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James_Parsons wrote: I have not touched any code for 6 months
James_Parsons wrote: it looks good to employers
Um, er, why haven't you touched code in 6 months? Reason why I ask is because you mention this fact in the same paragraph as the word "employers". I would not hire you if you haven't touched code in 6 months without a very, very good reason.
Just curious.
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Haha, I guess it doesn't matter I wouldn't get hired anyway  . I'm an 18 year old kid straight out of high school with little experience living in one of the worst states for the industry.
I haven't touched code in 6 months because after graduating, I had no more projects to work on.
i cri evry tiem
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College plans? Military plans - non-combat, with technical MOS (programming, etc.)?
If you love to code then you need to show an employment timeline with full-time coding, software development, etc. I would focus more on that then side projects, IMHO. I don't consider people for employment based on their "side projects".
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Quote: College plans? Military plans - non-combat, with technical MOS (programming, etc.)?
Actually, I recently failed to get into the Army, Now trying the Air Force.
i cri evry tiem
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James_Parsons wrote: Now trying the Air Force.
Air force or Navy is best for technical jobs. I would start with Air Force.
If you go military, then go non-combat MOS (Mission Occupational Specialty) and pick a speciality that you know will help you get employment when you get out (i.e. software development, etc.)
I was in the Infantry but if I had to do it over again, I would go Air Force.
Good luck. 
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James_Parsons wrote: I've also tried the whole "make something you would use" and wind up finding out someone has already done it and better than I could do it.
I agree with the idea of making something you would use. This is very practical advice. My best 'side projects' have been little utilities that I now use just about every day both on or off the job. There's sure to be at least one small utility application you currently use that could be just a little better...maybe a better UI or an added feature or two. Start from scratch and/or use samples/examples from working code (with proper credits of course!) to make something that you can get immediate results from and improve on over time.
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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First, clear some space on the side you wish the project to appear on.
«There is a spectrum, from "clearly desirable behaviour," to "possibly dodgy behavior that still makes some sense," to "clearly undesirable behavior." We try to make the latter into warnings or, better, errors. But stuff that is in the middle category you don’t want to restrict unless there is a clear way to work around it.» Eric Lippert, May 14, 2008
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My struggle is finding the time to write code, rather than coming up with ideas; I have thousands stored away in mails to myself; most of which will never see the light of day...
What are your interests / hobbies?
I can cherry pick some of the ideas that match up to what you're interested in and give them to you.
Also do you have any preferences on the type of thing you'd like to build?
i.e.
- Platform: web based, desktop app, phone app
- Content: game, social network (i.e. involving some social features; not a full blown social network), etc.
- Time: how much time do you think you'll have to invest in this; do you want something you can knock up with an hour a day for a couple of months, or something bigger/smaller?
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ps. If you want to come up with ideas on your own, look for things that frustrate you.
Example
When I go to the airport I have to go to one place to get my boarding pass, then another to drop off bags, then through security, then customs, etc. If I've not travelled in a while I get confused and often end up going to the desks in the wrong order (e.g. I go to check in my bags, then having queued for 20 mins am told I have to first check in at a different desk, so have to go queue there before coming back and queueing again). In some airports I can do everything at one desk.
As a developer you can't change the airport's procedures; but you can still help people... i.e. create a phone app which can store the workflows for each airport / airline, into which users can enter their details (which airport they're flying from, flight number, do they have luggage for the hold, etc).
This app can then list an itinerary for me, pulling back any data from open sources (e.g. from my flight number it can get the flight time, and from that can suggest appropriate times for each step, and telling me which desk number or gate to head to in order to complete a step). As I complete each bit I tick it off and the app tells me where to go/what to do next; saving me some pain.
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I wrote a budgeting system that we use (for Windows desktop). Replaced Quicken with it because Quicken was an overkill. Started the project about six years ago. Took 3 to get it to a reliable state, it's all I use now. Have given it to a few others also who find that it helps them. Got us out of debt. Good "side" project. I'm now developing a web-based version of the program as a way of learning ASP.Net, AJAX, etc.
I can appreciate your boredom. Try to pick a task that you would like to automate and just get started with it, don't over-design it and don't "scrum" the thing, it's your project. Maybe you can find someone who needs a membership-tracking system written or something, do it for free (or swap). One of my "side" projects is a management utility for our local cooperative farm. We've got lifetime veggies in exchange for that project (which is constantly ongoing).
Do not worry about it if someone else has already written something you want to do, your solution will be unique in some way and you'll have the joy of creating it. It doesn't have to impress anyone but you. 
If you think that hiring a professional is expensive wait until you try hiring an amateur! - Red Adair
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I've recently translated Burton P. Fabricand's "Horse Sense" (A Rigorous Application of Mathematical Methods to Successful Betting at the Track) to C#.
You could find something practical like that.
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How about helping a project like NTP or such that could use the development work and does not have much of a budget. (nwtime.org).
Digging in on a successful project and making it better is a great idea, and can show the much more important skill of being able to get up to speed on a project, and being useful...
Just thinking outside the sphere
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You don't have to create your own project, there are plenty that could use some help: Up For Grabs[^]
'Howard
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You your side projects don't necessarily have to achieve an end product to be a useful exercise.
I often start side projects to explore coding styles, patterns and architecture and new technologies. Because my side projects are in my own time and under my complete control, and I have the freedom to pursue any avenue without fear of cocking up an existing code base or missing a deadline.
This is how I've explored the fusion between MVC, Razor and Angular. Or how I might practically implement an event source pattern. The actual projects are disposable, but I've learnt enough in the sandbox of a side project to be able to apply the concepts I've learnt on a professional project.
Occasionally a useful application comes out of the side of this activity. If I'm really lucky, one day I'll stumble onto a saleable product.
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At least we still have Leslie 
... such stuff as dreams are made on
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What's life without Leslie?
New version: WinHeist Version 2.2.2 Beta I told my psychiatrist that I was hearing voices in my head. He said you don't have a psychiatrist!
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Leslie?
Lesbos!
Gusset, gusset, gusset!
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Cops: No clean getaway for twins who stole 180 bars of soap[^]
Soap? Really?
What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?
The metaphorical solid rear-end expulsions have impacted the metaphorical motorized bladed rotating air movement mechanism.
Do questions with multiple question marks annoy you???
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Project Mayhem? 
Ah, I see you have the machine that goes ping. This is my favorite. You see we lease it back from the company we sold it to and that way it comes under the monthly current budget and not the capital account.
modified 31-Aug-21 21:01pm.
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For that you have to make soap, not steal it
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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They might have been making it, but then found that they needed another 180 bars at the last minute
Ah, I see you have the machine that goes ping. This is my favorite. You see we lease it back from the company we sold it to and that way it comes under the monthly current budget and not the capital account.
modified 31-Aug-21 21:01pm.
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Don't try to see the logic on that action... instead try to find out the truth... there is no logic 
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Cleanliness is (not) next to godliness!
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
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We are washed over with disorganized crime.
... such stuff as dreams are made on
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