Waggle Dance

Back in February, I had the need to limit the amount of time my kids spent on a shared Ubuntu box. I cobbled together a simple script that would give a warning then shutdown the user session. It worked for me (made my kids unhappy, tho’), but I knew it could be better. Dispite my full knowledge it was a cheesy little script, I posted it on my blog since it fit I need I had as a Dad that I thought others might have.

Well, a number of folks have commented, posted bug fixes and enhancements, even translated it to Hungarian! A few hours ago, one of the folks that had offered others help and enhancements on Ubuntu Forums, Even Nedberg, posted a comment to the old blog entry that he and a friend had converted the script to Python and added a GUI and other cool enhancements.They have even set up a project at launchpad.net to make the code more accessible.

Wow! I have been pretty busy this summer, and couldn’t have hoped to provide these types enhancements, but thanks to the spirit of open source and the need to “scratch an itch”, ‘timekpr’ has grown up, and is on it’s way to becoming a really useful (and needed) tool for the Linux desktop.

.nedberg and forger - Please take this blog entry as my permission to use the name ‘timekpr’ and any code or ideas in the original script (please don’t take the bugs, I’ll keep those!) and just go wild. I know parents will greatly appreciate you efforts!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

One of the facts of life for us IT folks is changing jobs. I joined the folks at my previous job after 10 years with 7 different firms. A little tired of the rat race, I stuck with them for just short of 8 years as a developer and development team leader - a personal record by all accounts.

Well, this weekend, I am unemployed, but it is a short break as I start with a local firm as CTO CIO VP (Update: the title thing is still being worked out) on Monday morning, bright and early!

I have often wondered what it is about the tech world and developers in particular where we change jobs faster than most people change cars. I have heard that the average IT/developer job lasts 18 months. I’m not sure if that is the limit of how long the average company is willing to put up with our geek ways or how long the average geek is willing to live under the rule of any one PHB.

I think the truth is that this is just more of the same: My baby-boomer peers (I was right at the tail end of the boom being born November of ‘64) changed jobs 10.8 times from 18 to 42. Career is now defined by what we choose to do and not by who we do it for. We have to take responsibility for our own training and professional development, shepherd our own retirement funds and insurances.

I don’t really have much of a point or conclusion to this little rant, just that I start a new adventure on Monday and I’m looking forward to it.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites