Rupert Goodwins' Diary
Tuesday 12/10/2004
You are doubtless aware of our fab new site for developers, Builder UK, lovingly fed and groomed daily by editor ubergeekoid Jono Bennett. He's doing a smashing job meeting the needs of the UK developer community, and people seem to like it. Rah! He's a smart cookie, but the chap can lay sarcasm on pretty thick sometimes: woe betide the person who really, really deserves it -- for lo, they will get it.
Over to you, Jono…
"I got a voicemail from a TV researcher asking for some help with an unspecified subject. Thought the usual -- bloody mainstream media wanting us to do their job for them -- but was also curious enough to return the call. Said researcher not in last Friday, so left a message saying call back when you’re in again. The return call came on Monday. The researcher started into her spiel about looking for some help with their programme, and it turned out that the prog in question was a build-your-own-house-abroad type thing that's really popular right now. At this point, while she's still speaking I realise what's happened.
She gets to the end of her spiel and asks: 'Do I know any project managers who have been involved with that sort of thing?' At this point the demon on one shoulder gets my attention over the angel who's telling me to simply say 'No, I don't"' and politely ending it there.
Jono: Well, I don't think I do, but can I ask why you've called me about this?
Researcher: You're the editor of Builder UK, aren't you?
J: Yes. Have you read the site?
R: I've read some of it.
J: And you still decided to call me. Are you sure you read it?
R: Yeeees.....
J: You can't have read it very well then. It's about software development. It's got nothing to do with building houses, as you can tell if you read -- oh -the front page. Or any of the other pages.
R: Oh. Er. Right. Er, bye then.
Exit one researcher. Haven't heard back."
They breed 'em tough in production companies, but I bet she's still smarting. And it's a shame that Jono didn't play her along -- next time, I'll get him to give them my number and I'll see how far I can get before being twigged. I might even commission my own camera crew to document the process. How many layers deep can we push this (sur)reality programme nonsense anyway?
Derrida may be dead but his spirit is deferred…