Bits and pieces (of code)

Weekend is here again. For me the weekend has become the time when I get most of my writing done. I know I won't have to do with any official business, because everything's officially closed. This week went somehow very quickly, probably because of the extraordinary day at CeBIT on Monday.

Yesterday, Kaj came to visit and work for a bit. We inspected a few hundred lines of code and even found one clear bug. It is not often that bugs present them out in the open like that but this time it was clear. Accessing an array with '-1' as index isn't often correct. We used all the Tick-Its to check and had to spend at least two hours each to go through two cards each. The checking was useful and we found lots of good ticks. I'm sure the author will be happy to improve his software based on the ticks.

After the checking and excellent dinner by Virpi, we played a game called "Dream Factory". It's a board game in the world of Hollywood films. (It's on somebody's TOP-5 games of Reiner Knizia.) You get to produce real scripts with a cast and crew of your choice. If you make a really good film with an excellent script, a world-class director, three-star music, famous actors and maybe a visit from a guest star, you'll probably win a lot of film awards. Sometimes the films have such a curious cast that you would actually want to see them made! Casablanca with an all-female cast would certainly give the story a different spin, don't you think?

I've been writing a bit. The Conquest paper has been printed at twelve pages, needs graphics and feedback, but this week I've left it alone. Next week, I'll read it myself and will put it together for submitting. I ordered and received the book "Finding Flow" from Amazon.de this week. A package from Amazon.co.uk has also been dispatched. I've been teasing Virpi about it. I haven't told what I've ordered but I'm sure she'll like it.

About writing, there are a couple of short articles in preparation. I seem to get good ideas, but taking them further is rather more work. But I think that would be the right way of it. If ideas come easily, but it is hard work to make anything ready, I'm fine. I can always work harder. But I cannot force ideas, if I'm not inclined to having them.

For now, have a nice weekend!