Software Expressions

Hmm, now I’m not sure if implementing my own expression evaluator was the best way to go, but it does give me control over what the end-user can supply and they don’t need to use “Get” and “Set” methods, but then I have a thousand lines of code to maintain.
http://pluralsight.com/blogs/dbox/archive/2005/05/26/8626.aspx

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THE NELSON MANDELA MULTIMEDIA CD was launched at a very successful function in the PQ Auditorium, at PQ Park on September 9, 1999. Present at the function was most of the Exco Members and QDC Board, VIP visitors from SABC, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (NMCF) and the National Council of the Blind as well as representatives from the press, with special guest speaker Zindzi Mandela-Hlongwane. Also present was Princess Zenani Dlamini to receive one of the first official copies of her fathers biographical CD.

As a tribute to one of the most loved Statesmen of this Century, this multimedia CD has value for scholars who wish to learn about the life of Mr. Mandela and the part he has plated in the history of South Africa, as well as individuals who just want to know more about the fascinating lifestory of a herdboy from Qunu, whose destiny it was to become the president of the nation.

The CD is a project of the NMCF, assisted by Q Data Consulting (design and programming of the CD), Ogilvy and Mather (design of the packaging and inserts), the Mayibuye Centre (archival material and footage) and the SABC (historical footage and editorial advice) and local photographers.

The CD is distributed worldwide and can be ordered through the NMCF website at www.mandela-children.org. Proceeds of this CD will be benefiting the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and the National Council of the Blind.

THE MAKING OF: NELSON MANDELA - SYMBOL OF A NATION

QDC has been involved in the development of the product over the last three and a half years, most of which was spend on research and checking the facts in the script. The final CD is a combination of views by several historians and critics.

The project was devloped in three phases. During the firstphase the basic concept, graphics and script were accepted and a demo model of the program designed. In the second phase the project was “completed” in the sense that everything was fully functional. Most of teh information used during both phases was accessed through teh Mayibuye Centre, who owns the bulk of the photographs.

Once the facts were approved the CD was “let loose” on Q Data Consulting staff to locate any flaws. The final bullet-proofing could then be programmed to protected against “crashing” or “bombing” with ignorant users. After all the little bugs were resolved, a really robust product was ready for production.

The devlopment team consisted of a programmer, a scriptwriter, two graphic designers, a “runner”, a sound engineer / video editor, and a project manager, had the unenviable task of keeping the project on track, and making sure deadlines were met and the communication channels kept open.

Colleen Bruyns was the main script writer, with input from Jody Holloway and Chris Ludolf during the first and second phases.

As Mr Mandela’s personal advisor, Ahmed Kathrada or ‘Kathy’, as the team affectionately refers to him, and the last say in approving the script and final product. But many others such as Jeremy Ractliffe and Janis Chapman from the NMCF made valuable contributions.

There are 990 images, a total of 10 video clips, and 20 slideshows on the CD. The footage was provided by the Mayibuye Centre and the Robben Island Museum (RIM), SABC, University of the Western Cape and KTV. The slide shows provide eighty-five minutes and fifteen seconds of riveting facts iterwoven with emotions of courage, fear and love. Reading just the text on the CD could literally take days.

For programmer Troy Dalldorf, Sunday, 22 August 1999 was a memorable day. As the Master CD went into production, he knew it was all over - no turning back and no more changes.

“The most rewarding aspect of working on the CD is now that it’s all over I get to see people enjoy the story of Nelson Mandela. We have tried our utmost to present the story objectively and politically neutral, and in that we have succedded. We wanted this to be a story of enchantment, of hope, of dreams, of courage and of faith,” he says.

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