Automated Continuous Integration and the BetaBrite LED Sign

In the spirit of Java Lava Lamp build monitoring:


This is a companion discussion topic for the original blog entry at: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2005/03/automated-continuous-integration-and-the-betabrite-led-sign.html

Erm… $160? For that much money (well, $10 more), you can buy a fifteen inch LCD monitor from NewEgg.

Play The Simpsons/ambient scenery/softcore porn/whatever for a successful build, and From Justin To Kelly/Jerry Springer/really bad porn/whatever for a horked build. Now THAT’d get people crackin’ on fixin’ the build! General productivity might suffer, but hey – at least the builds will get fixed!

I agree, I was skeptical too.

But I’m telling you-- there’s something about seeing information on a large scrolling LED display that’s more compelling than the same informationd displayed on a garden variety Dell 15" LCD panel. Dunno why, but it really is!

I wasn’t kidding when I said people who walked by my desk stop in their tracks and watch the display do its thing. I really don’t think I could say the same about some scrolling text on a Dell 15" LCD…

I published my .NET API for the BetaBrite here:

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000244.html

I got my own BetaBrite on eBay for less than $50, complete except for the manual and cable. The only LEDs that worked were the green ones, but I figured I could tinker with it. Once I got it, no dice. Called the company and explained the situation and asked how much it’d cost to fix it. The guy said the chip was defective and he’d fix it for free under recall, giving me the service address and the RAN (Return Authorization Number). Two weeks later, it was good as new, working perfectly. These things are pretty awesome! I’m installing it in the back of my Nissan just for SGs…heh heh heh. Nothing offensive, political or biased, mind ya…just for fun. Too much time on my hands…

Speaking of retro-kitsch novelty status indicators, you might light to check out the color changing SnowMan for a build status indicator.

http://www.analysisuk.com/blog/archives/33-Putting-the-SnowMan-to-work-Cruise-Control-.Net-Build-Status-Monitor…html

tengo un aviso betabrite pero se me daño el control y no tengo el sotware ni el cable para la pc, quisiera que me dijiera alguien en donde podria comprar el control o el sotware con el cable para la pc y cuanto cuestan en bsf de venezuela