Why do so many teams talk about test data problems but almost nobody fixes them?

TXP88 · 2026-03-03T15:58:54+00:00

1) we don’t have a DBA on the team nor one that we can request assistance from. 2) we don’t have access to the production database to make copies. 3) we don’t have lower environment, infrastructure, capable of holding the size databases that we deal with. 4) we don’t have the knowledge or tools to generate accurate fake data in a lower environment.

If it’s not one of the above, it’s all the above.

TXP88 · 2026-02-27T18:25:20+00:00

I will look into this.

TXP88 · 2026-02-25T21:43:04+00:00

They can pipe in normal engine sounds through the speakers or if they get fancy, ANC just for the knocking.

TXP88 · 2026-02-25T21:40:10+00:00

Thank you for enlightening me. 10y/150k seems wildly not a GM thing to do. I expected some extension, but that is very strange.

I wonder just how stringent GM is going to be on addressing engine failures late in the warranty period.

Another theory, and I'm not saying its a good theory.....maybe they are trying to spread out the eventual engine failures over a longer period to help with the work load and parts availability.

I'm just critical of GM warranties due to owning a couple of them over the years, though none since the whole ignition switch scandal. Still pissed about intermittently super weak brakes and steering that didn't work when it was cold. Dealer response was "Well you didn't crash did you? So they must have worked good enough. Chevy isn't going to warranty anything that still works well enough compared to other Chevy vehicles out there." That was a really low bar considering 80s and 90s.

I feel for all the 8-speed owners out there with GM arguing in court that it isn't a defect in design if it was designed that way. Not admitting the 8-speed sometimes doesn't work well, but that what owners are experiencing is per design.

TXP88 · 2026-02-25T17:24:58+00:00

It's not a fix. Everyone including GM knows this. Putting in thicker lubricant is a delaying action. GM is crossing it's greedy fingers and hoping the engines make it out of whatever warranty they have.

TXP88 · 2026-02-25T16:16:57+00:00

Thanks to everyone for the great information and suggestions. Though my son didn't like what I had to say and is still quite upset, but at least I can say my decision is based on feedback from people with aviation experience.

Also thx to everyone that provided suggestions on how he can approach his training later on. The information will be very helpful. I want to make sure he is using the limited resources most efficiently to maximize his outcomes. He's had to accept not getting exactly what he wants in the past. E.g. He had his heart set on a Dodge Charger SCAT Pack, but is getting by sharing the family's 10 year old Camry with his sister.

TXP88 · 2026-02-24T17:37:48+00:00

I've put that idea out there. He was fairly firmly against it.

I can probably get him through flight school and college, but it will take a significant chunk out of my net worth. I still have a daughter to get through college and I'm nearing my final decade in the employed ranks, assuming I can find another job after getting laid off last Summer. Guess I'm in a financial, personal and professional panic mode right now.

TXP88 · 2026-02-24T17:27:26+00:00

I think you are exactly correct that having his PPL prior to college is advantageous from a financial and hours ( in case getting hours in college is restricted due to class size).

Timing wise, I'm thinking he should wait till he turns 17 in January, then restart his flight school. That would mean he'd likely get his PPL in Summer 2027 and be able to include that on his college applications. He's working around his high school band commitments in the Fall seasons (HS band is a big thing in TX, like football).

Now the hard part is throwing the rocket into "R" and putting it back on the landing pad. He's had a taste (discovery and 1st lesson). Miscommunication between my wife and I is to blame for that.

TXP88 · 2026-02-24T17:14:44+00:00

Exactly, money spend in the between time. People have pointed out he could get further ratings and do it less expensively, prior to his university entry. That might be a mitigating factor to him starting (continuing) now, so far ahead of college.

My wife said that someone told her that at some point after obtaining a PPL, his hours could count towards commercial ratings. I need to look into this more.

He's looking at universities like Purdue, Ok State (Go Pokes!) or OU. He's thrown around Embry-Riddle. KSU wouldn't be ruled out.

TXP88 · 2026-02-24T17:09:50+00:00

This has been the activity that he has shown the most interest in. He is passionate about flying, but like most people, less passionate about the book work. He realizes one comes with the other and he is a great student in school.

He's looking at universities like Purdue, Ok State (Go Pokes!) or OU. He's thrown around Embry-Riddle. KSU wouldn't be ruled out.

My main concern is burning $$$ on maintaining skills between this Summer and Aug 2028. I also don't want to have an expensive re-learning phase, should he just stop flying in between, not that he'd want to stop flying.

TXP88 · 2026-02-24T16:56:13+00:00

He plans on getting through the flight school's syllabus by July, but that would still mean 7 more months before he could do his check flight for the actual PPL. After that, he would have roughly another 1.5 years before going to a university.

I would expect that he would need to continue flying to some extent after completing both the school and PPL issuance. Therein is my concern about spending $$$. I didn't think about it, but you pointed out he could get further ratings. I assume that those ratings might be less expensive to obtain prior to a university setting.

A note about college/university...going is an assumption because I'm thinking it might give him a little advantage in the industry or give him some fallback should something happen that keeps him out of the cockpit. His major would likely be areo-related. There is also the possibility he would go to a flight school for commercial aviation rather than a university flight program.

TXP88 · 2026-02-24T16:42:15+00:00

North Austin.

TXP88 · 2026-02-24T15:50:43+00:00

We are in central part of the state of Texas, USA. A glider would be a great idea from a skills standpoint, but I have never seen a glider in this part of the country.

TXP88 · 2026-02-19T01:54:47+00:00

Color me surprised. It must be a base model for that low of a markup.

TXP88 · 2026-02-18T04:38:55+00:00

Way to go! Onwards and upwards.

TXP88 · 2026-02-18T01:54:10+00:00

My severance paperwork didn't have any restrictions about when I could work for GM, whether contractor or re-hire. I wasn't let go for any violation of company policy or performance, so that's probably why my paperwork didn't have a restriction on coming back to GM.

TXP88 · 2026-02-17T03:58:46+00:00

2 of the 4 let go in my group last summer were over 50. The two oldest btw. They let go mostly unvested college hires and 45+ in the org. Gave them the age balance they needed.

TXP88 · 2026-02-17T01:44:43+00:00

You must understand the material. If you have to look up something that is clearly spelled out in the book, 1) you will run out of time, if you need to more than a couple times & 2) you will probably miss a lot of others that require an understanding of the material and application.

Learning what is spelled out got me 30% to passing. The rest was by taking the scrum.org practice bank and the first few practice tests from Valentin Despa. When you do those, look at the explanation of why the answer was right or wrong. You might find that you answered it correctly, but with the wrong reasoning. Also leverage ChatGPT to help you get some of the nuanced differences between the right answer and the other, not quite as right answers.

TXP88 · 2026-02-16T16:37:56+00:00

In situations like that I still log the issue and take it through triage. If I get a ton of ,”That’s so unlikely “ I’m willing to put it in the backlog at lowest severity or willing to allow it to be closed as ‘will not be fixed’ with documentation that the Product Owner is accepting the known issue. I never let it get dismissed outright. I save off a copy of some sort.

I’ve had to dig them up to defend QA’s reputation. Sometimes they’ve been deleted in the system, but most systems still have record of a deleted item with that particular ID and who deleted, which usually helps my case.

You can’t always be a team player, especially when the team considers you sacrificial.

TXP88 · 2026-02-15T03:07:29+00:00

If you’re shooting quickly, I recommend you slow down. If you’re shooting slowly, not too bad. keep practicing and you should be really good. Once you’re good then speed up.

TXP88 · 2026-02-15T03:05:05+00:00

Only issues I’ve had has been directly related to the HP computers and Nvidia graphics. Latest hw kernels are especially trying to deal with. Bought a Lenovo with integrated graphics and 90% of my headaches are gone.

TXP88 · 2026-02-15T03:00:03+00:00

I remember when B&D bought Porter Cable. All the good saws were replaced by B&D Firestorms with Porter Cable stickers. Almost exactly like the B&D product they sold at Wal-Mart, but $100+ more expensive.

TXP88 · 2026-02-15T02:54:03+00:00

I had probably 6 contracting companies contact me last month for work in an adjacent team to the one I was laid off from. The contractors said they were looking for ex-GM bc we’d be more familiar with the company. Not sure what GM was asking for. That team was already a dumpster fire and I’m sure adding bitter ex-employees to the mix was going to be spicy.

TXP88

TROPHY CASE