Over the next year I will create several courses about containers and Docker. I’m wrapping up my first course and I wanted to share some of the analogies I used. Docker simplifies using software. If you already understand software then you already understand Docker. When you hear container think process or application. When you hear image think of the file…
Category: Software Professionals
Interview – Are VMs Dead?
10 on Tech Episode 008: Wes Higbee – Are VMs Dead?
Meaningless words
The tech community is overrun with jargon. And there’s plenty of it that serves a specific purpose. But there’s also a lot of jargon that’s become meaningless: Agile – is used for any new idea anyone has about software development processes, and any rehashed idea from decades ago that someone rediscovers The Cloud – seems to be the new way…
I’ve got your back coaching with a fixed price
One of the things I love the most about being a consultant is that I’m free to tailor the value I contribute to what each customer desires. To what each customer finds valuable. I’ve had a few projects lately where I’ve offered what I like to think of as I’ve got your back coaching. I structure these projects such that…
Business doesn’t change every two weeks
Iterative development processes that champion prioritizing work and deciding what to do every two weeks can be just as disastrous as planning a year of work in advance. Sure, a business landscape can change in a year, but it rarely changes meaningfully in the span of two weeks. Set your objectives based on what’s worthwhile before you dive into a…
Timing can be revealing
Time is an often neglected aspect of project planning. Probably because too many people are used to hearing: “We need this yesterday.” When in reality that couldn’t be further from the truth. Perhaps, someone wants this, as of yesterday. But want is not need. It’s ok to start out with a simple question like when should we start. But never…
Chairs
Take a moment and scribble down on a piece of paper, define what characterizes a high quality chair. When it comes to an office chair, I like chairs that aren’t pleasant to sit in for long periods of time. I like a modest level of comfort for a short duration. I tend to not want comfortable arm rests either. To…
Direction or speed?
Speed can only come after direction, and even then it’s usually inconsequential.
Should I trust this code style guide?
There are a plethora of code style guides online to help you write better code. But many of them fail to give you the context to make your own decisions. This video shows what to watch for when reading style guides. And if you have your own style guide, how to make it reasonable. And, if you really want help…
In JavaScript, declaring variables at the top of functions is a bad idea (free video tutorial)
Here’s a free tutorial from my course On writing JavaScript well.
Several style guides for JavaScript recommend declaring all variables at the top of functions, in this video I’ll show you why that’s actually a bad idea.