speaker's English ability, whatever the industry, so yes.

Indonesian, honestly have no experience.

But Hindi. Seems odd to be a priority.

Thanks for the comment, appreciate it. A question on the BA's role:

If business requirements are written by BA + Business, as I assume, why should the BA be involved in getting between the Developers and Testers as a communication duct? The BA and Project Manager should certainly be involved in T/D communication, but acting as a relay station creates a conflict of interest with the ability to cover up poor Business Analysis. Please tell me where I'm wrong.

Imagine the power of being able to hire a recent college graduate who has been taught how to develop system diagrams, build complex SQL, run log analysis, set up a cloud test environment, and write automation scripts.

If I can do all this, why would I want to remain a tester? Why wouldn't I get into development?

Because a tester is not a developer? While some testers are wanna-be developers, IMHO the author of TFA seems to get some things horribly mixed up, despite her position and experience. Developers unit test their code, and smoke test the product, surely? That's the job of a developer. Testers should have an understanding of development principals to faster nail the bug and help the developer, they mostly need to understand:

• Business requirements: How to translate these to testing scenarios;
• How to identify what's a show-stopper, something major, and something that's an error but doesn't hinder functionality as defined in business requirements;
• How to go head-to-head with a developer face-to-face, via email, or via telephone and motivate the developer to prioritise their fixes; and as testing is typically at the end of the development cycle
• How to project manage a lot of conflict. Communications are more important than knowing how to set up a development environment, though both are useful.

A developer, seeking to do the above, while still in their heart a developer, is not going to enjoy their job or be as good at it as a tester, unless they really like punishing themselves. They'll also be a lot less respected by the actual developers than a sassy tester who just loves doing the above.

The best testing teams I've seen are those with a big mix of varied technical and arts skill. A lot have been in emerging economies: English language majors are increasingly important.