• AI vs. Trailhead

    AI vs. Trailhead

    I fear for Salesforce Trailhead. Trailhead was my doorway into a new career. After 15 years of software testing the end was nigh. The writing was on the wall as soon as I worked on an ‘agile’ project, Software testing as a way to make a living was dead. Progress. Only a few short years…

  • 05: Triumph

    05: Triumph

    Now gleaming and safely tucked away at Sports and Classic Cars it was time to start the really exciting bit namely reassembling all the nice clean, refurbished parts back to the body. I started by cleaning out the interior which was grubby with the remains of the bodywork preparation. Having got it clean I gave…

  • 04: Redemption

    04: Redemption

    So by the summer of 1994 I’d got a complete rolling chassis, a bonnet ready for painting, loads of cardboard boxes full of labelled bits and a body tub that needed its roof and bulkhead welding. Wishing to remain on reasonably social terms with my neighbours I was reluctant to get the angle grinder out…

  • 03: Revealed

    03: Revealed

    So there I was, the proud owner of a tired , sad Triumph GT6. It had some MOT left but no tax so it would have been easy to put it on the road and use it for a bit. The temptation was quite strong but I resisted it. My plan was to rebuild the…

  • 02: Acquisition

    02: Acquisition

    What is it that drives a man to spend seven and a half years of his spare time rebuilding a car? At first sight the thing doesn’t make sense, there must surely be better things to do. But here I am at the end of that time, looking back at the enormity of it, the…

  • 01: A Story of a Triumph GT6

    01: A Story of a Triumph GT6

    In 1989 my father then 43 years of age, decided to take on a project. He was a man of many projects. When we moved into the family home in 1972 my mother purchased a shed for him because she knew he would require somewhere to spend time on his pursuits. These were the days when things were…

  • Lotus Elise: Expectations

    Lotus Elise: Expectations

    Before I start a notation. I’ve been reminded (by the previous owner) that the Elise 111 Sport was a harder core version of the Elise. Track Oriented as it were. The prose below are my personal views of the vehicle I had everyone has their own opinion. I liked many elements of the car but…

  • Review: KTM 690 Duke. Bonkers.

    Review: KTM 690 Duke. Bonkers.

    I’ve owned my KTM Duke for almost six years now and in the world of motorcycle ownership I’d suggest that six years is considered a long time to own one bike. Certainly its twice as long as any previous bike I’ve owned so I must like it then? Well lets get some perspective first. The last…

  • Software Development, Horizontal Slicing and Why It Sucks

    Software Development, Horizontal Slicing and Why It Sucks

    Maybe I’m getting old. Maybe I’m even more cynical these days. Maybe I’m just reluctant to change. Take all the above into consideration as I make comment on a ‘new’ phenomenon in my daily working life. Welcome to horizontal slice software development. Firstly lets take a step back. Way back. For many years the way to…

  • When To Use Jira (A Practical Guide)

    When To Use Jira (A Practical Guide)

    A product manager recently requested that we start using an electronic card wall because they couldn’t find a card. The question certainly got me thinking. What happens to your team and delivery process when you use something like Jira, or Leankit or the like? Here is an attempt to answer. The answer I give is…

  • Review: BMW E53 X5. Costly

    Review: BMW E53 X5. Costly

    We have now owned our X5 for over three years. I thought it was about time to do a little review especially as I was thinking about adding up all the various bills that have accrued in an effort to see just how much its cost over that time. Our vintage 2003 3.0i Sport may…

  • be em ex

    be em ex

    So my new job at RealEstate.com means a slightly more arduous commute requiring two trains and then a 2.1km walk to the office. All up time 60 minutes of which 20-25 minutes is walking. I like walking, the trees, the mountains, the odd bird but Richmond is mainly traffic and houses. To shorten the commute…