Application Compatibility - Debugging | Developer Meet Server

In this video, we sit down (well, stand up actually) with Chris Jackson and Gov Maharaj to chat about debugging application compatibility issues (and some of the things Microsoft has done to mitigate typical app compat issues we've run into).

Hopefully we'll get a follow-up video with Gov to talk specifically about debugging tips and tricks.

Apologies for the whiteboarding. I didn't get the best angle on it so it can be hard to read.

Enjoy!

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evildictaitor Devil's advocate

Jan 29, 2008 at 1:15 AM

Wow! Great video!

That's by far the hardest job I've seen out of all of you guys at Microsoft - even the PreOS guys have something to work from.

It looks like the type of thing which can swing from the most boring and downright irritatating job on the planet to one of the most intellectually interesting and (dare I say it) even exciting tasks that there is.

Sounds like the type of job that I'd enjoy for a month, but want to get out of before it killed me - or maybe it's addictive in a strange way. There's certainly nothing else like it
JasonOlson

Jan 29, 2008 at 12:31 PM

Agreed, at least on my side. Part of me thinks about how much fun and intellectually challenging this sort of job would be full-time. But then the realist in me realizes how frustrating it must be at times as well, and there's no way I would give up my current job for something like this.

However, I think it is something I'm going to have to try in the future before my career is over .
Chris Jackson

Jan 29, 2008 at 1:40 PM

I've never had a more fun job in my life. But it can be frustrating. Particularly on problems that take you a couple of days to sort out. But it sure feels awesome when you finally solve them!

What's really crazy are the folks who have done this so long that they just dump hex to the screen, look at it as if it were The Matrix code, and proclaim what the problem is. Scary. I at least need assembler, and I sure prefer symbols.

I hear the AEBIT team is looking for a few amazing debuggers, Jason...
evildictaitor Devil's advocate

Jan 29, 2008 at 6:16 PM

Chris Jackson wrote:

I hear the AEBIT team is looking for a few amazing debuggers, Jason...

That's soo not fair. You've got me all tempted to apply now . On the other hand in my current job I get all the fun of writing things in assembler without the mind-boggling amazement of people setting the form background to the titlebar's text color.

I mean, seriously, what were they thinking!?
jrg Who Brot?

Jan 31, 2008 at 4:03 PM

I sound like a snob saying this... Can't MS splurge a little ($200) and get a unipod/tripod, lavalier mics and a radio shack mixer? It'd make listening to the excellent content much easier and less like listening through a storm grate and watching from on deck of the SS Minnow. In fact, next video I'd be more than happy to loan the equipment.

Gov is an amazingly talented individual, he received some very high visibility this last year from way up the food chain. In fact I suspect he's really an alien in disguise based on the insane number of people he's helped in email threads.

I don't know Chris but good job to both of you guys!!!
JasonOlson

Feb 04, 2008 at 11:36 AM

Hey jrg. Yeah, sorry about the quality. Most of that (if not all of it) is that I'm still learning to use this equipment. So my apologies.
MadNav

Feb 09, 2008 at 11:51 PM

evildictaitor wrote:

I mean, seriously, what were they thinking!?

My guess, it was a quick way to enable user gui design customizations to carry forward into the app .. skin the app with current desktop theme; An opportunistic approach to streamlining the end-user experience.

Seems kinda like a hack I might try to avoid writing in alot of extra property tabs for appearance.

Keep up the good work .... where can I get some quick tips on getting started with these 'shims' ... sounds like my kinda ting! Maybe you could put together a demonstration of 'Shimming An App'

-MarsOrBust-
VeracityInexcusable

Mar 24, 2008 at 6:21 PM

I am an infant when it comes to everything you were discussing. I am glad someone is taking the time to put it all together. I for one need all the information I can get my hands on and getting it from the source is a luxury.

Keep up the flow of information, and perhaps at some point I might come looking for AEBIT myself. I enjoy a challenge and the triumph over the impossible is unparalleled.