Coding matters: The trolley thief
Jacqui Coosner
2025-04-11
Two recent experiences lead to a reminder about password hygiene. And why you should not talk on your cell phone and drive.
Ethics and Quality
Coding matters: TLRA
Jacqui Coosner
2024-09-20
Don’t use TLDR; as an excuse. Reading has many benefits. Here are a few. Now that you are motivated, read this important article by Stephen Fry about Ai.
Coding matters: Risky shortcuts
Jacqui Coosner
2024-08-08
The truth about shortcuts is that they are risky, and don’t pay off in the long run. This is why so many stories of women taking shortcuts on their way home end badly. The same is true for shortcuts in software development.
Coding matters: The thorny issue of accreditation
Jacqui Coosner
2024-02-29
I’m feeling stupefied. That doesn’t mean I feel stupid (although sometimes I do). More like I am stumped by a stupid situation. And I need your help in getting unstupefied. The alphabet soup of accreditation A few weeks ago, a client asked if we are accredited. This client wanted to
Coding matters: Notes from a difficult customer
Jacqui Coosner
2023-11-02
I’ve said this before. Your work matters. That applies if you are an analyst, technician, developer, tester, trainer, DBA or manager. Every person who has a role in a system affects its quality. And that impacts the customer. There’s a lot of buzz about customer experience (CX). We need to
Coding matters: Lessons from aeroplanes
Jacqui Coosner
2023-10-19
The Linate aviation disaster was due to human, not system, errors. These are the same errors that cause system problems in governments and companies. Software matters: developers should take as much care as pilots and ground controllers.
Coding matters: Effort is required
Jacqui Coosner
2023-07-06
July is the month that tempts me most to do less. It’s hard to get up when it’s dark. It’s hard to summon energy when it’s cold. A blanket, my Kindle and hot chocolate are so much more appealing than my desk. But to paraphrase Theodore Roosevelt: anything worth having
Coding matters: Death by Excel
Jacqui Coosner
2023-06-22
Jacqui looks at the risks of spreadsheets and some horror stories. It’s time that spreadsheets are tested and reviewed like code. And it’s time for spreadsheet standards, like coding standards.
Coding matters: What the real hacker looks like
Jacqui Coosner
2023-06-15
Jacqui shares some recent revelations about what real hackers look like. It’s not what you expect.
Coding matters: POPIA and PAIA for your car
Jacqui Coosner
2023-06-08
Here’s a quick recap on those abbreviations: POPIA: Protection of Personal Information Act. That’s the law that protects your right to privacy – like GDPR in Europe. PAIA: Public Access to Information Act. This law aims to create transparency and accountability in public and private bodies. Yet another data breach