Update 22/01/2020: I've applied the checklist to learning Scala and I'm updating it based on that experience. In a workshop that I recently gave, I compared learning a new programming language with learning a new natural language. Depending on your experience, learning a new programming language might be a medium difficulty task or a hard … Continue reading Checklist for learning a new programming language
Mobile app makers review
A friend came to me recently with the idea of creating a mobile app that would support the learning platform that he already has. We discussed what features he wanted and what his budget was. The budget was tight, and I realized that developing the app from scratch was not an option. I used this … Continue reading Mobile app makers review
Unit testing algorithms
In the last weeks, I've been improving my computer science knowledge by solving programming problems. Since these problems have multiple solutions, I find myself writing duplicated unit tests. And refactoring these tests is cumbersome (if find&replace doesn't work). To make the point clear, I'm going to pick a problem with many possible implementations: sorting an … Continue reading Unit testing algorithms
How’s Xiaomi MiBand privacy?
15/06/2022 MiFit was rebranded into Zepp Life. I've double-checked the requests that are being made by the app and it still hits the old endpoints, so you don't need to change anything. 29/12/2020 Final update: Almost a year after my complaint, I received an answer: the Dutch Personal Data Authority is not going to research … Continue reading How’s Xiaomi MiBand privacy?
Database integration tests
Did you ever get stuck while trying to find the best way to write a database integration test without mocking the third party? I know I did. I've known about Martin Fowler since I was a junior developer. He is one of my favorite technology thought-leaders and I enjoy reading the thought-provoking articles that he … Continue reading Database integration tests
Setting up a development MacBook
I wrote a set of quick-start scripts for developers that use macOS. A Windows version of these scripts might follow soon. Setting up a “fresh” laptop for development is always painful, be it Windows, macOS, or Linux. It was the second time in the year when I was doing a fresh install of macOS on … Continue reading Setting up a development MacBook
Simple (and fun) 360 feedback process
In the last year, I’ve been testing a new feedback meeting style that is surprisingly valuable. The meeting is intense, but it energizes me and gives me a team-feeling that will last for days. Additionally, I get an idea of what I need to tackle at work in the next months. I'm happy with these outcomes so … Continue reading Simple (and fun) 360 feedback process
The Phoenix Project – book review
AN EXCITING FICTION-FOR-TECHIES BOOK I read The Phoenix Project about two years ago. It is one of the most insightful books about running an IT organization that I encountered so far. In this post, I’ll try to give you an idea of how awesome it is, without giving too many spoilers. It was 22:30 when … Continue reading The Phoenix Project – book review
JCrete 2018 was amazing
I know it’s after the fact, but I want to share my experience at JCrete2018. I encourage you to join the invite lottery when it opens up in December. A disclaimer: JCrete overwhelmed me and I am not able to do it justice in this post. The participants were incredibly knowledgeable and I felt humbled … Continue reading JCrete 2018 was amazing
Maven plugins that I like
I’ve been through a couple of projects until now and I’m noticing that there are a couple of maven plugins that are useful but are not that famous. I’ll list them below, together with a small explanation of why I find them useful. Build Number Maven Plugin (org.codehaus.mojo) Sometimes you want to expose the current … Continue reading Maven plugins that I like