MetaChat - Inferno d'chewy

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14 July 2006

Inferno d'chewy So yeah, the backend code guy I was counting on to finish an online registration thing for launch tomorrow hasn't done a damn thing and is in London on his way to Spain. →[More:]
I'm so fucking mad I can't see straight. We've been in meetings for 2 months with this asshole who kept saying yeah sure I can do it. It will be done yeah yeah no problem. He was told over and over and over that June 15 was drop dead date to launch and he fucking blew it. God DAMN. I was trying not to be a micromanager, b/c I hate being micromanaged myself, so I didn't hound him. I figured having a meeting 2 weeks ago with all the bigwigs and drilling into his skull JUNE FIFTEENTH would do it. And I didn't feel I could be too nazi-like b/c it's a volunteer effort. But FUCK man don't tell me you're going to do something and then blow me off when it's MY ass on the line.

post by: chewatadistance at: 14:13 | 10 comments

ouch man! ouch! that soooooo sucks.

posted by dabitch 14 July | 14:15

Umm, June?
(What kinda registration thing?)

posted by danostuporstar 14 July | 14:19

Holy crap. What did he say about not getting it done? I don't understand people like that.

posted by iconomy 14 July | 14:21

July. I meant. See how mad I am?!

Hell no he didn't even communicate with the poor guy doing the front end html simply doodah form. I haven't even talked to the damn guy. All I get is vmail. I sent him and email telling him to stop working on it that we're handling it with other help and that he really let me down. He's a new member of our group, too, so he fucked up for life with me. I hate to be like that but I made it crystal clear what the deadline was, what we needed, and where I was if he needed anything else.

I hate people. THis is why I stay stuck in the trenches - because I'd rather do it myself than rely on assholes like this who don't come through.

posted by chewatadistance 14 July | 14:34

oh sorry dano - it's an online registration thing for a conference we're doing here in september. It takes basic contact info and asks about 3 yes/no questions and then dumps them into a paypal/confirmation thing.

cmonkey helped me with the first round, but they blew the approach out of the water and we went with something else.

I didn't want to do html b/c it's not secure - lots of people will register anyway, but I wouldn't want my contact info floating out there in the breeze.

I don't know why I'm so insane about this - it's VOLUNTEER.

posted by chewatadistance 14 July | 14:38

Ugh, sorry to hear that :(

posted by cmonkey 14 July | 15:00

I think I might be a butthole. Do you still love me?

posted by chewatadistance 14 July | 15:20

No way! I mean, no way you're a butthole. You have very good reason to be mad.

Love you, hate him.

posted by iconomy 14 July | 16:14

:( That blows hard, dude.

May I reccommend a good management technique to deal with multi-coder projects, where there is a potential of not meeting a launch date? It's called "code freeze" - basically, the manager (you) sets an internal deadline one week to a month before the actual product deadline or launch. If code freeze isn't met, then that's it, you pull the coder from the project, and still have time to frantically scramble for another. It's pretty annoying for the actual coders, but it keeps everything honest and above-board.

(Not that I'm criticising your management techniques or anything, I just have a lot of experience dealing with groups, and flakers are my number one pet peeve).

posted by muddgirl 14 July | 16:25

muddgirl - not taken as criticism at all - thanks for the insight I will try it if I'm ever in these shoes again.

flakers! so *that's* what you call 'em!

posted by chewatadistance 14 July | 16:52

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