February, 2020

99% Of Successful Software Engineers Practice These 10 Habits & Skills

Published 2020/02/19

99% Of Successful Software Engineers Practice These 10 Habits & Skills

Engineers are like snowflakes, no two are the same. Every snowflake that has ever formed is constituted from different atoms in a unique configuration. This is similar to Software Engineers where no matter how similar the learning path, no two will ever be identical in their developmental skills and abilities. However, even with different levels of aptitude, the people that rise to the top and can be considered as the most successful are the ones that build solid a foundation of habits and skills that allow them to perform closer to peak efficiency longer and consistently have higher quality output over a longer period of time. Over many years both participating in Software Engineering projects and while managing other people performing this role, the following traits have stood out among the most successful people to hold this title. These are a collection of skills and habits that increase efficiency and…

Has Tesla Really Engineered A 6 Year Head Start?

Published 2020/02/18

Has Tesla Really Engineered A 6 Year Head Start?

A very interesting article was released today relating to Tesla cars. The article, published by electrek declares: “Tesla has ‘6 years lead over Toyota and VW’ in electronics, says new Model 3 teardown“ 6 years… In the age of modern electronics that is a lifetime for some CPUs!! Using a very liberal interpretation of Moore’s Law, if it were to apply to AI processing, means that 3 iterations of the law would pass in those 6 years. That would put an effective lead of eight times the computing power ( = 2^3 ) inside Tesla’s electronics over competitors in the automotive space. A six year lead and eight times the computing power? When does that ever happen in the Engineering world? Tesla of course has the huge benefit of being an upstart in what has become a hugely iterative market. Sure, new cars and new designs come out, but there…

The Pros & Cons Of Cursing At Work

Published 2020/02/16

The Pros & Cons Of Cursing At Work

What the $#%& are you talking about? The amount of profanity that someone hears on a daily basis has increased even over the past decade. This was nowhere more apparent than sitting at home hosting a Super Bowl party and while watching a commercial hearing a guest exclaim: “can they really cuss in a commercial?“ Cursing and cussing have always been a part of human vernacular. We even have aphorisms describing the use of “salty” language. Saying someone curses “like a sailor” is simply stating that their spoken choice of verbiage is heavily seasoned with terminology that would make people in polite company blush. You peasant swain! you whoreson malthorse drudge! Shakespeare – The Taming of the Shrew, 4.1.62 There are even famous modern pop culture references to specific words that at one point were simply not allowed on television. A famous monologue by George Carlin from 1972, titled “Seven…

How Long Is A College Degree Relevant?

Published 2020/02/15

How Long Is A College Degree Relevant?

While reading resumes for an open position recently, an interesting thought surfaced: How long is a college degree relevant? This question may immediately make some people start to feel queasy. Specifically, the people that still have huge amounts of debt many years after that coveted piece of paper was awarded at some institute of higher learning. That queasiness cannot be helped by the realization that many years later much of the detailed knowledge that was imparted in those glory days of learning has started to fade. Yet, this is not an argument for or against a college degree. From the standpoint of an Engineering Manager, a college degree provides a great deal of value and information when reviewing resumes. The hiring process is all about guesswork and assumptions based on a very limited data set and, while it can be faulty in some cases, it does allow for many variables…

The Dangers Of Falling In Love During Software Development

Published 2020/02/11

The Dangers Of Falling In Love During Software Development

Spring is in the air! The birds are singing, the first flowers are starting to bloom and yet any good Software Engineer worth their salt is definitely not outside enjoying it. Their world has drawn down to a harshly lit fluorescent cubicle where the rapid clacking away at the keyboard is only interrupted by the guttural cries emitted every time a unit test fails. A singular goal exists in this state: to birth their software progeny upon the world. Yet, this act of creation is not borne out of a sense of duty or fulfillment. A deeper, more intimate connection has been established between this specific developer with this specific project. Yes, like the perils and pitfalls of that soft and squishy feeling that humans get upon first achieving romantic feelings for another of our species, Engineers also have the capacity to fall deeply in love with a software project.…

To Make The Jump From Engineer To Manager, Consider These Questions First

Published 2020/02/05

To Make The Jump From Engineer To Manager, Consider These Questions First

Great Odin’s Raven! Have you had it up to here with the Pointy Hared Bosses ordering you around? The constant tasks, deliverables, and timelines. Isn’t it about time that you stepped up and just did that job yourself? Think of all of the money, fame, and influence that you will have when you are a shiny new manager! It looks so easy, and there are so many perks. Besides, you have all of this Engineering mumbo-jumbo locked down right? Since you are so good at what you are doing now, that certainly has to at least imply that the next step up that corporate ladder will be just as easy since it is just a little bit more of the same stuff. By the beard of Zeus, it can’t be that hard, right? While the general thought processes around who would be a good manager and when that transition should…

How I Read 136 Books In 2019

Published 2020/02/02

How I Read 136 Books In 2019

That is not a typo. Last year I read 136 books throughout the calendar year. This post is not a humble brag. The fact is, reading is an incredibly important skill and should be a part of every human’s daily routine. This is not a statement intended to elicit motivation, or to shame you into reading more. There is only one simple goal with this messaging: Anyone can find the time to squeeze in a little reading every day. The amount that you want or choose to read is up to you. Reading give numerous benefits in cognitive function, mental stimulation, vocabulary and memory improvements, and sometimes you learn a thing or two while doing it. Unfortunately, people are doing less reading now than in the past. An oft-cited study from 2014 states the following: “…young people read less than ever, apparently, with people ages 25 to 34 reading eight…

Month: February 2020

99% Of Successful Software Engineers Practice These 10 Habits & Skills

Has Tesla Really Engineered A 6 Year Head Start?

The Pros & Cons Of Cursing At Work

How Long Is A College Degree Relevant?

The Dangers Of Falling In Love During Software Development

To Make The Jump From Engineer To Manager, Consider These Questions First

How I Read 136 Books In 2019