Cross platform development question.?

Question

I asked this in another section too.

Recently I was given an assignment to develop code in C++ to automate some administrative tasks. The job was advertised as a Unix development position and an Oracle back end. Come to find out that they expected me to develop the application for cross platform execution for Windows XP with a SQL server back end.

As if that wasn't bad enough, they expected me to do this using only ISO Standard C++ with a Gnu compiler and an old Vis. C++ compiler with no documentation. No DB libraries (AFAIK), no cross-platform libs, nothing. Not only that, but they had no requirements docs & no plan.

I had suggested doing the project in Python, but it was dismissed as he had no Python programmers to maintain it.

They wanted me to design and implement the system, but they did not want give me written requirements or the leeway to use tools of my choosing. And they wanted it in 3 to 5 months.

So the question is, was this as impossible a task as I thought it was

I was actually "terminated" before the first week was over. They are saying I misrepresented my skill set on my resume. In a way it is a relief, but now I have to go through a lawsuit to get the pay I was promised (they bumped it down to minimum wage).

The client company is actually a large corporation that does background checks. They apparently had programmers to maintain anything I wrote, but none to do it for themselves. Go figure.

I thought at the time that Python (with an ODBC library) would be my best shot at being able to complete the project. However as I said, it was dismissed. Apparently their developers could not learn enough Python to maintain it.

I get the feeling that what they really wanted was a fairy godmother with a magic wand. This whole thing was doomed to failure -- I didn't even have a working computer until my 4th day there.

If I only knew Java ...

Answer 1

If you don't have written requirements, then yes it's an impossible task - without anything written down, requirements can and probably will change faster than you can do the programming. If no written requirements were provided, you might have to write the draft requirement document yourself from your understanding of what is being asked for, circulate it to everyone affected and to your boss, and request input on anything that's wrong - that way at least YOUR backside is covered, and you might even be able to find out what they really want if you get really lucky.

I know that IT classes all stress that complete documentation is critical. I spent over 30 years in the IT field, part on the tech side, part on the management side, and eventually realized that it just never quite happens. It's something that programmers always end up dealing with. If you're lucky, there is at least SOME documentation, or at least the person who wrote the pieces that are there is still available, but even that doesn't always happen. And as to what you write it in - they get to make that decision, not you, even if their way isn't the best.

I sympathize, even empathize, but the bottom line is if you were given the task, you need to figure out how to get it done within the parameters you are given if you intend to stay employed at your current company.

Good luck.

Answer 2

The lack of up front planning (no requirements) is a problem. I've developed plenty of cross platform programs (Windows and linux). Win Dev does support the ANSII C++ standards but you would be writing command line (console) programs. I think the task is definitely a challenge. But doable (maybe not in five months). It sounds like you're a contractor. You will come across a lot of companies that expect you to come in and figure it out your self. You have to be very proactive in the design and development and work within the constraints they apply. If you you are working and show progress they will ususally let the schedule slide somewhat. I am not saying that this is a reasonable way to operate. That company obviously doesn't have its act together. I am saying as software engineer your will find a lot of these kind of jobs. Nobody in house has the expertise or time to do the work or specify the project so you come in with their wishlist and fill in the details.