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    Real-Time Programmer
    Real-Time Programmer
    Real-Time Programmer
    Ebook120 pages1 hour

    Real-Time Programmer

    By R. Richard

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    About this ebook

    The job of a computer programmer sounds dull. A programmer its in a computer lab and deals with machines.
    Well, from time to time, he has to deal with company politics, hackers, spies, computer manuals that are mostly fiction and maybe even advanced civilization aliens..
    All of the work is without overtime pay.

    Summary:
    This is the story of a working real-time computer programmer.
    It's maybe a little dull, except that he manages to out politic the politicians within his company.
    Well, the guy then gets called to Washington D.C. and he gets involved with spies, hackers and a sexy female security agent.
    With the Washington D.C. Problem solved, the guy then figures a plan to use to hackers to achieve worthwhile goals.
    Then he gets involved in a court case, involving computers. He turns the trial into a circus, with the help of a Navy JAG.
    Then, he gets snared by a foreign spy hottie. The government worries about the possibility of blackmail, until the guy offers edited blu-ray discs of the action at quite reasonable prices. Along the way any number of foreign spies get nabbed.
    The guy is then summoned by the government to deal with powerful aliens who want back computers that Earth has salvaged from a wrecked flying saucer. The government wants to keep an alien computer. The guy wants to obtain more alien computers.
    The guy has succeeded in most of his aims, however, a new situation looms.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherR. Richard
    Release dateOct 16, 2018
    ISBN9780463291474
    Real-Time Programmer
    Author

    R. Richard

    I'm the co-author, with Sunset Thomas, of Anatomy of An Adult Film.I have 48 novels and over 299 short stories currently published.I spent my early years in the part of Los Angeles known as the South Central. I was known as Whi' Boy, which was sufficient to identify me in that place. I'm a skilled Kung Fu player, using a system that I learned from a Korean I knew only as 'Pak.' It would be easier to tell you the places that Pak wasn't wanted by the police, rather than the places where he was wanted by the police. Pak's Kung Fu system, augmented by some bits and pieces from some Chinese practitioners is quick and effective, or I wouldn't be alive today.My early education was mostly obtained by stealing books from the public library (I always returned them and the Librarian even began to provide me with reading lists.) I did go to high schools, but I never really learned anything there. I eventually graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles, UCLA, with a degree in mathematics.I work as a Systems Analyst and also make a part of my living as a professional gambler (legal in Nevada.) I write science fiction and erotica. My published novels are:Anatomy of An Adult Film (With Sunset Thomas)1. Second Chance: God Killer2. Second Chance: Sky Pirate3. Second Chance: Scroll Seeker4. Second Chance: King of The Islands5. Second Chance: King of Zaya6. Second Chance: Duke of Averon7. Second Chance: King of Golomon8. Second Chance: King Of The Sky9. Second Chance: Warlord of Ifrequeh10. Second Chance: King of Ariby11. Second Chance: King of Mesodania12. Second Chance: King of Avuls13. Second Chance: King of Kemet14. Second Chance: King of Zorran15. Second Chance: King of Two Worlds16. Second Chance: King of Averon17. Second Chance: King's Duties18. Second Chance: King of The New WorldAdventurer: Simulation ProblemAdventurer: Pannar ProblemA Programmer's GambitAmateur StripperBeach MurdersBondage HouseCorporate Sex SlavesFriday NightGo Naked In The SoftwareGrasshopper WinterInvoluntary NudeLayoffNot A HeroPirates of The KeysSummer of SexThe LakeThe Last Moon DanceThe Nude Adventures of Plain JaneThe Secret Life of Wanda WilsonTails of the Pussycat LoungeTo Keep A JobTopless RestaurantToy WhoresVix: The MarineWayward BoyShort Stories:A Christmas Visit

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      Book preview

      Real-Time Programmer - R. Richard

      Real-Time Programmer

      By R. Richard ©

      Published by R. Richard at Smashwords

      Copyright 2018 R. Richard

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Real-Time Programmer

      By R. Richard © 2018

      Chapter 1: Pure Frigging Magic

      I'm working as a real-time programmer for a defense company, located in San Diego. What my department specializes in is military computer systems and software.

      Military computer systems are frequently very unusual items. The systems are often built for severe conditions and are also often built in very small production runs. They tend to be unique systems and the documentation that describes a military computer system is often inadequate, if indeed it even exists at all.

      I'm as good at programming computers as anyone I have ever met and a lot better than most. I'm, however, generally thought to be incompetent at politics. As it happens, I'm able to play politics fairly well, but the powers that be won't let me play politics.

      One day, one of our customers takes delivery of a new military computer system. Since I'm just a lowly programmer, no one bothers to tell me about the delivery of the new computer system. I don't know if anyone bothered to tell Grinnin' Gus about the new computer system. However, GG does no work at all and he's always wired into all sorts of opportunities to succeed, without requiring any work by him.

      GG apparently makes a quick visit to the customer site and somehow manages to obtain and smuggle out the documentation that was delivered along with the new computer hardware. GG aint gonna give up the documentation until he gets very well paid to do so. GG reports to Smedley and GG and Smedley are double plus good politicians.

      I get called in by John, my boss. John tells me, Richard, they got a new military computer system out at the base, where you just finished delivery of an antenna controller system. They want to use the new military system for some sort of real-time control application. Get out there, find out what the customer wants and then get back to me.

      I tell John, I'm on it. I then drive out to the base and find that the hardware system has been installed and set up by the base military technicians. I talk with the techs, guys that I know and have worked with before. The military techs just shrug and tell me, There's no documentation with the computer system that we just installed and no programs.

      Now, I know that there's at least one program available for the new system, because there always is at least one program and that program is necessary to set up a computer. However, my company doesn't pay me to educate idiots. I just nod sagely at the military techs and then go to the base computer librarian. I ask her about documentation for the new, just delivered computer system.

      The lady shakes her head in denial and says, I never got any documentation with the system, even though the suppliers swore that they delivered documentation with the system. Well, I did get an operating system program, a rep card, a hosted assembler and a diagnostic program. But that's all I got.

      I nod sagely and tell the lady, That's extremely interesting. Can you check and see if Grinnin' Gus from my company was here, on base, the day that the new system was delivered?

      The lady tells me, Yeah, I can check. Do you think that he might somehow have the documentation?

      It's a strong possibility. However, if Grinnin' Gus does have the documentation, trying to get it from him is worse than useless, at least at this point in time. I'm asking you to check on Grinnin' Gus now, because we just might be able to catch him with the documentation, in the fullness of time and maybe, just maybe, put an end to his stupid high jinks.

      The lady agrees to check on Grinnin' Gus.

      I then go back to the room where the new computer has been set up. I ask the lead tech, Did you do the new computer system set up?

      The guy tells me, Yeah, I got the system up and operating correctly. However, there's zero documentation and the only support software we got is an assembler, that only runs on the main base computer.

      I just nod to show that I understand what the guy just told me. Now, the tech is dead wrong. Mind you, he's an okay guy, that I have worked with before, and he thinks that he's telling me the truth. However, he's operating with a major blind spot. If he got the system up and operating correctly, there has to be at least one source of documentation.

      I then go and talk to the base liaison officer and I find out that the base needs the new system up and operating for some sort of military political reason that I don't really understand.

      I tell the liaison officer, Given a little time, I can get the system up and operating for you people. The new hardware uses a standard military operating system that I'm familiar with. I can get a demo program that uses all of the installed new system peripherals up and operating in, oh say, six weeks, if I don't have to fight off idiots, when I'm trying to work.

      The liaison officer tells me, You know that there's no documentation at all for the new system. Plus, we talked to the people who delivered it and they tell me that they don't have any documentation to furnish to us.

      I smile and tell the liaison officer, That's okay, I rarely read the documentation in any case. You see, reading fiction just aint my thing. Leave me alone with the system plus the main base computer for assembler support and I'll generate a good demo program for you, in six weeks time.

      The liaison officer tells me, The Commanding Officer is in a real jam. He has to have something up and running soon, orders from his command. Are you sure you can do it?

      Trust me here. Have I ever failed you before?

      The liaison officer tells me, No, but most of the people here think that you're insane. However, the CO is in a real jam with his command and we really don't have any option at all. We'll get your company a contract. You damn well better get it done. My ass is on the line and the CO's ass is on the line

      I tell the liaison officer, Not to worry. My ass is on the line as well. I'll get the demo done, done well and done on time.

      I go back to my company and tell my boss, John, I got a six week contract to deliver a demo program for the new computer system, that they just delivered. I'm gonna be working for the CO, out at the military base. I'm gonna be really busy for the next six weeks getting the demo done. I'm not gonna have any time at all for bullcrap. Keep the idiots off me and I'll get the demo program done, done well and done on time. I'll earn us some points with the base CO.

      John takes a deep breath, unwraps an anti-acid pill pops it in his mouth, sucks on it and says, You damn well better get it done and get it done on time.

      I go back to my desk, grab a program listing of a program that I wrote some time back and that I use quite a bit, in my work. My program will need to be re-written for the new computer's assembler language, but it's something that I have done several times before. I then leave for the military base.

      * * *

      John walks reluctantly into the office of the big boss.

      The big boss, Claude Ralph, tells John, Apparently Richard got us another new contract. Apparently what he has to do is impossible and, worse yet, the CO out at the base tells me he's depending on Richard. Tell me, can Richard get it done?

      John takes a deep breath and says, Yeah, he can get it done.

      CR looks hard at John and asks, How can he do it? The people out at at the base think it's impossible.

      John exhales and says, Richard will use PFM, as he usually does.

      CR looks puzzled and asks, What the hell is PFM?

      John takes a deep breath, looks down at the floor and says, Pure Frigging Magic,

      It's now CR's turn to take a deep breath. CR finally says, I was a lot happier before I found out what PFM means.

      John says, So was I. However, Richard will get it done. He always does,

      * * *

      I go out to the military base and snag a copy of the new computer rep card, that the librarian has. (A rep card, properly a repertoire card, is a list

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