Assignment Log project

[Junilu Lacar]

To: Bill Bozeman
Johannes de Jong referred me to this forum from a discussion in Process: UP, RUP, XP, etc..
I'd like to help you out on this project. I haven't completed the cattle drive but just to give you an idea of my background, I've been a programmer for more than 11 years and I just passed the SCJP2 exam in February with an 83% (not too bad, considering that I studied for two months and have never been on a real Java project). I've been working with Java in my spare time for less than a year but have a pretty decent background in OO development (I'm also a Borland/Inprise Certified Consultant for Delphi).
So anyway, I have about two weeks of bench time left to spend on this. After that, I'll probably be able to come in for a couple of hours a night and some on the weekends. I'm actually interested in using some Extreme Programming practices. Would you be game to doing that?
J.Lacar

[bill bozeman]

JUNILU,
Sure. Anyone is welcome to come in and give thier ideas. Take a look at the XML for Assignment log thread and see where we are. Feel free to add your comments. I will be posting soon an example of the XML and a link to download the XSLT that I am playing with. I have some more to do on this before I give it out.
Now, I have not been programming for as long as you, and don't really now much about XP. Can you give me a quick overview or a place to read about.
Thanks
Bill

[Junilu Lacar]

Bill,
You'll find several posts with links to XP sites in The Process: UP, RUP, DRUP, XP, etc. forum
Extreme Programming, XP for short, is a lightweight development process. People known to practice XP include Kent Beck, Ward Cunningham, Robert Martin, Ron Jeffries, and Martin Fowler.
I took a quick look at the XML for Assignment Log thread but I still have a sea level view of things. Maybe we could get Marilyn and Johannes to write down some stories so that we can get a higher level view of what needs to be done.
Marilyn: Johannes volunteered to be a Student user and volunteered you to be a Nitpicker user Could you guys write down a few sentences describing, from a user perspective, what kind of features each of you would like to have for the Assignment Log application?
J.Lacar

[Johannes de Jong]

JUNILU - you misunderstood me sorry I would never dare volunteer Marilyn's time, heck she is overworked and underpaid as is.
I only used her as an example user (customer) as she is the head nitpicker.
Sorry for the misunderstanding both of you

[Johannes de Jong]

JUNILU - I was sitting in my car to work and though about it all again.
My intention was to start a XP project "virtually" to gain experience with that "light methodology". As was obvious from your attempt doing the same with the bowling example is that there was no customer. So the bowling project did not "live".
From there my suggestion that the Assignment Log should be used.
I however see the XP project seperate to the existing project that Bill has started. Bill's project has one aim. Replace the current manual way of updating the log and automate it.
I think that the XP version belongs in the Process: UP, RUP,DRUP,XP etc. forum. It could make a very valuable start to the Final Assignment Log system and obviously the current project will be closely watched for "input".
As for the "nitpicker" user. I will write a story based on what Bill and Marilyn have said in the postings on the Assignment log.

Regards
JdJ

[Junilu Lacar]

Johannes,
Sorry if I caused any friction between you and Marilyn.
I think it's great that your interest for XP has been piqued. I hope that the discussion in that forum doesn't die down too much now that the freebie books have been given out.
Anyway, I still think that Bill's current goal of automating the Assignment Log would benefit from unit tests, test-first programming and refactoring. But if you want to start a separate project that has a wider scope, I'm game for that too.
I actually subscribe to the yahoo groups XP discussion but starting something like a virtual XP experiment there didn't seem appropriate. I think the Ranch is a perfect place for it though because it's a lot about virtual learning.
J.Lacar

[Johannes de Jong]

Dont worry JUNILU I've been a pain in Marilyn's ... for a while already ,
As far as I'm aware you did not cause any friction.
Its just that when I saw your posting that I realized I had no right to create more work for her.