I was fortunate to be featured in a story in the Vancouver Province last Friday.
Jim Jamieson
The Province
March 25, 2005
When Stephen Cawood left Microsoft Corp. and returned to Vancouver last fall, he was expecting to settle into a new career writing business-software manuals.
Instead, he now finds himself working with a heavily armoured character named Master Chief to defend Earth against a throng of vicious aliens called the Covenant.
Although it may sound like Cawood took a sip out of the wrong glass of Kool-Aid, anyone who's familiar with the wildly popular video game Halo 2 may know that he has simply immersed himself in a burgeoning book publishing industry that is hitching a ride along with the First Person Shooter and the Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game.
read the complete article...
Monday, March 28, 2005
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
halo 2 battle guide sold out
a couple of people mentioned that they've been told that the shipping time for the The Unauthorized Halo 2 Battle Guide would be a few weeks.
I just found out that the reason for this is that the guide has sold out - the retailers are waiting for the publisher (Thomson Premiere) to print more copies. the good people at Thomson are on the case.
sorry about the wait. I'm sure that it will be available again soon.
update: there are a few copies left, but the second printing is in limbo.
I just found out that the reason for this is that the guide has sold out - the retailers are waiting for the publisher (Thomson Premiere) to print more copies. the good people at Thomson are on the case.
sorry about the wait. I'm sure that it will be available again soon.
update: there are a few copies left, but the second printing is in limbo.
leaked info about Halo 2 ex-pack
there has been yet another leak that suggests an expansion pack for Halo 2 will be out soon. the ship date shown was May 24th.
http://halo.bungie.org/oldnews.html?item=12480
most likely this is a collection of new multiplayer levels. I like to think that they will be provided free over Xbox Live DLC and that this pack is targeted at non-XBL users.
http://halo.bungie.org/oldnews.html?item=12480
most likely this is a collection of new multiplayer levels. I like to think that they will be provided free over Xbox Live DLC and that this pack is targeted at non-XBL users.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
injecting Doom texture into Halo 2
inspired by Doom on my Xbox, I thought that I might want to create a Doom mod for Halo 2. I think I'll call it Foundation of Doom.
here's an initial trial of a Doom texture injected into a Halo 2 map. I simply extracted the texture from the Doom .WAD file and injected it into the Halo 2 .MAP file. thanks to the tireless efforts of the Halo modding community, this sort of work is not difficult.
here's an initial trial of a Doom texture injected into a Halo 2 map. I simply extracted the texture from the Doom .WAD file and injected it into the Halo 2 .MAP file. thanks to the tireless efforts of the Halo modding community, this sort of work is not difficult.
Monday, March 21, 2005
best Halo 2 mods
here are my favourite Halo 2 mods. as there is only one version of Halo 2 right now, these are obvious Xbox mods.
My Hardware
---------------------------------------
Xecuter 3 chip from xbox-modchips
although I would have like to have seen some documentation come with this chip, I have been more than satisfied with the hardware. I recommend this chip (and this retailer).
General Mods
---------------------------------------
Spectator by Aztec
this mod allows you to 'fly' around the map and watch other people fighting. although you cannot participate in the fighting, this is a fun mod to use. while in spectator mode, your HUD is much simpler, you get a more subtle motion detector, and no weapon or ammo data cluttering up your screen. if it weren't for the Blind skull, I would use this mod for screenshots.
Map Mods
---------------------------------------
The Hive by MrMurder
Undeadlong by MrMurder
Bluenight by GTJuggler
Modding Apps
Encryptomic Signature by Iron_Forge
ADI by The Swamp Fox
Ch2r
DotHalo
My Hardware
---------------------------------------
Xecuter 3 chip from xbox-modchips
although I would have like to have seen some documentation come with this chip, I have been more than satisfied with the hardware. I recommend this chip (and this retailer).
General Mods
---------------------------------------
Spectator by Aztec
this mod allows you to 'fly' around the map and watch other people fighting. although you cannot participate in the fighting, this is a fun mod to use. while in spectator mode, your HUD is much simpler, you get a more subtle motion detector, and no weapon or ammo data cluttering up your screen. if it weren't for the Blind skull, I would use this mod for screenshots.
Map Mods
---------------------------------------
The Hive by MrMurder
Undeadlong by MrMurder
Bluenight by GTJuggler
Modding Apps
Encryptomic Signature by Iron_Forge
ADI by The Swamp Fox
Ch2r
DotHalo
Saturday, March 19, 2005
frustrating Halo strategies
my friends and I recently had a conversation about frustrating Halo strategies. in the battle guide I wrote that any strategy is valid as long as it doesn't involve cheating (e.g. standby or dummying). while I still believe this to be true, I think it's also fair to say that gamers are reluctant to play gametypes if someone employs a boring strategy. simply put, if the game isn't interesting then people won't want to play it.
I don't expect anyone to stop using an effective strategy, but I also won't play games that prove to be consistently boring. for example, we tried "Rockets Jugger" with three people on Foundation. The first person to be the Juggernaut quickly realized that he could wait in one of the rooms and blast the other two players before they got anywhere near him.
I don't think that I would consider this a question of 'etiquette'. I wonder if it really boils down to the game type / map. in other words, we shouldn't be focusing on what the players do, but what the game allows. one of my friends came up with an excellent "Lockout King" strategy but then everyone adjusted and it's still an interesting game. that was an example of a strategy that was interesting. so really it's a question of whether the game type allows for a boring - yet effective - strategy.
I don't expect anyone to stop using an effective strategy, but I also won't play games that prove to be consistently boring. for example, we tried "Rockets Jugger" with three people on Foundation. The first person to be the Juggernaut quickly realized that he could wait in one of the rooms and blast the other two players before they got anywhere near him.
I don't think that I would consider this a question of 'etiquette'. I wonder if it really boils down to the game type / map. in other words, we shouldn't be focusing on what the players do, but what the game allows. one of my friends came up with an excellent "Lockout King" strategy but then everyone adjusted and it's still an interesting game. that was an example of a strategy that was interesting. so really it's a question of whether the game type allows for a boring - yet effective - strategy.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
working at home
when I think about the contrast between working at MS and being a full-time writer, the most obvious difference is working at home.
I'm a night owl so working at home is the pinnacle of my most treasured benefit: flex-time. my most productive hours are generally between 10pm and 2am. this schedule doesn't jive with the 'normal' working hours particularly well. I don't know what percentage of the population find that they are more productive in the evenings, but there are quite a few of my brethren out there. I hope that someday everyone will respect that not everyone works best on a 9-5 schedule.
in Masters of Doom, David Kushner writes that John Carmack's ideal schedule is 4pm to 4am; that sounds like a little bit of heaven. funnily enough, Kushner writes that Carmack would criticize the people who came in early for "never being here" (i.e., they didn't work late into the evening). this is ironic since night owls are the ones who usually suffer from the perception that they aren't toiling hard enough. when I was working in the software industry, I used to greatly benefit from the crunch times. since I functioned best during the evening, I didn't mind so much when I had to work late.
however, there are also disadvantages to working at home. the most obvious drawback is the lack of camaraderie with colleagues. of course, by 'camaraderie' I mean playing the Robotron 2084 machine in a Redmond kitchen and talking about how whacked the software industry has become.
not having to commute is a great benefit, but not being 'forced' to leave the house can also be a negative. I'm thinking that I'll have to sign up for some regular activities so that I have some semblance of a schedule and occasionally get out to actually interact with some people.
the second obvious difference between a corporate environment and working at home is the lack of external motivation. although, on the surface, it's great to not have to worry about someone else giving you a hard time, another turn of the screw reveals that self-motivation seems to be most effectively nurtured if you are already prone to be hard on yourself. in my case, I've discovered that this is true - I find that I get more upset with myself than most of my formers managers ever did.
so there's another bit of irony for you. it seems to me that the people who will work best on their own are precisely the people who's most nagging manager is internal.
I'm a night owl so working at home is the pinnacle of my most treasured benefit: flex-time. my most productive hours are generally between 10pm and 2am. this schedule doesn't jive with the 'normal' working hours particularly well. I don't know what percentage of the population find that they are more productive in the evenings, but there are quite a few of my brethren out there. I hope that someday everyone will respect that not everyone works best on a 9-5 schedule.
in Masters of Doom, David Kushner writes that John Carmack's ideal schedule is 4pm to 4am; that sounds like a little bit of heaven. funnily enough, Kushner writes that Carmack would criticize the people who came in early for "never being here" (i.e., they didn't work late into the evening). this is ironic since night owls are the ones who usually suffer from the perception that they aren't toiling hard enough. when I was working in the software industry, I used to greatly benefit from the crunch times. since I functioned best during the evening, I didn't mind so much when I had to work late.
however, there are also disadvantages to working at home. the most obvious drawback is the lack of camaraderie with colleagues. of course, by 'camaraderie' I mean playing the Robotron 2084 machine in a Redmond kitchen and talking about how whacked the software industry has become.
not having to commute is a great benefit, but not being 'forced' to leave the house can also be a negative. I'm thinking that I'll have to sign up for some regular activities so that I have some semblance of a schedule and occasionally get out to actually interact with some people.
the second obvious difference between a corporate environment and working at home is the lack of external motivation. although, on the surface, it's great to not have to worry about someone else giving you a hard time, another turn of the screw reveals that self-motivation seems to be most effectively nurtured if you are already prone to be hard on yourself. in my case, I've discovered that this is true - I find that I get more upset with myself than most of my formers managers ever did.
so there's another bit of irony for you. it seems to me that the people who will work best on their own are precisely the people who's most nagging manager is internal.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
responding to the critics
in the age of blogging, it's painfully obvious that anyone can publish anything they want online - like this rant for example :)
for the most part, the online reviews of my work have been flattering and I appreciate the fact that people take the time to write reviews and e-mail me their comments.
however, I'm sure that there are plenty of people out there - like myself - who are frustrated by anonymous cybermud slinging. I have only seen minor cases when it comes to my own work, but I've seen pretty awful things written about other books. for my part, I would like to see an Author's Response feature added to the online book review mechanisms. my rationale for this suggestion is twofold:
1. having conflicting critics can be confusing, but such discrepancies could be clarified if the author had a chance to respond.
2. the satisfaction of being able to address a poorly written review would be gratifying. reviewers don't always use logic in their posts, and sometimes they aren't even on topic. for example, when my first book came out, someone posted a 'review' that was a critique of the software package covered by the book - there was almost nothing in the review about the book and the reviewer even said as much. as for the Halo 2 battle guide, one guy posted an ad hominem review that lacked any substance at all. his complaint about the book was that I'm not a world-class Halo 2 player. that's no secret. in fact, it's pretty easy to find out; I've mentioned it in the book and on this blog. the book was as much a learning experience for me as I hope it has been for readers. my perspective as a learner enriched the content.
in general, I think it's fair to say that anonymous reviews on Amazon are being read more and more often. given that their importance could approach the importance of the professional reviews, I'd like to see some sort of mechanism that presents both sides of the coin.
update: Amazon.com now has a 'PLOG' option that allows authors to post messages on the pages for their books.
for the most part, the online reviews of my work have been flattering and I appreciate the fact that people take the time to write reviews and e-mail me their comments.
however, I'm sure that there are plenty of people out there - like myself - who are frustrated by anonymous cybermud slinging. I have only seen minor cases when it comes to my own work, but I've seen pretty awful things written about other books. for my part, I would like to see an Author's Response feature added to the online book review mechanisms. my rationale for this suggestion is twofold:
1. having conflicting critics can be confusing, but such discrepancies could be clarified if the author had a chance to respond.
2. the satisfaction of being able to address a poorly written review would be gratifying. reviewers don't always use logic in their posts, and sometimes they aren't even on topic. for example, when my first book came out, someone posted a 'review' that was a critique of the software package covered by the book - there was almost nothing in the review about the book and the reviewer even said as much. as for the Halo 2 battle guide, one guy posted an ad hominem review that lacked any substance at all. his complaint about the book was that I'm not a world-class Halo 2 player. that's no secret. in fact, it's pretty easy to find out; I've mentioned it in the book and on this blog. the book was as much a learning experience for me as I hope it has been for readers. my perspective as a learner enriched the content.
in general, I think it's fair to say that anonymous reviews on Amazon are being read more and more often. given that their importance could approach the importance of the professional reviews, I'd like to see some sort of mechanism that presents both sides of the coin.
update: Amazon.com now has a 'PLOG' option that allows authors to post messages on the pages for their books.
Monday, March 14, 2005
best halo resource sites
here is my short list of the best Halo sites:
New Sites
-------------------------
http://halowiki.net - a Wiki knowledge base for Halo
Major Sites
-------------------------
www.bungie.net - official Halo site
http://halo.bungie.org - fan site with great news updates (and a DB of tips and tricks)
http://www.highimpacthalo.org - fan site with a great forum (great for tricks and glitches)
Mods
-------------------------
www.halomods.com - hardcore mod site
http://www.halogt.com - mod and vid site
Jumps
-------------------------
http://files3.bungie.org/mrjukes/ - cool jumping videos (by a Halo 2 Battle Guide contributor)
http://www.jumptactics.net/ - all things 'jump'
Other Sites
-------------------------
http://www.halobattleguide.com - minimalist battle guide site :)
New Sites
-------------------------
http://halowiki.net - a Wiki knowledge base for Halo
Major Sites
-------------------------
www.bungie.net - official Halo site
http://halo.bungie.org - fan site with great news updates (and a DB of tips and tricks)
http://www.highimpacthalo.org - fan site with a great forum (great for tricks and glitches)
Mods
-------------------------
www.halomods.com - hardcore mod site
http://www.halogt.com - mod and vid site
Jumps
-------------------------
http://files3.bungie.org/mrjukes/ - cool jumping videos (by a Halo 2 Battle Guide contributor)
http://www.jumptactics.net/ - all things 'jump'
Other Sites
-------------------------
http://www.halobattleguide.com - minimalist battle guide site :)
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Doom "1" on my Xbox
I got Doom I running on my Xbox today...
<wipes tear of joy from keyboard>
not Doom3, not even Doom2 - the original recipe Doom.
it's all thanks to the good folks who created DoomX. all I had to do was FTP the files onto a modded Xbox and download the shareware version of the original Doom. it even shows that cool DOS command line text while it's loading - which is almost instantaneous on the Xbox. one great addition to the game is that the vibration feature of the controller is enabled. when I get hit with a fireball, I know about it.
it's funny how rarely we go back and play the games that were our favourites. technology just evolves so quickly that we don't have time to throw our old staples a bone.
I doubt that I'll be going through this game on Nightmare! mode, but I'm enjoying the memories that are jumping back with the zombies. remember how the shotgun was the tool of choice for sniping? :)
update: Doom is now available through the Xbox 360 Live Arcade, so you don't need a modded box anymore.
<wipes tear of joy from keyboard>
not Doom3, not even Doom2 - the original recipe Doom.
it's all thanks to the good folks who created DoomX. all I had to do was FTP the files onto a modded Xbox and download the shareware version of the original Doom. it even shows that cool DOS command line text while it's loading - which is almost instantaneous on the Xbox. one great addition to the game is that the vibration feature of the controller is enabled. when I get hit with a fireball, I know about it.
it's funny how rarely we go back and play the games that were our favourites. technology just evolves so quickly that we don't have time to throw our old staples a bone.
I doubt that I'll be going through this game on Nightmare! mode, but I'm enjoying the memories that are jumping back with the zombies. remember how the shotgun was the tool of choice for sniping? :)
update: Doom is now available through the Xbox 360 Live Arcade, so you don't need a modded box anymore.
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Xbox 2 - specs from GameSpy
GameSpy has published an article about the Xbox 2 (Xenon) specs.
here are the highlights from the article:
CPU - Xenon's CPU has three 3.0 GHz PowerPC cores
GPU - Xenon's GPU is a generation beyond the ATI X800 (500 MHz)
System Memory - Xenon will have 256 MB of system RAM (Xbox 1 has 64 MB).
Optical Drive - Games will come on dual-layer DVD-9 discs.
Memory Units - Xenon will use 64 MB to 1,024 MB memory cards.
Hard Drive - Optional drive (size TBD).
Camera - Xenon will have a USB 2.0 camera. It's capable of 1.2 megapixel still shots and VGA video.
HD Games - Developers are being instructed to plan their games for high-definition. The baseline is 720p at 1280x720 for gameplay and video clips.
Xbox Live - All Xenon games must be Xbox Live 'aware'
these are pretty cool specs, and I'm thrilled to see that the hard drive is still present. I'm looking forward to getting this machine. although the camera is a nice surprise, I'm hoping that there are many more media related surprises yet to be announced.
here are the highlights from the article:
CPU - Xenon's CPU has three 3.0 GHz PowerPC cores
GPU - Xenon's GPU is a generation beyond the ATI X800 (500 MHz)
System Memory - Xenon will have 256 MB of system RAM (Xbox 1 has 64 MB).
Optical Drive - Games will come on dual-layer DVD-9 discs.
Memory Units - Xenon will use 64 MB to 1,024 MB memory cards.
Hard Drive - Optional drive (size TBD).
Camera - Xenon will have a USB 2.0 camera. It's capable of 1.2 megapixel still shots and VGA video.
HD Games - Developers are being instructed to plan their games for high-definition. The baseline is 720p at 1280x720 for gameplay and video clips.
Xbox Live - All Xenon games must be Xbox Live 'aware'
these are pretty cool specs, and I'm thrilled to see that the hard drive is still present. I'm looking forward to getting this machine. although the camera is a nice surprise, I'm hoping that there are many more media related surprises yet to be announced.
Sunday, March 06, 2005
cool article: Halo's Pillar of Autumn
Stephen Loftus [SoundEffect] has posted an interesting article on halo.bungie.org that examines the scale of the Halo 1 ship, the Pillar of Autumn.
the article details the structure of the ship and then examines how well the first and last level actually fit into the virtual constraints. the author's conclusion is that Bungie was true to scale but didn't limit themselves to creating the levels within the specifications of the ship.
for example, when it comes to the final Halo level, Loftus notes that, "the Warthog 'Maw' drive at the game's end is fully three times the Autumn's entire length, yet it was supposedly a drive through the ship".
I found this article intriguing because of another consideration - that is, the pressure that Bungie is under to produce games that can withstand the investigation of the community microscope. this, it seems, is part of the price of the success of Halo.
for example, the Halo virtual universe isn't supposed to just allow for Halo game play, it is expected to obey the laws of physics. I recall reading a post where a Halo 2 fan pointed out that he could hit a container into the air and then melee it to keep it aloft. he wasn't happy because he discovered that the container's spin did not match the movement of his arm. think of how this must have made the Bungie developers feel. I can easily imagine the war cry coming from the Redmond Millennium buildings, "He did what?! A container! WTF! Does he know long we worked on the physics! What's his gamertag? Let's settle this!".
personally, I think it's great that the community is expecting quality work from game developers. Halo clearly set a new bar when it comes to the quality of the engine. speaking as a fan, I am not offended that the level designers deviated from the technical specs of the Autumn; just like fiction writers, I believe that they should have the artistic liberty to mold their virtual world to suit their needs. I certainly didn't know that anything was awry when I played Halo, so I'm fine with their choices. after all, they are the experts.
the article details the structure of the ship and then examines how well the first and last level actually fit into the virtual constraints. the author's conclusion is that Bungie was true to scale but didn't limit themselves to creating the levels within the specifications of the ship.
for example, when it comes to the final Halo level, Loftus notes that, "the Warthog 'Maw' drive at the game's end is fully three times the Autumn's entire length, yet it was supposedly a drive through the ship".
I found this article intriguing because of another consideration - that is, the pressure that Bungie is under to produce games that can withstand the investigation of the community microscope. this, it seems, is part of the price of the success of Halo.
for example, the Halo virtual universe isn't supposed to just allow for Halo game play, it is expected to obey the laws of physics. I recall reading a post where a Halo 2 fan pointed out that he could hit a container into the air and then melee it to keep it aloft. he wasn't happy because he discovered that the container's spin did not match the movement of his arm. think of how this must have made the Bungie developers feel. I can easily imagine the war cry coming from the Redmond Millennium buildings, "He did what?! A container! WTF! Does he know long we worked on the physics! What's his gamertag? Let's settle this!".
personally, I think it's great that the community is expecting quality work from game developers. Halo clearly set a new bar when it comes to the quality of the engine. speaking as a fan, I am not offended that the level designers deviated from the technical specs of the Autumn; just like fiction writers, I believe that they should have the artistic liberty to mold their virtual world to suit their needs. I certainly didn't know that anything was awry when I played Halo, so I'm fine with their choices. after all, they are the experts.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
support serf to writer: part IV
this is part III of a story about software support and how I moved through various jobs...
part I - support serf to writer: a how-to
part II - support serf to writer: part II
part III - support serf to writer: part III
after the MCMS pre-sales program in Redmond was a success, I started working on the sample site for MCMS 2002. the new .Net platform was all the rage amongst developers so the MCMS management decided that .Net would be the main focus of the MCMS 2002 product cycle. this meant that I had the opportunity to develop the Woodgrove.Net sample site. I was thrilled to be working with the new C# language. even though it was primarily a porting exercise, I greatly enjoyed the project.
based more on my commitment to the job than my development skills, I was offered a position as a web developer on the MCMS product team. since the .com bubble burst, most companies have reduced the size of their web teams. Microsoft is no exception. consequently, the title of "web developer" is rarely used. in addition, unlike most Microsoft jobs, there is no defined career path for web developers. in other words, if I ever wanted to change jobs, I would have a tough time.
when my new manager suggested that I should move to the role of Program Manager, I jumped at the chance. instead of writing the code for the sample sites, I was now responsible for the specifications. I found this to be interesting work but frustrating at the same time. when you create specs, you have the ability to bring forth your idea of what a feature should look like. however, it's very rare that anything that a PM does will actually get to the customer. PMs at Microsoft love to say "we don't ship the specs".
the problem with the Microsoft system is that if a dev feels that a PM is making a mistake, she can change the dev estimates in favour of the way that she believes the feature should be designed. this sort of maneuvering ability requires that all the groups within the product team to be on good terms and working towards the same goal. in Barbarians led by Bill Gates, Marlin Eller argues that developers don't need PMs at all. I personally feel that this is a ridiculous assertion. having specifications is crucial to the software development process. the number of potential bugs that are avoided in the spec phase is substantial.
after being with the product group for awhile, I thought that it would be a good idea to write a book about the new MCMS .Net Application Programming Interface (API). we happened to be talking to MSPress about porting their site to MCMS so it was easy for me to get the right contact information. I sent a proposal to an internal publishing agent and she told me that there was already an MCMS book underway. she contacted the group and they asked me if I wanted to join their writing team. the result was Microsoft Content Management Server 2002: A Complete Guide for Addison-Wesley.
I do regret the fact that the first MCMS book wasn't done with the guys who started the project at NCompass. however, I was excited to have the opportunity to do some writing. it was clear to me that my goal of getting more technical was outdated. I wasn't going to be a hardcore developer so I figured that getting back to my passion for writing was the obvious choice. even though my US work permit prevented me from accepting any compensation for the book, I gladly accepted the invitation to join the project.
the team leader for the MCMS book was Bill English, a veteran writer who had already written a couple of books about SharePoint. the other writers were Olga Londer, Todd Bleeker and Shawn Shell; the Addison-Wesley editor was Sondra Scott. I hadn't met any of the other writers before the project began. however, Shawn was one of the most experience MCMS consultants in the world. over the years, I had exchanged e-mails with him about various projects.
since I was late joining the project, I was given fewer chapters than most of the other writers. however, I was pleased with the ones that I was assigned. for example, I was given the architecture chapter - one that I was hoping to write.
another side effect of joining late, was that I found the schedule to be aggressive. like the other authors, I had a full-time job so I could only write during evenings and weekends. however, now that I've worked on other projects, I realize how naive I was about the schedule. even with a job to consider, the schedule was less aggressive than most.
<how-to section>
as soon as I was given my chapter assignments, I started working on the architecture chapter. I talked to the devs and put together my first rough draft. in an effort to gather some feedback, I sent the early draft to some of my friends. one of the MCMS devs responded to my request with the criticism that my chapter "didn't look like it was written by a 'writer'". it was the most honest feedback I had received and I felt that I was truly fortunate to have friends who would be so frank. if you aren't getting honest feedback, you aren't getting feedback.
</how-to section>
having realized that I was far from my goal of becoming a writer, I began an ongoing effort to improve my skills. although I haven't pursued any formal training, I am still considering the idea.
the MCMS book made it to a second printing so it was considered a success. I enjoyed the experience so much that I decided that I wanted to write full-time. fortunately, I figured this out at the end of my days with Microsoft. after marrying my Canadian girlfriend, I knew that it was time to move back to Canada.
I sent out some quick e-mails letting my friends in the publishing business know that I was interested in more writing projects. although working hard will create opportunity, I feel that there have been a few times when I have simply been lucky. this was one of these times. without my knowledge, one of the writers, contacted an agent and told him that I was interested in a writing career. the agent called me up and we started talking.
after a short time, it was clear to me that the StudioB agent was more than qualified to help me map out my career. we started exchanging ideas about books that I could write. I expected to be writing about things such as ASP.Net or content management. however, when I mentioned that I had been a Beta tester for Halo 2, everything changed. I wrote up a proposal for a book about Halo 2 combat techniques and the agent sent it to some publishers. the first day he sent it out, three or four publishers expressed interest.
<how-to section>
finding an agent was essential to my ability to write full-time. I would strongly recommend that all new writers seek out a skilled agent.
</how-to section>
I moved back to Canada and I started work on The Unauthorized Halo 2 Battle Guide: Advanced Combat Techniques for Premier Press Game Development (Thompson Course Technology). the project went extremely well and it led to other book deals. I am currently working on Halo books for O'Reilly and Sams.
in the end, I feel that it was working on project-based hobbies that reduced the friction of moving from one position to another -- a little luck didn't hurt either.
part I - support serf to writer: a how-to
part II - support serf to writer: part II
part III - support serf to writer: part III
after the MCMS pre-sales program in Redmond was a success, I started working on the sample site for MCMS 2002. the new .Net platform was all the rage amongst developers so the MCMS management decided that .Net would be the main focus of the MCMS 2002 product cycle. this meant that I had the opportunity to develop the Woodgrove.Net sample site. I was thrilled to be working with the new C# language. even though it was primarily a porting exercise, I greatly enjoyed the project.
based more on my commitment to the job than my development skills, I was offered a position as a web developer on the MCMS product team. since the .com bubble burst, most companies have reduced the size of their web teams. Microsoft is no exception. consequently, the title of "web developer" is rarely used. in addition, unlike most Microsoft jobs, there is no defined career path for web developers. in other words, if I ever wanted to change jobs, I would have a tough time.
when my new manager suggested that I should move to the role of Program Manager, I jumped at the chance. instead of writing the code for the sample sites, I was now responsible for the specifications. I found this to be interesting work but frustrating at the same time. when you create specs, you have the ability to bring forth your idea of what a feature should look like. however, it's very rare that anything that a PM does will actually get to the customer. PMs at Microsoft love to say "we don't ship the specs".
the problem with the Microsoft system is that if a dev feels that a PM is making a mistake, she can change the dev estimates in favour of the way that she believes the feature should be designed. this sort of maneuvering ability requires that all the groups within the product team to be on good terms and working towards the same goal. in Barbarians led by Bill Gates, Marlin Eller argues that developers don't need PMs at all. I personally feel that this is a ridiculous assertion. having specifications is crucial to the software development process. the number of potential bugs that are avoided in the spec phase is substantial.
after being with the product group for awhile, I thought that it would be a good idea to write a book about the new MCMS .Net Application Programming Interface (API). we happened to be talking to MSPress about porting their site to MCMS so it was easy for me to get the right contact information. I sent a proposal to an internal publishing agent and she told me that there was already an MCMS book underway. she contacted the group and they asked me if I wanted to join their writing team. the result was Microsoft Content Management Server 2002: A Complete Guide for Addison-Wesley.
I do regret the fact that the first MCMS book wasn't done with the guys who started the project at NCompass. however, I was excited to have the opportunity to do some writing. it was clear to me that my goal of getting more technical was outdated. I wasn't going to be a hardcore developer so I figured that getting back to my passion for writing was the obvious choice. even though my US work permit prevented me from accepting any compensation for the book, I gladly accepted the invitation to join the project.
the team leader for the MCMS book was Bill English, a veteran writer who had already written a couple of books about SharePoint. the other writers were Olga Londer, Todd Bleeker and Shawn Shell; the Addison-Wesley editor was Sondra Scott. I hadn't met any of the other writers before the project began. however, Shawn was one of the most experience MCMS consultants in the world. over the years, I had exchanged e-mails with him about various projects.
since I was late joining the project, I was given fewer chapters than most of the other writers. however, I was pleased with the ones that I was assigned. for example, I was given the architecture chapter - one that I was hoping to write.
another side effect of joining late, was that I found the schedule to be aggressive. like the other authors, I had a full-time job so I could only write during evenings and weekends. however, now that I've worked on other projects, I realize how naive I was about the schedule. even with a job to consider, the schedule was less aggressive than most.
<how-to section>
as soon as I was given my chapter assignments, I started working on the architecture chapter. I talked to the devs and put together my first rough draft. in an effort to gather some feedback, I sent the early draft to some of my friends. one of the MCMS devs responded to my request with the criticism that my chapter "didn't look like it was written by a 'writer'". it was the most honest feedback I had received and I felt that I was truly fortunate to have friends who would be so frank. if you aren't getting honest feedback, you aren't getting feedback.
</how-to section>
having realized that I was far from my goal of becoming a writer, I began an ongoing effort to improve my skills. although I haven't pursued any formal training, I am still considering the idea.
the MCMS book made it to a second printing so it was considered a success. I enjoyed the experience so much that I decided that I wanted to write full-time. fortunately, I figured this out at the end of my days with Microsoft. after marrying my Canadian girlfriend, I knew that it was time to move back to Canada.
I sent out some quick e-mails letting my friends in the publishing business know that I was interested in more writing projects. although working hard will create opportunity, I feel that there have been a few times when I have simply been lucky. this was one of these times. without my knowledge, one of the writers, contacted an agent and told him that I was interested in a writing career. the agent called me up and we started talking.
after a short time, it was clear to me that the StudioB agent was more than qualified to help me map out my career. we started exchanging ideas about books that I could write. I expected to be writing about things such as ASP.Net or content management. however, when I mentioned that I had been a Beta tester for Halo 2, everything changed. I wrote up a proposal for a book about Halo 2 combat techniques and the agent sent it to some publishers. the first day he sent it out, three or four publishers expressed interest.
<how-to section>
finding an agent was essential to my ability to write full-time. I would strongly recommend that all new writers seek out a skilled agent.
</how-to section>
I moved back to Canada and I started work on The Unauthorized Halo 2 Battle Guide: Advanced Combat Techniques for Premier Press Game Development (Thompson Course Technology). the project went extremely well and it led to other book deals. I am currently working on Halo books for O'Reilly and Sams.
in the end, I feel that it was working on project-based hobbies that reduced the friction of moving from one position to another -- a little luck didn't hurt either.
Friday, March 04, 2005
about MCMS: A Complete Guide
 |
|
along with Bill English, Olga Londer, Todd Bleeker, and Shawn Shell, I co-authored Microsoft Content Management Server 2002: A Complete Guide for Addison-Wesley
the book covers various aspects of using Microsoft Content Management Server.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
halo 2 battle guide - addendum
my own retrospective analysis of the content...
for information about mistakes, please refer to the halo 2 battle guide - errata
General Comments
---------------------------------------
1. Rumble Pit play
I should have spent more time discussing the 'Rumble Pit' style of play. since this is what most people do on Xbox Live, I should have elaborated on winning strategies when the game seems like complete chaos. for example, the sword rules Lockout, and the Plasma Pistol + Magnum combo is great for Beaver Creek. these weapons work well in the chaos of rumble pit because you can score quick kills. as I wrote in the battle guide, the longer it takes you to finish someone, the greater chance that there will be an 'add' and you'll be an easy target.
Game Types
---------------------------------------
given more time, I would have included another factor of detail about specific game types. for example, 'king of the hill'. these games have a rhythm that players need to exploit. more often than not, the winner is not the player with the most kills. for example, here are some thoughts...
1. King
King games have a rhythm to them. do you find that one guy seems to always be along in the circle? that's because he has found the rhythm and is exploiting it to his advantage.
this is the Lockout King strategy for the guy on my friends list who wins the most King games:
- do not just jump into the circle.
- wait till a second person gets in the circle and let them go at it
- then walk towards the circle, throw 2 grenades .. most of the time you get a Double Kill
- then run around the circle
- as people come inside the circle, I do not bother shooting at all
- I just run around the circle and let two other people shoot it out
- before I die, I usually get 5 - 10 seconds
this may seem odd to some, but getting since getting frags is only cursory to performing well in a King game, it makes sense.
2. Swords
there is a bit of a 'glitch' when it comes to sword fighting. players who jump towards their opponent will have an advantage in the fight. I'm not sure why jumping improves the lunge range but it is obviously effective. some have argued that this guarantees that you strike your target high enough for a one-hit fight. however, I don't believe that this jumping advantage was the intention of the Bungie developers.
Weapon Comments
---------------------------------------
1. the Plasma Pistol + Battle Rifle
this combination was not really discussed. in open terrain, it is highly effective
Halo 2 Map Comments
---------------------------------------
1. to start with, here are the areas that will get you tagged the fastest:
Ascension - inside of the relay dish (i.e. the middle)
Beaver Creek - the creek
Burial Mounds - any open space
Coagulation - the middle of the map (unless you reach that RL). in Sniper games, the back of the bases is a popular kill zone.
Colossus - plain view at the top of the lift
Foundation - the middle of the side platforms (i.e. in the open on the upper level)
Headlong - the dirt area under the broken road
Ivory Tower - the top of the courtyard
Lockout - the courtyard
Midship - the middle (see a pattern?)
Waterworks - the open area in front of the bases
Zanzibar - pretty much ground level on the entire map (with the exception of rocky areas)
for information about mistakes, please refer to the halo 2 battle guide - errata
General Comments
---------------------------------------
1. Rumble Pit play
I should have spent more time discussing the 'Rumble Pit' style of play. since this is what most people do on Xbox Live, I should have elaborated on winning strategies when the game seems like complete chaos. for example, the sword rules Lockout, and the Plasma Pistol + Magnum combo is great for Beaver Creek. these weapons work well in the chaos of rumble pit because you can score quick kills. as I wrote in the battle guide, the longer it takes you to finish someone, the greater chance that there will be an 'add' and you'll be an easy target.
Game Types
---------------------------------------
given more time, I would have included another factor of detail about specific game types. for example, 'king of the hill'. these games have a rhythm that players need to exploit. more often than not, the winner is not the player with the most kills. for example, here are some thoughts...
1. King
King games have a rhythm to them. do you find that one guy seems to always be along in the circle? that's because he has found the rhythm and is exploiting it to his advantage.
this is the Lockout King strategy for the guy on my friends list who wins the most King games:
- do not just jump into the circle.
- wait till a second person gets in the circle and let them go at it
- then walk towards the circle, throw 2 grenades .. most of the time you get a Double Kill
- then run around the circle
- as people come inside the circle, I do not bother shooting at all
- I just run around the circle and let two other people shoot it out
- before I die, I usually get 5 - 10 seconds
this may seem odd to some, but getting since getting frags is only cursory to performing well in a King game, it makes sense.
2. Swords
there is a bit of a 'glitch' when it comes to sword fighting. players who jump towards their opponent will have an advantage in the fight. I'm not sure why jumping improves the lunge range but it is obviously effective. some have argued that this guarantees that you strike your target high enough for a one-hit fight. however, I don't believe that this jumping advantage was the intention of the Bungie developers.
Weapon Comments
---------------------------------------
1. the Plasma Pistol + Battle Rifle
this combination was not really discussed. in open terrain, it is highly effective
Halo 2 Map Comments
---------------------------------------
1. to start with, here are the areas that will get you tagged the fastest:
Ascension - inside of the relay dish (i.e. the middle)
Beaver Creek - the creek
Burial Mounds - any open space
Coagulation - the middle of the map (unless you reach that RL). in Sniper games, the back of the bases is a popular kill zone.
Colossus - plain view at the top of the lift
Foundation - the middle of the side platforms (i.e. in the open on the upper level)
Headlong - the dirt area under the broken road
Ivory Tower - the top of the courtyard
Lockout - the courtyard
Midship - the middle (see a pattern?)
Waterworks - the open area in front of the bases
Zanzibar - pretty much ground level on the entire map (with the exception of rocky areas)
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
favourite fiction books
in contrast to the best geek books listing, these are my favourite fiction titles. I acknowledge that these are nothing more than my humble opinions; feel free to send me your comments.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald this book is often praised for its description of 'the jazz age' even if you aren't interested in the historical setting, you can simply enjoy the style.
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
The Fountainhead is a great example of why I enjoy about Ayn Rand's novels. the dialogue is intelligent, the style is tight, and the philosophy is enmeshed in the plot. I'm not an objectivist but I respect the manner with which Rand used her novels as a vehicle for her belief system.
Dune by Frank Herbert
although I have been a Ray Bradbury fan since I can remember, I haven't read a great deal of science fiction. it wasn't until I read Dune that I appreciated the full potential of the genre. Dune is brilliant. for example, the level of detail that surrounds Herbert's imagined world is staggering. whether it's a quote from some fictional religious text, or a reference to a pearl of combat wisdom, Herbert never fails to deliver the most intricate detail required. this remarkable construction has come to be known as the "Byzantine tapestry" of Dune. I recommend this title to everybody - even if you aren't a fan of science fiction.
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
this is a great book, and I'm not just writing that because it's over 1100 pages long. it's a perfect blend of technology and plot. I'm so impressed that I'll be reading another Stephenson book ASAP.
Whale Music by Paul Quarrington
this book is an absolute pleasure to read. the point of view is original and the way the story is revealed is intriguing. whale music is rumoured to be loosely based on the life of the beach boys' brian wilson.
personal trivia note: during my days as a lifeguard, I actually lifeguarded the filming of some scenes in the movie version of whale music. the best part was that they let me eat anything I wanted from the catering table. mmmmm pistachios...
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
wow, what a colossal undertaking. after finishing this book, I feel as though I've read one hundred short stories. as Marquez has acknowledged, this book stemmed from the stories that he was told by his grandmother, and the influence is obvious to the reader. this book is full of memorable tales that somehow seamlessly shift from fantasy to realism. some books are like chips from a paper bag, this book is a fine meal served on immaculate chinaware.
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
this was the first Ayn Rand book that I read and I was thoroughly impressed. as I've already written, I don't share her point of view, but I greatly enjoy her writing.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
this is an excellent book. in fact, it actually holds up well to all of the hype that you hear about it these days. the book is written from the perspective of an autistic teenager. if you're at all interested in gaining an insight into the inner workings of an autistic mind, then you should read this short book.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
this is probably the funniest book I've ever read. I recommend the entire four part trilogy.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Exodus by Leon Uris
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
IMO, this book a classic for good reason. I found the first half of the book so intriguing that it was tough to put it down. the voice reminded me of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (or even Whale Music) because the reader gets a chance to experience the world through a different perspective.
The House of God : The Classic Novel of Life and Death in an American Hospital by Samuel Shem
the house of god is an irreverent insider's look at the life of medical interns. the book is gritty and it has been said that it does for health care what catch-22 did for the military.
A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Woman in Bronze by Antanas Sileika
I enjoyed this book by Lithuanian born, Canadian writer Antanas Sileika. it was an interesting tale set in places that I knew little about.
Rockbound by Frank Parker Day
this is an interesting book about life on an island off the eastern shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. the novel was originally published in 1928.
Shopgirl by Steve Martin
this novella was an interesting read. the movie is considerably different than the book. I guess they wanted to be able to bill the movie as a romantic comedy so they added a lot of gags.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
when people talk about this book, they seem to exclusively discuss the section of the book that takes place on a life boat; they don't mention that that part only begins about halfway through the novel. I found the first half to be mildly interesting (because biology interests me and there's a lot about animals), the section on the lifeboat was worth reading and the ending is excellent. it's probably worth reading, just to get the chance to think about the ending.
Others that I need to add to the list:
War and Peace
Poinsonwood Bible
The Picture of Dorian Grey
Moby Dick
Crime and Punishment
Pride and Prejudice
Of Mice and Men
young reader books:
The Chronicles of Narnia
Charlottes's Web
The Hobbit
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald this book is often praised for its description of 'the jazz age' even if you aren't interested in the historical setting, you can simply enjoy the style.
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
The Fountainhead is a great example of why I enjoy about Ayn Rand's novels. the dialogue is intelligent, the style is tight, and the philosophy is enmeshed in the plot. I'm not an objectivist but I respect the manner with which Rand used her novels as a vehicle for her belief system.
Dune by Frank Herbert
although I have been a Ray Bradbury fan since I can remember, I haven't read a great deal of science fiction. it wasn't until I read Dune that I appreciated the full potential of the genre. Dune is brilliant. for example, the level of detail that surrounds Herbert's imagined world is staggering. whether it's a quote from some fictional religious text, or a reference to a pearl of combat wisdom, Herbert never fails to deliver the most intricate detail required. this remarkable construction has come to be known as the "Byzantine tapestry" of Dune. I recommend this title to everybody - even if you aren't a fan of science fiction.
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
this is a great book, and I'm not just writing that because it's over 1100 pages long. it's a perfect blend of technology and plot. I'm so impressed that I'll be reading another Stephenson book ASAP.
Whale Music by Paul Quarrington
this book is an absolute pleasure to read. the point of view is original and the way the story is revealed is intriguing. whale music is rumoured to be loosely based on the life of the beach boys' brian wilson.
personal trivia note: during my days as a lifeguard, I actually lifeguarded the filming of some scenes in the movie version of whale music. the best part was that they let me eat anything I wanted from the catering table. mmmmm pistachios...
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
wow, what a colossal undertaking. after finishing this book, I feel as though I've read one hundred short stories. as Marquez has acknowledged, this book stemmed from the stories that he was told by his grandmother, and the influence is obvious to the reader. this book is full of memorable tales that somehow seamlessly shift from fantasy to realism. some books are like chips from a paper bag, this book is a fine meal served on immaculate chinaware.
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
this was the first Ayn Rand book that I read and I was thoroughly impressed. as I've already written, I don't share her point of view, but I greatly enjoy her writing.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
this is an excellent book. in fact, it actually holds up well to all of the hype that you hear about it these days. the book is written from the perspective of an autistic teenager. if you're at all interested in gaining an insight into the inner workings of an autistic mind, then you should read this short book.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
this is probably the funniest book I've ever read. I recommend the entire four part trilogy.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Exodus by Leon Uris
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
IMO, this book a classic for good reason. I found the first half of the book so intriguing that it was tough to put it down. the voice reminded me of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (or even Whale Music) because the reader gets a chance to experience the world through a different perspective.
The House of God : The Classic Novel of Life and Death in an American Hospital by Samuel Shem
the house of god is an irreverent insider's look at the life of medical interns. the book is gritty and it has been said that it does for health care what catch-22 did for the military.
A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Woman in Bronze by Antanas Sileika
I enjoyed this book by Lithuanian born, Canadian writer Antanas Sileika. it was an interesting tale set in places that I knew little about.
Rockbound by Frank Parker Day
this is an interesting book about life on an island off the eastern shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. the novel was originally published in 1928.
Shopgirl by Steve Martin
this novella was an interesting read. the movie is considerably different than the book. I guess they wanted to be able to bill the movie as a romantic comedy so they added a lot of gags.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
when people talk about this book, they seem to exclusively discuss the section of the book that takes place on a life boat; they don't mention that that part only begins about halfway through the novel. I found the first half to be mildly interesting (because biology interests me and there's a lot about animals), the section on the lifeboat was worth reading and the ending is excellent. it's probably worth reading, just to get the chance to think about the ending.
Others that I need to add to the list:
War and Peace
Poinsonwood Bible
The Picture of Dorian Grey
Moby Dick
Crime and Punishment
Pride and Prejudice
Of Mice and Men
young reader books:
The Chronicles of Narnia
Charlottes's Web
The Hobbit
Monday, February 28, 2005
support serf to writer: part III
this is part III of a story about software support and how I moved through various jobs...
part I - support serf to writer: a how-to
part II - support serf to writer: part II
getting on with the story...
Microsoft acquired NCompass Labs and I moved down to the Seattle area. not that many Microsoft support people actually live in Seattle because the support group is located at the new Issaquah campus. the Redmond campus is reserved for the development groups. I'd say that this segregation was another hardship, except that it wasn't; it makes sense. the main campus simply isn't big enough for everyone. for example, the games division and the MSN group also have their own sites. however, I will point out that of all the campuses the support campus is the only one that is primarily filled with cubicles. pretty much every other department uses offices as the default work environment.
when I joined Microsoft, I was working in the developer support division. I knew that I would soon come back to CCanada and marry my girlfriend, so I treated it as a temporary situation. for the first couple of years, I worked long hours and did anything I could to improve my skills. I enjoyed helping people with their issues but I knew that I would eventually leave support. I was thinking about improving my resume for when I came returned to Canada.
this is the "I'm part of the problem" section of the tale. even though I enjoyed working in support, I left the team when I was offered a job in Redmond. with people constantly leaving, it's no wonder that the industry doesn't feel that support folks have garnered much appreciation.
the move to the MCMS development group was a direct result of my moonlighting as a sample app developer. the product group wanted to encourage the adoption of MCMS, so they decided to start a new program. prospective customers went to Redmond and actually tried out their web sites on the MCMS platform. this mix of support and web development was the recipe for my invitation to the main Microsoft campus.
when I was preparing to move from a cubicle to an office, my support manager called me in for a heart to heart. he told me that most people who go to Redmond didn't go back to support. I thought that the gig would be short-term so I told him that I wasn't putting much thought into leaving.
<how-to section>
the long hours continued after I joined the product group. I would routinely work 80 hour weeks and there were periods when I broke 100 hours. I don't recommend this as a long-term plan, it's just not healthy. however, in the short term, working long hours can pay off. maybe this is too facile to write, but burning the midnight oil is an obvious way to impress upon people that you're willing to go the extra mile -- that you're the sort of person they need.
</how-to section>
for example, the most prominent mcms site that we had running was www.xbox.com. although it was a Microsoft web site, the deal had been closed prior to the NCompass acquisition. we felt comfortable using the site as one of our main showcases.
working on http://www.xbox.com/ was an amazing experience. the schedule was tight - all Microsoft schedules are tight - so we were working all hours of the day. when it came time to actually setup the production web servers, a small group of us drove out to a data farm in the Seattle suburb of Tukwilla. the location, which was also used for sites such as Hotmail and MSN, was about half an hour away from the main campus. we worked through many nights in the data centre until the site was ready to go live. every once in a while we would make a challenging attempt to find something to eat -- not that much is open around 4 am.
there were some bumps along the way, but the experience of working on that site was one of my most enjoyable memories of Microsoft. the Xbox was coming into its own and we were there to help out in our own small way.
coming soon...
Microsoft Content Management Server 2002: A Complete Guide for Addison-Wesley
and working as a full-time writer...
The Unauthorized Halo 2 Battle Guide: Advanced Combat Techniques for Premier Press Game Development (Thompson Course Technology)
part I - support serf to writer: a how-to
part II - support serf to writer: part II
getting on with the story...
Microsoft acquired NCompass Labs and I moved down to the Seattle area. not that many Microsoft support people actually live in Seattle because the support group is located at the new Issaquah campus. the Redmond campus is reserved for the development groups. I'd say that this segregation was another hardship, except that it wasn't; it makes sense. the main campus simply isn't big enough for everyone. for example, the games division and the MSN group also have their own sites. however, I will point out that of all the campuses the support campus is the only one that is primarily filled with cubicles. pretty much every other department uses offices as the default work environment.
when I joined Microsoft, I was working in the developer support division. I knew that I would soon come back to CCanada and marry my girlfriend, so I treated it as a temporary situation. for the first couple of years, I worked long hours and did anything I could to improve my skills. I enjoyed helping people with their issues but I knew that I would eventually leave support. I was thinking about improving my resume for when I came returned to Canada.
this is the "I'm part of the problem" section of the tale. even though I enjoyed working in support, I left the team when I was offered a job in Redmond. with people constantly leaving, it's no wonder that the industry doesn't feel that support folks have garnered much appreciation.
the move to the MCMS development group was a direct result of my moonlighting as a sample app developer. the product group wanted to encourage the adoption of MCMS, so they decided to start a new program. prospective customers went to Redmond and actually tried out their web sites on the MCMS platform. this mix of support and web development was the recipe for my invitation to the main Microsoft campus.
when I was preparing to move from a cubicle to an office, my support manager called me in for a heart to heart. he told me that most people who go to Redmond didn't go back to support. I thought that the gig would be short-term so I told him that I wasn't putting much thought into leaving.
<how-to section>
the long hours continued after I joined the product group. I would routinely work 80 hour weeks and there were periods when I broke 100 hours. I don't recommend this as a long-term plan, it's just not healthy. however, in the short term, working long hours can pay off. maybe this is too facile to write, but burning the midnight oil is an obvious way to impress upon people that you're willing to go the extra mile -- that you're the sort of person they need.
</how-to section>
for example, the most prominent mcms site that we had running was www.xbox.com. although it was a Microsoft web site, the deal had been closed prior to the NCompass acquisition. we felt comfortable using the site as one of our main showcases.
working on http://www.xbox.com/ was an amazing experience. the schedule was tight - all Microsoft schedules are tight - so we were working all hours of the day. when it came time to actually setup the production web servers, a small group of us drove out to a data farm in the Seattle suburb of Tukwilla. the location, which was also used for sites such as Hotmail and MSN, was about half an hour away from the main campus. we worked through many nights in the data centre until the site was ready to go live. every once in a while we would make a challenging attempt to find something to eat -- not that much is open around 4 am.
there were some bumps along the way, but the experience of working on that site was one of my most enjoyable memories of Microsoft. the Xbox was coming into its own and we were there to help out in our own small way.
coming soon...
Microsoft Content Management Server 2002: A Complete Guide for Addison-Wesley
and working as a full-time writer...
The Unauthorized Halo 2 Battle Guide: Advanced Combat Techniques for Premier Press Game Development (Thompson Course Technology)
Friday, February 25, 2005
xbox 2 hard drive?
a while back, there was some talk of ms abandoning the onboard storage within the Xbox. this storage capability is presently in the form of a hard drive. however, the new rumour is that Microsoft will offer three different versions of the Xbox. at least two of these rumoured versions feature flash memory storage capacity. the question is: how much room could there be on these flash cards? if they're reasonably sized, it's great news for the gaming industry.
why is onboard storage important? the other game consoles don't have drives, why keep them around?
the answer to these sorts of questions is simple; keeping the onboard storage will advance the evolution of the gaming industry. a system with more storage capacity plainly offers more development options.
until the Xbox came along, the console developers were hamstrung by the lack of a hard drive and the PC developers were frustrated by the vast spectrum of possible PC system configurations. the situation hasn't changed for the unfortunate PC programmers, but it is much better for Xbox devs.
some people argue that few games actually use the hard drive -- so why bother having it around? sadly this is true. no Xbox game has done for hard drive what Myst did for the CD-ROM game. however, this still isn't a strong argument; it implies that the hardware makers should cater to game producers who are too lazy to take full advantage of the console. Ok, maybe "lazy" is too strong -- but it does get across the idea that they're catering to the lowest denominator. if the game companies feel that they don't have the resources to expand games to the point where they are maxing out the platform, that's fine. however, they shouldn't restrain the ones that are willing to go the extra mile and innovate using the full potential of the hardware.
why is onboard storage important? the other game consoles don't have drives, why keep them around?
the answer to these sorts of questions is simple; keeping the onboard storage will advance the evolution of the gaming industry. a system with more storage capacity plainly offers more development options.
until the Xbox came along, the console developers were hamstrung by the lack of a hard drive and the PC developers were frustrated by the vast spectrum of possible PC system configurations. the situation hasn't changed for the unfortunate PC programmers, but it is much better for Xbox devs.
some people argue that few games actually use the hard drive -- so why bother having it around? sadly this is true. no Xbox game has done for hard drive what Myst did for the CD-ROM game. however, this still isn't a strong argument; it implies that the hardware makers should cater to game producers who are too lazy to take full advantage of the console. Ok, maybe "lazy" is too strong -- but it does get across the idea that they're catering to the lowest denominator. if the game companies feel that they don't have the resources to expand games to the point where they are maxing out the platform, that's fine. however, they shouldn't restrain the ones that are willing to go the extra mile and innovate using the full potential of the hardware.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
covering E3 conference for o'reilly
this May I'll be going down to L.A. to cover the E3 conference for the O'Reilly Network.
since all three of the next generation consoles are supposed to be announced, this could be a great year to be at the show.
update: I wrote an article about the next generation consoles: E3 2005: War of the Consoles ... Almost
since all three of the next generation consoles are supposed to be announced, this could be a great year to be at the show.
update: I wrote an article about the next generation consoles: E3 2005: War of the Consoles ... Almost
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
support serf to writer: part II
this is part II of a story about software support and how I moved through various jobs...
part I - support serf to writer: a how-to
when I joined NCompass, the .com economy was at it's peak. it was the time when great things could happen for a technology company. but it was clear to some people that the glory days wouldn't last forever. one NCompass manager told me at a company hockey game that "being an internet-focused company right now is like being in a gold rush -- everyone is trying to get their before the gold runs out." it was this sort of thinking that led the NCompass board to tell its executives to spend like "drunken sailors".
<how-to section>
I started at NCompass labs as a trainer. this was a good example of getting my foot in the door so that I could work towards other things. I wanted to do something more technical, but it was a way to get some experience at a software company. I believe that getting your foot in the door is the key to making big strides. by working along side the right people, I was able to form relationships that lasted for years. some people call it networking but that almost implies that it's some form of deception. genuine relationships are far more valuable.
</how-to section>
that position didn't work out -- I simply wasn't a good fit for what they were after. my manager and I simultaneously came up with the idea that I should move to the support department. most people would view this as a demotion -- yet another example of the support department not getting enough credit for the crucial role that it plays.
when I moved to support, there were about a half dozen support reps. although, one was soon fired for using company time and resources to run his own support business. after he was canned, he tried to get a product key for Resolution; he actually called the help desk and pretended to be a customer. the support rep recognized his voice and told him that we would have to check his credentials. when we contacted the customer, they confirmed that the caller had used a fictitious name.
the most challenging aspect of supporting Resolution was that NCompass didn't track how many cases each customer logged. believe it or not, we were also responsible for free pre-sales support. during this period, there were about 350 open cases and six people to handle them. in contrast, Microsoft tries to keep their case allocation to less than 20 per support rep. hiring was extremely difficult during the bubble, but NCompass did eventually increase the support staff to around a dozen people. the days when one person had 100 cases (which actually happened) were over.
I enjoyed the experience of working on something that was innovative. at the time, it was unusual for anyone to use a database on their front-end web servers. Resolution was meant to run in this fashion -- although there was a 'staging' option for those who weren't ready for the leap into dynamically rendered data or online web-based authoring. Resolution also had a top quality Application Programming Interface (API). the API was my favourite feature and I enjoyed playing around with it. in fact, I saw the API as the perfect way for me to hone my technical skills.
I tried many times to get sample applications added as part of my job responsibilities. one of my managers hated the idea -- the company need to keep people in the support department and he probably saw my interest as an attempt to get out. eventually we made a deal that I could volunteer my time as long as it didn't interfere with my actual job. the irony is that there was a need for such applications. at one point, the company ran a contest for the best sample app. the prize was an old foosball table that had just been supplanted by a proper tornado brand foos table. I won the table with a dynamic image gallery app. although, for posterity, I feel that I must note that I was the only one who finished on time.
I was having a good time working on sample apps, and NCompass was a fantastic environment. I was truly fortunate to be part of such a great company, but I still had to deal with the tribulations of being part of the support department. I was working in support despite the overshadowing knowledge that those of us on the front line would not get all that much respect from the industry. this is something that most support people just deal with.
there were times at NCompass when I received a great deal of recognition. however, these were almost always related to some work that was outside of my job description. people who worked hard within their defined support role were generally below the radar.
after NCompass had been absorbed into Microsoft, I heard a story that amazed me. one team in the company was told that they could go on a rabid spending spree weekend. they actually spent more money than I made in a year. the party was a celebration for meeting an annual goal. did free pre-sales support play a role in meeting that goal?
I've written about a pervasive lack of respect so I had better cite some examples. working at NCompass I was once asked to take over a case with an angry caller. the original support rep was so offended that he could not deal with the person in a rational manner. he later said that he felt like he was treated like a dog. you assumed that I was talking about a customer didn't you? no, it was an NCompass employee who had called. fortunately, that guy didn't last long. but it just goes to show that even within the company fold, support was considered a lower caste.
what role does support play? at NCompass I figured that the experiences of being on the front line were not systemic. surely at Microsoft things would be different... but would they?
I'll get to that, but I want to first address the obvious counter argument that is bubbling up in the minds of some of the readers out there. it goes like this: support is paid less and given fewer perks because the people in support aren't as skilled as those in groups such as development group or consulting. after all, software companies make software. the people in support don't make software.
first of all, the astute will see that there's already a crack developing in this logic. a company is comprised of many different parts. in order for the company to be successful, all of these parts must be functional. the argument about developers being the only contributors to a software product is ridiculous. without the sales team, how would the company make any money? without the support team, who would put out the fire when a company's web site goes down?
and what about the first part? the idea that only developers have skills. have you heard of a software product that didn't have bugs? no, me neither. the reason for this is that devs make mistakes. more often than not, the support group takes the flack for those mistakes. yes, it's true that management sometimes encourages errors with unrealistic timelines, but no one is perfect. people need to remember that the support department is created by the developers' mistakes.
saying that support staff aren't skilled is a gross generalization. for the purposes of this post, 'support' is primarily used to refer to problems that arise from actual product bugs. I am most certainly not referring to cases where the customer has created the problem through their inability to use the software. I'm not talking about supporting people who are having issues while writing their grocery list in word.
at microsoft there is a group in support called SIE. I think it stands for something like 'solutions integration engineering.' if you saw the cases that those folks handled, you would have a different impression of the skills of the support team. they are given cases which involve the interaction of countless technologies and network configurations. resolving cases that complex is an ability completely outside the scope of most developer's experience. in other words, complex debugging requires smart people with considerable training.
coming soon...
support serf to writer: part III (working at microsoft)
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