Complete Developer Podcast

<p>Finishing the two part episode on skills web developers need to know the guys tackle the skills needed to land a job along with advanced skills to set yourself apart. The episode closes with a list of honorable mentions that do not directly apply to web development but are interpersonal skills useful to a career in development.</p> <blockquote>You've got the basics down and this is what you need before you start submitting resumes.</blockquote> <p>The intermediate skills listed in the episode is the base needed to begin a career as a web developer. The concepts build upon the previous listed basic and fundamental skills. These include methodologies of the web, programming paradigms, maintaining a project, and testing and debugging.</p> <p>Set yourself apart and above the crowd by learning and understanding the advanced skills. Knowledge of concepts such as data structure, algorithm development, modelling, and design shows more than a passing interest in the field and gives the basics to move up as a developer.</p> <p>Many of these skills are deep enough topics to warrent their own episodes. Will and BJ provide an overview for further discussion.</p> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p style="text-align: justify;">The question was asked on Quora: What are the five essential skills every web developer should have? There were 91 different answers to this question, though most could be broken down into one of three categories: technical, personal, and interpersonal. Within each answer some similarities existed including basics of the web (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, HTTP(S), and server basics), security, testing, and a willingness to learn. A few of the unique responses included etiquette on sites such as StackOverflow and Github, how to handle criticism, and a pulse on the industry. In this episode BJ and Will list their necessary skills to be a web developer. Attempting to remain evergreen and language agnostic they cover the basics but leave deeper understanding to the listener or for later episodes.</p> <p>The list is divided into fundamental knowledge or the absolute basics to get started, basic knowledge (what's needed for simple freelance or open source work), intermediate knowledge (the skills to get the job), and advanced knowledge (how to stand out).</p> <p>Due to the length of the recording the episode was divided into two parts. This first part looks at the fundamental and basic knowledge needed to be a web developer. Next week will feature the intermediate and advanced knowledge to be a web developer as well as a brief list of the honorable mentions that did not make the list but are good to know to advance as a web developer.</p> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p>The term technical debt can be misleading and confusing. It is generally referred to as a metaphor referencing the consequences of system design or software architecture in a codebase. Technical debt can be difficult to identify directly so developers need to use clues that can be broken down into social cues, code cues, and testing/deployment cues. When developers don't like dealing with a particular area of code or frequently complain about working in a certain part of the codebase that is a social cue that there may be technical debt in that area. Overly tight coupling, objects with too much control, and incoherence between components are all cues in the code that there is technical debt that needs to be dealt with. Finally in testing and deployment if there is a lot of friction setting up the environment or testing fails irregularly due to brittleness there may be technical debt in the codebase.</p> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<blockquote style="text-align: justify; font-weight: 400; font-style: oblique;">"I want to reconfigure my code to best survive the environment it lives in, it's an evolutionary process." ~ Will</blockquote> <p>Refactoring is the process of making the internals of an application less painful to code without affecting the functionality of the app. Refactoring code improves the ability of developers to troubleshoot problems and increases the speed of developing new functionality. It involves decoupling internal components to keep dependency changes from causing major rework or reorganization of code in preparation for future operations. Organizational inertia and interpersonal disagreements about how to proceed may inhibit the ability to refactor. When refactoring start with small changes and a small locus of control, reference the architecture, and make short iterations before integration.</p> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p>Resilience is the ability or capacity to quickly recover from difficulties. Systems that are resilient have less risk, a lower cost of ownership, and the ability to build upon the system. The CAP theorem of Consistency, Availability, and Partition applies to resilience within the domain of distributed systems but is instructive in regards to any system. The seven principles of resilience used in this episode were gleaned from the Stockholm Resilience Centre's guidelines for general-purpose resilience. The first three involve systems design while the final four focus around team and organizational structure.</p> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<blockquote>“Flags allow us to restrict features to certain environments, while still using the same code base on all servers.” ~ Ross Harmes</blockquote> <p class="abstract">Feature flags offer an alternative to maintaining multiple various branches of source code. Continuous deployment requires such feature branches to be integrated with the master branch as early as possible. Feature flags are toggles that allow for early integration with execution paths turned off by a toggle that can be turned on for specific users/testers or when the feature is ready for deployment without having to roll out new source code. There are two basic types of feature flags: release toggles and business toggles. Release toggles are used for rolling out new features in continuous deployment. Business toggles allow for restricted user access such as through premium accounts. The simplest feature flags are boolean statements however they can be more. State can be set statically or dynamically. Rule based toggles can be used with XML, YAML, and JSON. Beyond common usage they are also available for trial of new features to allow early access to beta testers, allow internal review of the feature, or run A/B tests. When rolling out new features toggles can be used to verify scalability of the feature or app. Toggles should show a minimal presence in code and be retired once pending features are added. Dangers of using feature flags include accidental exposure of the feature, corrupting data, and technical debt created by the toggles.</p> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p>This episode is highly influenced by Paul Graham's essay on maker's vs manager's schedules. He points out they are inherently conflicting in priorities. The biggest issues come from developers not being able to handle interruptions and managers not being able to wait for a convenient time. The guys start the episode looking at the differences in schedules and where time is allocated throughout the workday. The latter half of the episode is dedicated to ways that managers and developers can work together on creating functional schedules.</p> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p>A few weeks ago when recording the mood was hostile. Both Will and BJ were on edge but could not define the problem. Finally after over an hour of recording BJ says, "I'm getting frustrated and angry" to which Will responded, "Me too, let's figure out why." At that point they stopped recording and happened next is the basis for this episode.</p> <p>After telling the story of what happened that night BJ and Will get into a Conflict 101 lesson followed by a list of healthy and unhealthy responses to conflict. They then discuss the skills needed to effectively resolve conflict. Next is 10 rules for fair fighting with discussions for each rule. Finally they spend the remainder of the show explaining some tips for resolving conflict.</p><div class="editornotes"> <h3>Editor's Notes:</h3> <p>Due to snow in Tennessee this week Will and BJ recorded the intro via <a href="http://www.webex.com">Cisco's Webex</a> using their headsets instead of the regular microphones. Please bear with us as there is some echo from the connection.</p> </div> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<div class="shownotes post"> <p>Whether a single coder like BJ or one with a spouse and a child like Will this week's discussion focuses on the myth of the work-life balance. Work and life are intermingled and to imply a balance is to imply that one outweighs the other. A better description would be work-life separation and maintaining boundaries. This is accomplished by focusing on the quality of the time spent working and with family instead of the quantity. Throughout the episode Will and BJ share examples from their personal lives and lessons they have learned. Like a family they start with the relationship between significant others then move into the complexity that having children adds to that relationship. The episode closes out discussing the extremes of survival mode and how to survive it.</p> <div class="editornotes"> <h3>Editor's Notes:</h3> <p>A special thanks <a href="https://soundcloud.com/zaphoid1">Jason Belcher</a> for mastering the audio this week. We are gradually improving our process and he not only provided the new IoTease theme but has been a great help along the way.</p> </div></div> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p style="text-align: justify;">Faster coding does not equate to better coding. This week Will and BJ put together five tips for faster and better coding to improve performance on the job and in personal projects. From continuing to drill basic typing skills to learning your IDE's shortcut keys the guys discuss improvements that can be useful no matter your level or skill.</p><ol> <li style="text-align: justify;">The absolute basics (typing skills, equipment, and code editors)</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Reduce the amount of code you write</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Reduce the number of errors you make</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Ways to improve your speed while coding</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Continue to practice daily</li></ol><h3 style="text-align: center;">Links</h3><div class="grid col-300"><a href="http://www.vivalnk.com/feverscout" target="_blank">Fever Scout</a><br /><a href="http://typing.io" target="_blank">Typing Practice</a></div><div class="grid col-300"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Adesso-Tru-Form-Illuminated-Ergonomic-AKB-150EB/dp/B00N99LPC6/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1453691625&sr=1-1&keywords=backlit+ergonomic+keyboard" target="_blank">Will's Ultimate Affordable Keyboard</a><br /><a href="http://www.datamancer.net/keyboards/ergo1/ergo1.htm" target="_blank">BJ's Dream Keyboard</a></div><div class="grid col-300 fit"><a href="http://everyitinfo.blogspot.com/2013/11/windows-shortcut-keys-and-key-imagefrom.html" target="_blank">Windows Shortcut Keys</a><br /><a href="http://ithouse24.com/23-basic-pc-shortcut-keys-for-all-operating-systems/" target="_blank">Basic Shortcut Keys</a></div><div class="editorsnote"><h4>Editor's Note:</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">Will had the beginings of an unpleasant sinus infection during the recording of this episode. Most of the sniffles and coughs have been edited out though please bear with us this week. He has since recovered and is feeling much better.</p></div> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p style="text-align: justify;">The episode begins with BJ detailing his recent experience writing his first technical spec for a client and what he learned from that along with questions about the process. Will then leads the conversation into a discussion of best practices for writing technical specs that will help both junior and senior developers while answering BJ's questions along the way.</p><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Links</h3><a href="http://iotlist.co/posts/foobot-indoor-air-quality-monitor" target="_blank">Foobot</a> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the guys broke the episode into two parts. BJ starts out with a study from Harvard University on the perceptions of asking for advice. The first half of the episode then outlines good question asking strategies for newbies and junior developers. Starting with closed ended questions leading into longer open ended questions and when to use each. This can also apply to senior developers as well in areas they don't have as much knowledge. They then talk about planning out your questions and detailing what you have already attempted.The second half of the episode Will gives advice to senior developers on giving advice to junior developers. Starting out by realizing that you are helping junior developers and know they will mess up. Also keep in mind that you might be wrong. Tell them how to do something or show them but do not do it for them.<h3 style="text-align: center;">Links</h3><div class="grid col-300"><a href="http://www.iotnewsnetwork.com/lifestyle/haize-minimalist-urban-bike-navigation/" target="_blank">Bike Navigator</a><a href="http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/Advice%20Seeking_59ad2c42-54d6-4b32-8517-a99eeae0a45c.pdf" target="_blank">Harvard Study</a></div><div class="grid col-300 fit"> <a href="http://www.bizsuccess.com/articles/ask.html" target="_blank">Biz Success</a><a href="http://www.bradaronson.com/how-to-ask-questions/" target="_blank">How To Ask Questions</a></div><div class="grid col-300"><a href="http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/how-amazingly-good-asking-questions.html" target="_blank">Amazing Questions</a><a href="https://www.mendix.com/think-tank/tips-for-bringing-novice-developers-up-to-speed/" target="_blank">Bringing Novice Developers Up To Speed</a></div><div class="grid col-940"><h4>Editors Note:</h4>Unfortunately there was a technical error with the recording of Will's microphone and therefore the body of the episode was taken from BJ's recording. Also throughout the episode there is a high pitched sound that could not be removed in post production.</div> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p style="text-align: justify;">Being the first episode of 2016 the guys give their predictions for the tech world this year. Some optimistic and some not so optimistic predictions from both. Will and BJ give six predictions each for 2016 five in the development or technology field and the last prediction about the future of the podcast. Enjoy the discussion when they have similar predictions and the debate when they disagree.</p><h3>Links</h3><a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Delightful-Interactive-Toddler-Spoon/" target="_blank">Toddler Spoon</a><h4>Editor's Note:</h4>Due to technical difficulties Tricks of the Trade will not be in this episode. Check back next week to see what Will has for us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p style="text-align: justify;">The guys start off the episode with a year in review of their journeys this past year as well as a brief description of setting up the podcast and how it all started. Following this they each give their resolutions for the new year.</p><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Links</h3><a href="http://bowtiebeej.com/building-a-raspberry-pi-computer-for-my-nieces/" target="_blank">Bowtie Beej Blog</a> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we approach the end of the year BJ and Will discuss strategies for setting goals to take back control of your life. Actively setting and reviewing goals helps to maintain focus and motivation. It gives significance to our long term improvements. The guys take a top-down approach to setting goals with analogies to programming structure. They start with lifetime goals and work down to daily to do lists to achieve those goals. The majority of the episode is spent discussing the well known S.M.A.R.T. criteria for goal setting and how it applies to programmers at work and in personal life. The episode closes with some tips on prioritizing and maintaining goals in the long term.<h3 style="text-align: center;">Links</h3><div class="container"><div class="grid col-220"></div><div class="grid col-220"><ul style="list-style-type: none;"><li><a href="http://iot.ieee.org/images/files/pdf/ieee_iot_newsletter_authors_flyer.pdf">IEEE Authors</a></li><li><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2015/01/08/smart-goals-can-sometimes-be-dumb/" target="_blank">Forbes Article</a></li><li><a href="http://topachievement.com/smart.html" target="_blank">Top Achievement</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mindtools.com/page6.html" target="_blank">Mind Tools</a></li></ul></div><div class="grid col-220"><ul style="list-style-type: none;"><li><a href="http://www.right.com/wps/wcm/connect/right-us-en/home/thoughtwire/categories/career-work/creating-a-30-60-90-day-plan-to-secure-the-job" target="_blank">30, 60, 90 Day Plan</a></li><li><a href="https://east.madison.k12.wi.us/files/east/Smart%20Goals%20Information%20CC%2011_0.pdf" target="_blank">SMART Goals PDF</a></li><li><a href="https://smartgoalsneverfail.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/r-relevant-your-goals-must-matter/" target="_blank">Your Goals Must Matter</a></li><li><a href="https://www.baremetalsoft.com/baretail/">BareTail</a></li></ul></div><div class="grid col-940"><h3>Offline Referrences</h3>Doran, G.T. (1981). There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management's goals and objectives. Management Review, 7(11), 35-36.</div></div> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p style="text-align: justify;">This week starts a new series titled Developer Power Techniques. The series will not be in back to back fashion as the Health Series though each episode in the series will be announce and the series in general can be followed on the Developer Power Techniques page of the website.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Will starts the episode out explaining why he started tracking his own time. He describes feeling like his career wasn't going where he wanted and that he never had enough time to get everything done. The guys then discuss why using a time tracker can improve both your career and your personal life. On explaining how to use one they break it down into short and long term processes. In the short term they suggest tracking how you feel at regular intervals and then comparing this to what you have been working on and note correlations. Making yearly goals and re-evaluating them on a quarterly basis helps to track long term goals. Selecting and setting goals will be discussed further in next week's episode on goal setting.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Links</h3><a href="http://www.iotnewsnetwork.com/" target="_blank">IoT News Network</a><a href="http://www.clicktime.com/timesheet-template-excel-spreadsheet" target="_blank">Excel Templates</a><a href="https://toggl.com/" target="_blank">Toggl</a> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<blockquote>In project management, a death march is a project where the members feel it is destined to fail, or requires a stretch of unsustainable overwork. The general feel of the project reflects that of an actual death march because the members of the project are forced to continue the project by their superiors against their better judgment.  ~Wikipedia</blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Will and BJ discuss the troubles and tribulations of the death march. They are typically characterized by heavy turnover, burnout, and timelines that are too aggressive to actually meet. Death marches usually come about though poor management or a disconnect between developers and other departments like sales. Rapid growth may also lead to a death march. Growth of the team or growth of the company if it is a startup. It is best to avoid working for companies or projects that have death march potential. To do this ask upfront what the expectations are regarding hours, overtime, and comp time during the interview. Remember you are choosing the company as much as they are choosing you.</p><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Links</h3><a href="http://iotworldnews.com/2015/11/beecham-research-slams-pie-in-the-sky-predictions-for-iot/" target="_blank">IoT is Over-hyped</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_march_(project_management)" target="_blank">Wikipedia Definition</a><a href="http://death-march.urbanup.com/2740314" target="_blank">Urban Dictionary</a><a href="http://www.portableapps.com">Portable Apps</a><h3>Special Note</h3>Excerpt of The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) by John Williams used in the discussion about the Episode VII was taken from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EYRIBC?ie=UTF8&keywords=starwars%20soundtrack&qid=1449629135&ref_=sr_1_4&sr=8-4" target="_blank">The Music Of Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition</a> . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p style="text-align: justify;">Coming out of a holiday week the guys full on turkey and dressing discuss the impact that distractions have on developers and productivity as well as ways for both developers and management to minimize the amount to distractions faced by developers in a day. They begin looking at the effect of distractions on other professions and explain what a distraction means to a developer. Next Will and BJ talk about the effects of distractions on developers from the productivity as well as the psychological aspect. They end the episode discussing ways that developers and then management can work to minimize distractions.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://heeris.id.au/2013/this-is-why-you-shouldnt-interrupt-a-programmer/" target="_blank" rel="http://heeris.id.au/2013/this-is-why-you-shouldnt-interrupt-a-programmer/"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-580 size-full" src="http://completedeveloperpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/programmerinterruption.jpg" alt="By Jason Heeris" width="698" height="741" /></a></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Links</h3><a href="http://hipsum.co/" target="_blank">Hipster Ipsum</a><a href="http://iotlist.co/" target="_blank">IoT List</a><a href="http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000022.html" target="_blank">Joel on Software</a><a href="https://www.wireshark.org/" target="_blank">Wireshark</a>Editor's Note: Apologies for this being published a little later than usual. We ran into some technical difficulties with Audacity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class=" wp-image-557 alignleft" src="http://completedeveloperpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/aa-logo-300x300.jpg" alt="aa-logo" width="162" height="162" />This being a holiday week the guys chose to air a special episode on substance abuse. This was originally part of the Mental Health episode but BJ went "Full Med Student" on the notes and produced a few shows. As many of us gather with our families this week we can see issues with substance abuse come out more than at other times. Part of this is from not having the responsibility of getting up and going to work and part from the stress that usually comes with travel and large gatherings. In this episode Will and BJ discuss some of the signs and symptoms of substance abuse as well as what to do if you suspect you or someone you know may need help. They begin by defining Substance Abuse as an over-indulgence in or dependence on an addictive substance, especially alcohol or drugs. Next Will reviews physical, behavioral, and psychological warning signs of a substance abuse disorder. They guys then delve into the medical signs and symptoms of substance abuse and how they may appear different within the development community. Next they take a look at specific workplace behaviors and how drug abuse can effect the workplace, coworkers, and job retention. In the end they provide information on where to look for help if you or someone you know may be suffering from a substance abuse disorder.</p><h3 style="text-align: center;">Links</h3><div class="container" style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 2em;"><div class="grid col-460"><a href="http://www.oracle.com/us/solutions/internetofthings/overview/index.html" target="_blank">Oracle</a><a href="http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/definition/Java" target="_blank">Java Definition</a><a href="http://www.learnjavaonline.org/" target="_blank">Learn Java Online</a><a href="http://ncadd.org" target="_blank">National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence</a><a href="http://aa.org" target="_blank">Alcoholics Anonymous</a></div><div class="grid col-460 fit"><a href="http://na.org" target="_blank">Narcotics Anonymous</a><a href="http://www.al-anon.org/">Al-Anon</a><a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/worklife/employee-assistance-programs/" target="_blank">Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)</a><a href="http://markdownpad.com/" target="_blank">Markdown Pad</a><a href="https://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/">Daring Fireball</a></div></div> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the guys discuss ways to find motivation and self motivate in times when developers are down and discouraged. They begin by looking at Frederick Hersberg's study on the two factors that influence employee satisifaction: hygiene and motivation. Which leads them to talking about how different companies motivate their employees from by providing autonomy, mastery and purpose to developers. In the bulk of the episode they discuss different strategies to find your own motivation starting with how developers respond to expectations. Then they look at intrinsic and extrinsic factors involved in motivating ourselves. BJ gives a preview of the goal setting episode and even writes some code in his outline. The guys wrap up the episode talking about how to create and sustain self motivation.<h3 style="text-align: center;">Links</h3><div class="container" style="margin-left: 2em;"><div class="grid col-460"><a href="https://blog.adafruit.com/2015/09/20/dr-who-tardis-iot-scifisunday/" target="_blank">IoT T.A.R.D.I.S.</a><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/10/31/nine-things-developers-want-more-than-money/" target="_blank">Nine Things Developers Want More Than Money</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.lessonsoffailure.com/developers/autonomy-mastery-purpose/" target="_blank">Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/actiontrumpseverything/2012/12/29/how-the-most-successful-people-motivate-themselves-and-stay-motivated/" target="_blank">How Successful People Motivate Themselves</a></p></div><div class="grid col-460 fit"><a href="http://thispointer.com/how-to-be-self-motivated-as-a-software-developer/" target="_blank">Be Self Motivated As A Software Developer</a><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://hbr.org/2015/03/to-form-successful-habits-know-what-motivates-you" target="_blank">Form Successful Habits</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://iqtell.com/2014/04/how-to-find-what-motivates-you-and-use-it-time-and-again/" target="_blank">Find What Motivates You</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://winmerge.org/" target="_blank">WinMerge</a></p></div></div> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this the tenth episode Will and BJ discuss ten reasons a programmer or hobbyist might not want to go into full time development. It is best to know early on in your career or training if this is the life for you. The guys are not out to discourage anyone from going into the field but want those entering to be able to make an informed decision. They address some of the challenges that face developers as well as aspects of the working environment that make a career as a developer unique. The episode concludes with a discussion on the matter of programming as a job or programming as a craft. To be successful a developer needs to be a craftsman.<h3 style="text-align: left;">Links</h3><div class="container"><a href="http://learncpp.com" target="_blank">Learn C++</a><a href="http://www.geraldmweinberg.com/Site/Programming_Psychology.html" target="_blank">Psychology of Computer Programming</a><a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-signs-meant-programmer/" target="_blank">Six Signs You're Not Meant To Be A Programmer</a><a href="http://notepad-plus-plus.org" target="_blank">Notepad++</a></div> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<h2>But They Are NEVER Wrong!</h2><p style="text-align: justify;">In Episode 9 Will and BJ discuss a common misconception in the workplace. The idea that the customer is always right. They begin by looking at why this attitude is hurtful to employees, other customers, and management explaining why the customer is not always right. Then the guys delve into why the customer is never wrong and how it is the job of employees to guide the customer. Next they take a look at who is the customer from direct customer access in freelance work to internal customers within the same company. The show ends with a detailed look at each of these customers and how developers can best serve them by realizing that they may not always be right but should never be wrong.</p><h3 style="text-align: center;">Links</h3><div class="left-link"><a href="https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74457" target="_blank">StartX Fails on Raspbian</a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alexander-kjerulf/top-5-reasons-customer-service_b_5145636.html" target="_blank">Customer Service</a><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/09/02/no-the-customer-is-not-always-right/" target="_blank">No, The Customer is Not Always Right</a><a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243004" target="_blank">Entrepreneur</a><a href="http://www.dtelepathy.com/blog/business/why-developers-always-say-no" target="_blank">Why Developers Always Say No</a></div><div class="right-link"><a href="http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/68213/difference-between-software-development-and-production" target="_blank">Development vs Production</a><a href="http://blog.codinghorror.com/vampires-programmers-versus-werewolves-sysadmins/" target="_blank">Vampires and Werewolves</a><a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/06/on-managing-developers/" target="_blank">Managing Developers</a><a href="https://www.quora.com/Why-do-many-programmers-believe-they-know-better-than-their-customers-what-features-they-need-and-usually-force-them" target="_blank">Why Programmers Think They Know Best</a><a href="https://justgetflux.com/" target="_blank">f.lux</a></div> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<div class="post-justified">This week BJ keeps his promise and brings an episode on understanding the roles and relationship of sales to development. The guys begin with a discussion on the importance of sales and what they do for the company. Next BJ takes us through an abbreviated Sales School 101. They then talk about differences in pay structure between development and sales with emphasis on why pay better matches ability with sales. The episode finishes with a discussion on how this effects programmers and how both sales and development teams can interact to better their work environments.</div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Links</h3><div class="left-link"><a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/solutions/iot-suite/" target="_blank">Azure IoT Suites</a><a href="https://www.getdonedone.com/developers-vs-sales/" target="_blank">Developers vs Sales</a><a href="http://baselinescenario.com/2009/12/24/salespeople-and-programmers/" target="_blank">Salespeople and Programmers</a><a href="http://www.steadysales.com/the-7-steps-of-the-sales-process/" target="_blank">Seven Steps of the Sales Process</a></div><div class="right-link"><a href="https://www.pipelinersales.com/sales-process-steps/" target="_blank">Sales Process Steps</a><a href="http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/229352/how-to-support-the-sales-team-and-avoid-the-often-the-sales-team-gets-us-into-t" target="_blank">How to Support Sales</a><a href="http://www.dodgycoder.net/2011/11/why-do-programmers-get-paid-less-than.html" target="_blank">Why Programmers Get Paid Less</a><a href="http://browsershots.org" target="_blank">Browsershots</a></div>  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<div class="shownotes"><p>In this episode the guys discuss beliefs that developers hold (or act as if they hold) that simply are not true. They delve into commonly held yet erroneous beliefs that developers tend to have about work, employers, other departments, and more. While it is not an exhaustive list they cover everything from interacting with others to interacting with databases, to changing specs mid project, and misunderstandings about how business works.  These are the sort of critical mis-communications and non-optimal behaviors that distinguish a less experienced and less professional developer from those that have played the game a while and gotten some life experience. Being aware of these will help improve your employer's (and fellow coworker's) perception of you, as well as steer you away from problems that can cause you grief later.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;">Links</h3> <div class="left-link"> <p><a href="http://fresh2refresh.com/cprogramming/c-language-history/" target="_blank">Learn CPP</a> <a href="http://fresh2refresh.com/cprogramming/c-language-history/" target="_blank">C Language History</a> <a href="http://computer.howstuffworks.com/c.htm" target="_blank">How Stuff Works</a> </p> </div> <div class="right-link"> <p> <a href="http://c.learncodethehardway.org/book/" target="_blank">Learn C The Hard Way</a> <a href="http://www.ontechnicaldebt.com/blog/bad-code-isnt-technical-debt-its-an-unhedged-call-option/" target="_blank">Unhedged Call Option</a> <a href="https://github.com/unindented/palette-chrome">Palette for Chrome</a> </p> </div> </div> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Complete Developer Podcast, the guys discuss strategies for getting through boring meetings, which are the bane of software developers everywhere. Packed into this episode are a number of strategies you can use to turn boring, time-wasting meetings into something that helps your career, rather than something that simply wastes your productive time.<a href="http://bitesizebio.com/306/free-mind-mapping-software/"><img class="wp-image-438 alignleft" style="padding-right: 4em;" src="http://completedeveloperpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/mindmap-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="206" height="163" /></a><h3>Links</h3><a href="http://www.codenewbie.org" target="_blank">Code Newbies</a><a href="http://morphosource.org" target="_blank">Morpho Source</a><a href="http://www.draw.io" target="_blank">Draw.io</a><a style="color: #ff1493;" href="http://completedeveloperpodcast.com/susan-g-komen-5k/" target="_blank">Breast Cancer 5K</a><h3></h3><h3>Editor's Note:</h3>We had some issues with our recording for this episode. Please bare with us as we are learning to use the recording and editing equipment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finishing out our series on Health Concerns for Developers we delve into the realm of financial health.In this episode, we discuss a number of issues that can derail software developers from effectively managing their finances. We start out with a breakdown of some pretty alarming statistics regarding average household debt levels in America and how those are broken down across a number of categories.Next, we discuss some ways that developers can deal with their financial problems. Without getting too technical, we suggest some strategies to being digging out from under debt, including ways to reduce expenses, reduce outstanding debt, and increasing income. Finally, we point a couple of things that may help you get through it all successfully.<h3 style="text-align: center;">LINKS</h3><div class="container" style="margin-left: 2em;"><div class="grid col-300"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/mobile-applications/11-iot-programming-languages-worth-knowing/d/d-id/1319375?itc=edit_in_body_cross&image_number=3" target="_blank">11 IoT Programming Languages</a><a href="http://www.programmingthrowdown.com/2015/09/episode-46-r.html" target="_blank">Programming Throwdown</a><a href="http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/" target="_blank">I Will Teach You to be Rich</a></div><div class="grid col-300"><a href="http://www.thesimpledollar.com/the-state-of-american-credit-card-debt-in-2015/" target="_blank">The State of American Credit Card Debt</a><a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/credit-card-data/average-credit-card-debt-household/" target="_blank">Nerd Wallet</a><a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/01/18/the-average-american-has-this-much-debt-how-do-you.aspx" target="_blank">Motley Fool</a></div><div class="grid col-300 fit"><a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100840148" target="_blank">CNBC</a><a href="http://time.com/money/3654746/get-out-of-debt-credit-cards/" target="_blank">Time</a><a href="http://nimbletext.com/" target="_blank">Nimble Text</a></div></div> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Continuing our series on health concerns for developers we delve into the mental health of developers. Originally this began as one episode but the information and conversation extended so we divided it into three separate episodes. This first mental health episode we discuss the more prevalent concerns that are less clinical in nature but if left unchecked may lead to a more serious problem.In Episode 4 we discuss the topics of workaholism, stress, and sleep problems. A workaholic is a person that feels the irresistable urge to work excessively long hours to the exclusion of family, hobbies, and even personal health. This can be for many reasons including feelings of inadequacy or overbearing bosses. The important take away is this is not something that is desired or enjoyed but a need that must be fulfilled. It can lead to several problems including anxiety and stress. Sleep is something we all need that helps our bodies to refresh and reset. We discuss a non-exhaustive list of common sleep ailments that affect programmers from occasional snoring to sleep apnea to various forms of insomnia. These can lead to a person feeling mental or emotional strain or tension which is commonly known as stress. We go into detail about some of the more severe signs and symptoms of stress and its effects on the body as well as some ways to prevent and reduce daily stress. <h3>LINKS</h3><a href="http://laserkids.sourceforge.net" target="_blank">LaserKids DIY Laser</a><a href="http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/are-you-a-workaholic" target="_blank">Are you a workaholic?</a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Death-March-Edition-Edward-Yourdon" target="_blank">Death March</a><a href="http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/01/dealing-with-workaholism-on-web-teams/" target="_blank">Workaholism on Web Teams</a><a href="http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-disorders-symptoms-types" target="_blank">WebMD Sleep Disorders</a><a href="http://www.stress.org/stress-effects/" target="_blank">50 Signs and Symptoms of Stress</a><a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/anxiety-pictures/scary-symptoms-of-stress-0118.aspx#02" target="_blank">Scary Symptoms of Stress</a><a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987" target="_blank">Common Effects of Stress</a><a href="http://www.telerik.com/fiddler" target="_blank">Fiddler</a> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 3, we continue our four part series about health concerns for software developers (part 1 can be found <a href="http://completedeveloperpodcast.com/episode-2-physical-health-concerns-for-developers/">here</a>). The series will examine multiple aspects of our lives and provide some stumbling blocks and dangers to watch out for as well as tips and tricks to avoid them and stay healthy. We will be following the format of Physical Health, Social Health, Mental Health, and finally Financial Health.In this episode, we will discuss the social health concerns that often face developers. The specific topics discussed in this episode are the differences between introverts and extroverts, the differences between shy and outgoing (not the same as introvert and extrovert) and how that impacts developers working in different types of offices. Next, we discuss overconfidence and impostor syndrome. After that, we discuss boundaries and how incorrect boundaries cause problems, along with discussing the particular social problems that come up during remote work and e-learning situations.<h3 style="text-align: center;">LINKS</h3><table class="noborder" style="width: 100%; table-layout: fixed; height: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><h4><a href="https://www.rabbitmq.com/">RabbitMQ</a></h4><h4><a href="http://masstransit-project.com/">MassTransit</a></h4><h4><a href="http://thethingbox.io" target="_blank">ThingBox</a></h4></td><td><h4><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/16/understanding-introverts-_n_5989656.html">Introverts</a></h4><h4><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB0QFjAAahUKEwiMuI-n3obIAhUJkA0KHXsECag&url=https%3A%2F%2Fchrome.google.com%2Fwebstore%2Fdetail%2Fedge-the-web-ruler%2Fnjlkegdphefeellhaongiopcfgcinikh%3Fhl%3Den&usg=AFQjCNFZ2dfwqE3MEc9UFyVI48RHx7lbjA&sig2=KyzV1uLgM580NqLL7wMMiQ" target="_blank">Edge Web Ruler</a></h4><h4><a href="http://www.boundariesbooks.com/" target="_blank">Boundaries Books</a></h4></td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Editor's Note:</h3>An error that we caught post production was BJ mispronouncing ThingBox early in the IoTease section. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 2 we begin a four part series on health concerns for developers. The series will examine multiple aspects of our lives and provide some stumbling blocks and dangers to watch out for as well as tips and tricks to avoid them and stay healthy. We will be following the format of Physical Health, Social Health, Mental Health, and finally Financial Health.The specific topics discussed in this episode are obesity/diabetes, back/neck issues, RSI (Repetitive Strain Injuries), Computer Vision Syndrom, and DVT (deep vain thrombosis). We will define each term or disorder then address some of the signs and symptoms, finally we will discuss ways to reduce or avoid the symptoms or treat the problem.<hr /><h2 style="text-align: center;">Links</h2><table class="center"><tbody style="text-align: center;"><tr><td style="font-size: 1.5em;"><strong>IoTease and Tricks</strong></td><td style="font-size: 1.5em;"><strong>Obesity/Diabetes</strong></td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/beer-and-wine-fridge-of-awesomeness/">Beer Fridge</a></td><td><a href="http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/guide/type-2-diabetes">Type 2 Diabetes</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://jsonformatter.curiousconcept.com">JSON Formatter</a></td><td><a href="http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/type-2/">www.diabetes.org</a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-size: 1.5em;"><strong>RSI</strong></td><td style="font-size: 1.5em;"><strong>Back and Neck Pain</strong></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2094358">Carpal Tunnel Syndrome</a></td><td><a href="http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/neck-pain/workplace-ergonomics-and-neck-pain">Spine-health</a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-size: 1.5em;"><strong>Vision</strong></td><td><a href="http://www.osteopathic.org">American Osteopathic Association</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/caring-for-your-vision/protecting-your-vision/computer-vision-syndrome?sso=y">Computer Vision Syndrome</a></td><td><a href="http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/stretching-exercises-at-your-desk-12-simple-tips">Desk Stretches</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/irritated.htm">10 Relief Steps</a></td><td><a href="http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/ergonomics/simple-office-chair-stretch">Chair Stretches</a></td></tr></tbody></table><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Editor's Notes:</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">Later in the episode BJ states that AOA stands for <a href="http://www.osteopathic.org">American Osteopathic Association</a>, while this is true and we did use resources from their website the link to <a href="http://www.aoa.org">www.aoa.org</a> is for the American Optometric Association.</p> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we discuss how to talk about technology with non developers such as bosses, customers, or coworkers. We provide seven tips for how to explain yourself and your ideas to those that don't speak geek. These are:<blockquote>1. Use of analogies2. Be empathetic: avoid jargon, don't talk down3. Phrase your statements in terms of how it can help the business4. Rephrase complaints and requests back5. Give them an out. If there's still contention6. Present a solution rather than a problem. Present a symptom, not a problem.7. Catch them at a good time.</blockquote><h3>Links</h3><a href="http://js13kgames.com">js13kgames.com</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_Things">Wikipedia on IoT</a><a href="http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/conflict-resolution-summarizing-and-rephrasing-com.html">Rephrasing Blog</a> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this preview episode we use a question and answer format to give some insight into our individual backgrounds and where the show gets its origins. The audio quality is not the best as we were learning to use the equipment and figuring out how to best record and master the show. This was a great learning experience and we both learned a little about the other.<h3>Links</h3><a href="http://www.canakit.com/sparkfun-inventor-s-kit-for-arduino-with-retail-case.html">Canakit</a> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.