IT can be so cruel

[suityou01]

I wrote a tool to extract email boxes to local disk as client asked.
Then I wrote a tool to leaf through the extracted files checking for duplicate attachements and giving them a list. (I had to use the COM api direct rather than the Outlook interop as it is not possible to open .msg files using the outlook objects)

Then the client asked me to filter email messages with a received date older than a given date.

It is extremely fiddly to get the date from a binary mapi file using unmanaged com api calls from c#. Took me two hours to get the code working. Needed to return a byte array and then massage it into a DateTime object.

All ClientCo hears is it took two hours to write some code to read a date from an email message.

[Zippy]

<matrix mode>

Welcome to the real world

</matrix mode>

[suityou01]

<matrix mode>

Welcome to the real world

</matrix mode>

[DimPrawn]

It's called managing expectations and communicating how long a task is likely to take before hand.

I had a client manager once that always said "So they can put a man on the moon but you can't do X in Y?"

Twonks the lot of them.

HTH

[Zippy]

DP is correct.
No matter how trivial the task seems to be, you need to employ the plumber's method of a sharp intake of breath followed by 'Dunno how long this will take - I can't get the code you see. I'll probably have to get it shipped from India' etc. etc.

[thunderlizard]

"But I can see you've already added the button to the screen! Surely it can't take more than a few minutes to make it work!"

[jmo21]

It's called managing expectations and communicating how long a task is likely to take before hand.

I had a client manager once that always said "So they can put a man on the moon but you can't do X in Y?"

Twonks the lot of them.

HTH

My favourite way to respond when someone asks "Can this be done?", is that absolutely anything can be done, it just may take some time.

[KentPhilip]

It's called managing expectations and communicating how long a task is likely to take before hand.

I had a client manager once that always said "So they can put a man on the moon but you can't do X in Y?"

Twonks the lot of them.

HTH

Just reply "that was with a budget of $8 billion in 1963.
I can do the same. How would you like to pay?"

[Zippy]

Just reply "that was with a budget of $8 billion in 1963.
I can do the same. How would you like to pay?"

[suityou01]

Just reply "that was with a budget of $8 billion in 1963.
I can do the same. How would you like to pay?"

I know ALL CUKers reading this made a mental note

They don't do estimates where I work. I need this NOW. Where is it (15 minutes later).

I am doing this gig to get experience of London Markets so cannot complain. However I always seem to manage.

I just felt like a twunt. Perhaps it was the kicking I got in technical (DP you know what I mean )

It's hard, I was hired to do X, and am now doing X with Y and Z which I don't know so well, yet they judge me on the previous guy who could deliver XYZ in no time. It's how you profile a job I guess. I know for a fact that the previous guy had no NUnit (agile) testing and development experience or workflow, yet these skills have yet to be used so I have yet to shine. Hactually I am an extremely good BPM guy, but am left with c# coding and times have moved on since I last coded. I passed the technical test and interview with flying colours and though the interview process was extremely thorough. Perhaps I am being too hard on myself? WPF absolutely blows goats DP btw.

The PM is a BA who was hired as a BA, and was thrown into a PM role. It was him I had the issue with a couple of weeks ago. Since I got the courage from talking to friend and CUK to stand up to him I did, and since then we have been great.

I kept the matter between us, but he escalated to his line. I had a chat with his line as she requested, and was extremely careful where I trod. It seems she is out for him (even though she hired him on the back of a 15 min interview) and has dropped him right in the cart.

Since then the DBA team have put the knife in for him and his contract was up for renewal but is now in the balance. I feel sorry for him, his only crime is being a bit of a cock, and I have worked with far worse.

This company is nuts, and every day feels like wrestling a bear. I am resourced into the plan and am delivering (with the occasional help from weltchy and DP which is very much appreciated when I have a stumper on these newer technologies)

It sounds to me like they will keep him on, as it would be too disruptive to the team (although I actually think the lad has serious promise - he pulled me up short on a couple of issues and made me think)

I know he is looking, and who can blame him. I think he had an interview this morning (ok I KNOW he had) and may not have got it gauging by the expressions he was pulling in the side office.

End of soap opera. Roll titles. This is my life. I am not a sockie.