Subservient programmers

May 2, 2006 By

Ahh, you too can act like a program manager and have your own subservient programmer. Tell him to write on the whiteboard. Drink a coke. Or spin in his chair. Someone has too much time on their hands.

On the other hand, Josh Bancroft has attracted a troll from possibly inside his own company (Intel) who says that Josh should be forced to stop blogging for Intel and use his time for more "productive" purposes. Sigh. I guess some people would get rid of any human contact inside companies. No more speaking at conferences. No more answering the mail or the phones. No more going on sales calls. After all, there's more productive things to do, right? Heh!

Ever want to get RSS Feeds into Outlook Express (like how I read feeds in NewsGator in Outlook)? Inclue lets you do just that. Update: today's version works in Outlook, they are readying a version for Outlook Express. Sorry for the confusion.

If the subservient programmer makes you ill, then maybe you'd like something a little more sophisticated? How about a WineCamp in California's Calaveras County. It's taking place May 26-28 (wish I could be there, but alas, got other plans already). It'll be a bunch of geeks, do-gooders, and lots of wine.

Me? We're having XboxCamp at our house this summer. How do you get in? Gotta make friends with Patrick. Heheh. Speaking of Xbox, there's a lengthy article on the engineering in the Xbox over on Electronic Business Online. Even better, give your Xbox a voice with 360voice.com (it compiles information from your gamerfeed and delivers it as a blog).

Off to go play on my new screen.

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  • http://www.profitablesignals.com/blog/ Sean Ammirati

    This is sweet – the tutorial is very cool http://www.subservientprogrammer.com/howTo.aspx I don’t think I have time to actually create one myself – but it would be fun.

  • http://www.profitablesignals.com/blog/ Sean Ammirati

    This is sweet – the tutorial is very cool http://www.subservientprogrammer.com/howTo.aspx I don’t think I have time to actually create one myself – but it would be fun.

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  • http://www.tinyscreenfuls.com/ Josh Bancroft

    Thanks for the link, and bringing attention to the issue on blogging at Intel. For the record, this troll (whoever he/she is – he’s done some things that I would hate to believe a senior manager at Intel would do) is pretty much alone in his views, from what I’ve been hearing.

    Of course blogging is like an echo chamber, and the people that have been reading and leaving comments on my blog already are sort of “on my side”. But my manager, coworkers, and everyone I’ve talked to at Intel about blogging have been very supportive, if a little timid about dipping their own toes in the water. :-)

  • http://www.tinyscreenfuls.com Josh Bancroft

    Thanks for the link, and bringing attention to the issue on blogging at Intel. For the record, this troll (whoever he/she is – he’s done some things that I would hate to believe a senior manager at Intel would do) is pretty much alone in his views, from what I’ve been hearing.

    Of course blogging is like an echo chamber, and the people that have been reading and leaving comments on my blog already are sort of “on my side”. But my manager, coworkers, and everyone I’ve talked to at Intel about blogging have been very supportive, if a little timid about dipping their own toes in the water. :-)

  • anon

    subservient programmer

    Robert, Burger King did this a long time ago. And they did it better, too.

    http://subservientchicken.com/

    Best of all, it runs on all web browsers, not like those cheap dirty tricks I’ve come to expect and love from Microsoft (IE only? Windows Media Player? Oh come on!!!).

    Is there but a single creative bone in Microsoft’s organizational structure? (not a rhetorical question)

  • anon

    subservient programmer

    Robert, Burger King did this a long time ago. And they did it better, too.

    http://subservientchicken.com/

    Best of all, it runs on all web browsers, not like those cheap dirty tricks I’ve come to expect and love from Microsoft (IE only? Windows Media Player? Oh come on!!!).

    Is there but a single creative bone in Microsoft’s organizational structure? (not a rhetorical question)

  • Dmad

    I’m not sure blogging is the equavalent of going on a sales call. How many enteprise agreements have been closed via your blog?

  • Dmad

    I’m not sure blogging is the equavalent of going on a sales call. How many enteprise agreements have been closed via your blog?

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  • http://acidzebra.blogspot.com/ Michiel

    “Sorry, this demonstration only targets Internet Explorer 6 – due to the use of Windows Media Player, and it’s use as an ActiveX Control.”

    Nevermind then :)

  • http://acidzebra.blogspot.com Michiel

    “Sorry, this demonstration only targets Internet Explorer 6 – due to the use of Windows Media Player, and it’s use as an ActiveX Control.”

    Nevermind then :)

  • http://acidzebra.blogspot.com/ Michiel

    ps. this is your name in Russian: Скобла

    “Skoeble” hehehe

  • http://acidzebra.blogspot.com Michiel

    ps. this is your name in Russian: Скобла

    “Skoeble” hehehe

  • Mike

    Outlook, not Outlook Express.

    Idiot.

    (I just tried it with Outlook Express, no luck, in case you ask).

  • Mike

    Outlook, not Outlook Express.

    Idiot.

    (I just tried it with Outlook Express, no luck, in case you ask).

  • http://fun-download.blogspot.com/ fundownload

    vote 1 point for your post

    My Signature {Blog@More}
    please visit my blog http://fun-download.blogspot.com

  • http://fun-download.blogspot.com fundownload

    vote 1 point for your post

    My Signature {Blog@More}
    please visit my blog http://fun-download.blogspot.com

  • http://grafxgurl2.blogspot.com/ Grafxgurl

    hi!
    this is my first time here…my blog is my personal diary.. i dont know what id do without it!!!

    plus its so great to have people come by and read it and comment and still have that sense of privacy and anonimity.

    this is a great blog!im part geek myself.. so.. i relate to this!
    thanks!

  • http://grafxgurl2.blogspot.com Grafxgurl

    hi!
    this is my first time here…my blog is my personal diary.. i dont know what id do without it!!!

    plus its so great to have people come by and read it and comment and still have that sense of privacy and anonimity.

    this is a great blog!im part geek myself.. so.. i relate to this!
    thanks!

  • Ned

    Doesn’t work in Firefox… seems to be some sort of ActiveX-like control.

  • Ned

    Doesn’t work in Firefox… seems to be some sort of ActiveX-like control.

  • http://blog.donnael.com/ Garrett Fitzgerald

    Hmmm. If I come bearing Firefly disks, will that help make friends with Patrick? :-) I’ve only met him for about 5 minutes tops before…

  • http://blog.donnael.com/ Garrett Fitzgerald

    Hmmm. If I come bearing Firefly disks, will that help make friends with Patrick? :-) I’ve only met him for about 5 minutes tops before…

  • http://frem.wordpress.com/ James

    Nice to see he’s a Homestar Runner fan. ^_^
    (Try typing email and see what happens.)

  • http://frem.wordpress.com/ James

    Nice to see he’s a Homestar Runner fan. ^_^
    (Try typing email and see what happens.)

  • http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/ Robert Scoble

    Mike: sorry for the mistake. They showed me a pre-release version for Outlook Express and I was confused. I fixed the post.

  • http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/ Robert Scoble

    Mike: sorry for the mistake. They showed me a pre-release version for Outlook Express and I was confused. I fixed the post.

  • met

    Get these Xbox behind the scenes stories on Xbox Live too. Thats where the majority of the Xbox fans hangout. :)

  • met

    Get these Xbox behind the scenes stories on Xbox Live too. Thats where the majority of the Xbox fans hangout. :)

  • Patrick

    re: subservient programmer – I’d rather the Virtual Bartender on Beer.com. Warning, maybe Not entirely Safe For Work…but closer to FHM than Playboy. :)

  • Patrick

    re: subservient programmer – I’d rather the Virtual Bartender on Beer.com. Warning, maybe Not entirely Safe For Work…but closer to FHM than Playboy. :)

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  • http://www.williamsportwebdeveloper.com/ Robert S. Robbins

    I’m a subservient programmer. I answer the phones, take out the trash, do the dishes, and take the dog for a walk at work in addition to my programming tasks. And no, I don’t work for myself or a family member.

  • http://www.williamsportwebdeveloper.com/ Robert S. Robbins

    I’m a subservient programmer. I answer the phones, take out the trash, do the dishes, and take the dog for a walk at work in addition to my programming tasks. And no, I don’t work for myself or a family member.

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  • Alicia

    Well, I think you should always have up to date email backups. I used to do it manually by saving the .dbx files, until I found http://www.amicutilities.com/outlook-express-backup/ – Outlook Express Backup Genie that does it automatically at regular times.

    I choused it over other because it can work with both MS Outlook and Outlook Express

    Alicia

  • Alicia

    Well, I think you should always have up to date email backups. I used to do it manually by saving the .dbx files, until I found http://www.amicutilities.com/outlook-express-backup/ – Outlook Express Backup Genie that does it automatically at regular times.

    I choused it over other because it can work with both MS Outlook and Outlook Express

    Alicia