Being candid, I possess a decent level of technical acumen and a handful of technical skills. Both the acumen and the skills are part and parcel to being a software engineer. They compose the foundation to "thought work" — in many ways, they are the barrier to entry. Emphasis on entry. There is no c...
"Ideal" development isn't ideal Let me clarify; writing code and developing software under ideal conditions is nice. When everything aligns and a project goes off without a hitch, I'm spoiled. When everything goes as expected, I can take a step back. I can plan my code and be meticulous. This occasi...
Why Build Software? If you would've asked me that question at the beginning of my software journey, I'd probably have said something about wanting to create cool new things, or solve difficult problems; essentially, it was about being at the forefront of technology. Those ideas and wants still hold ...
Free and Open Source Software Open source software is quickly becoming a necessary staple and cornerstone to software development itself and the advancement thereof. A recent(ish) study conducted by Black Duck Software (OSS logistics and legal problem solver) and North Bridge (venture capitalists th...
I Dig Node I remember when I was a fledgling programmer and Node was something I had just learned about; I remember thinking "Server side Javascript? That sounds like the worst thing ever". After tinkering with it and working with it professionally for about a year, I had a change of heart. Node ful...
This is a loaded question; it hounds me in times of self-doubt. It's often followed by the question, "am I a good engineer?". Honestly, I already grapple with the concept and definition of the word "good". To deconstruct what it could mean to be a "good engineer" is beyond me. I like to sit and thin...