Summary The Mikado Method is a book written by the creators of this process. It describes a pragmatic, straightforward, and empirical method to plan and perform non-trivial technical improvements on an existing software system. The method has simple rules, but the applicability is vast. As you read, you'll practice a step-by-step system for identifying the scope and nature of your technical debt, mapping the key dependencies, and determining the safest way to approach the "Mikado"—your goal. About the Technology The game "pick-up sticks" is a good metaphor for the Mikado Method. You eliminate "technical debt" —the legacy problems embedded in nearly every software system— by following a set of easy-to-implement rules. You carefully extract each intertwined dependency until you expose the central issue, without collapsing the project. About the Book The Mikado Method presents a pragmatic process to plan and perform nontrivial technical improvements on an existing software system. The book helps you practice a step-by-step system for identifying the scope and nature of your technical debt, mapping the key dependencies, and determining a safe way to approach the "Mikado"—your goal. A natural by-product of this process is the Mikado Graph, a roadmap that reflects deep understanding of how your system works. This book builds on agile processes such as refactoring, TDD, and rapid feedback. It requires no special hardware or software and can be practiced by both small and large teams. Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. What's Inside Understand your technical debt Surface the dependencies in legacy systems Isolate and resolve core concerns while creating minimal disruption Create a roadmap for your changes About the Authors Ola Ellnestam and Daniel Brolund are developers, coaches, and team leaders. They developed the Mikado Method in response to years of experience resolving technical debt in complex legacy systems. Table of Contents PART 1 THE BASICS OF THE MIKADO METHOD Meet the Mikado Method Hello, Mikado Method! Goals, graphs, and guidelines Organizing your work PART 2 PRINCIPLES AND PATTERNS FOR IMPROVING SOFTWARE Breaking up a monolith Emergent design Common restructuring patterns

In its day the most popular book on the culture and history of then-mysterious Japan.

For more than fifty years, William Elliot Griffis (1843–1928) chronicled a rapidly changing Meiji Japan and its people. He was unequaled in the length of his writing career and the breadth of his work, which illuminated the entire sweep of Meiji history and reached a multiplicity of American audiences. A teacher in the provincial city of Fukui and later in Tokyo, he reported in magazine essays on the last days of feudalism in Japan and its aspirations to become a modern nation. After returning to the United States, he continued to write. In dozens of books and hundreds of articles, he covered topics including the samurai class, daily life, racial theory, empire, and war. Extending his reach even further, he was a tireless public speaker and delivered thousands of lectures on Japan. He described his self-appointed task as “interpreting Japan to America, with voice and pen.” This anthology brings together the best of his writing, offering a dynamic perspective on Meiji Japan through the eyes of a colorful and engaging writer.

Shayde was an average girl and at age sixteen had nothing more but a simple life. A family she calls her own, a sister that she loves dearly, the life she wanted was going to come true, until one afternoon. Kit, her best friend, ever since they were both little, leading two lives. Two worlds separated holding a fate for both girls. The woods that hold the key to Shayde’s past. A crystal that unlocks the secrets to the life she’s about to have. One boy that sees something more, but can’t learn to tell the truth about it. Takrom, an evil man that will risk anything and everything, even his own daughter, to rule both worlds for himself. Creatures that are only in a person’s dreams. The boundaries of friendship and love intertwined. Two worlds, one girl to save them both in only so much time. Two moons, but nothing alike, that Shayde must save for the sake of the ones she loves and the new life she wants to live. Battles that Shayde never wanted to face become the truth that she must face not only by herself, but the people she has encountered. Shayde must learn the spell of her long dead mother to send the man that is taking over the other world to his grave in order to save both worlds. Only when the purple moon touches the ground will she try to take back what is hers once and for all.