Tuesday, June 27, 2006

my most useful program ever

This is the most useful program I have ever written. It is a pause or sleep program for DOS batch files. I know, I know, there are lots out there... but I wanted the simplest pause program I could get. This one takes one parameter: duration of pause in milliseconds.

So... it works like this:

sleepy 30000

That would give you a pause of 30 seconds.

If you need support for this program, you shouldn't be using a computer.

Get it here.

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Corporate Trash

It's been a while since my last post... and alot of very interesting things have happened since that time. The most important thing that has happened, at least to myself and my wife, is our mutual confirmation in our steadfast belief that humans are, for the most part, garbage. And collections of humans, such as corporations and their respective departments, are greater piles of garbage than the sum of the individual piles of garbage that inhabit them. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Our bleak outlooks were affirmed over the past two weeks as I negotiated (and subsequently declined... twice...) a new job in another city with my current employer. The new job was a significant jump in levels (2), an increase in responsibility, a better title, and other minor but attractive elements. It seemed to be, in and of itself, and excellent opportunity and a very good fit with my current skillset. The problems started when the Human Resources department became involved. Actually, that's not quite true. The problems started once I was identified as the top candidate, and HR then had to 'make it happen' for myself and the manager who wished to hire me.

To make things a little easier, I will list in point form the events which transpired. I will strive to list things in chronological order; however, some events occurred simultaneously.


  • Find and apply for job at company website - job located at site I had visited and worked at for one week last year. It was a good experience.
  • Contacted by HR - hiring manager wishes to interview me for position.
  • Interview with hiring manager. Seems to go well.
  • One and a half weeks pass... receive email from another person who works for hiring manager, asking some questions re. technical skills. Reply to message.
  • Following day (a Wednesday), receive notification for HR that hiring manager has selected me for the position. I indicate that I am interested. HR says they will follow up with more details, salary offer etc.
  • Receive salary offer. It is appx. $5000.00 more than my current salary. After much speculation, calculation, and planning, my wife and I come to the conclusion that $5000.00 is far too low to even consider moving across the province. On the following Monday I inform HR that I am officially rejecting the offer, and indicate that I am no longer a candidate for the position.
  • I receive an email from HR asking what I would have taken as an offer. I tell them $10,000.00 per level (total $20,000.00 raise), relocation expenses, and free high-speed internet, expecting HR to laugh and go away, considering the pathetic original offer of $5000.00. I am informed by email that such a raise would require the authorization of a VP.
  • I receive a call from HR next day, stating that the offer will be up to $3000.00 in relocation expenses, free high-speed internet for home, $12,000.00 in salary increase, and $8000.00 more after a 6-month performance appraisal. Not bad at all!
  • Negotiate (or try to negotiate) some other details re. vacation, seniority etc. I am told the start date will be in 3 1/2 weeks... a very short period of time to try to find a new home and buy it, get ours ready for sale and sell it etc.
  • Finally after much deliberation, I accept the job late on a Friday afternoon. I call HR to inform them of my decision and I am told that an 'offer' letter will be forwarded on the following Monday.
  • Friday night / Saturday / Sunday - my wife and I find, review, and place an offer on a condo in the vicinity of my new work campus. We order carpet to be installed in our basement front room. We begin packing our belongings and arrange to have quite a large amount of our belongings moved to storage. Offer on new house accepted (conditionally). Financing and inspection conditions to be met on next Friday.
  • Monday - Send HR an email indicated that we had found a home and that we require the paperwork for the new job ASAP in order to get approved financing for a mortgage. No offer arrives from HR. Continue to pack belongings. Painter arranged for Wednesday. Carpet installer arranged for Wednesday. Arrange house inspection ($375.00) for Wednesday on new home.
  • Tuesday - things continue, still no offer paperwork (or otherwise) from HR. Formally resign from my current position.
  • Wednesday- my current boss sends out a note that I am leaving current account and moving to Ottawa. This turns out to be a blessing in disquise as coworkers come out of the woodwork to congratulate me, but warn me that HR does not always (or ever) play straight.
  • Wednesday - call HR enquiring when my offer letter might show up. I am told no earlier than Friday. Of course, this is not sufficient as we need the documents for the mortgage by COB Thursday. I send an email reiterating the terms of our verbal agreement to HR and indicate that if the documents are not available to me by COB Thursday, our financing will not go through, and I will not be able to accept the position.
  • Wednesday - late afternoon the offer arrives. It does not outline the terms of the verbal agreement; specifically, the $8000.00 is not mentioned, the $3000.00 relocation costs are now available if I apply f or them (which of course means they are not available). Other details not mentioned at all.
  • Thursday - I ask for my current job back, which I receive. I decline offer officially and indicate no further negotiations will occur. Luckily we cancel financing and offer on home.
  • Friday / Satureday / Sunday - try to figure out how we will put our house back together. Calculate expenses for trying to take this job.

So you can see this was quite a ride. We, being my wife and myself, are still walking funny after the screwing we received from the company I have worked 8 long years to help be successful. I suspect we will be walking funny for a long while yet...