Rajneesh's Logbook

The jkOnTheRun blog points out a mobile e-book service, in Free eBooks on your cell: Manybooks is mobile!, which points out that " Manybooks.net (a public domain / free eBook site) provides a mobile version of their offerings for Java-based cellphones! Point your browser to http://mnybks.net and you can download an eBook in .jar format for reading on the go. If you use Mobipocket reader on a handheld, you can also use the mobile site for Mobipocket format books." Though these are non-DRM titles, Manybooks states that there are over 16,000 titles available. Links http://manybooks.net/ http://mnybks.net/

Several useful features have been introduced in Java 5. Generics : A way to make classes type-safe that can work on any type, such as narrowing an instance of a collection to hold a specific object type and eliminating the need to cast objects when taking an object out of the collection. Enhanced for loop : A cleaner and less error-prone version of the for loop for use with iterators. Variable arguments : Support for passing an arbitrary number of parameters to a method. Boxing/unboxing : Direct language support for automatic conversion between primitive types and their reference types (such as int and Integer). Type-safe enumerations : Clean syntax for defining and using enumerations, supported at the language level. Static import : Ability to access static members from a class without need to qualify them with a class name. Metadata : Coupled with new tools developed by third-party companies, saves developers the effort of writing boilerplate code by automatically generating the code...

Found Better GMail firefox extension (via delicious). Adds a menu of optional extra features to Gmail (Macros, Label Colors, Filter Assistant, Conversation Preview, Attachment Reminder, Attachment Icons, Saved Searches). Better GMail Firefox extension

Others may say that developers can't be managers, but I fail to accept that; I just think developers need to get the basics about management in short, easy-to-remember doses. With that, I now offer the "Five-Minute Manager": Lesson #1: Communication A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings. The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbor. Before she says a word, Bob says, "I'll give you $800 to drop that towel." After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob. After a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves. The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs. When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, "Who was that?" "It was Bob the next door neighbor," she replies. "Great," the husband says, "did he say anything about the $800...

The Methods & Tools newsletter has just released in its html archive section the article " Process Improvement – Is it a Lottery? " by Paul Morgan। This article provides an overview of the approach utilized to implement process improvement across its global organization without losing focus of its business drivers। It provides a practical overview of how over a four year period an organization moved from CMM® Level 1 to Level 3 and is currently transitioning to CMMI® Level 4. It will provide a candid insight including lessons learned and approaches adopted to achieve success. It will also provide examples of significant and measurable business benefits that can be accrued from adopting a documented and repeatable process improvement framework. A common mistake made by companies when implementing process improvement is to allow the chosen model to dictate the process design. The CMMI ® is a model that needs to be interpreted based upon the business environment and technic...