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November 25, 2019November 20, 2019 Special Topics

Being Thankful For Effective Tools

The Thanksgiving holiday is upon us in the United States. That allows us a week that is a little lighter than our normal workload and time to reflect. In this time of reflection, one of the things to consider is the effective tools we have for doing our jobs. Avoid Software Piracy The first thing to consider is the people and companies that provide all of those effective tools. Therefore, we should be respectful of their efforts and ensure we are compliant with licenses. I have heard all of the excuses for software piracy, and none of them hold water. In particular, we need to set an excellent example for those that do not make a living creating software. If... Read more

November 22, 2019November 18, 2019 Three Ways To Improve

Season of Lists Wrap-Up and Becoming a Better Developer

We have reached the end of season 10. This episode wraps up our look at how lists can be a quick way to cover a lot of ground as topics go. This season was a broad range of subjects, and here are a few others to review to become a better developer. Upcoming Hiatus We will be taking a break from Thanksgiving to New Years with only a few Holiday episodes. That will have us starting season 11 at the beginning of 2020. Of course, that break makes it a perfect time for you to catch up on anything you missed in season 10. The Complete Season 10 Episodes Past Seasons That Are Recommended We covered a broad range of... Read more

November 20, 2019November 11, 2019 Three Ways To Improve

3 Lessons We Can Learn From Lists

This season has been an homage to clickbait and lists. Nevertheless, some values come from using lists to communicate. There are some critical concepts behind this approach to writing and even sharing ideas. Therefore, it makes sense to offer an episode that looks at three things we can learn from lists and how to make them work for us. A Simple Summary One of the most significant values we derive from a list is the ability to grab a summary quickly. Lists are made for scanning and speed reading. Think about how often you read an article first by looking only at the section titles or list items. That is just a smart way to scan for the key points... Read more

November 18, 2019November 9, 2019 Three Ways To Improve

Three Ways To Avoid Burnout

The worst thing that can happen to your career is burnout. This situation can do lasting damage to your reputation as well as eat away at years of progress. Therefore, any steps you take to avoid burnout are worthwhile. Likewise, the situation is one that makes even desperate attempts at avoiding it worth the risk. The suggestions we review are not complicated, can be done quickly, and often turn the tide towards burnout. Make A Change A change is always critical to avoid burnout. The situation you are in has been too steady and consistent for too long. That is at least part of what led to burnout. Thus, we need to make a change. The course we have been... Read more

November 15, 2019November 5, 2019 Three Ways To Improve

Three Important Software Design Patterns To Recognize and Understand

There are a wealth of reasons for understanding and recognizing software patterns. However, these three crucial software design patterns appear in many different environments. They might even rise to the level of things you should know even without knowing what they are called. These patterns are prevalent and used heavily in modern software solutions. Model-View-Controller (MVC) The first pattern in our list is an architectural approach that is found in many modern web applications. We have seen advances beyond this simple and reliable pattern. Nevertheless, this approach is perfect for common CRUD applications. That makes it an excellent starting point for a minimally viable product while allowing for extensive growth. As always, a solid foundation is a key to future... Read more

November 13, 2019November 5, 2019 Three Ways To Improve

Three Signs Of Burnout – Address These Before Its Too Late

The steady path of continuous improvement can be derailed by burnout. This situation can not only halt progress, but it can also cause us to fall backward. The time and progress lost can be difficult to regain and cause a significant setback. Therefore, we need to be aware of the signs of burnout and be prepared to make changes before it is too late. The Feeling of Being In A Rut One of the first signs of burnout is that sense of being in a rut. The days start to run together, and progress is hard to recognize. This state can be due to an actual spinning of wheels on a project or might be entirely in your mind. In... Read more