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Erik Gfesser

📍 Greater Chicago Area

New Book Review: "Coders at Work"

New book review for Coders at Work: Reflections on the Craft of Programming, by Peter Seibel, Apress, 2009, reposted here: Despite the title, which uses the term "coder" to describe the software developer, this 600-page series of 15 interviews by Seibel is actually quite fascinating. In the words

Liquibase in the Enterprise: Part 2

In the first part of this discussion, database change management tool Liquibase was presented as one of the best software development tools I have used in recent years, and along with the practicality of this open source LGPL software comes several core benefits for the enterprise data architect: decreased cost,

Liquibase in the Enterprise: Part 1

One of the best software development tools I have used in recent years is Liquibase, a database change management tool sometimes referred to as a database refactoring tool, although I much prefer the former definition since use of Liquibase is not contrained to refactoring (growth of a database schema is

Anima Sana In Corpore Sano: Part 1

The ASICS brand has been my choice for running shoes ever since my high school running coach recommended it to me. I had started running competitively in third grade, and had not exhibited loyalty toward any brand until experiencing ASICS. At the time of my switch to ASICS, I had

New Book Review: "Pragmatic Thinking & Learning"

New book review for Pragmatic Thinking & Learning: Refactor Your Wetware, by Andy Hunt, The Pragmatic Bookshelf, 2008, reposted here: Hunt states in the introduction that the goal of his text is to "help guide you through accelerated and enhanced learning and more pragmatic thinking", and that he

New Book Review: "Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships"

Recently posted book review for Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships: Leadership in Professional Services, by Ross Dawson, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, 2005, reposted here: Well written and organized text on client relationships and the issues of dealing effectively with knowledge sharing and transfer in business. This book is a practitioner's manual

Google Analytics: 5 Months

Since October 2009 when Google Analytics was set up for this blog (see my earlier post), the map overlay for the number of visits continues to evolve, with the number of countries of origin now at 40. Of this total, 58% visited from the United States, followed by Canada, the

New Book Review: "Under Control"

New book review for Under Control: Governance Across the Enterprise (CA Press), by Jacob Lamm, Sumner Blount, Steve Boston, Marc Camm, Robert Cirabisi, Nancy E. Cooper, Galina Datskovsky, Christopher Fox, Kenneth V. Handal, William E. McCracken, John Meyer, Helge Scheil, Alan Srulowitz, and Robert Zanella, Apress, 2010, reposted here: A

New Book Review: "Life Balance"

New book review for Life Balance: How to Convert Professional Success into Personal Happiness – Powerful Techniques for the Successful Practitioner (The Ultimate Consultant Series), by Alan Weiss, Jossey-Bass / Pfeiffer – A Wiley Imprint, 2003, reposted here: This text is part of a 7-part series by the author called "The Ultimate

Success and Failure

If you set your goals ridiculously high and it's a failure, you will fail above everyone else's success. – James Cameron, The Return of James Cameron