My Blog is like totally lagging…

Posted on by Michael

I just realized that it has really been awhile since I last blogged. I’ve tried to be very faithful in my bi-weekly blogging, but for some reason I seem to have forgotten all last week, and this week so far. Not that I’m gonna write 4 this week to make up for it…

It seems like blogging can be a very healthy place/way to express one’s feelings, thoughts and victories/defeats. I think it’s nice that people are willing to share a little of themselves in their Blog – whether it be what home projects they are working on during the summer (ah, home improvement) or just thoughts from their day.

For instance, I’ve noticed quite a few of us have been doing home improvment projects. This month, my wife and I are hoping to paint the downstairs (inside) of our house. White is clean and bright, but not soft or particularly warm. We are going to be using a two-tone feel with maroon and beige (2 opposite walls of each). I told me wife I’d buy her a new fridge if she painted – so she’s pretty into it right now.

Some landscaping is also on the agenda, as I have a pretty big yard and lots of grass to take care of. I weeded a good third of it this last weekend, but there is still much to do. Primarily this month I’m hoping to ‘trim the edges’ of my yard by putting a one foot border (black plastic wall, with weedpaper and gravel) between the grass and the house. I can use that work to estimate how much it costs per foot, so I know what to budget for the whole yard. I probably have 300 feet of trim to do, so it’s no easy project. I’m gonna start with about 30 feet, and see if it’s what I want.

Finally, during StaffDev this morning Ross and Dale trekked across the long plains of WOU to visit John and I and help little old me with a bug. I’d been trying to get a schema to run some code, but couldn’t do it. They came over and as I explained the problem to them I figured it out (as ever). So we talked about shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings…

One down, 20 to go…

Posted on by Michael

Well, the online Work Order System is officially in Beta. I’ve written all the code – all the pages work. It WILL include a photo gallery in the future – but I’m not doing that now. Maybe next year. Seriously.

WOUPortal proved its worth. It put up with ‘one’ application with 7 different overlapping groups using it. If WOUPortal can do this, it should be OK to do anything. Bleah.

In fact, now begins the task of converting all those older systems over to new security and incorporating MOST of them into WOUPortal. The good news is that when this is done, I’ll be ready for RA Training, and hopefully the portal will be a little bit more fully featured by then. As for now, I’m gonna go home and take a much deserved rest. Or mow the lawn. Or both.

Blackberry and Email

Posted on by Michael

So today Travis setup my blackberry to receive my email. It also synchronizes my calendar to the web calendar – so whichever way appointments are added they synchronize to show up on both. It’s pretty cool!

Anyway, the BlackBerry (BB) is by far my favorite toy so far. I mean, you might be able to improve it with a multi-purpose laser, some rockets or maybe a holographic projector. Besides that, I’m satisfied. Even more important, I can’t wear out the screen like I do on Palm Pilots. That means that, assuming the wheel doesn’t die, it should last … FOREVER. Ok, maybe not forever but longer than my average Palm – that’ll make me happy.

It’s got MY vote for device of the year.

VerCon meets WOUPortal

Posted on by Michael

Today I integrated VerCon into WOUPortal. I made a UCS Developers group, and added all the staff developers. When VerCon is done, and the portal is just a little further along, I can have all the devs login, mark which Schemas are theirs, and setup either No Backup, Backup or Version Control. Easy.

John and I also talked at great lengths about possibilities for the WOUPortal. It seems like everyday I find another use for it, or something else I can wire into it. I’m very pleased. I hope this doesn’t come off as arrogant, but I think the Portal is the best thing I’ve done here so far. I think it’ll be one of the few things that outlast me. Not to mention that now all of my secure apps will be tied to it – even relying on it.

We also discussed some security issues. The more stuff we put into it, the more powerful it becomes. But access and security are opposites (most of the time) so you can’t have 100% of one and 100% of the other. The real goal here is to make them relatively even. Security will be, I hope, a very high priority. However, if an ultra-secure app doesn’t save anyone any time or effort, then nobody cares. We’ll figure it out – we came up with some great ideas. We can run those ideas through Bill and Shaun and come out with something really good.

I’m excited. It’s nice to see an app with this kind of versatility and ease of use. And it’s secure. And it’s handled everything I’ve thrown at it so far. Soon I’ll convert all the current RA, RSC, OUR tools over. That’ll be the real test. If it can deal with that… the rest is cake. Or pie. Or both! MMmmmmmmmmm

Success!

Posted on by Michael

Computrition, thy name is working.

Well it took us 6 tries, but we finally have a totally together and functioning Oracle 10g server. It’s patched, it’s tweaked – just have backup to setup (there’s currently nothing on it, so no fear).

We learned alot. Primarily, the issue is a bug in the 10.1.0.2 & 10.1.0.4 oracle rdbms software that DOES NOT exist in 10.2.0.*

I don’t know if oracle knows the bug exists – probably nobody cares since R2 (10.2.0.*) is out now, and THAT version doesn’t have this goofy little problem. Interesting. Apparently sometimes progress DOES actually solve things.

Anyway, we’re feeling smart and today we did all the tweaks (successfully I might add) to get the db running ‘our’ way. We got it figure out, but Alex and I (probably just me) owe Bill lunch 🙂

After Karen and I test out the new version of CI (Computrition) on my laptop and all her new stuff is there, we can schedule the migration for everyone over to 15.5

This is one big project that’s coming to a close!

Oracle 10g

Posted on by Michael

We’ve now spent the better part of 3 days trying to get the stinkin’ 10gR1 EM to work. So far, squat.

To be sure, I’ll let you know if it starts working. My new completion date for this project is 9/1. Yee-ha!

Work Orders

Posted on by Michael

The last few days I’ve been investing some real time into our new online Work Order system. We currently use a quadruplicate-half page colored form to write and track work orders. I think we can do significantly better than that.

Not only will the system allow residents to create work orders, it provides accountability and trackability to different levels of the system. Also, the typical collection and routing delays (and possible losses) should all but disappear. RAs, residents, staff and maintenance themselves will all be able to add a Work Order for any building in the system (which is expandable for use on any building).

So, module 1 of 3 (user module) was completed today. Next we have the maintenance module (large) and the billing module (tiny). I hope to have this app in beta by 7/21 so we can adequately test each piece while fitting into each area’s schedule.

If all works well (which I anticipate at this point), we’ll go live 9/1.

booya

Been awhile…

Posted on by Michael

Well, the fourth was nice. Got to travel a bit (not so hot) and see some family (nice). Good fireworks – everybody loves Washington (state).

Anyway, I was on vacation so I haven’t blogged in awhile. It was nice to get away, but the more I’m away from work, the further behind I feel. Sure! It’s only July, but I know how much work I have to do, and it just doesn’t get done when I’m gone. Never in my life have I wanted MORe time to be at work each week. Weird, eh?

I didn’t blog about Professional Development because we had a staff meeting on thursday afternoon. It’s been awhile, but it was nice to see everyone… who was there…

That being said, I’m signing off, and am going to go home and enjoy my weekend after this nice short 2-day week.

Project List

Posted on by Michael

I didn’t really have a professional development time today. VERCON will have to wait till next week. I have plenty of other things to do.

During my bi-monthly staff meeting this week, we talked about our summer todo lists. I gave an overview, but thought I might blog this week about my complete summer todo’s (and hopefuls).

ONLINE HOUSING APP (10/1)
– Roommate Match, Preferences, CBORD Custom Programming, Online Payment

COMPUTRITION v15 UPGRADE/MIGRATION (8/1)

OUR WEBSITE UPDATE (9/1)

NEW ORACLE PROGRAMS
– WOUPortal (9/1), Work Order System (8/1)

ORACLE PROGRAM SECURITY UPDATES
– RSC (9/1), Timesheet (9/1)

REDWOLF UPDATES (9/1)

———————

I have a few other projects that I’m working on, but aren’t critical for the summer:

– RSC PackageTracker
– Valsetz Comment Card
– Lab Helpdesk Troubleshooter
– Service Request System (for the lab & computing – only helping)
– BugTrack
– Off-Campus Housing
– Auto-registration system for residents

———————

These are my regular (weekly) tasks:

– AR Transactions
– Bi-weekly Blogs
– Professional Staff Development
– Deal with Copyright complaints for the halls

Mish-Mash

Posted on by Michael

Well I was out last wed-fri, but I’m back.

I’ve been working on some upgrades for the Timesheet App (student payroll), fixed a redwolf bug, a online housing app bug, been in some meetings preping for the new WOU website rollout, been playing with my new Blackberry (that probably deserves it’s own blog), and lots of other little projects.

Soon, I’m going to be working on my WOUPortal and the Work Order System.