tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41732853956560079182024-03-08T00:52:17.310-08:00Maurice on SoftwareUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-55795316004137537172010-09-21T12:46:00.000-07:002010-09-21T12:46:43.535-07:00Requirements Change is not an excuseWhen was the last time you developed a product and knew all, and I mean all, of the requirements, before you started implementation; never? That’s right, requirements change, they always change.
If you’re developing a product, for yourself, and you’ve created your own requirements, chances are you’ll change what it’s required to do, whilst you’re actually developing it. This is only natural. As Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-10829814987532563542010-09-19T06:04:00.000-07:002010-09-19T06:11:11.346-07:00All new developers should read this bookI read this book a number of years ago when I was a junior developer in my first job. At the time I had about one years experience developing web applications (Classic ASP, JavaScript, CSS, and HTML) using knowledge I’d gained at University and anything I could find on the internet. Keen to keep up with the latest technologies our development department decided to use, the then newly released, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-87487816006613650922010-09-09T14:30:00.000-07:002010-09-09T14:36:47.830-07:00Drag and drop. PLEASE STOP!Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day, give him a jQuery UI toolkit, and he’ll try to use every bl@*dy effect in every bl@*dy web page. I’ve seen it happen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of jQuery, and I think some of the jQuery UI widgets, and effects, can really enhance the look and usability of a website. My issue is that whilst its appropriate use can enhance looks and usability, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-80373469936047897832010-09-02T14:58:00.000-07:002010-09-02T15:00:10.595-07:00Manage your managerWhen was the last time you asked your manager for something? They’re not just there to give you orders and make your life a misery, you know? OK, so there are lots of good managers out there. I’ve been lucky enough to work with managers who have, for the most part, been supportive of my personal development needs. I shouldn’t really refer to it as luck, although, of course, there has been an Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-68072034940382555312010-09-01T12:05:00.000-07:002010-09-01T12:09:57.399-07:00Make your Prototypes look badPrototyping your software is a great way to prove to yourself, and others, that you can get something to work. One of the first goals when developing software is to make it work. And herein lies the problem. As soon as you demonstrate your software to the user, or your manager, or any other interested party, they will assume that it is ready to use. It doesn’t matter to them, that it’s a ‘Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-77518235061702017462010-08-26T14:26:00.000-07:002010-08-26T14:27:13.457-07:00Not all bugs are equalThe term ‘bug’, is widely used in software development circles, to describe a fault, or defect, in software. Your average dictionary will confirm that the word itself has many meanings, and usages, in the English language. It is because of this wide usage, that I find it strange that the word has been embraced so readily, by software professionals. A developer claiming that their code is “bug Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-86074993770469320772010-08-25T01:54:00.000-07:002010-08-29T05:56:02.051-07:00Is more testing the answer?It’s not long after you’ve released a new product, or feature, and the call comes in that something is not right. Should have done more testing, yes? Well, maybe. What if you couldn’t do more testing because you just didn’t have the time? In hindsight, should you have factored in more time for testing into the planning phase?
In order to answer these questions we need to understand what we are Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-67611022597542822792010-08-19T13:31:00.000-07:002010-08-20T00:57:23.676-07:00Code Commenting in ContextThere are a huge number of articles on the web about "How to Comment Your Code" or "10 Top Tips to Comment Your Code". Having read a number of these I noticed the apparent absence of context in the advice given. Without a context it is easy to argue that one approach is better than another. Some people will argue that "all code should be commented", others that "if you write good code you don't Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-22284108148857546892010-08-18T13:46:00.000-07:002010-08-18T13:46:09.945-07:00Learn to say "no"Often one of the most difficult, but important, things to say is "no". I've learnt this the hard way. As a junior developer, in my first job, I was so eager to impress that I said "yes" to most requests. Big mistake. Very soon I discovered that I didn't have enough time to do what I'd committed to and often didn't have the skills to do it either. Now it's not always easy saying "no". I used to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-62542966014764746402010-08-16T01:05:00.001-07:002010-08-16T01:05:35.600-07:00Take a breakI used to work with a developer who used to go to the toilet and come back with the solution to his problem. Now I'm not suggesting you spend your working day hanging around toilets (probably wouldn't go down too well with your colleagues), but the point is that by simply taking a few minutes break, and walking away from the problem, you'll be surprised by how often the solution will come to you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-22414490134211194022010-08-13T01:05:00.000-07:002010-08-13T01:05:22.202-07:00Learn something new every dayTake a small amount of time each day to learn something new. Doing this every day will amount to a lot of learning. This might sound extremely obvious. However, if you don't make a conscious effort, to learn every day, it's easy to become complacent, and you'll soon find yourself lacking knowledge. This applies to most industries but is particularly relevant in software development, due to the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-46530565765108972072010-08-12T00:56:00.000-07:002010-08-12T00:56:16.832-07:00Update your CVUpdating your CV isn't just something you should do when you're thinking of applying for a new job. Updating your CV, especially the skills section, forces you to reflect upon what you've learnt over a given time period. This can have a number of benefits. If you find your skills are improving, either you've gained more experience in a certain area, or have gained new skills, updating your CV Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-21811648658639242172010-08-10T14:28:00.000-07:002010-08-10T14:30:27.041-07:00What is great software?I overheard a conversation/argument a few days ago between two developers. At one point one of the developers said “well my product is greater than anything you’ve ever done!” It’s a shame the other developer didn’t respond by simply saying “prove it”.
How could the first developer prove it?
Proving whether a product is great or not depends upon how well the product fulfills its intended Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-33318186437171686122010-08-09T01:59:00.000-07:002010-08-29T05:58:27.513-07:00BitesAs I mentioned in The Beginning, I value my spare time. I’m not going to be able to spend loads of time writing lengthy posts. I’m also aware that, the lengthier the post, the less likely you are to read it. That said I am keen for this space to evolve and grow. I am going to use something I’ve decided to call Bites. These will be short sentences designed to stimulate thought on a certain topic. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-78937404403458671132010-08-04T04:58:00.001-07:002010-08-09T02:05:39.678-07:00The FocusI like to have a focus. This blog needs a focus.
This blog is going to focus on software development in small to medium sized businesses. I’m not going to focus on any specific industry, as the principles discussed apply equally well regardless. My decision to focus on small to medium sized businesses is simple. It’s whilst working in these environments that I have gained my experience.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173285395656007918.post-54412728726604221942010-08-03T08:40:00.000-07:002010-08-06T09:17:20.955-07:00The BeginningI've been a software developer for about 7 years. I've enjoyed it, mostly. I've learned a lot. I’ve worked pretty hard but I’ve never been one for working long hours. I value my spare time too much. I recently, officially, started a new role as a program manager. The role, actually, isn’t quite that clear cut (are they ever?) as it involves some line management responsibility Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0