That's why I'm an doer-type engineer...

I knew it's not going to be a fine day when I got up this morning.

It was the day to meet our client for update of The Project in the afternoon. And also the week when the development team sent me the updated version of The (Still-Prototype) Application. So since, i figured, that I'll be heading over to the client's office for The Meeting, i might as well update the version over at their side.

However, to my horror, inhouse testing produced unexpected horrific results. Somehow I think I never learn, coz each time I experienced similar horrors whenever I receive an update of the prototype.

No matter, I figured I can install it first in their machines while I'm over there. And then do the testing on the ground. And that's when I received the first 'good' news. That their team lead is in another office and would like me to travel over there for the meeting instead. So this effectively reduced my time for testing... again. F**k, if there's 1 thing i hate, it's last minute information. Was a solo mission without Boss since it's all the technical stuff that we will be discussing about.

Now the next 'best' news, that their CIO would like to see some results from the development TOMORROW MORNING. Hello? I was informed that you guys are have a progress update MEETING on friday afternoon. Now you tell me it's in the morning and would like to see demos? Sorry, too late. Effectively the update has a new database structure, so effectively the old data was wiped clean. But I had effectively backed up the data, but it's impossible for me to restore everything in what? 30mins? Too bad, really, for telling me after I updated the version and left for another office, that some high level peon wants to see a DEMO in the morning. And for this, in order to save his own sorry a55, he has kindly requested (wif a dagger in his smile) me to join in the MEETING *slash* DEMO *slash* WHATEVER-SHIT-U-MIGHT-CALL-IT in the morning. Team lead is the f**king Asst IT Director of the company. Shame on you that you don't even know exactly the works of the application and want me there to explain the technicalities to your CIO. Fine, I'll be there. But there's limited stuff I can show in that 30mins time for me to prepare.

And then on to the meeting proper. Team lead is concern about meeting the dateline, which is end June. Claiming that the development is still somewhat stuck in Phase 1, which by now should be end of Phase 2 already. And then further claiming that we (developers) have yet to meet the FOUR functionalities as drafted in the agreement. Wait a minute. Since when was there a fourth functionality? I retorted, Was there the fourth one as stated in the agreement? And the team lead proceeded to show me the finalised agreement, which had only THREE listed there. However, the Fourth Function is what the application engine is capable of doing, and that was mentioned in the PROPOSAL document. So does this mean, that Fourth Function a binding one? It was not stated in the finalised agreement as we all could see.

And then there was the discussion about the feasibility of having a remote connection for tech support from us and the dev team (who are based in Germany, by the way) or to fly in someone from the dev team to tech support directly locally. Team lead says his company is willing to pay for the expenses to bring someone over, excluding accommodation.

They favoured the ship-one-dude-over idea so that we all can happily meet the June dateline, despite my Boss having every confidence that we can meet it. I swore I see a snicker on the team lead's face when he said that. I would think the remote connection is a more feasible idea, but noooo.... due to their highly sensitive network, the machines will hav to be then set up in a standalone one. But doing this will screw up the login connection tied to the Windows User Directory structure.

So there. Seemingly wanting me to make a decision and then inform my boss about it. Sorry, it's not going to be the case. I'm a doer-type engineer, and not a decision maker especially in this project. I'll have to inform Boss about it and let him do the deciding. Beside, I'm neither the dev team member as well. And then letting the client contacting the dev team directly is out of the question too since they it is proper that we need a physical entity here (ala me) for all the arrow shooting representation.

If you would excuse me now, I need to send an email to Boss informing him of today's meeting outcome.

Sucks man. But that's what you get for being at the bottom of the food chain.