I wrote this post for the many people who asked me where to learn how to develop software.

You asked me for resources to learn how to code.

WARNING - software does not solve problems. Critical thinking and smart execution solves problems. Software/code is just a medium. Everyone, honestly everyone, has lofty dreams for software solving complex problems, but most fail because they could not simplify the problem and execute a solution. Finishing a project (even partially) is the hardest problem in software. Are you doing meaningful things with your current skills?

Learning new paradigms and seeing how “systematic” solutions work is inspiring. I started there, and feel refreshed when I learn for learning’s sake.

Therefore, create & execute solutions whatever form they take.

• How the Internet Works - 5 min youtube video

• Intro to Computer Science - Udacity course

• Beginning Ruby - describes the Ruby language and programming fundamentals

Didn’t like those resouces?
Want more?
Let me know.
@westonplatter.

Why should I test multiple versions & databases
Rspec tests for Rails project
Travis CI for Github public repo
Multiple ruby versions & database types
Credits

Software is communication.

Last week I threw an Intro to Ruby + Rails Bootcamp (event info). I specifically wanted it to be a “no programming experience required” event that would explain the essential Ruby + Rails basics in 7 hours. Here’s what I learned.

“If I have seen further it is by standing on ye sholders of Giants.” - Isaac Newton

These are my gaints.

It’s January 6th. Life is less crazy after a Ruby+Rails Bootcamp I hosted. This is my 2012 in review.

2012 Events
2012 Ideaologies
2013 Goals

rake routes = 4.69s
rake routes = 0.34s using zeus gem

I believe we have culturally forgotten the true nature of talent. It seems talent is measured by how many tasks can be accomplished within a constrained set of resources. The impact of this dicatomony is a disorted view of talent.

How work gets done

Accomplishing a task is the result of first understanding the nature of the task. Next, a person must derive and execute an approach specific to their perception of the problem. Some approaches will be unsuccessful, and thus will require multiple approach derivations. Once a given or set of approaches are successful, the task is accomplished.

We’ll term this the solution cycle.

1. Understand task.
2. Derive approach.
3. Execute solution.
4. Repeat 1-3 until successful (aka, NEVER GIVE UP).

Ruber meets the road

The problem with defining talent the old way is that step 4 is overlooked. I’d wager perserverance through multiple solution cycles separates truly talented people from average. That’s why I hire eccentric & passionate people over smart people.

I love BootCamps and Rails, so I planning to throw a Rails BootCamp in Minneapolis, MN during the first part of January. Yes, it’s cold during that time of year, but the event will be well worth it.

UPDATE

The event is officially on. You can find more info on it here,
Ruby Basics and Rails Scaffolding

At work I ran into a failing Rspec test using shoulda-matchers.

# app/models/some_person_model.rb

SomePersonModel < ActiveRecord::Base
  validates_uniqueness_of :name
end

# spec/models/some_person_model_spec.rb

require 'spec_helper'

describe SomePersonModel do
  it { should validate_uniqueness_of(:name) }
end

The issue is that the validates_uniqueness_of matcher requires an entry in the database. Therefore, I used FactoryGirl to create a database record,

# spec/models/some_person_model_spec.rb

require 'spec_helper'

describe SomePersonModel do
  subject { FactoryGirl.create(:some_person_model) }

  it { should validate_uniqueness_of(:name) }
end