EJB == !0-0

Why are EJBs so crap? In my quarter of a century of programming I've not come across anything quite as retrograde as EJBs (M$ excluded - of course). What happened to 0-0? What happened to Java's deploy anywhere ethos? EJBs suck! BIG Time. This would all be of little interest, (even to me), if it weren't for the fact that 90% of Java jobs now required EJB. And I now need to find a new job.

More on evolution

Ok, enough of the job stuff, what will happen will happen. So today I'm going back to one of my pet muses; evolution.

Today's question is did Darwin get in wrong? Well, I agree with the natural selection bit, but survival of the fittest is one that I have to say no to.

Why? Well, it seems to me that this struggles to explain biodiversity. If its the fittest that survive, then all environments should tend toward a mono-culture in a given niche, but this simply isn't the case in many parts of the world. I look out of my window and see lots of different plants, all different. True some have been planted by me, but many have self seeded (aka weeds), but everything is experiencing the same environmental pressures. So why the diversity? My answer is simple, its not survival of the fittest that's the driver, but instead its death of the weakest. This means that any thing in a given niche will survive and diversify if it isn't killed off by whatever and it can reproduce. The key is “killed off by whatever”. If an organism can survive long enough to reproduce, then its genes will go on, irrespective of whether it is the fittest for a given environment.

In benign environments, for instance where the weather is good, biodiversity is high. Lots of “non-fittest” individuals can survive and reproduce. Its only in the harsh environments where all but the strongest die, that we see typical Darwinian Evolution.

(Apologies to mister Darwin if I've misunderstood his ideas, I've not seen a copy of the origin of species, but if I do get one, then rest assured, I will read it).

Time to face the future

Its nearly two weeks since the announcment of the office closure, and some things are now clearer. Moving to the other office is becoming less of an option, (assuming I'm asked to go there).

A few days ago we were told that the company that had pulled out of buying us a few months back is now sniffing around again. The message being sent out by the management is that we are still in business, but a sale is likely.

If no one buys us, I see no future at all as they've virtually said that the present management are only interested in winding down the buisness if they can't sell it.

If ???? co buys us, as I've said before, they don't want the bit I work for, so again - no future.

If someone else buys us, too late, the team has already disbanded.

The only sane option is getting a job with our one UK customer who apparently are considering hiring one, maybe two, people. Since I did some other work for them on an unrelated project, I may be in a very good position for that job.

Other than that, going back as a freelance consultant could be an option as my current employers still have a couple of years left on there support contracts.

Part of me wishes we had the same laws as the Americans, at least there its quick. Here in the UK, there is not going to be any more infomation until the end of Aughust, even then its likely that any reduncdance will not be announced until the end of September. I for one now find it impossible to motivate myself to do my job. Two more months of this could be nasty.

Reality is starting to set in

Its been four days since the announcement that the office is to close and the reality of it is now setting in. I'm starting to consider the options that are available, both if I'm asked if I want to move to the other office, or if I'm made redundant. In some ways its exciting, as I've felt somewhat trapped in my current job due to its rather generous renumeration package, but other times I get depressed. Is there a job out there for me? Will I end up getting paid a lot less? Scary stuff, but most of the others in the office are in a nastier position than I am.

On a plus note, I've just bought a new toy. Its a Garmin Etrex GPS thing, and its cool, and bright yellow and black. I've found out that I walk at an average of 3.7 miles/hour, and that the walk to my office is just over a mile. Nice to know that now that I won't be doing that walk for very much longer, but maybe I'll still have to walk that way to get to the train station. Hmmm.

Office to close

Yesterday we found out that our office is to close, not really a suprise but still a shock. Some could be offered jobs in our other UK office, 90 miles away, but some have already said that its impossible for them to move. We will have to wait a few weeks to find out the full picture, though the office will be closed by the end of October. However the jobs (if any) in the other office will be insecure. There will be no new development until the outcome of a straegic review of the business. Its not impossible that the owner may well then cut their losses and close the whole enterprise.

Things aint looking too cushtie