Category: community

I’ve been quiet for a while

Why’s that someone might ask. Well, I’ve been busy with work and other things. During the pandemic I switched roles, I’m still at IBM but now work in an area known as ZTPS. That means the high volume transaction processing software for the Z hardware – what the man in the street might know as a mainframe.

What do I do there, I have a mixed responsibility. I started writing and updating the technical documentation, focused on CICS security. I’ve migrated to look after the build process for our documentation, which now ranges over many other products, handling tools and related aspects, and still updating documentation, but it tends to be more wide-ranging in context. I’ve worked on z/OS Connect most recently, an OpenAPI based piece of software to allow movement of data that uses the OpenAPI standard on Z systems.

The build work focuses on configuring, maintaining and resolving issues that arise with the IBM developed build mechanism used to process DITA content. DITA is a system to write technical content that was developed by IBM, moved to be open source, and now used by a huge number of organisations to write documentation. I highly recommend it.

More recently I’ve been applying coding skills to some projects where we have been transforming our content. One example was converting what was two distinct versions into a single version stream. There are other projects, but apologies if I skip over details.

Outside of work, I continue to be a gamer, although I am disappointed that the volume of great content that always used to be around is no longer as prevalent. Now you have to wait months between releases of good games, which is why I finally relented and bought a Microsoft Xbox Series X to play Starfield and now the DLC for Starfield. All while I wait for the next big game to drop. (There are way too many silly games around, mind-numbing entertainment, so sad).

And aside from that, I’ve been dabbling with the odd bit of cooking. This is more for when I retire and can’t afford Deliveroo or microwave meals.

I often visit Dad to help him with whatever latest technical challenge he has encountered. He does well in spite of being 88 and not technologically minded. Earlier this year I got him to use ApplePay for the first time – and he was astounded with the ease of payment!

I’m also continuing to extend my knowledge and capability with Python. It’s an amazingly capable and flexible language, with what I think is quite a low starting barrier, providing you have a mind suited to programming.

Oh, and if you want to comment, you might find it best to email me, I’ve had to tighten up controls on comments due to some very naughty hackers who keep trying to break in. No idea what they think they’ll gain.

Be good, be nice to others, be considerate to everyone. You never know what is going on in anyone’s life and we all need a little kindness at times.

What a year

My all too brief summary of 2020 and thoughts for 2021

2020 has followed much of 2016.

  • A change of president
  • Brexit
  • Deaths of many we’ve known and loved

Plus we can’t forget something that started in 2019 in China – Covid.

Here in the UK, we seem to have made a complete hash of it, but what can you expect from the country that brought you Brexit? Britain is particularly great at shooting itself in the foot. Voting to leave the UK, failing to shut down quickly enough, failing to wear masks, and seemingly creating or at least helping to spread the new Covid variant. We’ve done a great job of showing we can’t sort ourselves out.

Thankfully, this time around the change in president (in the US of A) is from the one many have named “45” to avoid using his name and giving him legitimacy, to Joe Biden, who immediately appears more “normal”. At least he is not focused on “fake news” or disrupting the world. Joe seems to be more about bringing people together. A total turnaround from what the world has experienced during the last four years.

We voted to leave Europe, and now it’s actually happening. The “oven ready” deal wasn’t quite that, though somehow Boris has managed to get something in place. I’ve no idea if it will be enough to save the UK businesses that I know are looking at what business they will still manage to run in this new world of the UK outside of the EU. Time will tell and I hope it will work, but I fear the British public’s choice was so ill-informed and we’ll never quite manage to be the Great nation we once were. Early analysis suggests that services, which makes up most of what Britain sells abroad to the EU will not be as easy or successful. What is still worrying is the noise that rumbles about whether Ireland will reunite, and if that does, it opens the doors for Scotland and possibly Wales to push for independence.

The deaths this year have almost reached 2016 levels. Sean Connery, Derek Fowlds (Basil Brush and yes Minister), Terry Jones, Nicholas Parsons (Just a Minute will never be the same again), Kirk Douglas, John Shrapnel, Max von Sydow, Bill Withers, Honor Blackman, Sir Stirling Moss, Little Richard, Vera Lynn, Ennis Morrison’s, Chadwick Boseman, Diana Rigg, Eddie Van Haley, John Sessions, Geoffrey Palmer, Dave Prowse, and Barbara Windsor.

And my Mum. 19th November 2020 will be forever etched in our family memories.

2020 ends with Covid throwing another spanner in the works with a new variant that spreads faster, so many of us in the UK are in Tier 4 – and if it continues, possibly a Tier 5 might have to be developed. I feel that 2021 will continue to be challenging with respect to the ongoing Brexit and COVID-19 situations, but there’s more to 2021 than that.

2021 holds a lot of promise, some challenges for sure, but like many people around the world, I’m positive it can only get better. When compared to the sh*tshow that 2020 has been.

Fingers crossed 2021 delivers on all the hopes and dreams. And on that note there are some positives to watch for:

And these are just some of the items to which we can look forward in 2021.

Make 2021 your positive year.

Happy New Year

Facebook is too big

I left Facebook more for fears of how they failed to address privacy than other reasons, though those other factors for which Facebook constantly faces criticism did play a part.

To know that a report which it instigated reinforces that some of the issues society today faces are driven by how Facebook works, only makes me more focused on staying out of its way.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-53333626

This article by the BBC highlights that far from being a saint, Facebook is a sinner of the worst kind. That, as at that time, 990 or more companies are boycotting Facebook advertising because of how it operates, only corroborates that perspective.

Facebook is great for maintaining contact with friends, but there are other ways.

I’d love to find a way to help and connect with others that is about cooperation, not segregation. About consideration for others, not self-aggrandisement. For the whole of society, not individuals or elitist groups – regardless of political affiliation.

An interesting time

Supposedly there is an old Chinese proverb about “may you live in interesting times” and is meant to be used as a sort of insult or curse at someone who has displeased you. The idea being that “interesting times” means bad things.

Many might consider the advent and actions taken as a result of the current coronavirus also known as Covid-19 as “interesting times”.

Instead, I’d suggest what it has done is shown us the “interesting people”. I’ve seen two main types so far, but there are no doubt multiple sub-categories.

The first is the person who panic buys, who continues to do the usual things even though they should self-isolate, who believes that their needs outweigh those of any others.

The second is the antithesis, the one who goes out their way to self-isolate, who will drop off groceries for vulnerable neighbours, the good Samaritans as it were.

Look carefully at your actions and decide who you are, and who you’d rather be.

Be the person who cares, who is considerate, who thinks about others.