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May 8, 2019April 27, 2019 Common Anti-Patterns

The Blob Anti-Pattern

We will kick off the new season with a look at the Blob anti-pattern. This is one that is common and easy to fall into. The tendency to kick design decisions down the road is often a slippery slope that leads to a Blob. Defining the Blob Anti-Pattern I like the definition of a Blob found on the SourceMaking site. [Click Here to See The Page] “The Blob is found in designs where one class monopolizes the processing, and other classes primarily encapsulate data. This AntiPattern is characterized by a class diagram composed of a single complex controller class surrounded by simple data classes. The key problem here is that the majority of the responsibilities are allocated to a single... Read more

May 6, 2019April 27, 2019 Common Anti-Patterns

A General Anti-Pattern Definition – New Season Kick-off

It is time to kick off a new season. Thus, we will set the tone by providing a general anti-pattern definition. Spoiler alert, this season will focus on anti-patterns much like we did software patterns of design a few seasons back. We will drift away from software design and implementation at times due to the more general applicability of anti-patterns. Finding An Anti-Pattern Definition There are a number of functional definitions out there. However, we will go to the source of truth on the Internet, Wikipedia. [Click Here to See The Page] “An anti-pattern is a common response to a recurring problem that is usually ineffective and risks being highly counterproductive. The term, coined in 1995 by Andrew Koenig,[3] was... Read more

May 3, 2019January 23, 2021 General

Success vs. Successful

Some recent pondering has me considering the whole idea of being successful. I think we can find success and happiness without worrying about being successful. On the contrary, a focus on success alone is more likely to lead us to short-term goals and fulfillment over the long run. Success Is Tactical The beautiful thing about determining success is that it is well-defined. We either achieve a goal (and thus success), or we do not. This is often a black or white situation. I either complete my tasks to find success, or I do not. The length of time required to find success varies, but it is often a single cycle or short period. For example, a team can win a championship... Read more

May 1, 2019April 20, 2019 General

Creating a Podcast – Not Just a Lot of Talking

There are a vast number of tutorials for creating a podcast. These cover the technical issues and often include some suggestions to help you be successful. In this episode, I explore your attitude, desires, and whether a podcast makes sense for you. It often needs to be a labor of love. Thus, we start by examing that. Creating A Podcast Topic It is probably stating the obvious when I say a podcast starts with a topic. However, that does not always seem to be the case. A general concept or theme exists, but you will often see podcasts wander and even flounder in the early episodes. While it is usually recommended to launch a podcast with three to five episodes ready... Read more

April 29, 2019April 20, 2019 Become a Better Developer

Writing A Book – What You Should Know Before You Begin

One of the popular suggestions for passive income is writing a book. There are some pros to doing so. However, it is not a project to be undertaken lightly. Whether you are aiming for a fiction or non-fiction work, there is a lot of effort beyond putting words on paper. Here are some things that will help you decide whether this is something you genuinely want to do. Writing a Book Includes a Lot of Writing It will come as no surprise to you that a book requires a lot of writing. In my experience, this goes beyond what most of us experience. I have blogged for years, written white papers, produced a vast array of term and research papers, and produced... Read more

April 26, 2019April 13, 2019 Lessons Learned From Consulting

Habits, Roadmaps, and the Value of Career Momentum

When we think of our professional lives, the result is a marathon, not a sprint. Thus, there is a need to develop a form of career momentum that can get us through those long years. There are a variety of ways to accomplish this goal. That means we can look at several approaches to keeping our career on a forward path even in light of all that life throws at us. Career Momentum Is Key I have found that momentum is the most significant contributor to keeping my career on track. This has been the case even when things appear to go off the rails. There have been periods where all of my goals came to a complete stop. Nevertheless,... Read more