Derik Whittaker

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• .Net
• .Net IDE
• Best Practice
• Development
• Feedback
• Linq
• Opinion
• StructureMap
• TDD

• Some comments are a total waste of time

  I am all for comments in code (gasp I know) but some are just a total waste of time. Case in point. I came across this today. /// <summary> /// Commit Transaction. /// </summary> public void CommitTransaction() { ........ } WTF, I guess putting... Posted Sep 29 2008, 03:40 PM by Derik Whittaker with | with 13 comment(s) Filed under: Opinion, Rant

• Clean build server with MSTest == FAIL

  It is no secret that I am not a fan of MSTest (read here for more rants on MSTests). Today's rant is about how MSTest does not allow you to have a clean build server. Yea I know what you are thinking, here comes another long winded rant on MSTest... Posted Sep 25 2008, 05:10 AM by Derik Whittaker with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: TDD, Rant

• Customer Service Fail - A eye opening experience

  Recently my wife, my son and I went into a local store (not going to mention which) to pickup an order that had been placed a few weeks back. When we walked in we were asked to put our name on a 'waiting list' because they were so busy. We went... Posted Aug 03 2008, 02:06 PM by Derik Whittaker with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: Rant

• MSTest, why I hate you.... You cause me too much friction

  Yesterday I spent 4+ hours trying to tackle a bug that should not have been a bug in the first place, and the culprit was MSTest. Please keep in mind that I have never really used MSTest in any real form. I am a NUnit guy through and through. Here is... Posted Jul 23 2008, 09:28 AM by Derik Whittaker with | with 16 comment(s) Filed under: StructureMap, Rant

• Linq2Sql limitation with abstract base classes

  Ok, I am only a few days into using Linq and I am already getting annoyed. I have a need to create an abstract base class that will have a few common properties (columns) that will be used by all my inherited classes. Here is what I WAS wanting to do... Posted Mar 27 2008, 07:36 AM by Derik Whittaker with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Rant, Linq

• How poor IM communication killed the Developer

  In most development shops today, a large percentage of communication happens over IM. In fact at my current gig about 80+% happens over IM. So, why is it that it's harder and harder to get clear information out of people over IM. I am not talking... Posted Mar 05 2008, 10:14 AM by Derik Whittaker with | with 11 comment(s) Filed under: Rant

• Compiler warnings, the trash you forgot to take out

  There was once a time where I did not care about compiler warnings, but times have changed.  In fact, I remember having a debate with a fellow developer some time ago about why compiler warnings were not that bad..... Oh how times have changed. In... Posted Feb 05 2008, 01:45 PM by Derik Whittaker with | with 11 comment(s) Filed under: Opinion, Best Practice, Rant

• Overuse of #Regions

  Before I get started, I personally am a fan of using #regions in my code.  I think it cleans up everything, allowing me to only see what I want to see.  I also know that many of you disagree with me, and that is fine. Here are 2 posts that voice... Posted Jan 15 2008, 07:56 AM by Derik Whittaker with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: Development, .Net IDE, Opinion, Best Practice, Rant

• Object Properties, make them public ONLY when needed.

  Sorry we have interrupted your daily blog reading, but we have a special service announcement for all developers. <SpecialServiceAnnouncement> Only make properties public on an object when you KNOW they are needed. Please make all properties private... Posted Jan 12 2008, 12:59 PM by Derik Whittaker with | with 12 comment(s) Filed under: Opinion, Best Practice, Rant

• Why using the index for data retrieval is evil

  Today I was refactoring some sql procs along with the corresponding .net code that called the procs. My primary focus was to implement some new business rules (ways to get totals) in the proc.  In doing so, I completely re-wrote the proc.  In... Posted Dec 28 2007, 01:26 PM by Derik Whittaker with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: Development, .Net, Opinion, Best Practice, Rant

• Source Control, works for code, why not use it for SQL Scripts

  Pretty much any developer with half a brain (or any real world experience) knows that you MUST keep your source code in some sort of source code repository. There are many of them out there, VSS, Vault, TFS, CVS, SVN, the list goes on. If putting your... Posted Nov 21 2007, 08:28 AM by Derik Whittaker with | with 14 comment(s) Filed under: Development, Opinion, Best Practice, Rant

• If the code is dead, then bury it

  This post is just a quick rant, brain dump, food for thought or what ever. If you ever need to make changes to existing code base, and you need to remove old code. DELETE IT, don't EVER COMMENT IT OUT AND LEAVE IT FOR THE NEXT GUY (yes, I am trying... Posted Nov 14 2007, 03:38 PM by Derik Whittaker with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: Opinion, Best Practice, Rant

• Rant: MCTS 70-536 Book/Practice tests has TOO many errors

  Ok, this is an official rant about the .Net Framework 2.0 70-536 Self-Paced Training Kit. I understand that writing a book is difficult, I understand that creating 302 practice test is also difficult. Buy my god, people are using these materials as study... Posted Jul 24 2007, 07:15 PM by Derik Whittaker with | with 15 comment(s) Filed under: Feedback, Opinion, Rant