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Colin Angus Mackay - Professional Profile



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Have been a Code Project MVP 5 years running and was Microsoft C# MVP 4 years running, MBCS, MIAP and a whole bunch of other stuff. Now I just help run Scottish Developers which is a user group with software development events in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee and I have also started an open source project to help with Password Validation

Main topics I blog about:
* Parallelization in .NET
* Code Quality
* Data Security

Groups

Below is the list of groups in which the member is participating

United States United States
This member has not yet provided a Biography. Assume it's interesting and varied, and probably something to do with programming.
This is a Collaborative Group
This member has Member status in this group

136 members
United States United States
This member has not yet provided a Biography. Assume it's interesting and varied, and probably something to do with programming.
This is a Collaborative Group
This member has Member status in this group

41 members
United States United States
This _private_ forum is set up to be a place where political and social issues, including American politics and global warming, can be discussed in a reasonably civil manner. Anyone who has been an active member* of Code Project for six months is welcome to apply for membership but this forum does not tolerate trolling posts, or posters who wish to be disagreeable. Those who choose to become uncivil, insulting, or childish will be warned and, for repeated violations, removed from membership.

* That means that you have posted regularly or had at least one article published.

For member complaints and suggestions, contact the forum administrator at ...
cp[soapbox1[0 at gmail.com
Remove the [ characters and replace them by a period.
This is a Social Group
This member has Member status in this group

192 members
The user group is a not-for-profit organisation, with a mission to improve the developer community in Scotland. The strategy is to utilise the Web Site, day conferences, evening seminars and other developer events to continuously improve and develop the skillset of members and the general IT community.

Most events are free or low costs, are open for everyone to attend, with no limitations on qualifications, skill levels or experience. If you have a genuine interest in I.T. and development then membership of Scottish Developers may be just for you.

It is important for all members to feel they can contribute to Scottish Developers. This can be by coming to events, presenting sessions, writing articles and being an active member on the forum area of the web site.
This is a Organisation
This member has Administrator, Manager, Author, Member status in this group

1 members

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GeneralGleam in the North Pin
Colin Angus Mackay22-Jun-04 12:47
Colin Angus Mackay22-Jun-04 12:47 
GeneralThe Perils of Loyalty Card Data Pin
Colin Angus Mackay12-Jun-04 7:47
Colin Angus Mackay12-Jun-04 7:47 
GeneralRe: The Perils of Loyalty Card Data Pin
Paul Watson18-Jun-04 4:05
sitebuilderPaul Watson18-Jun-04 4:05 
GeneralRe: The Perils of Loyalty Card Data Pin
Colin Angus Mackay18-Jun-04 6:18
Colin Angus Mackay18-Jun-04 6:18 
GeneralRe: The Perils of Loyalty Card Data Pin
Paul Watson18-Jun-04 6:26
sitebuilderPaul Watson18-Jun-04 6:26 
GeneralRe: The Perils of Loyalty Card Data Pin
Colin Angus Mackay18-Jun-04 8:03
Colin Angus Mackay18-Jun-04 8:03 
GeneralMy glass runneth over today.... Pin
Colin Angus Mackay6-Jun-04 9:10
Colin Angus Mackay6-Jun-04 9:10 
GeneralKurious Pin
Colin Angus Mackay6-Jun-04 6:47
Colin Angus Mackay6-Jun-04 6:47 
About three weeks ago I took my car in to Kwik Fit because of a rattling that sounded like it came from the exhaust. The mechanic had a look and brought me over to see the underside of my car also. He explained that he couldn't see anything that was wrong and the entire exhaust system was gas tight. He did say that the rattling sound was probably coming from a heat shield covering the catalytic converter but that it was sturdy enough. He then gave it a good thump just to show how sturdy it was.

He advised me that there was nothing that needed doing and the best thing for me to do was mention it to the garage that was going to do the next service.

So, off I went happy that nothing was wrong with my car.

Yesterday I was out doing a bit of shopping and on my way home I was sitting in traffic waiting to get on to the Forth Road Bridge (At the moment there are road works and it typically takes an hour just to get onto the bridge because of that). Part of the route is down hill so I switch off my engine and coast slowly at about 1 or 2 miles an hour with many stop-starts. During this time I hear a more tinny rattling that sounds more serious than I have heard before.

I pull in on to a farm access to see what could be wrong. And having a look under the car I see that something is part detached and is scraping along the ground. Now, I don't know much about cars except how to drive them and I figured that I hadn't called the AA (Automobile Association) out for a couple of years and it was about time they earned the money I was paying them. So after about an hour of waiting (luckily I had a book with me) the AA turn up and rips of the remainder of the metal that was scraping on the floor.

When the guy stands up again he hands me the heat shield that the Kwik Fit mechanic had assured me was robust only three week previously. I was assured that the car was safe to drive but that I must get it repaired properly.

Earlier today I took my car back to Kwik Fit to get them to have another look. The mechanic takes me under the car to show me the underside again and explains that there was nothing needing doing. So I explained about the heat shield falling off (just in case he missed that) and he said that the manufacturers said it was alright to drive without one and they regularly pull off about half-dozen heat shields every week.

So, I said what was it there for? My car is a cheap car, where the emphasis was more on price than anything else. Why, then, would the manufacturer attach something that costs them extra money squeezing their margins or increasing the price of the car? The mechanic had no answer and just explained that he had no idea why manufacturer put them there at all.

So, at the end of all that, I have a car with no heat shield under the catalytic converter. The AA said it must be replaced, Kwik Fit said it is fine without it. Who do I believe?

Next weekend I'll be taking it to another garage to get another opinion. On the positive side, at least it gave me an hour and 45 minutes to continue reading my book. (1 hour while waiting for the AA, and 45 minutes while waiting for Kwik Fit to attend to my car)


"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." --Zig Ziglar

The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September

Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way!


GeneralRe: Kurious Pin
David Crow25-Jun-04 7:06
David Crow25-Jun-04 7:06 
GeneralRe: Kurious Pin
Colin Angus Mackay25-Jun-04 9:03
Colin Angus Mackay25-Jun-04 9:03 
GeneralMy 6th Article Pin
Colin Angus Mackay30-May-04 11:02
Colin Angus Mackay30-May-04 11:02 
GeneralWhat it represents Pin
Colin Angus Mackay26-May-04 13:10
Colin Angus Mackay26-May-04 13:10 
GeneralRe: What it represents Pin
Aaron Eldreth26-May-04 15:44
Aaron Eldreth26-May-04 15:44 
GeneralRe: What it represents Pin
Colin Angus Mackay28-May-04 1:50
Colin Angus Mackay28-May-04 1:50 
GeneralRe: What it represents Pin
Aaron Eldreth29-May-04 16:18
Aaron Eldreth29-May-04 16:18 
GeneralNew Bio Picture Pin
Colin Angus Mackay23-May-04 9:51
Colin Angus Mackay23-May-04 9:51 
GeneralLearning Serbian Pin
Colin Angus Mackay8-May-04 12:49
Colin Angus Mackay8-May-04 12:49 
GeneralRe: Learning Serbian Pin
Nemanja Trifunovic8-May-04 13:46
Nemanja Trifunovic8-May-04 13:46 
GeneralRe: Learning Serbian Pin
dacris8-May-04 14:19
dacris8-May-04 14:19 
GeneralRe: Learning Serbian Pin
Nemanja Trifunovic8-May-04 16:24
Nemanja Trifunovic8-May-04 16:24 
GeneralRe: Learning Serbian Pin
Colin Angus Mackay8-May-04 15:18
Colin Angus Mackay8-May-04 15:18 
GeneralRe: Learning Serbian Pin
Nemanja Trifunovic8-May-04 16:43
Nemanja Trifunovic8-May-04 16:43 
GeneralRe: Learning Serbian Pin
Colin Angus Mackay10-May-04 11:53
Colin Angus Mackay10-May-04 11:53 
GeneralRe: Learning Serbian Pin
Nemanja Trifunovic11-May-04 10:03
Nemanja Trifunovic11-May-04 10:03 
GeneralRe: Learning Serbian Pin
Colin Angus Mackay11-May-04 10:35
Colin Angus Mackay11-May-04 10:35 

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