I write about my career, politics, software engineering, cycling — not all in that order. All opinions are mine.
An elephant graveyard, when applied to a corporate setting, is a team, company, or some other set of conditions in which otherwise bright engineers are forced into positions or assignments where there is no hope for future career growth. In this post, I hope to define the conditions that must be present for an elephant graveyard to form, how to detect them, and how to navigate them.
By sending me unsolicited emails and by cold calling me using robotic software you are indicating to me that you feel my time is not valuable. You are saying that interrupting me all day with unsolicited emails and cold calls costs you nothing but a small chance of you winning a gig is worth it to you.
For many years I couldn’t understand what software architects do. Early in my career, I thought they were useless. As a young developer, I felt that I could do the job of a business analyst, software architect, and developer all at the same time. Now, seventeen years into my post-college career I am one myself. I am trying to learn what it means to be a good software architect, and I hope to be one myself.
November of 2016 marked five years of my work at Liquid Analytics. On New Year’s Eve in 2011 I wrote: Breezing through your day at work is a recipe for stagnation. Any spare brain cycles you have at work should be spent on thinking about how to improve yourself and your project. The biggest lesson … Continue reading Here is to a great 2017!
In a few weeks new college freshmen will begin their classes. Some of them will choose to pursue a degree in Computer Science. Over the course of the four years in college they will be surrounded by like minded people who are at least as smart as they are and are just as interested in … Continue reading What Every College Computer Science Freshman Should Know
Man’s wisdom is in what he writes, good sense at the end of his pen; and using his pen he can climb to the height of the scepter in the hand of his king -- The Dream of the Poem: Hebrew Poetry from Muslim and Christian Spain Moses Ben Maimon (aka Maimonides) lived over … Continue reading On Maintaining Personal Brand as a Software Engineer
There is a perception among many in the software industry that JavaScript is simpler to learn and use than, say, Java. I've even heard some say that JavaScript developers are easier to recruit. Somehow there is a perception of #javascript simplicity when in reality it is arguable as complex as C #callbackhell https://t.co/WAxbBaIxO9 — Oleg … Continue reading The Three Myths About JavaScript Simplicity
Techcrunch reports: If 17-year-old Google is at all worried that it’s losing its mojo, it should find some new data highly reassuring. According to a survey of 19,000 students across 340 universities around the world, Google is still their top choice when asked where they’d want to work. Their other top picks, in descending order: … Continue reading Attracting STEM Graduates to Traditional Enterprise IT
When I was a freshman at Clarkson in 1996 there was a work-study program they called Student-Directed Computing Services. It was an effort to recruit students and get their help in wiring the campus for high speed Internet. It was thanks to that program that by the end of that year I had a real … Continue reading On apprenticeship
One of my resolutions for 2015 is to reduce the stress and manage my workload. I have an obsessive compulsive workaholic personality that often makes it difficult for me to work a day without stressing out or overloading myself with tasks I cannot accomplish on time. Prioritizing There is a lot of work that needs … Continue reading On Managing Stress, Multitasking and Other New Year’s Resolutions
