Email from Ralph:
Hi Nina,
We were having a resource developer discussion today and we know you are currently getting pulled in multiple directions with new patient portal, interfaces, existing portal, troubleshooting etc., as your name came up all the time in stuff we are working on. So think it was only fair to give you some direction so you can focus your attention on certain things. On that topic are you free on Monday (6th) at 10:30am Toronto time (4:30pm Serbia time), so that we can chat and give some guidance? I have asked Jevgenij to join us as well.
Also there are a few things which your father only one knows in the company such as E-Prescription [nb. he means FedsRx], LI and dFinder I believe. We are currently trying to have a backup for everything in the company so we don’t have a single point of failure anywhere Therefore, while you are sitting in same place as your dad, can you please learn everything of these interfaces as well.
Looking forward to chatting on Monday.
Ralph
Who is “we”? Why is Ralph now giving orders if Jan is the chief of programmers? “Direction” and “focus” haven’t translated into any salary increase over last six years, and she’s already doing both versions of current portal, “maintenance” of Jevgenij’s code (though, how can it be in maintenance mode if it was never even tested, production being quite imaginary so far), and coordination between portal teams. So I wrote to David
we'd seriously need to talk. Ralph has gone wild. Nina and I are having serious talks at least once a week, usually after the new portal meetings, and the more things I hear the more I get the impression that it's not that the lunatics are running the asylum, it's that they got the management positions and imperial powers.
So we're both considering what to do next and whether it will involve this madhouse or not.
The unspoken vows of secrecy aren't the worst part of it, but contribute a lot.We were the best when we were a democracy. This bean-counter-knows-more-about-software-than-all-engeneers-together may work in some corporate environment with endless funding, but here in real life it's a sure-fire way to destroy a company.
His reply, a few hours later
I am in Hong Kong right now (conference) so somewhat out of synch....I am happy to talk about, all and sundry. There is, of course, competitive 'heat' and we need to raise the game. Here in China/HK there are browser based sytems available that are very slick....
Secrecy, I dont think, is the keyword here (as far Im concerned)....but no secret that we have to move to a fully browser based system...and somehow continue forth with the 'legacy' system.... and transition (over what I will presume is going to be several years....but not too many). it is a monumental challenge....
The decisions, platform, are/will be made according to industry standard.... We are (with limited resources) ....trying to bring in a 'Development Team' that has experience with latest stuff.... Ralph/I are not Engineers....but the Prime Directive...is to bring Modern Technology to bear....I dont think there's any controversy in that statement. Again, Within a limited budget....I'm not sure what the technical issues you see are but happy to hear them out. I am back next Thursday night and probably limited availability between now and then, unfortunately....but happy to talk when I'm back
So transition to c#, the COMless version of the portal, which was already done by dutch office, is not the “Modern Technology”, but the same thing when done quick, dirty and untested, is. And somehow redoing what we already have (and have done, in some shape, at least five times already) is more productive than doing the doctor portal, which was the next thing the existing team would be doing anyway, in that same technology (c#+asp.net+sql).
(the "talk when I'm back" never happened)