Now this is something we are talking about technology. From last month or so, I am playing with Microsoft visual studio 2008. For the guy like me who is working on UNIX, Linux C/C++, Visual Studio is altogether new experience.The beautiful interface, helpful IDE and much more things will attract you towards VS. And specially when you have been working on those rugged VI editors in UNIX and Linux...!!! Lots of commands to be memorized, no use of mouse and not a single word of help for the language I am working with(Specially in case of Unix).
And when you start working on VS IDE, it's like driving Ferrari. After working so many years on Unix/Linux like Ambassador motor cars, you suddenly land up in all equipped Ferrari car. You have power steering, night visions, road maps, air bags and what not.
But suddenly you feel, weather I am driving the car or the car driving me...???
But overall it's good experience working with VS 2008 IDE. I am basically working on VC++.
I have started from making a small winforms application. I've given it the name StressBust. Working in IT industry is one health hazardous task. You will be starring to the monitor more then you stare at beautiful gals. :D Sitting in the cushioned chair for hours at a stretch. and you complain about your fat belly. Anxiety, stress, strain in eyes are common problems seems to be installed in your body...!!
What will you do first thing to fight with these things? Search on Google... :P what else? And one application from ThreadBuilder (threadbuilder.co.uk) named Stress Buster came across the e-way..!! Truly a good application with break reminders and customizable preferences, but with 60 day trial period...!!! Stress is free but Stress Buster is not free :P It costs 36$, but where to buy, ThreadBuilder's website is down (threadbuilder.co.uk)
So I decided to work on that. And make this stress buster application free from UBpine (www.ubpine.com). Yes really it's free. And surprisingly(!!!) inspired from ThreadBuilder stress buster application, but with more user friendliness.
StressBust application will remind you from time to time to take breaks, whether its short pause, short break or long break. You can set time preferences for break times.
It's very useful because you won’t know from how long you have been working since you have ate your last sandwich or drank that coffee from the Coffee day coffee machine staring at that beautiful HR to get attention...!!!
My further posts will discuss the programming logic in VC++, the inbuilt classes, the tricks to achieve some specific tasks etc.
Eventually I will release the Beta version of the StressBust to be used. So you can download it and use it. Any further functionality will be provided in subsequent releases. Till then sip your coffee...!!!
Happy Coding....
-Rajiv
