A dragon on the wing

I just got the last of my grades from my professor. Final score for the course: 98% 8-)

Forgive me for a bit of bragging, but that makes 14 consecutive semesters of straight A's!

In spite of how many hours I've spent on this bloody thing, it feels strange to realize that we're fast-approaching Version 1.0!

I've got contact information for all of my Beta Testers except one. kat_denton, I've sent an email to what I *believe* is your address. Can you please let me know when you get it, so I can be sure I have a way to get the Beta Test package to you?

As most of you who read this know, I am a software developer. As you also know, I am in my final semester of school, and am working to create a program for use designing the curriculum for a martial arts school.

Part of the formal process of software development includes testing by people other than the developer(s). This is typically done in three stages: Alpha testing, Beta testing, and QA testing.

As used here, Alpha testing is the early testing of individual pieces to confirm that they function as expected. Beta testing is looking over the proposed finished product as a whole, confirming that all pieces function as expected. QA testing is looking over everything and trying to find ways to break it. ::G::

I currently have one person who has volunteered for Alpha-only testing, one for Beta-only testing, one for both Alpha and Beta (requires separate machines), and one for QA testing. This is enough to get by, but more would be welcomed.

Here is what would be involved for each role:

Alpha tester -- I will send you an executable program and one or more test plans. You run the program, go through the test plan, and send me your results and feedback. Time frame: October 15 - November 4.

QA tester -- I will send you an executable program and documentation. You read through the documentation (and suggest any edits), run the program, and see if there is anything you can do to cause the program to crash or otherwise malfunction. Time frame: November 5 - November 11.

Beta tester -- I will send you an executable program, documentation, and a set of test plans. You read the documentation (and suggest any edits), run the program, go through the test plans, and send me your results and feedback. Time frame: November 12 - November 18.

If you feel like volunteering for any or all of the roles above, please let me know! Once I've gotten a look at how many people are volunteering for which roles, I'll get back with you with confirmation and further details.

Thank you!!!

Today marks the first day of the last semester in the pursuit of my Bachelor's Degree. I have exactly one course, "Culminating Special Project."

"The culminating special project may take the form of an academic research paper or creative activity project resulting in a tangible product, either of which should demonstrate synthesis of a student's coursework" -- in this case, Information Technology, Software Development, and Management courses.

The only problem is, the ideas I've had so far haven't really "grabbed" me, if you know what I mean? I've gotten a couple of very good suggestions from gryphonrhi and alysswolf, and a few that crawled up from the depths of my own reptilian mind, but nothing that really lights my fire.

I've been leaning towards the Project option rather than the academic paper, although I'm not excluding the Paper option at this point. "The project may consist of creating curriculum materials for training, designing/developing a computer program, building a website, etc. You will be required to identify a professional in your project field to review the proposal, the final project and the PowerPoint presentation."

To date, the two front-runners have been a pair of software development ideas. One would be for use in designing the curriculum for a martial arts school, the other would be for setting up a schedule for a convention (juggling speakers, panels, rooms, etc. so that you don't have the same speaker scheduled to be in three places at once). Unfortunately, the latter idea has a flaw in that I don't know anyone who would qualify as a professional in that field. For the former idea, I could use either my current or previous martial arts instructor.

Further suggestions gladly taken!

Well, it's been a long road, but the end is finally in sight.

I've just confirmed with my advisor that with four more courses, I can complete my degree.

And in only 22.5 years! LOL

So... two classes this spring (plus preparing for my 3rd-degree black belt test), one class over the summer, and one in the fall, and then next Christmas I should receive a *really* special present, from the University! 8-)

Now if I can just maintain that string of A's....

In that phrase made so famous by Dr. Martin Luther King, "Free at last, free at last! Thank God in heaven, I'm free at last!"

Well... for two weeks, anyway....

I finished up the last bit of stuff for this semester last night around midnight. Now if only the professor would post the grades for the assignments for the last two weeks, I could tell what my semester grade would be...

I know that I got a solid A for the Systems Analysis class. I *should* have an A for the Int'l Law class, assuming I get B's or better for those assignments that haven't been graded yet. I've managed straight A's since I went back to school in '97 -- 9 semesters. It would *really* tick me off to blow that record now!

Now I get to take a break until two weeks from Monday... well, a break from schoolwork, anyway... ::G::

This weekend I'll get to spend with my family, plus my early-teenage nephew is coming to visit from NC. He's busting his buttons -- he's finally old enough to have his own rifle. Admittedly, it's just a .22, but he's still thrilled!

And next weekend, I get to go be pampered, courtesy of my beloved gryphonrhi! For my birthday, she got me a spa package -- hot mineral baths and massages: it's definitely "the good place"! 8-)

One down, one to go....

I finished up the last assignment for one of my classes last night. Now I have a final exam to take for the other class, and then I'm done until next semester -- which starts the first week of June.

The move is almost here. I picked up the keys to the new apartment on Saturday, and have most of the stuff in the current apartment packed up. I'll probably take my final exam tonight, do a bit more packing, then spend tomorrow night getting through as much of the remaining packing as I can.

Almost there...