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Unfortunately there is no easy answer to this, as it depends on so many unknowns: the complexity of the application, the programming language, the rules and processes, your knowledge and experience, etc.
I have had to do this a number of times in my career, and the support I received varied from very good to non-existent. If you have access to the original developer then you should be able to ask for help from time to time. As it is you need to spend as much time as possible studying the code and (hopefully) the documentation, to get familiar with the overall design and flow of the application. One of the things I sometimes did, was to take a copy of the project and do mock changes and builds for my own testing, just to see what happened in certain situations. Ultimately the only real way to do it is by practice, practice, practice.
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Richard,
Thanks for the insight i will sure apply the approach you stated.
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Our company was purchased by our largest competitor a few months back.
Mass layoffs in two phases, they've phased out most of our product lines, but now?
New insurance benefits for 2016:
If you are a member of the purchased company, you will pay more PER PERIOD for your health insurances than we charge the parent company PER MONTH.
I ran the number for the year; they're charging me an extra 2 weeks of pay for the identical coverage of the other employees. 
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Time to dust off and touch up your resume?
How do we preserve the wisdom men will need,
when their violent passions are spent?
- The Lost Horizon
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9 years ago I was hired to build an application for an iron foundry.
It took almost 2 years to build.
I used PHP and mySQL.
Now because of the economic crisis they had to let me go.
After 7 years I decided to contact them again.
Nobody did anything to the software nor the database.
Now they are telling me they are still using this.
WTF!
I realy could use some advice about how to proceed in this proces.
How can I best proceed to make it future proof.
I would like to create an open source platform for iron foundry software but where to start.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Rob
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If you were hired by a company to write an application for them, then the code belongs to them. If you're intending to use that code as the basis of an open-source project, then you'll need to get written permission from them before you start. I'd strongly suggest talking to a lawyer to make sure everything's legal and above-board.
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
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Thanks for the reply.
I have no idea what they think of the code ownership.
Good point.
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Not entirely true. If he was an employee of the company the code belongs to them. If he was a contractor, say 1099, then he has the intellectual rights to the code, even if he sat in their office and coded it.
I know this because I've been doing it for a while and been through this more than once. The company needs to specify in writing in the contract how the ownership is applied.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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I'm working on an assignment -- not about programming directly -- where I thought I could collect some data useful to the community. At least in a "How about that!" way.
In short: I've been asked to review five applications that help put together online surveys. And while I could ask dumb questions like, "What is your favorite flavor of chocolate?" I think it'd be more fun to find out what job attributes -- beyond tech considerations -- developers feel are most important. This isn't scientific, and I can't use it for "real data," but wouldn't it be nice to know whether this group of people cares more about telecommuting options than flexible work hours?
The results are, obviously, completely anonymous. I'm just trying to get enough data for my screen shots to have pretty charts. But I'm happy to share the results with anyone who participates. (That lets me check out the software's reporting features, too.)
So if you're willing to help me... follow this link?
https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/18iwzz[]
FWIW I aim to finish the article by the end of the week, so if you could do this in the next few days it'd be dandy.
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eschindler wrote: this group of people cares more about telecommuting options than flexible work hours?
I care about the pay-check.
That's why most of us work; to get paid. We don't pay the bills with flexible hours.
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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I find that we all expect others to feel the same way we do. If you care primarily about the paycheck, for instance, you expect others to be motivated by financial considerations.
FWIW, that isn't necessarily the case. Which is why this survey is generating such interesting results.
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eschindler wrote: I find that we all expect others to feel the same way we do.
Off course, mirroring[^] is our first way of learning things. Later on they teach you that this may cause bias.
Yes, we can agree there; most adults will understand that not everyone has the same motivation.
eschindler wrote: If you care primarily about the paycheck, for instance, you expect others to be
motivated by financial considerations.
So, you're expecting honest answers? 
Go ask volunteers (unpaid people) why they do their volunteer job. Paid work would rarely be done if it would not be paid.
eschindler wrote: Which is why this survey is generating such interesting results.
Do explain what other work-related non-monetairy rewards people are being hauled in with.
It'll be rather similar to "you get a FREE iPad with this offer".
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Yes, I expect honest answers. What's the advantage of doing otherwise?
As I wrote in my original post: I'll send people who take the survey the results. Then everyone can see what's considered the most valuable job attributes.
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eschindler wrote: Yes, I expect honest answers. What's the advantage of doing otherwise?
Of course people would not lie to make a good impression 
I don't know what the advantage of a list of developers with their email is, complete with a bit of background on their desired workplace and loyalty to the current employer.
eschindler wrote: I'll send people who take the survey the results. Then everyone can see
what's considered the most valuable job attributes.
No, only those who receive the mail. It can be made public at no cost without any need for my mail adres 
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Sheesh, you really are cynical.
If you don't want to share honest opinions, then don't take the survey. It's no skin off my nose.
I figure that sharing the results with the people who do take the time to respond is a small thank-you for their participation. As I wrote, the results won't be considered scientific (it's too small a sample size, and self-selecting) so I can't use the data for another purpose.
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I am taking the survey right now, and it did surprise me with a question.
I can bring my dog to work.
No workplace that I know of would allow that.
I am encouraged to participate in technology community activities (such as speaking as a conference).
"at" a conference.
If you would like me to send you the results of this survey, please enter your email ID.
You can put the results on any public site, I'll view them there.
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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I've known offices that do let people bring dogs to work. I worked in one of them.
Thanks for the typo catch.
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Hi,
I am a mainly C#/.Net/Vc++ etc etc developer, carrying around 12 years of exp. A lot of my work was related to mobile apps in eVC++ earlier and now in latest Windows platforms. I did some iOS work as well in between.
But now the client side work has started to tire me out, mainly because I find myself battling with a lot of UI issues, and Framework limitations. The Projects are small and Need fast development, which does not provide depth in my work. I am getting inclined towards Server side Technologies, but having worked for sometime on Azure and a lot on SQL Server, I must say I was really not a fan of these tools. Moreover with Azure, I think you get stuck on a lot of Hardware related issues? Is that true ? I don't know a lot though.
So I am pretty much confused right now, about what Kind of direction I should take? I am also thinking of plunging into Java world, mostly because I am really not excited about Microsoft Server side Technologies.
Though it is a vague question, to give more insight into what Kind of work I like, I would say I am all for clean architecture, Patterns and practices and I would like to get into something that provides me more opportunity to design and implement a full Software System.
Thanks a lot,
Preea
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As the old saying goes, life is what happens while you're making other plans.
Reading your post, I get the feeling that you really don't like computer programming very much. You might discover that you're just as unhappy on the server side as on the UI.
If all you've been doing is Microsoft, adding Java to your skill set is definitely a good idea. Or you could become a database guru. Or a cloud guru. Or a network guru.
Take a look at coursera.org and udacity.com, and take an online course in something that you think might interest you.
But also think about doing something completely different. Maybe you were meant to be a farmer.
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I am not sad to say that Microsoft needs to just quit making software! I have been a big supporter of Microsoft for years but lately all they produce is garbage. I understand the basic Ideology of MVVM for applications but WPF is terrible at delivering this. It used to be a simple task to wire up a simple combo box to display a list of options but with WPF its not so simple. In fact when I started to ask questions about how to do it the only response I get was "ummm.... I have to look at your code" no one seems to have a simple response. Even researching online I never see a clear example not even from Microsoft's own site. So if the company that wrote this can't provide a simple example why are so many people dedicated to make this sh*t work. The entire platform is not obvious and the learning curve is too steep. Additionally, it seems that performance of these applications is terrible and buggy. Yet you see the demand for everyone to have this skill set from employers. A framework should deliver the following features to developers: stability of execution, obviousness of design, simplicity, and hopefully a reduction of effort. If you can't ensure these traits don't deliver a product, you will just weaken the end user. I don't feel that WPF delivers any of these traits. In fact a much broader statement could be made here Microsoft as a company no longer supplies this, or maybe it never did. I started looking back at everything Microsoft has produced and I realized its just a lousy provider of software in general. I kind of wish more people would abandon these products for the sake of pressuring these industry giants to start providing better solutions. If we as a community continue to accept inferior tools to do our jobs it will only become more difficult to progress forward. I know that some people will say "well if you don't like Microsoft what would you use in place of it?" The answer is I don't have a good answer to that one. There are so many lousy software companies out there that provide bottom of the barrel products that there is no safe haven for anyone. I see too many times that people generate so many patches or hack code to work around platform bugs that I wonder what would the software look like if you didn't always have to fix the code before you work on your own problem. If you eve wonder why you have so many service calls start looking at the underlying problems with the framework you have chosen you may find your answer there.
nothing
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I find the same with all the .NET framework, each object and method is documented... with the obvious. But there is no MSDN page saying things like "File Operations: the classes aaaa, bbbb... zzz are the main interfaces with the File System. If you need to do this other thing that looks related plese look classes abc and bcd.". Then you look at class aaaa and see it is a file indexing so maybe you don't need it, bbb is a parser, and so on.
The plain old API is perfectly documented and there is little anyone can't do with a couple of days at most of documentation delving. The whole overgrown .NET framework is a collection of obscure objects.
Geek code v 3.12 {
GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- r++>+++ y+++*
Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
}
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
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That sounds more like a documentation problem than a framework one.
If Microsoft only gave you a limited BCL, with simple classes to do simple things, then everyone would be complaining that there was no way to do some obscure complicated thing.
Instead, they give you a large set of classes which let you do almost anything, and they get berated because it's not simple enough! 
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
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If you're going to post a long rant, first locate the "Enter" or "Return" key on your keyboard! Putting everything in one long paragraph makes it much less likely that anyone will read it.
icestatue wrote: I understand the basic Ideology of MVVM for applications but WPF is terrible at delivering this.
WPF is excellent at MVVM[^]. To the point that MVVM didn't exist before WPF, because it depends on features that are only available in WPF.
icestatue wrote: It used to be a simple task to wire up a simple combo box to display a list of options but with WPF its not so simple.
It's incredibly simple - if you've embraced MVVM.
<ComboBox
ItemsSource="{Binding Path=SomeListOfItems, Mode=OneWay}"
SelectedValue="{Binding Path=TheSelectedItem, ValidatesOnDataErrors=True, ValidatesOnExceptions=True}"
/>
icestatue wrote: Even researching online I never see a clear example ...
Step by Step WPF Data Binding with Comboboxes[^]
(OK, it's not a Microsoft article, but documentation has never been Microsoft's strong point!)
icestatue wrote: The entire platform is not obvious and the learning curve is too steep.
Every platform is "not obvious" when you're just starting out. Giving up an announcing that the whole platform is sh*t just because you haven't mastered it yet isn't the best way to learn!
icestatue wrote: Additionally, it seems that performance of these applications is terrible and buggy.
That was the case 10 years ago, when WPF was introduced. Microsoft have made significant improvements since then.
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
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