Keith Johnson

I used to run a homestay/venue in New Zealand and I WAS quite pleased by the website...

But it's all gone now! Only wayback machine left.

http://www.emeraldglenlodge.co.nz

No flash, minimal time-wasting graphical stuff to download, and you can even find the prices easily (why ARE some people so coy about this??). There are millions of people using the internet and billions of pages - give them the information NOW, they won't wait for you to do your terrific sales job on them. All done in Notepad, of course.

Started programming in Pick with a firm called OBM in 1986 - I think they trained just about every Pick programmer in New Zealand! I was DBA at the Public Trust for just over seven years, but the most satisfying job (in terms of a programming task) was working on NZ Defense Force payroll. It covered all three services and the territorials (virtually another payroll for casual workers) and was driven by the personnel system. It was big money, paying out about $500 million (NZ) per annum. A bug in the first payroll we ever did meant that it didn't pay sea-going allowance to some Air Force pilots who were on a training course at Burnham Army Base! Figure that one out.

OK, I'll tell you. They were the helicopter pilots on the frigates. They got sea-going allowance because the ship was at sea (or could put to sea within 24 hours) and they were only temporarily (less than so many days) off the ship on an official course (it's similar for a hospital stay). Programming for sea-going allowance was the only time I have ever shouted at someone from a clients - mind you we had become personal friends by that time so he forgave me.