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 my complaint further because they can't say if they are able to be effective in reaching the goal of the complaint. Additionally, there were no other complaints against Huami, so they consider … 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
Java Unconferences/Open-spaces
This year I attended CITCON and then I searched for a similar Java unconference/open-space. I got super lucky to be accepted at JCrete, but that’s another story. The reality is that unconferences are mind-blowing, but a bit hard to find if you don’t know what to look for. These are the unconferences that I currently … Continue reading Java Unconferences/Open-spaces
Testing JPQL queries straight from Intellij
In my current project, most of the queries are written in Java Persistence Query Language (JPQL). As with any *QL (that eventually gets translated to SQL), it’s cumbersome to do the translation of the *QL to SQL and vice-versa. This translation is generally done when you’re creating a new query or trying to debug an … Continue reading Testing JPQL queries straight from Intellij
Inspecting in-memory HSQLDB
Sometimes, for automatic testing of your Java application, you need to configure a DB connection. Most of the time the decision is to go for an in-memory database and HSQLDB is a prime candidate. Some other times, your tests will be failing and it would be great to see the DB status before the failure. … Continue reading Inspecting in-memory HSQLDB