Window Offices, 30-inch monitors, and Triops

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I thought about not posting today, as I didn't come across any major problems in coding. I'll be getting to the code that does file transfer and unzipping soon, which may be interesting. I did send off the new specification that has just the data entry fields for review -- The original specification didn't have all the data entry fields needed, so I thought I would compile my notes from everyone into one document and send it out for several PMs to review (each covers a different area of the tool). Then... I got a couple mails that kicked off a train of thought or two:

Window Offices
Microsoft gives window offices based on seniority (one of a few tenure perks) in the group. As far as I can tell: Groups contain teams and PMs, teams are run by managers and have employees (PMs bring together different teams, managing features). Note that, since the window-office benefit is group based, one team may not have any window offices, and another may have all window offices. 

So... a flashback: Seth P. and I started on the same day in December 11th, 2000, and stayed on the same team for five years. Through a fluke at our first offices, in building 3, one of us was eligible to get a window office; I ended up getting a window office for a few months due to a coin flip. Then we moved to building 34, and we were both in aisle offices. After a few years, we moved up the ranks of seniority, and it came time for one of us to get a window office. Seth had been ahead of me in line to pick up his badge, and this earned him an 8-minute lead for the employment start timestamp, which is what the latest manager went by. So, Seth got the window office that time, and I was next in line. When I left, we were the "oldest" people on our team (5 years on one team... others had come aboard that had transferred from elsewhere within Microsoft).

I bring this up because... It looks like I'm moving offices again. Apparently they will be a bit bigger (hard to believe, this one is already around 10sq feet bigger than my last office). I tried to settle in as fast as possible, and now I'm going to have to take down the 40+ photos I've put up. Oy! Anyways, I went down memory lane up there because I've just now seen the tenure list. And there are some very tenure people in this group. Out of 35 people, the first four or so have been here 10+ years. I'm at position 23, and the last window position is held by position 16. Not only would I have to wait for 7 people to transition out (not that I am at all-- everyone here is great to work with), all o their replacements would have to be less senior... so... I'm not holding my breath for the opportunity to gaze out at the 24 days of straight rain. :)

That reminds me of a joke I heard when I was coming up here: Bill G. decided to move to Seattle because he knew his employees would rather stay inside and work than venture out in the cold, wet weather. It's a funny joke (haha. no! really)... but I should mention that Microsoft has a lot of recreation opportunities. From the lunchtime shuttles to the swank Pro Sports Club, to an Astroturfed sportsfield, to basketball courts everywhere, there is lots of stuff to do. Not to mention the incredible skiing and hiking the area provides.

30-inch monitors
Jeff C. discovered a good deal on our internal Hardware Junkies newsgroup. Turns out we get an employee discount on the new Dell 3007WFP 30-inch Wide-Screen Flat Panel LCD Monitors that are just started shipping. A significant discount. When I started, I was given the choice of spending my hardware budget by receiving the team's backup laptop, or a second development machine. I opted to wait and see which one I would end up using the most (mainly: how many meetings would I be attending?). Well, I brought up the idea of getting this monitor instead... and... the manager didn't buy it. :)

Jeff C. did, though!

Triops
No, nothing to do with trinary logic or trivalent logic. Triops are crustaceans (shrimp) with compound eyes (sometimes called three-eyed fish). David L. just bought a kit, and is hatching them in his office.

All that talk about trinary reminded me of David Wheeler's excellent essay Way Off Base. Took me a while to track down, well worth the read.