Category: Uncategorized

The 20 minute job

Sometimes I take the long way to get my job done. I have a page that receives post form data which populates my querybuilder. There are some common searches that I wanted to create links for by passing the querybuilder data on the url, not in a post request.

So I start to painfully sift through Firebug, copying and pasting the form key/value pairs and constructing my own querystring by hand, right?  It occurred to me that someone must have created a converter that automates this, and sure enough I found this:

https://www.squarefree.com/bookmarklets/forms.html#frmget

But then it dawned on me. I own the web app, why don’t I just temporarily make it GET form and grab the querystring after submitting the form?

I’m always creating 1-hour solutions to 5-minute problems. But it’s not just me! Scott Hanselman did a webcast at MIX where he said he’ll write 20 lines of code that takes 3 hours to write only to look at it and think to himself  “that should have only taken 20 minutes, next time it’ll take 20 minutes”.  Then he talks to Jon Galloway in the audience who says “Three hours! That took a week to write!”.

Sheldon

Note to Lego about the Pink Car

I love Lego. Thanks for giving me a way to spend quality time with the people I love.

I’ve been complaining about how there are no girl Legos for a long time (on twitter @tooshel). I know about Bellville and have purchased every set but it’s not enough. I want a pink car.

Side note: Why don’t you team up with Barbie? Barbie minifigs would be awesome!

Okay, so I decide that Lego’s answer to “why haven’t you made this” is the DesignByMe Lego Designer app. I’ve seen it and finally decided to make my Pink Car dream come true. I also decide that it’s time to really design something instead of just building the models (I love the 3in1 because it’t 3x the fun for me!) I open up “LEGO Digital Designer” and start trying to make my pink car. After about 10 minutes I discover the “filter by color” and find there are on only 2 pink bricks!!! What the? I know there are way more pink bricks because I’ve seen them in the pink box set 5585.

Pink bricks in Lego Designer
Pink bricks in Lego Designer

Please add pink bricks to the designByMe program. I know it’ll cost more but it’s the right thing to do. Even better would be to have Astrid design one and get it to market soon!

Sheldon

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Sheldon McGee

1141 E Juanita Ave

Gilbert, AZ  85234

sheldon.mcgee@gmail.com

Home: (480) 736-2581

Cell: (602) 321-8046

EDUCATION

Arizona State University – Tempe, AZ  85287

BSE in Electrical Engineering, 2001

SKILLS

Operating Systems – MS Windows Server, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu), FreeBSD

Windows Server – IIS, Security, Printing, DHCP, DNS, TCP/IP, Network Administration, SQL Server

Database/Web – SQL Server, ASP.NET MVC, ASP (Classic), PHP, MySQL, HTML, JavaScript (AJAX), XML

Web Development Platforms – SugarCRM, Google Maps Enterprise, Google Data APIs, MapInfo MapXtreme, WordPress, CakePHP

Programming Languages – Visual Basic, Javascript, VB.NET, C#, Python, C/C+

EXPERIENCE Director of Computer Operations – August 1999 – November 2009
Pierce-Eislen, Scottsdale, AZ

Overview:

Pierce-Eislen is an online, subscription based website that provides real-time data pertaining to the commercial multi-family housing industry. Pierce-Eislen serves over 35 markets providing information such as the owner, manger, complete unit mix with rents surveyed 3 times a year as well as aggregate data by market and region.

Responsibilities:

  • Web development
  • SQL Sever administrator, Access Database maintenance
  • Maintenance and administration for office data center and local workstations
  • Network Administrator (Domain Controllers, File Servers, Firewall, Email) and general tech support
  • Phone System administration and repair

Projects:

  • Restructure the databases for efficiency by normalizing data, adding indexes, moving the data store from Access to SQL Server as well as profiling to find the bottlenecks in the system.
  • Create a file based Content Management System (CMS) where prompt browser speed and user friendly templates are the primary focus
  • Develop entire website including reporting tools, administration utilities such as adding users and setting up orders, controlled access and monitoring utilities.
  • Supply a seamless and fast reporting engine for multiple databases
  • Create the web based mapping system with MapInfo MapXtreme and later replace with the Enterprise version of Google Maps.
  • Add AJAX interfaces to enhance the website functionality such as adding elements on screen to a group as well as being able to edit data in place simply by clicking on it.
  • Move the sales team from ACT to SugarCRM (migrate data, set up new server and install PHP, MySQL, and SugarCRM) which greatly improved the effectiveness of the sales team.
  • Integrate IPCOP, a Linux based firewall, to improve the performance of the network as well as to add monitoring, intrusion detection, and VPN capabilities for secure remote communication.

Systems Engineer Consultant – June 2007 to Present
Charles H. Pabst Studio, Chandler, AZ
  • Implement new “Production Schedule” with using PHP, MySQL, and CakePHP application framework to help streamline the process for keeping track of order information on each piece as it moves from through the various areas of production (printing, enhancement, framing, shipping)
  • Add an inventory system to the Production Schedule to create a better way of keeping track of what paintings are in each gallery as well as some quick stats like how many total prints are for sale and how many sold during a particular quarter.
  • Set up a backup system (Linux based BackupPC on an old PC with a new hard drive as a cost saver) to backup several machine that have important data.

Systems Analyst – December 1996 – August 2001
ASU College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Tempe, AZ
  • Create and maintain web server and web pages for Introduction to Engineering Design class.
  • Provide technical support for instructors.
  • Administer small Windows NT network.
  • Develop and support web based grade database.
  • Primary consultant for student support of online class access and materials. 

Software Engineering Internship – July 1997- May 1998
Honeywell Inc., Air Transport Systems, Phoenix, AZ
  • Develop software for Echelon LonBuilder, a test system to facility optical communications for a Fly By Light system on existing Boeing commercial aircraft using Neuron C code to implement communication between optical nodes.
  • Implement a diagnostic system for an optical sensors using C++.
  • Create and maintain project web site

CONFERENCES Google I/O, Sketchup BaseCamp, StackOverflow DevDays, WordCamp and various other local developer events.

Milestone I can’t tweet about

One hundred tweets.

100onTwitter

Seems like nothing bit it’s a big deal because, well, I finally understand the point of twitter . . . it’s a pretty cool way to communicate with people you don’t know.  Replying and even reading your tweets is not mandatory and it’s even less of an interruption than email and you get a better feeling about the chances that what you write is being read by the intended reader.  Much better than say, commenting on a person’s blog or posting to a forum somewhere.  And the 140 limit really makes you think about what you are trying to say and forces conciseness . . . a skill I find I’m lacking and twitter is forcing me to get better.

Anyway, I’m late to the party and I kinda get the feeling that now that I get twitter all the cool people will be moving onto something else.   If it’s Google Wave, well, I’m already all over that and have been since it was announced so my guess is, Wave isn’t the next big thing!

Sheldon