Some Background
Last year, I discovered the podcast Techzing. If you have any interest in entrepreneurship or startups, and have a more than average technical background, you really must listen to this show. It discusses all of the above in an incredible amount of detail. I have found that I go back and listen to shows again, just so I can take notes.
One of the questions they ask guests is to list off technologies that they are embarrassed that they don’t know. At first, I thought it was interesting to hear what people were unfamiliar with. Then, I realized that it was pretty scary to make this list for myself. But I did. It’s even scarier to share it with the world. But I am. I am doing so in the hopes that it will force me to fill these gaps in my knowledge.
So, here goes, the list. The list of things that I am embarrassed that I don’t know, or don’t know well enough:
The List
Scaling
In a good deal of cases, the first thing everyone wants to discuss in an initial meeting about a project is scaling. What do we do when this project becomes the size of facebook or google? My first instinct is squelch this conversation. Why? Not only because I don’t know the answer, but because I am certain that no one in the room knows the answer. There are no scaling gurus in the room, so it’s pointless to use up our time on this conversation without a guru around.
I must also confess that I have never worked on a project that blew up to be as big as facebook or google. I would guess not many of us have.
While I do have a vague idea of scaling and how it works, I have never put my nose in the books and made it happen. I have never load balanced 35 web servers and 45 database servers because so many people loved my project. It has just never happened.
My guess is that until this happens, I will never go further than read the odd article on scaling and tuck it somewhere in my brain. Hopefully, soon, I will need to address this weakness.
Test Driven Development
Sure, I have gone through all of the tutorials in every possible language about test driven web development. I have watched the videos, and compiled a bunch of tests. The problem is, as of yet, I have not incorporated it into my daily life. Why? I really can’t say. Every time I try to start a project out using test driven development, I seem to feel like I am contriving tests that I know will pass or fail, just for the sake of writing a test.
I am sure that the ingredient I am lacking is the ability to mentally compose what would be a good test. When that happens, I am sure I will be right on it. Alas, this day has never come. I am sure it will happen one day while talking to another developer, and I will feel like a giant heel.
HTML5/CSS3
Yes, I have read all the websites, done all the tutorials, and sorta kinda keep up with it. In the back of my mind, I know I should get on this. In the front of my mind, I just keep thinking that I will spend the time to learn it when more browsers adopt it. I have a suspicion that when everything does catch up, it won’t take me long to figure it all out, but I am just not obsessed with the technology.
Sure, I love it, and I understand its importance. I think that since I am not a designer, I don’t really spend too much time trying to figure out the potential. But yes, I do understand that I am lacking by not being super hot on this technology.
NoSql Databases
I love the idea of NoSql databases. When they first started arriving, I installed them, did some testing, wrote APIs in a couple languages, but I never did anything fun with them. The sad part is, I actually like the technology. I just don’t have the time to devote to getting mighty with them.
Worse yet, I haven’t used them enough to even have a feel for when then would be a better tool in a situation than a sql database. Maybe this summer, I will launch a project just for fun to become more immersed in the technology.
Javascript
I’ll admit it. I haven’t used javascript in years. With the plethora of awesome javascript libraries, when I needed to do something javascripty, it was always pretty easy to implement using one of the libraries. Especially with Ajax, it saved me from a bunch of fiddling around trying to get every browser out there to bend to my will.
Pre Ajax, I wrote a good deal of javascript. I can still do it, if I have to, but my javascript coding usually involves referencing the book a million times. I can’t fly through it. Post Ajax, the tools out there were just too great. Lately, I haven’t had any javascript heavy projects, so I am hoping I will be okay until it’s time to hook JS, HTML5, and CSS3 up.
Nodejs
Every time I look at this project, it makes me want to start a project with it. Unfortunately, I still haven’t heeded that call. I really need to, as this technology really fixes a great deal of things that were a pain to do without it.
After hearing how Jason Roberts uses nodejs, in his limo tracking program, I am so intrigued, yet so embarrassed that I don’t know it.
Java
I used to be a good java developer. That was many years ago, before the advent of mobile devices. To develop for the Android device, I need to get my java game back on. I have let my java skills slip into a terrible state of disrepair. I know that it would just take a weekend of piddling around, but I just haven’t done it yet. I think the biggest reason is that I am unsure of how profitable it would be to launch an Android app.
If I could convince myself that this would make me a killing, I would definitely hit the books.
In Closing
So, there you have it. The list of things that I am embarrassed that I don’t know more about. Maybe this year is the year I get my game on.
Now that my weaknesses are out of the bag, you can go here for a list of things that I do know how to do.
developers, development
My Weaknesses as a Developer
Some Background
Last year, I discovered the podcast Techzing. If you have any interest in entrepreneurship or startups, and have a more than average technical background, you really must listen to this show. It discusses all of the above in an incredible amount of detail. I have found that I go back and listen to shows again, just so I can take notes.
One of the questions they ask guests is to list off technologies that they are embarrassed that they don’t know. At first, I thought it was interesting to hear what people were unfamiliar with. Then, I realized that it was pretty scary to make this list for myself. But I did. It’s even scarier to share it with the world. But I am. I am doing so in the hopes that it will force me to fill these gaps in my knowledge.
So, here goes, the list. The list of things that I am embarrassed that I don’t know, or don’t know well enough:
The List
Scaling
In a good deal of cases, the first thing everyone wants to discuss in an initial meeting about a project is scaling. What do we do when this project becomes the size of facebook or google? My first instinct is squelch this conversation. Why? Not only because I don’t know the answer, but because I am certain that no one in the room knows the answer. There are no scaling gurus in the room, so it’s pointless to use up our time on this conversation without a guru around.
I must also confess that I have never worked on a project that blew up to be as big as facebook or google. I would guess not many of us have.
While I do have a vague idea of scaling and how it works, I have never put my nose in the books and made it happen. I have never load balanced 35 web servers and 45 database servers because so many people loved my project. It has just never happened.
My guess is that until this happens, I will never go further than read the odd article on scaling and tuck it somewhere in my brain. Hopefully, soon, I will need to address this weakness.
Test Driven Development
Sure, I have gone through all of the tutorials in every possible language about test driven web development. I have watched the videos, and compiled a bunch of tests. The problem is, as of yet, I have not incorporated it into my daily life. Why? I really can’t say. Every time I try to start a project out using test driven development, I seem to feel like I am contriving tests that I know will pass or fail, just for the sake of writing a test.
I am sure that the ingredient I am lacking is the ability to mentally compose what would be a good test. When that happens, I am sure I will be right on it. Alas, this day has never come. I am sure it will happen one day while talking to another developer, and I will feel like a giant heel.
HTML5/CSS3
Yes, I have read all the websites, done all the tutorials, and sorta kinda keep up with it. In the back of my mind, I know I should get on this. In the front of my mind, I just keep thinking that I will spend the time to learn it when more browsers adopt it. I have a suspicion that when everything does catch up, it won’t take me long to figure it all out, but I am just not obsessed with the technology.
Sure, I love it, and I understand its importance. I think that since I am not a designer, I don’t really spend too much time trying to figure out the potential. But yes, I do understand that I am lacking by not being super hot on this technology.
NoSql Databases
I love the idea of NoSql databases. When they first started arriving, I installed them, did some testing, wrote APIs in a couple languages, but I never did anything fun with them. The sad part is, I actually like the technology. I just don’t have the time to devote to getting mighty with them.
Worse yet, I haven’t used them enough to even have a feel for when then would be a better tool in a situation than a sql database. Maybe this summer, I will launch a project just for fun to become more immersed in the technology.
Javascript
I’ll admit it. I haven’t used javascript in years. With the plethora of awesome javascript libraries, when I needed to do something javascripty, it was always pretty easy to implement using one of the libraries. Especially with Ajax, it saved me from a bunch of fiddling around trying to get every browser out there to bend to my will.
Pre Ajax, I wrote a good deal of javascript. I can still do it, if I have to, but my javascript coding usually involves referencing the book a million times. I can’t fly through it. Post Ajax, the tools out there were just too great. Lately, I haven’t had any javascript heavy projects, so I am hoping I will be okay until it’s time to hook JS, HTML5, and CSS3 up.
Nodejs
Every time I look at this project, it makes me want to start a project with it. Unfortunately, I still haven’t heeded that call. I really need to, as this technology really fixes a great deal of things that were a pain to do without it.
After hearing how Jason Roberts uses nodejs, in his limo tracking program, I am so intrigued, yet so embarrassed that I don’t know it.
Java
I used to be a good java developer. That was many years ago, before the advent of mobile devices. To develop for the Android device, I need to get my java game back on. I have let my java skills slip into a terrible state of disrepair. I know that it would just take a weekend of piddling around, but I just haven’t done it yet. I think the biggest reason is that I am unsure of how profitable it would be to launch an Android app.
If I could convince myself that this would make me a killing, I would definitely hit the books.
In Closing
So, there you have it. The list of things that I am embarrassed that I don’t know more about. Maybe this year is the year I get my game on.
Now that my weaknesses are out of the bag, you can go here for a list of things that I do know how to do.
From → commentary, development