Category: engineer
-
Rules of Engagement in Troubleshooting Bugs
When troubleshooting software bugs I follow these simple rules 1) Try to first understand the system from beginning to end, ask questions until you feel like you understand it. 2) Do not trust what anyone else says, verify it for yourself. (watch HTTP traffic with LiveHTTPHeaders, watch TCP traffic with tcpdump) 3) Make assertions, ie…
-
Only Room For 3
The first thing my manager said to me when he walked in was that he heard Yahoo! News retained the #1 spot again in December. I’m a bit obsessed with statistics. The first day I joined Yahoo! in 1999, that was the first thing I looked at, and I continued to dig through the data…
-
Software Bugs And George Orwell 1984’s Torture
Often times I help people with long lingering software bugs or computer problems and when it’s finally fixed, they usually thank me profusely or express their undying love for me 🙂 I tell them that it’s the Geroge Orwell 1984 philosophy. If you have not read the book or you forgot what it’s about, read…
-
What don’t you like about your job?
Someone asked me tonight. “You seem to like your job, now tell me one thing you don’t like about your job” I pondered that question and I can’t think of a single thing. I think I’m either in denial or I’m one hell of a lucky guy. I love the pressure of the working for…
-
What don’t you like about your job?
Someone asked me tonight. “You seem to like your job, now tell me one thing you don’t like about your job” I pondered that question and I can’t think of a single thing. I think I’m either in denial or I’m one hell of a lucky guy. I love the pressure of the working for…
-
Tony the Lifer 🙁
I was having ramen at Ryowa in Berkeley with someone I met who was a consultant. I told her I worked at Yahoo! for 6 years already, she was shocked at first then she said it’s ok, there are a bunch of “lifers” at her company as well. Somehow that didn’t make me feel better…
-
Work To Live or Live To Work?
Work To Live or Live To Work? It’s an age old question and people have different perspectives on this. Of course there is your family and friends who see a completely different side of you for like 4 hours a day and weekend time and of course those are the people who will always be…
-
Work To Live or Live To Work?
It’s an age old question and people have different perspectives on this. Of course there is your family and friends who see a completely different side of you for like 4 hours a day and weekend time and of course those are the people who will always be there for you and they are the…
-
No, I Don’t Type The News Stories
It has happened to me so many times now I think I’ll just have to accept it and just go with the flow. Trying to explain what a software engineer does for Yahoo! News to people I meet or family members has been interesting. Here is a sample conversation with a friend I met. Friend:…
-
No, I Don’t Type The News Stories
It has happened to me so many times now I think I’ll just have to accept it and just go with the flow. Trying to explain what a software engineer does for Yahoo! News to people I meet or family members has been interesting. Here is a sample conversation with a friend I met. Friend:…