career-development

What do project managers do all day?

I know they are supposed to assign tasks, monitor progress and plan. But apart from monitoring, all else is a one time activity either at the beginning, middle or end of the project. So what do they do on a day to day basis? ...

Domain knowledge for programmer

Ok So You are Programming Geek , Expert in c/++/#.... . However the project where one work falls in one of many "domains". By domains I mean Technology Domain like : Banking/financial applications Networking/wireless/telecom Mobile Applications Web/storage/enterprise/Numerous others.. So as a programmer Do one need to be master of...

How do you control your programmer ego?

You know these situations, when somebody else touches your code and your programmer ego comes up. For example somebody fixes a bug in your code, or worse ;-), refactors your code without consulting you before. What are your strategies to keep your ego under control? ...

Just Got Hired at a New Software Shop, Now What?

I was recently hired at a software shop. This is my first programming related job and I was wondering what things I need to do to get into the groove of the new job as quickly as possible. What tips do you have for a smooth transition into a working environment. ...

What's the next thing on your list to learn?

Subject line says it all. What's next on your list of things to tackle and get to grips with? Got a language you want to learn? Want to grok dynamic programming? Think it's about time you understood type theory? What's next? And why? ...

Learning experiences for young developers

If someone is interning at a company that does not follow best practices or any of the software methodologies that people who seem to know what they are talking about tend to advocate, should they leave? Can an internship actually be harmful to a young developer if it isn't a good environment? Would they be better off using the time f...

Motivation - How do you change it from fear to fun?

So if you are like me in your 9 to 5 job, your motivation goes pretty much in this order... Fear... must eat and support my habits (if eating isn't a habit) Pressure... social pressure from family and friends tell me I should Fun... learn new stuff, make cool stuff I'd say it is 80% fear, 15% pressure, and 5% fun. Not a very good mi...

How can I convince my boss to buy books for programmers?

My new workplace has no programming books. For some reason every programmer, if he needs a book, buys it for himself personally and he might get reimbursed if he can make a business case for this purchase (i.e. convince the boss). I'm used to situation when books are bought for the office and they are shared. How to convince the boss th...

How often are you handed a "spec" before writing code?

I've pretty much never worked from a spec. Almost all assignments came from uber-vague descriptions. So... How often are you handed a spec before writing code? How often are the specs "good"? (not just vague buzzwords from business development) Cheers! ...

Stagnation as a computer scientist

Hello, Entering my fourth year of university, I feel that I've stagnated as a computer scientist. I'm a fairly decent programmer as is - I've taken an array of courses on algorithms, formal languages, formal logic and the like (as well as a ton of math), but I feel like I'm not learning anything anymore. I'm certainly much more enamored...

How do you determine your C# and/or C++ "skills" on a scale of 1-10?

In my experience this is a common question (not limited to just C# and C++) asked during phone screens and on pre-interview questionnaires. So how do you do it? I'm usually reluctant to say anything over 5-6 since I can name entire language areas/libraries etc I'm not familiar with. But this low rating can cause recruiters to skip y...

Pros and Cons of being a java expert?

After spending much thought on the issue and learning a few things about my languages preferences ie. I absolutely dislike php and everything it stands for. I am wondering whether or not it would be wise to delve into the world of java while I am student. This gives the advantage of the fact I am already proficient in java and most of ...

The current and next "big things" in back-end web development?

In short, I'm looking for something to replace PHP. I moved from ASP to ASPNET but since dumping Windows completely, I've ended up on PHP and that's been the state of play for the past 18 months. It's universal and it'll deploy everywhere but despite its considerable power, it isn't a well structured language and I can't help but feel a...

Keeping Work/Personal Life Separate

OK, to cut a long story short: I recently got moved on to a project, due for release about a month ago. The project was borked. The project is still not ready for release, although the customer is convinced otherwise. I have been working stupid hours trying to clean up the mess (read a naughty word that starts with 's' and ends in 'hit...

Cases of companies taking IP rights of your own personal projects developed outside company time

Hi, I have heard of cases where a developer working for a company is also making his own personal projects in his own time, using his own equipment yet the company he works for tries to claim ownership for the project. I really find this annoying, and bang out of order. It should also be illegal. I am in this position (work for a compa...

Do you actively look for a better job?

...Even though you're basically happy where you are? I've been thinking for a while that it might be a good idea to look around, but how do you go about doing it? Do you hide the fact from your employer? What do you tell the recruiters? Can you play your current employer out against the new recruiter or vice versa, and how do you do tha...

When should I tell my boss that I'm thinking about looking for another job?

I'm thinking about looking around for another job, but I don't know when I should tell my boss because I would like to see what kind of opportunities I can land before I even mention it. The reason I'm reluctant to tell him right away is I'm afraid he'll begin the process of replacing me. If I don't tell him while I'm looking around, t...

How is Zend certification going to help my career?

Hi everyone, I'm a web developer. I use opensource primarily PHP and mySQL for developing my websites, and use drupal and cakephp to shortcut the development time. Us web developers especially in such "low wage" places like South East Asia like to learn on our own (of course since it's free) or if get certified, for proprietary system...

What are good places for an American programmer to live / work abroad?

I having been working in development for about a year now, and would really like to travel. I wasn't able to afford studying abroad during college, and I would love to get out of the country before I'm too settled down, especially to Europe, Japan, or South America. Are there any places that are better than others? What are some cheap ...

Is a bachelor's degree good enough for someone to become an architect?

Hi Guys, I have been coding for about 9 years now and have really enjoyed every minute of it. But my journey into computer programming has been an interesting one. I was trained to be a Mechanical Engineer, and I have a bachelor's degree in it. But rather than joining the manufacturing sector, I switched tracks right after graduation...