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Julio Biason 6 years ago
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      content/thoughts/things-i-learnt-the-hard-way.md

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content/thoughts/things-i-learnt-the-hard-way.md

@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ can give you a better view on how their API looks like. Then you can have a
better look on how to call things: Is the API too complex? Do you have to keep better look on how to call things: Is the API too complex? Do you have to keep
to much data around to be able to make a single call? to much data around to be able to make a single call?
### Make tests that you know how to run on the command line
Not that command lines are important for any projects, but when you know the
command to run the tests, you know how to automate the execution of the tests,
which you then can use in a continuous integration tool.
### Be ready to throw your code away ### Be ready to throw your code away
A lot of people, when they start with TDD, get annoyed when you say that you A lot of people, when they start with TDD, get annoyed when you say that you
@ -235,6 +241,18 @@ project.
PS: Your hero project (more about it later in this doc) may fail due this. PS: Your hero project (more about it later in this doc) may fail due this.
### Don't mess with things outside your project
Sometimes people are tempted to, instead of using the proper extension tools,
change external libraries/frameworks -- for example, making changes directly
into WordPress or Django.
This is an easy way to make the project unmaintainable really really fast. As
soon as a new version is released, you'll have to keep up your changes in sync
with the main project and, pretty soon, you'll find that the changes don't
apply anymore and you'll leave the external project in an old version, full of
security bugs.
### Data flows beat patterns ### Data flows beat patterns
(This is personal opinion) When you understand how the data must flow in your (This is personal opinion) When you understand how the data must flow in your
@ -541,6 +559,24 @@ But you should try to keep a list of stupid errors that took you 1 hour to
solve, 'cause later you can use it to not stay more than 1 hour to solve some solve, 'cause later you can use it to not stay more than 1 hour to solve some
stupid error. stupid error.
### If it doesn't run on your computer, you have a problem
I've seen a lot of systems that would never run on a isolated computer, like
the developer tool, 'cause the system requires running on a specialized
environment.
This is something that really kills productivity.
If your system will run on a specialized environment -- and I'm including "the
cloud" here -- look for something that can abstract whatever you're using. For
example, if you're using AWS SQS, which is a queue, look for a library that
can abstract the way a queue works so you can also run with RabbitMQ, which
can be easily run on your own computer.
If you're using a very specialized thing, you may have to write the
abstraction yourself, isolating it from the main system, so you can develop
the main product in peace.
## Personal ## Personal
### When it's time to stop, it's time to stop ### When it's time to stop, it's time to stop
@ -584,6 +620,17 @@ There is nothing wrong in writing, for example, a software to capture people's
faces and detect their ethnicity, but you have to think about what that will faces and detect their ethnicity, but you have to think about what that will
be used on. be used on.
### Don't tell "It's done" when it's not
You are tired of running the same thing over and over again. You kinda
remember that something weird may happen, but because you're tired, you tell
everyone that "It's finished".
Don't do that.
Someone will try that weird case on the first run and immediately tell you
that it is _not_ working.
### You'll learn about yourself the hard way ### You'll learn about yourself the hard way
We get frustrated with code that doesn't compile. We get angry with customers We get frustrated with code that doesn't compile. We get angry with customers
@ -691,6 +738,44 @@ solving all the problems.
Don't be that person. Don't be that person.
### Learn when to quit
You tell your boss that you didn't finish on time because something weird
happened and he lashed out at you.
One of your coworkers is constantly micro-attacking you.
Another one is the guy that keeps doing stupid pranks, saying bullshit and
small talking other groups all the time.
A third is always complaining that when he's not around, things don't work.
It's time to start sending your resume around, no matter how good the pay is
or how awesome the project is.
... unless you want to be a constantly pissed off, annoyed person when you're
in the forties.
### I.T. world is a very small egg
We have a expression here: "The world of _something_ is a small egg", which
means that you don't live in a large world; the world is small.
I.T. world is really small.
The person you work with today will find you again in 15 years after you both
changed 3 or 4 jobs already.
And you'll meet a lot of other I.T. people in the way.
And they will talk about themselves.
And whatever you say/do will be talked around, which one person will hear and
pass along another company, which will pass along other people, which will
pass the story along to another company and, suddenly, when you realized,
nobody will hire you locally 'cause everybody knows that time when you fucked
up a project or punched a colleague in the face.
### Paper notes are actually helpful ### Paper notes are actually helpful
I tried to become "paperless" many times. At some point, I did keep the papers I tried to become "paperless" many times. At some point, I did keep the papers
@ -750,3 +835,9 @@ find/figure out.
* Clarified the point about choosing a language a bit more. * Clarified the point about choosing a language a bit more.
* Added a point to use functional programming. * Added a point to use functional programming.
* Added a point about use structures to well-defined data. * Added a point about use structures to well-defined data.
* Added a point about using abstractions to run the system on your
computer.
* Added a point about quitting your job.
* Added a point about messing with external libraries.
* Added a point about work relationships.
* Added a point about tests and CI.

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