Software Developer Roundtable: Share your tips, tools and strategies

[loop101]

My advice for programming is to start with something stable, and then add complexity. I've seen really big ($20M) projects fail because people started with something complex, and could never stabilize it. If you have something working, and you add one feature that breaks it, you only have to undo what you added to get it back working again.

 

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[PatrickWho]

Read the Pragmatic Programmer.
Get it working. Then get it better. Often after get it working it turns out it wasn't what client really wanted.

My advice for programming is to start with something stable, and then add complexity.

Great book and great advice.

I found our team did best when we iterated on really small testable chunks which were captured in user stories. Every week I was able to deliver something testable and meaningful to the direction of the project. This saved us so much headache.

 

[AustinS28]

Anyone have any experience with d3.js, dc.js or crossfilter.js?

I'm undertaking a data visulization project using gov data I downloaded in csv files. I have 0 experience with any of these APIs let alone data visulization.

Just curious if anyone had any good reading material or tutorials they'd be willing to share

 

[Aaron T]

Software Developer well forever..But officially in the business for 30 years. Yeah I started that young.

I would list my experience but mostly irrelevant now. (I have used lots of fairly deadish languages on up to modern ones.)

Built and sold a few Software companies but most of the work was done in the following:
C/C++/Objective-C/Java/Javascript/Ruby/Python/Assembly

I use several tech stacks now depending on the product.

I am an official software curmudgeon. Process devotee. Tinkerer. Craftsman.

 

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[PersistentlyHungry]

Software Developer well forever..But officially in the business for 30 years. Yeah I started that young.

I would list my experience but mostly irrelevant now. (I have used lots of fairly deadish languages on up to modern ones.)

Built and sold a few Software companies but most of the work was done in the following:
C/C++/Objective-C/Java/Javascript/Ruby/Python/Assembly

I use several tech stacks now depending on the product.

I am an official software curmudgeon. Process devotee. Tinkerer. Craftsman.

Interesting! What kinds of niches have you developed for?

 

[daru]

Anyone have any experience with d3.js, dc.js or crossfilter.js?

I'm undertaking a data visulization project using gov data I downloaded in csv files. I have 0 experience with any of these APIs let alone data visulization.

Just curious if anyone had any good reading material or tutorials they'd be willing to share

Used d3.js, but very little. But just start doing it and use their documentation to get going and then stack overflow and google to solve specific problems. I've fully embraced the "solve on a problem to problem" basis MJ talks about.

 

[AdrianL]

Anyone have any experience with d3.js, dc.js or crossfilter.js?

I'm undertaking a data visulization project using gov data I downloaded in csv files. I have 0 experience with any of these APIs let alone data visulization.

Just curious if anyone had any good reading material or tutorials they'd be willing to share

Have used d3js previously although not extensively, a good starting place is this: Popular Blocks - bl.ocks.org

You can search through it using: Search the Blocks

Has a lot of examples (with code and data) and can give you great ideas on how to display several types of data. There are also plugins created for specific frameworks (react, angular, vue, etc) which might take out some of the boilerplate required to get some of those up and running!

 

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[Delmania]

Experience:
Full stack developer built a lot of web and desktop apps.

Toolbox:
That depends on whatever project I'm assigned to. I'm currently using the Java/Spring/Hibernate trinity, but a previous gig has me using Aurelia. I've focused primarily on .NET and Java development with some front end skills, but I've played a bit with other languages.

Tips:
My only tip is to not take this stuff too seriously. I've read lots of people advocating for you to write code for 12 to 14 hours a day and practice craftsmanship. You may not be the best of the best, but you can do well if you focus on doing a good job at work and learning from the more experienced developers. Make sure to learn other skills as well, like leadership. If you want to go Fastlane/Unscripted , make sure you learn marketing and communication.

 

[Aaron T]

Interesting! What kinds of niches have you developed for?

My current is deep in Fitness industry but it is more a job helping a friend out. Not my company at all.

My last few were related to pattern recognition. I co-developed a new biometric modality, help start a new company around it with several guys, EyeVerify and we sold it last year. There was a lot of pure C/C++ development, Machine Learning, Sensor programming, fun liveness development. All good stuff.

One of my other companies was Invasive Bamboo. We were a mobile platform game development, and other apps. My best friend and I started this, We focused on WebOS initially, then quickly expanded to iOS and did a little Android. Lot's of different technologies there.

I worked in and sold companies around third-party billing systems, online marketing, SEO as well. Before that I buitl fax servers, games, business management systems (8 and 16 bit systems), early games, Antic Magazine articles. Just all sorts of things.

 

[bigbaby]

I'm a QA developer professionally. Primarily using Selenium.

I've dabbled in VR (Unity, C#), Deep Learning (Python, Tensorflow), learned Rails a few years ago but haven't been back and of course a little mobile here and there.

Currently building a web app using MongoDB, Express, React and Node. My partner is handling the front end so not sure how much I'll end up diving into React yet.

Would be curious to know if anyone has any experience with React. We chose it for the promise of reusable components on mobile. But I'm skeptical on how all that will shake out.

 

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[Owner2Millions]

wow.....didnt know there were that many software guys here....glad to come back to this thread and see more people giving input.

@PatrickWho You could follow any CS degree outline, Harvard, Berkley, Stanford, Yale, etc.....has a lot of their lectures online and YouTube. You may have to search for HW assignments and or projects though.

My question for the guys that have their companies here, do you have a LLC or Scorp as your entity? Whats your biggest challenge right now? What markets do you think software could greatly benefit?

 

[Aaron T]

My question for the guys that have their companies here, do you have a LLC or Scorp as your entity? Whats your biggest challenge right now? What markets do you think software could greatly benefit?

I use LLC until I need funding then I convert to a C Corp. If I expect to go the VC route or funding early C Corp right up front. However I am neither a lawyer or an accountant. You should consult with one based on your needs. Speaking of which, when I am doing corproate things and keeping them straight, well even in personal life, Lawyers and Accountants are the best money I hate spending. Get some good ones.

 

[Owner2Millions]

I use LLC until I need funding then I convert to a C Corp. If I expect to go the VC route or funding early C Corp right up front. However I am neither a lawyer or an accountant. You should consult with one based on your needs. Speaking of which, when I am doing corproate things and keeping them straight, well even in personal life, Lawyers and Accountants are the best money I hate spending. Get some good ones.

Yeah your right....so is your LLC tax as a S corp or sole proprietor? Also Why didnt you consider Scorp as the entity?

 

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[Aaron T]

Yeah your right....so is your LLC tax as a S corp or sole proprietor? Also Why didnt you consider Scorp as the entity?

This is where you need to discuss with an accountant/lawyer. This is out of my realm to easily answer. I do know it has a lot to do with what is preferred in term of funding and distribution of stocks and how it is managed. Far as I know you probably won't get much more than Angel money without the C Corp easily.

Sorry this is a bit of a non-answer, but I don't want to lead you the wrong why. I answered for what I used. I am not sure what you should use.

 

[Owner2Millions]

This is where you need to discuss with an accountant/lawyer. This is out of my realm to easily answer. I do know it has a lot to do with what is preferred in term of funding and distribution of stocks and how it is managed. Far as I know you probably won't get much more than Angel money without the C Corp easily.

Sorry this is a bit of a non-answer, but I don't want to lead you the wrong why. I answered for what I used. I am not sure what you should use.

Well it wasnt for me lol I was just curious what you used since you have started and sold tech companies in the past. So I figured I'll ask because for insight. Besides you and your partner who else were working at some of you companies? What was your largest buy out deal?

 

[Aaron T]

Well it wasnt for me lol I was just curious what you used since you have started and sold tech companies in the past. So I figured I'll ask because for insight. Besides you and your partner who else were working at some of you companies? What was your largest buy out deal?

I have funded companies, provided demo software to start, took equity positions as the initial developer turned CTO, founded companies, all with different people, sometimes as an entity, sometimes personally. It is a long history, but I think that no one I worked with is necessarily famous and like me, I am pretty sure they wish to keep it that way.

My most recent was my largest, but the actual amount was never disclosed fully. Alibaba purchased EyeVerify for a tidy sum and many initial investors, employees, founders did quite well. I can leave it at that. It would be considered life changing or fastlane by most people. I don't really like to talk about money in that sense though.

Trust me though, like many other paths, this is one that can be lucrative, but it is hard. Very hard. I worked 100+ hour weeks at my last venture to help make it a success and there were 30 of us in that boat. From 3-30 in less than 3 years working ferociously. It is hard and success was never guaranteed or easy. It was a singular focus that what we were doing had value that kept everyone in the game. However after payout, I dispersed like others. I know when relax.

 

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[mo3]

Wow - lots of devs here! Entrepreneurial minded lot we are.

Experience
Learnt to program BASIC on my Dad's BBC Micro
Workwise I started out on the web 17 years ago, HTML, asp (anyone remember that?)
Moved into C and C++ and spent over a decade as an embedded programmer working for large corps on RAID storage, the PS3, marine navigation. Contracted for some of it.
After my third child I left the job market and after a few other 'ventures' (I use that term loosely), I started a freelance web co where I work as a full stack developer. I also provide hosting and email for small businesses.
I don't code so much now, but I help local businesses get online. It's fairly rewarding work, but it's never going to make me rich. I created myself a job by becoming the boss, haha.

Toolkit
Then: C, C++, GDB, Linux and bash scripting, dabbled in Python, Qt, and too many others to bother listing
Now: mainly HTML, PHP, MySQL, plus a whole host of graphics work

Tips
Write lots of code.
Try to solve before googling for the copy and paste answer.
Read a lot. Read the books by the top people in your area.
If you're stuck, sleep on it. I've cracked more bugs first thing in the morning than I ever have in the middle of the night

 

[Aaron T]

Wow - lots of devs here! Entrepreneurial minded lot we are.

Actually believe a lot of Devs are since we are in the field of creation from the beginning and it doesn't take long to realize if you are creating something of value for someone else, you can just as easily do it for yourself. Of course it is always harder than that, but it is still a good way to go if you can code.

 

[mo3]

it doesn't take long to realize if you are creating something of value for someone else, you can just as easily do it for yourself. Of course it is always harder than that, but it is still a good way to go if you can code.

That's the main reason I left. The difference between my pay and the directors pay was eye-watering considering how much time and work I was putting in!

 

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[Owner2Millions]

Actually believe a lot of Devs are since we are in the field of creation from the beginning and it doesn't take long to realize if you are creating something of value for someone else, you can just as easily do it for yourself. Of course it is always harder than that, but it is still a good way to go if you can code.

I totally agree with that. Its the creators and inventors that become fastlane when they figure out how to sell to a mass of people like MJ mentions in his book.

@Aaron T as far as your post responding to my answer, all I can say is wow.....you have done a lot. I personally wouldnt care about being famous either. As long as my work had an impact on people's life thats all I would care about, the money will come because of it. Its great to hear that such a large company like Alibaba purchased your company for a nice amount. With all that experience, a decent amount of money and your network that you have, whats next for you in the coming years? Do you do any investing of any kind?

 

[Aaron T]

Do you do any investing of any kind?

I have a decent money system of investing right now. But only because I can fund it well enough. I have a fair amount of property (although a lot in Florida so today not the best day for me as Irma about to it.) I did buy the homes I am living in. No mortgages, but after I got hit badly during the 2007 year and lost a home to really poor decisions

I am actually working at the moment by choice helping out a great group of people. This is purely because for 7 months I got stir crazy and started coding up another business idea. The reality is if I was going to focus on that idea I would be back at 100 hour weeks and stress so I self imposed a short term work contract to keep working, but stop from over working, as I sort out next steps.

I did create a new blog testing an idea I had on using FB to drive traffic in certain ways, and that has worked out so I will be focusing more on that, but it is not like major income or anything. It is hobby lifestyle income though.

I am keeping myself fairly open now. I am still pretty young and able to do and enjoy many things. I have a lot of travel lined up that I want to do. I have money working for me in some Angel funds right now, and might expand that a bit. I am actually quite happy working too. So yeah, not sure if that answered your question, but hell I am loving being a curmudgeon and doing what I want how I want to do it. Basically if I feel overstressed or upset with what I am doing, I can just walk away and change it. That is all I really wanted. Oh and of course I have been having fun with my car collection. But not going to talk about that, post stuff, or feed into the whole YouTube Guru "This is my Lambo, House" thing.