a long time ago (not in a small town of germany) i wrote a barcode key tracking program, for a client. it took nearly ten weeks to write: it was perhaps the simplest program i've written - and it has proven to be the most useful. it... basically... well, it works. it doesn't do anything but what's needed: provide the client with a means to see who has what keysets, and when you have 2,000 sets of keys you REALLY need to know who has them.
it's possibly the best use of computers i've encountered, because it's actually _useful_. i mean, you hear such nightmare stories about I.T. systems being a fricking pain in the ass. awkward to use, inconvenient, IT-tail-wagging-business-dog - all that kind of thing.
whereas this: two barcode scans, type a reason and press return, and you can walk away with a keyset knowing that people will know you've got it. scan the keyfob, put it back on the hook - you're done.
and i wrote it. and i'm really proud of it :)
