Archives for 2009

Brooks’ Law

January 2, 2009 // by editor

Brooks’ Law:

“Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later.”

Who said it: Frederick P Brooks, Jr. in The Mythical Man-Month 1975

What it means: Getting new team members up to speed delays development even more than just finishing the job with the existing team.

What too many people think it means: A crazy idea. If throwing more people at the problem doesn’t help how could it hurt?

Why the difference matters: Developing systems isn’t like picking sweet corn. Until we all understand that, we’ll keep wasting the time and people we throw at projects that slip their schedules.

From Computer World’s column Frankly Speaking by Frank Hayes (currently it’s hanging on my wall). Don’t ask me when. It’s old.

The octopus who loves his Mr Potato Head

January 2, 2009 // by editor

Here’s another one.

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=83550&in_page_id=2

The octopus who loves his Mr Potato Head

Friday, January 11, 2008

Louis the octopus clearly thinks two heads are better than one when it comes to toys.

The 1.8m-wide (6ft) creature is so attached to Mr Potato Head that he turns aggressive when aquarium staff try to remove it from his tank.

The giant Pacific octopus was given the toy for Christmas and has even learned to dig out food hidden in a secret box at the back of it.

‘He’s fascinated by it,’ said Matt Slater, of the Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay, Cornwall. ‘He attacks the net we use to fish the toy out every time we try to take it away.’

Mr Slater added: ‘Octopuses are very intelligent and they like to be stimulated and busy.’

Otto the octopus wreaks havoc

January 2, 2009 // by editor

I thought this was pretty funny.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3328480/Otto-the-octopus-wrecks-havoc.html

Otto the octopus wreaks havoc

A octopus has caused havoc in his aquarium by performing juggling tricks using his fellow occupants, smashing rocks against the glass and turning off the power by short circuiting a lamp.

Last Updated: 12:22PM GMT 03 Nov 2008

: The culprit of the smashed glass and broken lamp is two foot seven inch Otto. Photo: EUROPICS

Staff believe that the octopus called Otto had been annoyed by the bright light shining into his aquarium and had discovered he could extinguish it by climbing onto the rim of his tank and squirting a jet of water in its direction.

The short-circuit had baffled electricians as well as staff at the Sea Star Aquarium in Coburg, Germany, who decided to take shifts sleeping on the floor to find out what caused the mysterious blackouts.

A spokesman said: “It was a serious matter because it shorted the electricity supply to the whole aquarium that threatened the lives of the other animals when water pumps ceased to work.

“It was on the third night that we found out that the octopus Otto was responsible for the chaos.

“We knew that he was bored as the aquarium is closed for winter, and at two feet, seven inches Otto had discovered he was big enough to swing onto the edge of his tank and shoot out the 2000 Watt spot light above him with a carefully directed jet of water.”

Director Elfriede Kummer who witnessed the act said: “We’ve put the light a bit higher now so he shouldn’t be able to reach it. But Otto is constantly craving for attention and always comes up with new stunts so we have realised we will have to keep more careful eye on him – and also perhaps give him a few more toys to play with.

“Once we saw him juggling the hermit crabs in his tank, another time he threw stones against the glass damaging it. And from time to time he completely re-arranges his tank to make it suit his own taste better – much to the distress of his fellow tank inhabitants.”