Do you ever wonder how it is and why it is that way too much of our software does not work dependably? Remember the last time you hit "update" and discovered you would be busy for the next few hours - or did it just seem like days? Remember seeing the words, "Click on button to download" and there was no button? In "Tales from the e-Trenches" Judy Pagel examines meticulously why our software keeps going wrong and uses that examination to uncover ways we all can improve our software output. Judy was a senior programmer and, later, Project Manager for three of our larger corporations. What she saw, she saw from the inside. - from those who reported to her and from those to whom she reported. And important, she promises to do it so that the reasons are understandable even if you have no background whatsoever in programming or computers. You'll feel at home regardless of whether you have never programmed before, whether you are the stakeholder in a piece of software for your working group, or whether you are actually on a coding team. As an additional plus, an add-on three chapters will provide students information to help them form their career plans, follow them through, and find an appropriate position in the working world.
About the Author: Judy grew up in Cheyenne, WY. She was introduced to computer science and engineering during her undergraduate work at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. In 1966, she received her B.A., although she had made an early switch to a major in psychology (looking for more social interaction) while retaining a minor in mathematics. Her advanced degrees, however, directed her back toward computer science. She received an M.A. in 1969 and a Ph.D. in 1971 from the University of Colorado at Boulder, majoring in Quantitative Psychology (1/3 computer science, 1/3 experimental psychology and 1/3 statistics). Judy started her working career as a Tenure Track Assistant Professor at New York University where she met her future husband, Frank Schapiro, who had received his doctorate from Cornell in Human Factors engineering. Due to financial difficulties at NYU, however, a career change was in the offing for both of them. Mid-career saw both Judy and Frank enjoying positions in advertising and marketing research at leading U.S. advertising agencies and corporations. In 1985, Frank started Demand Factors, Inc., an independent marketing research and planning firm with an emphasis in multivariate statistics and big data analysis. Judy joined him in the business shortly thereafter. The business was heavily involved with organizations working to strengthen America's manufacturing arm and helping to keep jobs in America. Her last positions took full advantage of her high-tech background. Following advanced training in multiple computer areas (websites, databases, programming) she was a contract worker holding the positions of senior programmer/analyst, requirements lead, and IT project manager at three larger corporations. She and Frank are now in semi-retirement, but keep busy with two websites, http: //ourchildrensladder.com/ whose purpose is to help today's kids climb higher in life and http: //ludewighouse.com/index.html, the story of their restoration of a Victorian townhouse in St. Louis, Missouri. Together, in 2015, they published "The Get Real Guide to Retirement: The Balanced, Down-to--Earth Guide to a Rewarding and Happy Retirement."