存档在 2009年9月

Supporting Multi-Monitor Increases Productivity

2009年9月23日

VS.NET 2010 has better support to multi-monitor users

http://www.softwarefactoriestoolkit.net/img/dev10ShellPic.png

http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2009/08/31/multi-monitor-support-vs-2010-and-net-4-series.aspx

The word better means VS.NET 2010 utilized multi-monitor much wisely than previous version. MS looks finished enough higher priority tasks to improve VS.NET IDE, so they get a chance to look into how to support multi-monitor better than before.

Looks the major improvement of VS.NET is it comes with better support of windows layout in the same application.

Support for multi-monitor boost user productivity

Dual-monitor is a common setup in workplace for information workers. Application developers often have dual monitors (some may have three or even four).

Multi-monitor measn larger work space on screen and screen border split the work space so it’s easier to layout windows on different screen.

Create Your Apps with Multi-Monitor Support

This means a lot for mISV. You need design your software with supporting multi-monitor in mind. The software should be designed with the mind that leverage multi-monitor to improve usability and productivity, plus (ideally) do not bring a high learn curve of this function.

Testing cost and effort are obviously higher than before. You need more monitors, test cases should cover different layout and screen size.

If this feature recognized by customers and convert to orders, all works worth it.

Show Stopper

2009年9月22日

最近阅读了Show Stopper!: The Breakneck Race to Create Windows NT and the Next Generation at Microsoft 的中译本,写点感想。

内容

书的内容是说微软从无到有构建Windows NT的故事,作者记录了这个漫长复杂曲折的过程。书中主要人物之一是OS大牛Dave Cutler,给我留下印象比较深的地方是Dave是个粗鲁且独断的人。不过在技术上那两把刷子还是没说的,绝对的NT之父。

和我的预期不同,作者并没有从偏技术的角度来说明NT诞生的过程。总体看来,这本书更像是一部纪实文学,从方方面面不同的视角(比如老板gates和dave大神的微妙关系,微软如何“戏弄”IBM和OS/2,NT团队中的斗争和合作,某个员工近乎破碎的家庭生活等等)反应出了伴随NT构建过程所发生的故事。

作为读者,得花一些力气把一个个小故事串联起来,得出全貌。

翻译

本书的中译本翻译质量不佳。主要译者费了很多口舌在译序中解释他是如何发现Show Stopper——“观止”这个蹩脚的翻译。基本上是底气不足,为自己做无效的辩护而已。

全书由多位译者完成,这些名为“等”的译者背景资历皆无法考证。只留下了不同章节里明显不同的翻译风格。

书中文字排版书中有不少低级错误,例如居然出现了一个叫做“雷蒙德”的地名。看看出版社的责编在此书上留下的大名,真是令人钦佩。

讽刺

这边书中记录了Dave Culter是如何重视质量和软件构件过程。可笑的是中文译本低下的质量成为了一个有趣的注脚。