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Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:14:48 -0700
From: Andrew Sharp <andy.sharp@onstor.com>
To: "Bob Miller" <bob.miller@onstor.com>
Subject: Re: Preperation for next Engr. Lunch Meeting
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Ouch.  Don't know how I missed this, I checked and I did receive this
email when it was sent.

Top 5 things:

Short term:

1.  Getting Cougar released and stabilizing our software, which
really are one and the same.  The so-called 0-defect policy, which I've
been told was actually our policy all along (no release with any open
P1 or P2 bugs), but which we have not adhered to for any release that
has happened since I've been an employee, is the way to get there.

Long term:

2.  Increase developer and management efficiency.  Our efficiency is
not good from several perspectives, and yet with an extremely lean
staff, it's paramount in order to achieve our goals in a useful
timeframe.

3.  Add test development into the regular developer process.  Tests are
required to be written for checkins involving: addition or
modification of features; fixes for bugs not caught by existing tests.
Such tests must also be code reviewed, and any change with a large
possible taxonomy must undergo a run against the entire test suite.

4.  Communication.  Communication within the development group could be
improved, but within the rest of the company, it's horrible.  An actual
quote from a recent all-hands meeting: we didn't tell you because we
were afraid the information might get out.  Well, it sure as hell
didn't get out.  To anybody that could have made a difference.

5.  Morale.  Morale is fairly low.  Starting with the RIF, and
continuing with the poor technical state of our software, and ending
with the fact that the group has no leader, things are pretty gloomy.
We need a leader who knows how to pilot the boat without a chart.  This
would go a long way towards addressing 2-5 on this list.


Much of this is covered in a document that I wrote as my initial
plans for Software Engineering.  You can see that document here at
http://ripper.onstor.net/eng/org/eng-initial-plan.html



My areas of responsibility:

Provide technical expertise and guidance in the following areas:
software build infrastructure (Build system, including toolchain and
makefiles); design and implementation of userspace software on
management processor in the areas of operating system interaction and
features; Linux distribution and root filesystem creation and
maintenance.

Care and feeding of Linux kernel, including hardware bringup, SCM,
maintenance, interaction with Linux kernel community, and futures
planning.


On Sat, 19 Apr 2008 10:05:21 -0700 "Bob Miller"
<bob.miller@onstor.com> wrote:

> Brian
> The only people who have not responded to this are:
> You, Tim and Andy
> Since I know the three of you have strong opinions I would like to get
> your input.
> Regards
> Bob
> 
> _____________________________________________
> From: Bob Miller 
> Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 4:14 PM
> To: Jonathan Goldick; Paul Hammer; Brian Stark; Tim Gardner; Maxim
> Kozlovsky; Amit Bothra; Jobi Ariyamannil; John Rogers; Andy Sharp;
> Bill Nadzam; Ed Kwan; Sandrine Boulanger; Raj Kumar; Vikas Saini;
> Chris Vandever
> Subject: Preperation for next Engr. Lunch Meeting
> 
> 
> As many of you know I have been conducting 1:1s with members of this
> group. During one of those meetings a suggestion was made to solicit
> from each of you what you believe are the top 5 things we should be
> working on in engineering. In addition I would also like you to
> describe what you see as your current responsibilities. I will
> compile your inputs and we will use them as a basis for our next
> meeting. I would appreciate receiving your responses by next Weds.
> 3/19. Thank you
> Bob
