I decided to install TweakVI today as I found TweakUI to be a very useful and stable product. Upon installing, it gave me the option to backup all of my systems' settings. After doing this, I thought a reboot was in order.

I was annoyed to find out that TweakVI had made changes to my system configuration without me asking. It had mucked up the "My Computer" view. It was now showing "dummy" blank files. These dummy files were quite a frustration seeing as I couldn't view their properties, or in fact, delete them. In addition to this, my Windows Experience Index was no longer displaying, and I was receiving random Explorer crashes.

I immediately reloaded my backed up configuration files, uninstalled TweakVI, and rebooted.

I was horrified to find out that these changes were made to my system configuration upon install before I was prompted to create a backup, and that the backup copies (supposedly made before TweakVI could damage anything) contained modifications.

For the best part, all the articles on the web that had covered this problem recommend changing the values from TweakVI - something that I really didn't want to do as it caused this mess in the first place.

However, I found a couple of articles that helped me clean up the mess left by TweakVI. (Fixing the performance index, Fixing the "dummy files")

I can't believe that a commercial software manufacturer that is recommended in so many reviews can make changes to my windows settings without my permission.

All I can hope is that their system test team has been sent to the wall. And of course that these are the only things that TweakVI has broken - only time will tell.

I’ve been thinking recently on the subject on what group of qualities are required from a software architect. I ran through the usual things that crop up in definition of the profession such as deep working knowledge of:

• Patterns and practices.

• Tools and technologies.

• Design and development methodologies.

• Software engineering.

Then I started thinking of the additional skills that usually get missed when recruiting, the things that give a successful architect the “X-Factor”.

After some thought, I came up with this list of skills which are often missed:

• Charisma – Business users, technical team, analysts and product managers need to be able to buy in to the system. The key to this process is the ability to sell a system, and inspire confidence.

• Vocabulary switching skills – stakeholders and business people need different language from a technical team for instance. When developers receive a high level overview from an architect, they can sometimes be left without confidence in the solution.

• Drama and acting ability –successful architects should go further than just taking a view of systems from the perspective of the users. They should actually step into each role, forgetting all of their systems knowledge, and take on the users’ expectations and needs.

• Market Insight – Any well architected solution should not contain redundant parts, but should be easily extended with minimal effort. An architect should see this possibility, and not design in a way that could possibly inhibit this.

• Self discipline – All too often, architects place art above practicality. A solution should contain exactly as much technology as is needed by the business requirement. A software architect must be able to appreciate the beauty and ingenuity of a simple solution to a complex problem.

• Accepting feedback – An architect should encourage the business users and technical team to seek flaws in their design. This strengthening process is useful in building quality software. A strong character is required, but the architect should be ready to adapt the solution in the case of design issues.