My latest brilliant idea for keeping my sanity.

[Warik]

Warning: Do not read ahead if:

a) You don't like to read long posts.
b) Warik's problems do not interest you.
c) You plan to attempt to flame me and will be upset when I don't pay any attention to your attempt. =)

If you do not meet the above criteria, please read ahead and attempt to experience what I have experienced in...... DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!!!!!!! *THE COLLEGE "GROUP" PROJECT*

I'm going to start a journal. It will be a collection of MS Word files called "The Stupid Shit I've Had to Put Up With In My Life Archive" sorted by Year/Month/Situation in which I will document all of the stupid shit that I've had to live through, starting with the painful experience of doing almost an entire programming "group" project by myself.

The project is due Sunday. I assigned on member to do the network code - over a month ago. It took him over a month to write simple sending/receiving code. What's the kicker? It doesn't work. I get security exceptions and null pointers exceptions up the ass when I try to use it. Let's not forget the fact that it was poorly documented and given to me with only 2 complete days to implement it.

This is precisely why I hate group projects - especially in programming classes. Hey, I've got no problem working in a group in the work place. I'd probably be working with (hopefully) somewhat competent people who, if performing poorly, will be replaced... and I get paid to listen to their crap. In my programming group people rarely read my posts on the group message board and took forever to act upon a request. Basically I wrote 99% of the program, listened to their crap, waited patiently while they didn't respond to my posts, *AND* waited over a month to get nonfunctional network code with only two days remaining till the due date.

Now I must turn this two-player internet game into a single player game with some type of artificial intelligence before the Sunday due date. This will make an excellent beginning to my archive of stupidity I've had to face throughout my existence. I can only hope that my computer has enough disk space.

I will henceforth insist that I work ALONE in any kind of group project for school. If the professor refuses to allow me to do so, I will immediately stand up, leave, and drop the class in hopes of taking the class with another instructor who does not require group projects - regardless of whether or not he knows what the hell he is teaching. The real knowledge is in the books anyway and not in the professors lectures.

Ok, I'm done for now. Thanks for listening and feeling my pain.

-Warik

 

[May1010]

Warik -


Are you a happy or unhappy person?

 

[Freak Show]

I don't know dick about computers but one thing I know: Never rely on or put your faith in anyone other than yourself. Especially when your future (in your case school/work) is at stake. That way you are the only one who can be held responsible and never will have to live with "what if".

 

[HamsterHider]

I hate group work had to do a lego project today with two others as a communication exercise. beware 25 year old man playing with legos. How GAY

 

[Warik]

i dont care about your stupid problems you idiot.

Dude I actually burst out laughing when I read that. Haven't had a smile in over 6 or so hours. Thanks kiddo. Keep up the good work. =)

-Warik

 

[Warik]

Warik -


Are you a happy or unhappy person?

Be more specific.....

In general?
In regard to life?
Self?
School?
Home?

I'm happy in terms of my family life, possessions, and the other basic stuff of life, but in general and in regard to life itself? Hmm... barely content... more like "indifferent" or "left wanting." I just don't understand why if myself and others like me are capable of things, why aren't others?

What makes me different that allows me to do 99% of the project in a matter of hours when the other guy can't even write functional network code in over a month despite the fact that he's allegedly been programming for over 15 years?

Humans.... sigh

-Warik

 

[Warik]

Welp the guy leaves the country in an hour and 20 minutes and his shit still doesn't work... wooohoo.

-Warik

 

[HappyScrappy]

warik - you da man

we'd get along very well you and I.

 

[Warik]

warik - you da man

we'd get along very well you and I.

You think so, eh? So tell me, pal, what would you do in regard to a group member who just left the country without giving you functional network code after having over a month to do so? Hint: Your professor wants a confidential group activity report by the end of tomorrow.

Looks like I'd better get started on that report now or I won't finish by tomorrow. Bwahaha.

-Warik

 

[Sassy69]

I just had deja vu - I went through this right before Christmas break doing a project w/ 2 Indian girls. One left for India a week early and didn't tell anyone until the day she left. But then, I have no problem sleeping under the table in the computer lab for 4 days straight. I'm a team player....!

 

[HappyScrappy]

You think so, eh? So tell me, pal, what would you do in regard to a group member who just left the country without giving you functional network code after having over a month to do so? Hint: Your professor wants a confidential group activity report by the end of tomorrow.

Looks like I'd better get started on that report now or I won't finish by tomorrow. Bwahaha.

-Warik

I'd get the fucker an F in the class

 

[Warik]

Happy... I have just learned that he is still in the country for some reason. Wasn't he supposed to leave at 3pm? Guy can't even leave the country on time. Anyway... he's there calling me going: "wahhhhh it works on my end! I don't see your problem!" and shit. Man, even if he fixes it now I don't have even REMOTELY enough time to implement his crappy code by the due date. Man what an idiot...

-Warik

 

[HappyScrappy]

just put it all in the report.
the best way, in my experience is not to make it look like you are after him - instead, make it look like you are on his side but use that to make him look worse. and evil manipulative thing to do.

"well, Joey usually works pretty hard, but I dont' know what happened lately. I mean I know in the past it took him a long time to figure the stuff, but he got it pretty close in the end - but on this one I'm not sure if I confused him with the description of what he needed to do or what b/c his code isn't building correctly. I don't know, perhaps he's not following the standards you showed us in class - I know for some reason he wasn't there that day..."

something like that - that was just off the top of the head. wiht some real thought you can assrape him.

 

[john937]

Your REAL problem, is that this is EXACTLY like real life work projects.
No...wait...
If the guy writing bad code has lunch with the professor daily and is his big buddy....THEN it's just like real life.

 

[supersizeme]

warik no disrespect, but i think you need to get laid. you need a steady piece of ass and i think your outlook on life would do a 180. that is the missing link in your life. from what i gather in reading your posts, you don't mention girls very much and i think your social life has left you with somewhat of a void. what are you doing in the realm of chicks? what you got goin on??

 

[HappyScrappy]

you forget he is college age and knows computer stuff. girls aren't the answer at this point - lots of drugs and alcohol are.
trust me - been there, done that. you do those and the women just sort of happen somehow. I don't know why, I can't explain it.

 

[supersizeme]

college age is when you should be up in more girls than tampax.

 

[Warik]

what are you doing in the realm of chicks? what you got goin on??

I'm doing nothing. I've got nothing going on. I spend the day at school, working, and fooling around on my computer. Not much to interest any girls there.

Happy - drugs and alcohol are bad. Leave me alone... hah

-Warik

 

[HappyScrappy]

drugs and alcohol aren't all that bad - they come accross that way at first, but they mean well. once you get to know them and you treat them with the respect they demand, a relationship can be very rewarding.
I had a problem with that alcohol bitch and we no longer get along as well as we used to, and the drugs and I sort of got seperated for awhile, but we are still on good terms.

I'm going to bed now.... see you wednesday.

 

[Warik]

Yes they are.

Oh, did I mention? My network guy has just left the country and left me with nonworking network code. He didn't even call me to say: "sorry about me being a scrub." Ok... looks like I have to write some killer AI for my game and make it single player in hopes of not failing the class.

I'd hate to see this guy fail the class, but then again, he did fuck me and my group over (did I say my group? HAHA).

-Warik

 

[Jae]

Warik,

I have been there and know what you are talking about. In my Systems Analysis II class there was this lowlife that when the class was divided into 6 teams of four people each, he demanded to be the team leader. We had eight weeks to complete OUR assignment and three weeks went by and he never told us what OUR assignment was going to be. He later abandoned us with three weeks left, ZERO work done, NOT ONE FUCKING CLUE TO WHAT THE PROJECT WAS ABOUT for another team that was one person short. I complained to our professor and told him that henceforth I refused to partake ANY "team" type projects. I did the project entirely myself and just let the other two people hang on and get an A for my effort. The funny thing was the asshole only got a C from the other team, but was forever burned and buried in other classes.

 

[Warik]

Jae,

I just finished the project with help from one of my other group members. The only difference between your experience and my experience is that this guy isn't going to get away with it. In the mandatory "Group Leader Group Activity Report," I gave the guy a 0% contribution. I've also removed his name from the program credits, the disk, hell, even the damn yellow envelope I put everything in. I don't want him to fail the class since he did his individual work and did alright on the tests, but I'll be damned if he gets an A in the class at my expense.

He who wanders into my crosshairs would be better off spitting in the face of evil.

-Warik

 

[Sassy69]

Funny thing about this, Warik, is that it doesnt' get much better in real life. There's always the slacker in every "team environment". Learn from this so that when you hit it in real life and there's more on the line than just a grade, you can manage it. That's the sign of a "leader".

And you might want to consider getting out from behind the computer screen a little more often - did you know that long-term exposure to low-level power makes your dick shrink?

j/k..!

 

[Warik]

It does get better in real life, because I will amass a great deal of money and retire in my 40s so that I don't have to associate with humans anymore.

I'm not worried about long term exposure to low level power... if anything it will be a relief because I might actually be able to buy pants that fit.

-Warik

 

[May1010]

i gave the guy a 0% contribution. I've also removed his name from the program credits, the disk, hell, even the damn yellow envelope I put everything in ...

Warik -

You're such an asshole. As you get older, I hope you'll learn how to get a long with people better.




May1010

 

[Warik]

You're such an asshole. As you get older, I hope you'll learn how to get a long with people better.

After reading this, I realized that you were right. I have put this person's name on the program credits, disk, and the yellow envelope. I gave him a 30% contribution. I even wrote a recommendation in my confidential group activity report to the teacher for him to get extra credit.

Lol.

Maybe you didn't understand my post... he gave me his part of the program with THREE days remaining till the due date (I assigned it to him over a month and a half ago). His portion of the program did not work, and he failed to fix it before he left the country. If you were to go line-by-line through every line of every one of the project's program files, you would not find a SINGLE line of code belonging to him. I'm an asshole for giving him a 0% contribution?

Wtf do you want me to do? Bend over so he can get a free A? (Don't answer that.)

-Warik

 

[May1010]

Warik -

You assigned him his part of the program over a month and a half ago and he turned it in to you with just three days remaining until the due date. His programming did not work and he did not fix it prior to leaving the country? (These are the facts as I understand them.)

It appears that you were the group leader or project manager for this group project. As the manager, you should have had discussions with him over the course of the project to assess his progress. You should have asked him to show you his work in progress.

He worked on the project and turned in what I will assume was a good faith effort to produce working code. As the project manager, it is your responsibility to ensure that everything progresses according to plan. Leaving the country is not like going to the beach for the week-end. I'm sure he did his best (regardless of your opinion) to complete his assigned task so as not to let the group down.

From my perspective, you were a poor project manager. However, you stepped up to bat and fixed the problems with the code (by replacing the code). For that, you get an "atta boy."

But, you have no right to exclude this person from receiving credit. He tried. He failed. For that, you want to deprive him of receiving credit for this assignment.

You're behaving like an ass.

 

[Warik]

My discussions with him over the weeks consisted of me asking him how everything was going and him telling me: "Alright... just trying to fix some stupid bugs."

It is not as easy to show a "work in progress" when it comes to a programming project. A "work in progress" is like notes for an essay that hasn't even reached its first draft.

I'm sure it was a good faith effort, but it didn't work. That's like a game development company releasing a game early to meet a deadline when the game isn't complete. (Example: FunCom scheduling the release of their massively multiplayer online role playing game "Anarchy Online" for June 26 even though the game is still in BETA as we speak.) What am I going to do with nonfunctional code?

My opinion is just like yours - he did his best. Unfortunately, his best was: "Here you go - it doesn't work, though. "

From my perspective, I was an excellent project manager, for if I had done only precisely what I had originally stated I'd do in the original proposal, we'd have a C or worse on this project. Tomorrow is the presentation, and I expect nothing less than a 90%.

I have no right to exclude him from receiving credit? Ok, think of this....

Let's say that the programming teacher gives an individual homework assignment. I sit there and work on it and "do my best," but on the date it's due, I turn it in and it doesn't work. Can you guess what my grade will be?

In my Programming II class, the teacher explicitly stated: "If your code doesn't compile, it's an automatic 0."

My Programming III teacher has an item on his grading criteria sheet for individual homework assignment that says: "Hopeless, nonfunctional program. -90 points"

I'd be giving him credit for doing nothing. It's not fair to me, nor is it fair to my other group members who actually did what they were supposed to do. It would be like me telling another group member: "yea man I know you did this part of the program even though I didn't ask you to because you saw that we needed to have it done, but I'm going to give this dude the same credit you got because it's not fair that he gets no credit for not doing anything."

Please... I'm behaving like someone who hates irresponsibility.

-Warik

 

[May1010]

I'm sure it was a good faith effort, but it didn't work. That's like a game development company releasing a game early to meet a deadline when the game isn't complete.

No, Warik, it'n like that at all. Going to college is a learning environment. Sometimes you fail.

As the project manager, you're given the authority to determine each person's participation %? I find that ridiculous.

You write that you do not hate irresponsibly. Well, just by using the term "hate" within this context is irresponsible. You're biased and should therefore not be in a position to make a determination of another person's grade.

I suggest you discuss the teacher with either the professor or an academic dean.

 

[Warik]

No, Warik, it'n like that at all. Going to college is a learning environment. Sometimes you fail.

Grades are not determined on what you learn or how hard you try - they are determined on your output in the class. Your effort is shown through your output. If what you are saying were true, then I feel pretty dumb for not going to my Calc II teacher two semesters ago and saying: "Well I really TRIED hard on the final... can I get an A instead of that B+ you gave me?"

As the project manager, you're given the authority to determine each person's participation %? I find that ridiculous.

Tell that to the teacher, then. His exact words on the last day of class were: "Send me a confidential e-mail with what % of the work all of the members did and specifics as to what they did." Dude, not a single line of code in our program is from this guy. 0%... simple math.

You write that you do not hate irresponsibly. Well, just by using the term "hate" within this context is irresponsible. You're biased and should therefore not be in a position to make a determination of another person's grade.

Actually I wrote that I DO hate irresponsibility, but that is irrelevant. Fortunately, in my case, I can solve this by using simple math and ignoring my bias. "Guy has 0 lines of functional code contributed to the program, therefore, he did 0% of the work." If his code DID work, he would have contributed over 30%. Unfortunately, it didn't work.

I suggest you discuss the teacher with either the professor or an academic dean.

Discuss the teacher with the professor? Uhh the teacher is the professor. What do you mean?

Honestly I didn't want to do this to the guy. I even wrote a good two paragraphs in my e-mail about how I don't want the guy to fail the class or anything cause of the project, but shit, a month and a half is plenty of time and I don't think it's fair for someone to receive the same credit as my other group members and myself for not contributing any functional code.

I may portray myself as a sadistic human-hater on here, but I do feel really bad about this stuff even though the sadistic human-hating thoughts are still in my head.

You speak as though he did most of the work and I just wanted to take credit for everything... jeez.

-Warik