Lessons from MicroConf Day 3
The third and final day of MicroConf 2017 was focused on a few themes: revenue, time and value.
Lessons from MicroConf Day 2
"Leverage your failures."
if i were to summarize day 2 into a single statement, that would be it.
Lessons from MicroConf Day 1
I bet you've considered building a product and earning enough income to quit your job. I'd even bet you already have one; partially built, sitting in digital mothballs.
You are not alone.
The One Thing to Avoid While Coding
At a recent talk, one of the attendees asked me, "What is the one thing to avoid when coding?"
My answer lacked the foresight a question like that deserves.
How to Communicate as an Engineer
There is a running joke at my company that i communicate with analogies. I take it as a compliment.
Scaling to Millions of Users
Companies are like boats. The small ones are quick and agile. They move fast and pivot on a dime. But that agility comes at a cost: they are notoriously unstable.
Quotes That Changed How I Approach Software
When you say enough words, the law of averages ensures that some of them will be profound.
Whiteboard Coding Measures Penmanship While Nervous
Every time i go through the interview process i am reminded just how terrible tech interviews are.
A/B Testing Features by Segmenting Users
"A/B test everything."
Those of us in the startup world hear it routinely. But it is a useless statement. Ask "how" and you will be met with the shifting eyes of the ignorant.
The Internet is Fundamentally Flawed
Why has the internet been so transformative in the last 20 years?
There Can be No Ego in Products
Software engineers are an opinionated bunch. We hold unreasonably strong opinions on how code should look, read, be styled and where it should go.
Choosing a Stack for Your Side Project
Selecting a stack is the first technology decision in a side project. Unfortunately, it is also one of the biggest factors in determining whether or not your project launches.
Hosting Multiple HTTPS Domains from the Same Server with Let's Encrypt and Nginx
This post is a continuation of my original, How to Set Up HTTPS with Let's Encrypt and Nginx. If you have not read that post, i suggest starting there.
The Hardest Things to Learn in Programming
Coding continues to gain popularity in the professional world. As it does, people who didn't major in programming are using coding bootcamps as a way to enter the field.
User.pronoun() is a Time Saver
Usability is all about the little things. Small changes in how your copy reads can have big effects in how your users react to things.
Programmatically Capturing Spam with Detextion.io
There is a [modified] adage about attracting users to web apps.
"Build it and spammers will come.
Untold Benefits of a Software Blog
Starting a software blog can feel out of reach to most. Without readers our time will be wasted, right?
Wrong.
Thousands of dollars.
2017: The Goals
If i had to summarize my learnings of 2016 to a single lesson, it would be the importance of goal setting and measurability.
Designing as a Developer
Software developers have two things in common: we write code and we suck at making things look nice. Or so we think.
Side Projects: Avoiding Failures to Launch
The story is a familiar one.
An excellent idea, simple but valuable. A fresh codebase, like a world of possibilities. A side project is born.