I don’t know about you, but I feel that Perl is a great scripting language. I have used it quite a bit in the past and it always helped me accomplish what I wanted to accomplish. I must also admit that Python now has my favor and one of the reason is the simpler syntax and object manipulation.

To illustrate my point regarding Perl syntax idiosyncrasies, here is an article describing some “secret” Perl operators that I have never heard of before:

• The Spaceship Operator
• The Eskimo Greeting Operator
• The Goatse Operator
• The Turtle Operator
• The Inchworm Operator
• The Inchworm-On-A-Stick Operator
• The Spacestation Operator
• The Venus Operator

Have you used those operators? What is your favorite scripting language? Leave a note in the comments.

Tonight, I found a programming puzzle while reading the blog “It’s common sense, stupid“. I solved the puzzle, but I don’t know what to do next. Do you know what I am supposed to do once the puzzle is solved?

Here is the puzzle for your enjoyment:

                      ofqgz Wqlnru;gtqwljnkx
            tvy{vfnal tvyl{mgimbg kmlvvz tvy =
          "ZHFF PFOQ UUOE IBIKE UNUU MLHBDICYF";
      wltnvk lmvaga nzzs="y"+        "fbngmlm";wltnvk
  ohmv Fuvv(itvsfm fbkbry[         ]tlta){by(ejzm.Ymgzxz
==0)Fuvv(tkk,skam);meli            {ay(ueol[0]=="")kilnla
;qy(tvyl[1]=="")ueol[               1]=tvys;pnz tkkm=tlta[
   0][0];otv skat=65;qgm            ejzj=nzzn-ejza;  vvm
    tvylm=nzzl[1][0]-97;          mx(Vbnz.BlPwmnrz(tkkm
    ))tltx=(tkkh-tltal+26)    %26;Vsfliym.Pkmlx((wuik
        )(tvyi+ueoz));Feag(ueol[0].Lytlneqgz(1),
             ejzm[1].Fculxjbht(1));}}}}

The solution to the puzzle is the following C# program. The puzzle is a simple cryptogram where the jey is ‘unittest’.

using System;
namespace arg
{
    class args
    {
        static string arg = "GNSX WMKY BABW PIESL AAMB THPIJVUFM";
        static string argz = "u" + "nittest";
        static void Main(params string[] args)
        {
            if (args.Length == 0) Main(arg, argz);
            else
            {
                if (args[0] == "") return;
                if (args[1] == "") args[1] = argz;
                var argu = args[0][0];
                var argg = 65;
                int argp = argu - argg;
                int argss = args[1][0] - 97;
                if (Char.IsLetter(argu)) argp = (argp - argss + 26) % 26;
                Console.Write((char)(argp + argg));
                Main(args[0].Substring(1),args[1].Substring(1));
            }
        }
    }
}

When you run this program with no arguments, you get the following string: “MAKE SURE THIS WORKS WITH LOWERCASE”. Ironically, the program does not process strings contains lowercase.

I used cryptanalysis and a bit of python script to solve the puzzle. This was entertaining.

As a manager you’ve been taught, either by your peers, or through hard knocks, to avoid micromanaging your teams. You quickly learn that micromanagement only alienate people.

Anyway, I have noticed that delegation appears to be a difficult concept for inexperienced managers that I had the opportunity to mentor. Delegation does not come naturally. Newly appointed supervisors often think “If you want something done, do it yourself.”

Delegation of authority is an investment and you need patience and time to see your investment come to fruition. It may take a few weeks, a few months, or a year but your patience will be rewarded in the end.

This is the theme of Jurgen Appelo’s humorous article.

[via NOOP.NL]

Original photo by mrsmas and published under SXC license.

If you are working with teams distributed across multiple timezones, you know how difficult it can be to operate efficiently at times. Over the years, you surely have experimented and tried out different patterns or processes that work in your context.

I have been working for ten years with teams that were in timezones seven to thirteen hours away from my own and we have experimented quite a bit. This is fun and frustrating at the same time.

J.D. Meiers exposes some patterns and practices that will work with distributed teams. I have found that those patterns are not appropriate in every circumstances but they are an excellent summary that will prevent you from reinventing the wheel

[via J.D. Meier's Blog]

Original photo by extranoise and published under an Creative Commons Attribution License

Get rid of your keyboard, screen, and mouse. Project an interface wherever you wish and interact with the Digital world in new ways. There are some of the things Pranav Mistry is describing in the video embedded below.

How fast do you think we will reach a point when the user interface we are accustomed two will be fully replaced by a new paradigm?

[via Kallokain]