Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Catching Up: Week Eight
I'm not done with the database as like I thought.
I have one last (and very daunting) equation, or rather set of equations, to do. Basically I have to build a system that will generate a calendar using only a start date and some other information. At the same time if a certain thing needs to be completed by a certain date, then a different schedule needs to be generated. At the same time this new schedule needs to be aware of other things, such as completed sections or other portions of the schedule after it that also need to be finished on certain dates. It's not that I can't do it, it's just time consuming and a little monotonous.
While I can say for certain this is my last week working on the database it is also my most hell filled.
I think over the course of building the various equations I've made over fifty mistakes. Some of which I didn't notice for a few hours.
I did get an hour long break from the database to work on the banner for website. It was actually rather relaxing and fun to use a program other than the database program I've beem working with for the last four weeks.
Quite hilariously, I finished the database about five minutes before the end of my last day of the week and before spring break. When I get back I'm told I'll get to do some editing again.
I have one last (and very daunting) equation, or rather set of equations, to do. Basically I have to build a system that will generate a calendar using only a start date and some other information. At the same time if a certain thing needs to be completed by a certain date, then a different schedule needs to be generated. At the same time this new schedule needs to be aware of other things, such as completed sections or other portions of the schedule after it that also need to be finished on certain dates. It's not that I can't do it, it's just time consuming and a little monotonous.
While I can say for certain this is my last week working on the database it is also my most hell filled.
I think over the course of building the various equations I've made over fifty mistakes. Some of which I didn't notice for a few hours.
I did get an hour long break from the database to work on the banner for website. It was actually rather relaxing and fun to use a program other than the database program I've beem working with for the last four weeks.
Quite hilariously, I finished the database about five minutes before the end of my last day of the week and before spring break. When I get back I'm told I'll get to do some editing again.
Catching Up: Week Seven
Still trudging away on the database. I have figured out how to use portals finally. I can't really explain how I did it. That's been happening a lot with this project. Every time I try to explain how I did something or how I can do something, I find it hard to explain (or at times to complex for a simple answer).
Anyways, now that I've figured out portals, I've had to fix a number of sections of the database.
I also added my first equation. Basically it takes certain information and equates how long a book is probably going to be. After I did it. Than and Carrie tried over ten different books to see how big the margin off error is in the equation. Much to their excitement (and a little to my surprise) the equation was only off by 10 pages at the most and normally was off by 2-5 pages.
All I know is that by the end of this week I'm finally done with the database.
Anyways, now that I've figured out portals, I've had to fix a number of sections of the database.
I also added my first equation. Basically it takes certain information and equates how long a book is probably going to be. After I did it. Than and Carrie tried over ten different books to see how big the margin off error is in the equation. Much to their excitement (and a little to my surprise) the equation was only off by 10 pages at the most and normally was off by 2-5 pages.
All I know is that by the end of this week I'm finally done with the database.
Catching Up: Week Six
I'm still working on the database this week. For the most part I've just been replicating to the best of my ability, though I still don't understand how to do portals. I'm also having trouble understanding why they chose to do certain things or what certain information fields are for. Of course in some cases I'm not the only one. Both Than and Carrie (the director) are at times as baffled as I am.
I've actually gotten to the point were a lot of my wandering thoughts are on how to design things or what I still need to do.
To fix the Portal situation I've started looking through the pre-made databases the program provides. From there I'm trying to replicate situations, though I don't seem to get anywhere. Truth is I try to spend only about fifteen minutes to half an hour obsessing over the matter in order to not waste too much time.
I would like to point out the irony of my situation in regards to my exploratory essay for 301.
I've actually gotten to the point were a lot of my wandering thoughts are on how to design things or what I still need to do.
To fix the Portal situation I've started looking through the pre-made databases the program provides. From there I'm trying to replicate situations, though I don't seem to get anywhere. Truth is I try to spend only about fifteen minutes to half an hour obsessing over the matter in order to not waste too much time.
I would like to point out the irony of my situation in regards to my exploratory essay for 301.
Catching Up: Week Five
This week I have started on building a database for the Press. When I first walked into the office on Monday, my supervisor, Than, looked on me and said he had a job for me "whether I wanted it or not." At first I thought I'd be doing yet another read through of the Alps book (which I believed to be slowly burning a hole in my brain).
Quite the contrary, he asked about my knowledge of building databases, which I have done on a very small scale before. He then asked me to work on building a Database based off the design off another publishing companies database.
I accepted the task and began looking through things. At first I thought I was doing fine until I hit two major road blocks. Tabs and what the program calls portals. I spent nearly six hours struggling to figure out how they work. After which I figured out Tabs(which was basically me not clicking and dragging a large enough section), but I've yet to figure out portals. Regardless, I'm just going to work on getting the information I can down and worry about portals later.
Quite the contrary, he asked about my knowledge of building databases, which I have done on a very small scale before. He then asked me to work on building a Database based off the design off another publishing companies database.
I accepted the task and began looking through things. At first I thought I was doing fine until I hit two major road blocks. Tabs and what the program calls portals. I spent nearly six hours struggling to figure out how they work. After which I figured out Tabs(which was basically me not clicking and dragging a large enough section), but I've yet to figure out portals. Regardless, I'm just going to work on getting the information I can down and worry about portals later.
Catching Up: Week Four
This week I've worked on three separate projects.
First I did the finishing touches on copy-editing for the Alps book we've been working on. I say copy-editing but it was more about looking for visual errors than anything else.
After finishing that I looked through the two versions of a book to make sure the changes from one to another were made. While working on the book was a negative air to things. As it turns out this project has been one disaster after another. Some things wouldn't get fixed, people would include the original pages instead of edited ones in mock-ups, and even things that shouldn't go wrong do. Sure enough, the issues continued. I'm not sure which was more interesting, the number of problems the project had or the amount of swearing that filled the office.
After finishing that, I worked on copy editing some of the information for the website. Mostly concerning the book blurbs.
First I did the finishing touches on copy-editing for the Alps book we've been working on. I say copy-editing but it was more about looking for visual errors than anything else.
After finishing that I looked through the two versions of a book to make sure the changes from one to another were made. While working on the book was a negative air to things. As it turns out this project has been one disaster after another. Some things wouldn't get fixed, people would include the original pages instead of edited ones in mock-ups, and even things that shouldn't go wrong do. Sure enough, the issues continued. I'm not sure which was more interesting, the number of problems the project had or the amount of swearing that filled the office.
After finishing that, I worked on copy editing some of the information for the website. Mostly concerning the book blurbs.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Catching Up: Week Three
All week I worked on the same document from week one, well sort of. It was a second version of the document from week one.
I did a even more in-depth look at the piece. I'm starting to notice things that two weeks ago I wouldn't even have noticed. It startling how much I've actually learned already. Starting off I knew practically nothing about book publishing. Now, I know a decent amount.
I did a even more in-depth look at the piece. I'm starting to notice things that two weeks ago I wouldn't even have noticed. It startling how much I've actually learned already. Starting off I knew practically nothing about book publishing. Now, I know a decent amount.
Catching Up: Week Two
Having finished looking over the document from week one, things slowed down a bit. I was given a nearly finished book to search for orphan and widows (which was an interesting conversation as two of my supervisor and GTA both forgot which was which). I found a total of about 50 or 60 of them. I was then given the task of seeing if I could fix them using minimal changes to character width and character spacing. Out of that number there were a total of three that I could actually fix.
This revelation shocked me for pretty much the rest of the day. I felt like I had accomplished absolutely nothing, but looking back I realized that I was productive. I found the problems and tried to fix them. It wasn't failure on my part, just the problems couldn't be fixed without making bigger problems.
The next day I was given the task of making a site map for the redesign of the WVU Press website. I pretty much had to re-teach myself how to use Adobe Illustrator which I hadn't used for nearly three years (which was also two versions ago). But that's not the most interesting part of the day. My supervisor was sick so I was litterally by myself for four hours. I mean there were other people there, but I was in a room by myself.
It felt weird. I'd only worked for about ten hours at the Press and I was on my own. So I worked for four hours on the site map (which is a lot harder than it sounds mind you). It was a bit frustrating given that when I had questions, therewas no one to ask.
My next work day I found out that a lot of the work I did was wrong. I had made it too complex and while I understood how it worked, for others at first glance it was very confusing. So I completly redid it. Luckily this time I was able to ask questions and get feedback before I went overboard with things. I probably should have remembered my mom's old adage: KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid).
I spent the rest of the day working on the sitemap and came up with a much better (and much easier to read) version.
This revelation shocked me for pretty much the rest of the day. I felt like I had accomplished absolutely nothing, but looking back I realized that I was productive. I found the problems and tried to fix them. It wasn't failure on my part, just the problems couldn't be fixed without making bigger problems.
The next day I was given the task of making a site map for the redesign of the WVU Press website. I pretty much had to re-teach myself how to use Adobe Illustrator which I hadn't used for nearly three years (which was also two versions ago). But that's not the most interesting part of the day. My supervisor was sick so I was litterally by myself for four hours. I mean there were other people there, but I was in a room by myself.
It felt weird. I'd only worked for about ten hours at the Press and I was on my own. So I worked for four hours on the site map (which is a lot harder than it sounds mind you). It was a bit frustrating given that when I had questions, therewas no one to ask.
My next work day I found out that a lot of the work I did was wrong. I had made it too complex and while I understood how it worked, for others at first glance it was very confusing. So I completly redid it. Luckily this time I was able to ask questions and get feedback before I went overboard with things. I probably should have remembered my mom's old adage: KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid).
I spent the rest of the day working on the sitemap and came up with a much better (and much easier to read) version.
Catching Up: Week One
My first day at the WVU Press started with a bang. I walked into the room had a 20 minute conversations with my supervisor, then spent the next three or so hours looking over a document we're working on for visual mistakes.
It wasn't a test or practice document. It was the real thing. It was at that moment I realized that what I as doing was real. I mean, I knew I was going to work on real things but it never really hit me until then.
Needless to say I was nervous. Mistakes didn't mean a slightly lower grade. If I make a mistake it means more work for others or possibly the mistakes will remain.
I guess up until that point I've always looked at documents from the writer's point of view. To me the process ends when you finish writing. Not anymore though.
I pretty much spent the rest of the week looking over the document, occasionally taking breaks to scan things in. I hardly even noticed when four hours have passed. It's so weird. Looking through the document kinda reminds me of when I write stories. Everything just sorta disappears and eons could pass before I'd realize it.
It wasn't a test or practice document. It was the real thing. It was at that moment I realized that what I as doing was real. I mean, I knew I was going to work on real things but it never really hit me until then.
Needless to say I was nervous. Mistakes didn't mean a slightly lower grade. If I make a mistake it means more work for others or possibly the mistakes will remain.
I guess up until that point I've always looked at documents from the writer's point of view. To me the process ends when you finish writing. Not anymore though.
I pretty much spent the rest of the week looking over the document, occasionally taking breaks to scan things in. I hardly even noticed when four hours have passed. It's so weird. Looking through the document kinda reminds me of when I write stories. Everything just sorta disappears and eons could pass before I'd realize it.
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