main

Developers, Developers, Developers!

Tom Warren   on 16 May 2003 - 09:27 · 22 comments & 1279 views

Advertisement (Why?)
Developers implementing 'weekend inspiration' are more dangerous than hackers

UK websites are more likely to crash on a Monday morning, not because this is when hackers or viruses are most active, but because this is when developers come in and implement ideas they had over the weekend.

Development staff are now a bigger threat to website uptime than hackers and viruses combined, according to data taken from 70 leading sites over a nine-week period.

'Manic Monday' syndrome often arises when web developers tinker with the site after 'weekend inspiration'.

This results in more faults on a Monday morning than at any other time, said enterprise applications specialist Attenda, which conducted the research.

Neal Gandhi, vice president of product management at Attenda, said: "The quietest time of year for website problems is over Christmas and New Year because the development teams are away, even though it's a busy time for consumer websites.

"Then, as soon as you see the developers logging on again, the trouble starts."

Video: Don't worry Steve still loves you 1.5mb
View: View Article
News source: vnunet.com


"We've been looking for perfect opportunities to enter into the world of massively multiplayer online gaming and there is no fantasy gaming brand with more recognition than 'Dungeons & Dragons,'" said Bruno Bonnell, chairman and CEO of Atari. "The key to a productive business model for online gaming is having quality content that consumers will pay for. 'Dungeons & Dragons Online' will build on the huge amount of established content in the 'D&D' worlds. It has the potential to be that killer online app...that breakthrough title that sets a new standard for the medium."

Slated for release in 2005, "Dungeons & Dragons Online" is centered on robust character advancement, challenging dungeon combat, meaningful guild politics and territorial control over major portions of the game world. Players choose and develop a character based on some of the iconic races associated with "D&D," including Humans, Elves and Halflings, as well as classes such as Fighters, Clerics, Rogues, and Wizards -- after which they can socialize, find quests, group together and equip themselves for future battles.

"'Dungeons & Dragons' is the ultimate fantasy role-playing game. It has introduced more people to game playing than any other title and has spawned hosts of imitators and admirers," said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO, Turbine Entertainment. "The social backbone of 'D&D' gaming -- groups of friends creating adventures and worlds to explore together -- along with its rich fiction, immense monster bestiary, and complex character development make it a natural for the next generation of massively multiplayer game."

"Dungeons & Dragons Online" will let players travel alone or in parties as they explore the seemingly endless dungeon complexes found beneath the world. Through the dungeons, players will engage in physical and magical combat with hideous foes straight from the pages of the "Monster Manual"(TM) rulebook. Battle will be challenging, fast-paced, and easy to control with a wealth of unique weapon effects and character movements, as well as specific monster behaviors designed to keep combat both tactical and action packed.

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 22 additional comments
(2 replies) #1 Spidoinkel on 16 May 2003 - 09:39
lol very funny, brings the saying "if it aint broke dont fix it" to mind.
#1.1 KenLin on 16 May 2003 - 11:39
Yea, no new ideas!
#1.2 mbg on 16 May 2003 - 15:05
[neoquote=#1.1 by KenLin]Yea, no new ideas! [/neoquote] Ideas are part of a planned implementation, they are not fixes!
#2 SecretAgentMan on 16 May 2003 - 09:50
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
(3 replies) #3 Blind Reaper on 16 May 2003 - 10:44
Are they suggesting that no new ideas be implimented into software, then?
#3.1 Dessimat0r on 16 May 2003 - 10:52
Oops, that comment was posted by me, he was still logged onto this computer at college
#3.2 KenLin on 16 May 2003 - 11:38
I think this highlights the need for test servers, even if they are just glorified workstations.
#3.3 mbg on 16 May 2003 - 15:03
[neoquote=#3.0 by Blind Reaper]Are they suggesting that no new ideas be implimented into software, then? [/neoquote] I hope you're not a developer
#4 CheeseCow on 16 May 2003 - 11:10
After watching the video I really feel much better, even while thinking up some new server-crashing scheme.
#5 kemical on 16 May 2003 - 11:52
yea why would anyone work on a live web server before doing testing first? darrrrrrrrrr
#6 mrbester on 16 May 2003 - 12:41
Websites are more likely to crash on Mondays as that is the first day the developers are in the office, having to implement the latest bugfix. As the bug was probably detected on Friday night after they had left, it has escalated to a priority due to the extra days of the weekend when it wasn't worked on. Had the bug been submitted on a Thursday, it would have been looked at on Friday and remained a lower priority. It's the PHB saying:"We've got to get this sorted" which translates as "You've got to get this sorted in the next five minutes, regardless of anything else"
(1 reply) #7 Quick Reply on 16 May 2003 - 13:26
lol, sounds like my school, except that it goes down every day of the week
#7.1 Avenger on 16 May 2003 - 16:28
Hmm, sounds worse then my school.
#8 Quick Reply on 16 May 2003 - 13:52
HAHA, the guy in the video looks just a *little* overworked by microsoft
#9 antareus on 16 May 2003 - 15:12
If they have problems like this they should change methodologies to something like test-driven development.
(1 reply) #10 XP-RTM on 16 May 2003 - 19:35
isnt this video old?
#10.1 Zolk on 16 May 2003 - 20:09
Yes, but who doesn't think of it everytime they hear the word "developers"?
#11 Kurt on 16 May 2003 - 20:58
Yea I have seen it.. Must have taped last year or so.
(1 reply) #12 epple on 16 May 2003 - 21:28
that clip rocks.
#12.1 m0 on 17 May 2003 - 14:36
[neoquote=#12.0 by epple]that clip rocks. [/neoquote] yeah, lol m0.
(1 reply) #13 giantsnyy2002 on 17 May 2003 - 23:33
enough uh... sweating there steve?
#13.1 JaggedFlame on 18 May 2003 - 04:00
Yeah. Holy crap.

Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!

Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.

Advertisement (Why?)