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I have just taken a job as the IT Director for a small private school. Amongst all my duties I have been asked to teach a small class of 6 students. They're all seniors and supposedly very computer savvy.
Does anybody have a starting point where I can find some lesson plans. I have some great ideas but unsure of how to put everything together.
I love Ian Sommervilles book, Software Engineering and I'll probably pull from it. Also I got the school to buy several Raspberry Pi's so I want to work them up to that kind of project.
Thanks for your help!
Brandon
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I would reccomend figuring out how tech savvy your students really are giving them a couple of programming exercises.
Also going with raspberry Pi can be great fun if done right 
#region(start signature)
Life's like a nose, you've got to get out of it whats in it!
#endregion
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Hello guys. Recently a guy left. A week after I am told that I will be taking over his project. I myself am new and still getting my head around. I wanted to ask: How much time should I spend with him on this taking over discussion and what sort of questions should I ask him so that I may understand what is going on, in this project. Thanks for any input.
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Spend as long as it takes for you to understand every part of it. Prepare and write down things you wonder and also what's left to do and if he had thought about how to it and if you don't understand reformulate the question. Also ask about any known bugs or any issues he think would be hard to solve or something like that. Would be nice to have it recorded but atleast write everything down and if he talks to fast ask him to wait, if it seems appropriate. Atleast that's what I would have liked to know.
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Hello guys. I am sure some gurus are out there, to help me understand the situation. I am thrown into this big surveillance software application. Its not that I don't like this field. It is just that I sometime want to run away. Some of my problems are
+ I dont know the work ethics (how things are done)
+ I dont know when to communicate (how much time should I take for a problem and then report if im stuck)
+ My seniors try to imply that I am behind schedule. Each time I ask something, first sentence that comes is: "If you can not do this then tell the management and I will take over the project".
+ Some politics at work which I am disastrous at.
+ And biggest of all, nobody is telling me how to approach a problem. What should I look for, in the code and nobody is telling me the application life cycle.
Are all of these things normal?? Thanks for any input.
This world is going to explode due to international politics, SOON.
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AmbiguousName wrote: Are all of these things normal?
Not in my experience. If your seniors expect good work from you, then they should be helping you in the areas that you have problems with. You could try talking to your manager about these issues and see what help they are prepared to offer. If they are not prepared to help you at all, then it's time to look for another job.
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There are several distinct problems which must be addressed differently.
Most of what you are referring to is not technical. Thus it is a management problem. Which might or might not be fixable.
You didn't state what 'level' you are. But if you have less then 2 years of actual profession programming experience then your "seniors" and perhaps your company is just wrong in a number of ways.
If you have more and specifically sold yourself as being a self starter then some of this comes back more on you. Certainly if you have say 10 years of experience then not being able to get your head around the tasks is all on you.
The application life cycle shouldn't really matter unless you are being told something is late when you didn't know there was a schedule to start with.
Did you estimate the tasks or did someone else? If it was someone else, regardless of your experience level, and then someone/anyone expects you to take the same amount of time then take comfort in knowing that those people are idiots. Which doesn't ease the situation but might make it easier to approach emotionally.
AmbiguousName wrote: Are all of these things normal??
Unfortunately at some places yes. But not most.
Some few places will proactively help the new person. Most places are bit more lazy in terms of this but they still want the new person to succeed because someone must do the work. And if the new person doesn't/can't then one of the existing people will then have to do all of their work and the additional work as well.
Best you can do at this point is to approach your actual manager, not your teammates and discuss the general frustration with the onboarding (yours) process. Make sure that you do not attempt to make it their problem but rather phrase it as your inability. Doing that way, hopefully, makes it less confrontational for a manager that probably doesn't know how to manage that well.
Or just keep your head down and try, try, try until they accept you.
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AmbiguousName wrote: I dont know the work ethics (how things are done)
They tend to change with each niche you visit. The more money is involved, the less ethics will be bothering you.
AmbiguousName wrote: + I dont know when to communicate
Yes, you do; you communicate as often as required. If something is unclear, communicate. If something is inappropriate, communicate. If something is unclear, communicate. You are there to take the "unknowns" away 
AmbiguousName wrote: + My seniors try to imply that I am behind schedule.
Yes, some management assumes that there will be more production if you are stressed. I don't make the schedule either, but that also implies that I cannot be liable if we do not make the schedule
AmbiguousName wrote: + Some politics at work which I am disastrous at.
You are NOT paid to play politics. Someone that focusses on politics instead of work is a liability that should be eliminated.
AmbiguousName wrote: + And biggest of all, nobody is telling me how to approach a problem.
They will, once you fail the problem; then everyone will have a solution saying you should have done X or Y. Hence, communicate - collect X and Y before you begin.
Yes, been there and ain't going back
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Seems like your company has a lot of politics going on somewhere. The reason why I said that is because they threw you into most complex and tough project and do not want to help you out. They always hit you with a "Get back to work!" kind of board! Which is always a job of Boss. No big deal to worry about.
You can only perform better at work when you are familiar with what you have to do, and what you are doing. Another required component for this is, that you are also frank at your environment. You are not oppressed. You are free to share your views, problems and other concerns.
Work ethics are simple... You work on what you've been asked to do!
The best time of communicate is when you feel like you want to communicate. When you want to get some guidance, go and ask. There is no shame in telling them, "You have no idea where to go". Most of the time we -- developers -- think it is a shame. No it is not. Just go and tell them you are not ready. Your seniors (everyone's seniors) always think they are better. Only because they are seniors.
Frankly speaking... Context seems as if you are being sentenced to code. Like you're in jail, and your punishment is to code. I would never work for such a company, where I don't have self-respect, self-esteem, freedom. If the senior under whom I am working is not telling me anything. It is a clear cut answer that I won't be able to complete the task at all. I would be wasting my time, talent and keyboard (if I brought mine). I would simply resign and look for another job! So should you.
The sh*t I complain about
It's like there ain't a cloud in the sky and it's raining out - Eminem
~! Firewall !~
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My question is:-
How a Fresher(Me) get a Software development job?
Qualification is BSC-IT(2012)and currently working at Software Engineering Institute as a Junior Faculty about 2 Years.
My hobby is become a Software Developer. I already developed some freelance software in C# .NET, and I think I have a knowledge in C#.NET(mostly I like to code in C# all day)..
So you think why I waste my 2 years in Junior Faculty?
when I passed BSC-IT exam, I thought to do MCA and I joined the MCA distance education, after that some problems raised with the university. Now it's delaying the MCA. and meantime I also tried to find jobs on Software Developing but couldn't find or not match with my profile..
Is it must to get the degree and work experience to get the job?
Is it doesn't matter how much you know or what you love to do??
Sorry for My English Language(its messy)..
I Want some Suggestion...
Don't watch the clock;
Do what it does.
Keep going.....
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JCahyaatnttearjee wrote: I Want some Suggestion.
Look for advertised jobs in your location, talk to recruitment agencies, ask your friends and colleagues ...
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actually in my location .NET jobs are rarely found, if have some then it will require higher degrees or experience ..
I searched and tried all the links I have to find the jobs in Software Development, but ultimately most of them are saying send me your resume I will check, No result within 1 and half years..
Please tell me how to handle this depression??
Don't watch the clock;
Do what it does.
Keep going.....
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JCahyaatnttearjee wrote: Please tell me how to handle this depression??
By not wasting your time asking people who have no idea where you live or what the local job market is like. If you want to find a job then you have to go out and search for yourself.
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Namaste Fresher-ji, (or, if you prefer, "Namaskaram," or "Vannakam")
Job searching can be frustrating, can take a long time, I know. It's important you try hard to not let a sense of disappointment cause you to withdraw from keeping your full energy involved with continuing to educate yourself technically, and to keep up the good personal habits (diet, exercise, social relaxation) that make you, in person, aware, alert, and socially agreeable.
Please keep in mind the profound words of Kabir: "rahi gulzar to phool khilenge," "where there is a garden, the flowers will come." If we do not take care of our own garden, who will ?
Since you have experience, evidently, teaching, I suggest you continue to do that in some way, even if it means volunteering somewhere, since, imho, there's no better way than teaching to continually sharpen and improve your own understanding of what you have learned yourself.
From your other comments, it seems like there may be only a few .NET companies in the area where you live. Have you considered relocating first to an area where there are more .NET companies ? Yes, I know that may not be possible, but you might consider at least a job-finding trip to that area ?
I would also suggest ... if you haven't done so already ... that you create a technical blog, and try and make it relevant to people working in .NET in your area.
While you may not like the idea of applying for an entry-level position, like QA tester, or tech support, that might be a way to "get your foot in the door" in a company you want to work for; once employed there, and known and respected, you might have the opportunity to make yourself known to other programmers there and eventually shift to a programming job.
best wishes, Bill
«I'm asked why doesn't C# implement feature X all the time. The answer's always the same: because no one ever designed, specified, implemented, tested, documented, shipped that feature. All six of those things are necessary to make a feature happen. They all cost huge amounts of time, effort and money.» Eric Lippert, Microsoft, 2009
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Quote: Please keep in mind the profound words of Kabir: "rahi gulzar to phool khilenge," "where there is a garden, the flowers will come."
I live in Kolkata, W.B ....
Thanks for your valuable Suggestion..
Don't watch the clock;
Do what it does.
Keep going.....
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My VP of eng. told me a couple of weeks ago, the library I have been working on for the last year or so, uses the wrong approach, paradigm, and language ("explosively disruptive", were his words).
He then asked me to stop work and "park it" for the time being. Instead, our organization will adopt a third-party library, of worse off quality (although feature rich and complete), for the most part closed-source, and (arguably) free.
The SW solution implemented using this library will be used in the manufacturing of a highly sophisticated piece of electronics. The message is clear: I have to give support to this alternative solution, which effectively makes my job obsolete, and if I don`t (or things fail the way I anticipate they will), chances are I will get laid off.
It seems like I can`t win:
- If the third party library solution works, I have successfully proven that my job is obsolete.
- If it fails, I am guilty of negligence, and I have failed, and very likely I will end up jobless in this case too.
Do you see any dignifying way out of this conundrum?
Start typing my resume?
Cheers.
ALF
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Always keep updating the resume, even when things are going well. All the articles say that you should always be on the lookout for a different job.
It's hard to say from an outside vantage point whether your situation is really as black or white as you think it is.
Were you hired only to work on that one library? Are you sure there would be no further work if the 3rd party library is adopted?
What if you become the resident expert on the alternate library? Wouldn't that make you valuable?
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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Thank you for your reply. You bring up good points!
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Hi, you are in a difficult place, and of course I have no idea what the job market is like in Croatia, or what your options may be. Are you financially in a place where you can quit if you want to ?
I also wonder if you are the sole author who created this library you've worked on for the last year, and, if you were, where was the VP of Engineering in the process ? If you were not the sole author, then are there other people who are going to have their careers, or jobs, or reputations, threatened by the decision to call off this effort which must have cost the company some real money ?
I have a feeling there's a lot we don't know here, perhaps should not know, and, of course, I respect whatever decisions make to protect your own reputation/privacy, etc.
If I were in a place where I was financially secure, felt I had the freedom to quit, and I foresaw an "ugly ending" coming in which I would be blamed for possibly others' mistakes, I would probably quit as soon as I had gotten my resume updated.
good luck, Bill
«I'm asked why doesn't C# implement feature X all the time. The answer's always the same: because no one ever designed, specified, implemented, tested, documented, shipped that feature. All six of those things are necessary to make a feature happen. They all cost huge amounts of time, effort and money.» Eric Lippert, Microsoft, 2009
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Thanks for your reply.
Yes, unfortunately, I am the sole author of the library. It was a colossal mistake on my part: I failed to rally support and get other developers enthusiastic about the whole idea. Developers (average ones) don't like risks. Lesson learned.
I will probably end up packing-up and leaving, however I am trying to allow myself some prudent time before doing so. I don't want to "go from a old job", but instead I want to "go to a new job".
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My suggestion: test the 3rd party library first. Not everything, just to stuff you need or the crucial stuff. If you can prove it won't do the trick, then you win.
Testing a component before integrating it is common in SW.
If that's ignored you didn't stand a chance from the very start.
Kitty at my foot and I waAAAant to touch it...
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Just as the topic suggests. How do you pick a language to master?
I found it very easy to pick languages to try out and experiment with. I have experience writing at least 50 lines of code in over 15 languages. That being said, through all my experimenting and analysis, Ruby became my first choice for general purpose programming.
I am not claiming that I am extremely knowledgable with Ruby but I find its clean syntax to be preferable for getting things done quickly and elegantly (just my opinion). Recently I began to wonder whether since Ruby is my favourite language, if I should take the time to really dig in and master it. Learn all of its intricacies, traps, and potential. But what if mastering Ruby is not a good career choice? Certainly time is limited, it takes a long time to master a language, and there are literally hundreds of languages that all seem to have particular niches, strengths, and weaknesses. So how to pick one to master?
How do I pick a language to master? What if Ruby is a dying language? What if where I am living, there are no companies that are using Ruby as their programming language? What if Ruby is not [insert quality here] {fast, stable, secure, powerful, configurable} enough? What if I am constantly using another language to attempt to circumvent this? Should I be true the language I love, or should I force myself to master a language that will give me more fine control and/or more job opportunities?
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Sea_Sharp wrote: not a good career choice
They are all good career choices, even if they become obsolete ten years from now.
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I'll try to keep this short and sweet as possible but I could easily make this a novel I am sure.
I have been working as a project coordinator for the past few years in the construction industry travelling around Canada for large projects. While my primary task has been in tracking quantities and reporting on productivity and progress, I have been able to use my time there to build some tools in Microsoft Excel using VBA. This made me develop an ever growing passion for scripting and developing. In my spare time I began building scripts in Ruby and even dipped my toe in Visual C#. Slowly but surely the passion became obsession and now I find myself unfulfilled by my current career direction. I don't want to spend the rest of my life travelling for work, tracking quantities and only getting the rare opportunity to build a software tool or script. I want every work day to revolve around me solving computer system issues and building software tools.
The main catch is while I have spent the last 3 years reading technical manuals, developing test systems, and experimenting night and day I don't have any actual accreditation in software development or even system administration. I realize I am going to be competing with decorated college graduates and professionals with decades of experience in the field. I don't even know how I would compare to fresh college grad in terms of my proficiency. This is why I want to take the plunge and earn some accreditation and fill any holes I may have created by being almost exclusively self-taught.
Basically I see two possible routes as follows;
A professional certification - eg. Cisco Certified Administrator, Red Hat Certified Engineer, or Microsoft Server Administrator etc.
A college degree - eg. Software Engineering, Server/Database/System Administrator
I am pretty stuck on how best to go about this and ensure that both the program will fill in any knowledge gaps I may have and also give some weight to my resume and ensure I will be a desirable prospect. I like the idea that I could easily cram hard and get 2 or 3 professional certificates within a few months on my own schedule, but if they don't carry much weight in the industry than I don't want to waste my time either. I like the idea of taking a full program in a respectable institution for the idea that it will really fill in my weaknesses and give me the best odds for finding long term employment but I don't know if I am aggrandizing these types of institutions and the weight they carry. I want to find something that will give me the best bang for my buck in terms of time spent vs employment opportunities.
Basically just looking for some anecdotal thoughts and options on these two tracks and what program(s) would you pursue if you were starting out as a beginner all over again. I welcome any opinions on this matter.
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I traded my hobby for programming for a career in programming in 1989 by applying to a "head hunter" service and then proving my talent on the job. And while I don't dismiss a degree in computer science I don't think it is necessary to become a professional programmer.
As a hiring manager for a global technology company I look for transferable skills: the understanding of how to think conceptually, collaborate and overcome boundaries; build clean systems that last and are readable and maintainable.
If you can demonstrate to me the basics understanding of being a professional developer rather than someone who has learned to write code, I would consider your application over someone with a 4 year degree who can't build a clean, sustainable legacy code base.
Just my 2 cents.
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