-k.

Sensis holds a virtual monopoly (due to historical positioning) over the production of telephone directories in Australia. In “They’ve lost their Sensis” the Edward Mandla points out that the company has completely failed to innovate and build upon what has to be one of Australia’s most valuable data assets.

I wanted to ask the NSW Liberal Party a question and needed its phone number. I entered “NSW Liberal Party” into Sensis and was given a whole lot of links to articles that were not relevant. I entered the same information into Google and the first link was the NSW Liberal Party website.

Pay for position listings make the Australian Yellow Pages site almost unusable. Search for a G.P. in your area and you’ll be bombarded with breast implants in Sydney. Now that might be fine in some circumstances but I like my breasts the way they are and really I’m looking for someone to give me a flu shot.

Maybe the Australian government should look at splitting the company up. Allow multiple sales organisations to sell ads into a government operated book printing business. In the same way as any telco can provide my phone service, my long distance service, etc. Government should own the infrastructure, private business should be allowed to retail on top of it (don’t get me started on Telstra’s position by inheritance, or selling off power lines). Handing monopolistic government infrastructure over to private business isn’t good for consumers or competing businesses.

Agile Software Development, Principles, Patterns and Practices is a book that belongs on every software engineers bookshelf. It’s a book filled with the right balance of the pragmatic and theoretical.

Don’t let the title put you off. Though agile principles are dealt with there is a wealth of content concerned with the practical application of design patterns. Each design pattern is placed in an overall design context and the forces shaping it are clearly presented (unlike many of my own ideas). The pattern is then explained and it’s use demonstrated through code. The examples are numerous and, with one or two exceptions, well written. What I like most about the pattern coverage was the pragmatic context in which each pattern was placed. Unlike many other books that are presented in a “This is the way it’s done and I’m right ’cause I wrote this book and you’re an idiot if you don’t do it my way.” This book provides clear presentation of the forces that effect the pattern as well as the theory behind it and practical advice on it’s usage.

I can’t say I took a lot from the agile sections of the book, I’ve been using light weight processes for a long time now, and I’m fortunate (?) enough to be working with a guy who’s soapbox is TFD (I still don’t quiet grok it, though I love TDD). It did serve to re-enforce things I either already knew and had chosen to ignore or already knew and used.

If you don’t want to fork out the cash go find one of those bookstores with a cafe, grab a coffee (or your beverage of choice) and read the chapter on package design. You’ll be better for it and, like me, you might just buy the book.