How Do You Get to Silicon Valley?

2007-02-22T14:50:00+00:00

# Practice.

Music When Tony Macaluso invites me to play bass at a gig, I need to prepare. Before I even start rehearsing songs, I break out my Rickenbacker and warm up with some scales.

![](http://beefstewdios.com/images/433_IMG_0146.jpg)

Programming When I’m invited to help out with a software project I’m expected to hit the ground running. Each project might require a different area of expertise. How do I warm up? I usually have reserched the problem domain beging even before interviewing for the gig. But now there’s a more precise method analogous to playing scales.
Dave Thomas has begun a blog called CodeKata . He already has about 15 different exercises created to help us programmers practice our craft.

The Kata touch on a variety of common problem domains in software development. There are the standard programming 101 issues including Sorting it Out and Karate Chop. And there are several design exercises like Hashes vs. Classes and Supermarket Pricing.

Rails Conference 2006 - Day 1

2006-06-23T12:16:00+00:00

I’m registered now at Rails Conference. The first day was awesome, though I got in late. I forgot what a great speaker Dave Thomas is.

Someone during the install fest commented that they didn’t like the way layouts are in a separate directory under views in a default Rails application. Dave said that he questions little things like that in the framework. But made the following suggestion. Just go with the flow. Because if you don’t use the defaults, one day 2 years from now, another Rails developer will open up that app, and say “Where the hell are the layouts?”

Dave’s response really captured what’s going on here. The Rails team has created an awesome framework that has so simplified development of a web application so that we can all focus on more important things. It’s like when you first start out on a development team, everyone agrees on certain standards that simplify comunication. It doesn’t really matter exactly what these are, everyone is now on the same page, and you function better as a team.

by releasing the framework as open source, have in effect included us all on one big team.  Mike Clark commented what a great community this is and it's true.  At install fest, people were all just helping each other out, regardless of experience or noteriety.  It's going to be a great conference.

And if you haven’t stared learning Ruby or Rails, it’s time. I’ve noticed a huge spike in the number of ruby and rails jobs on dice and monster in the last few weeks. And rails projects are keeping my own dance card full.

So come on, go with the flow!

Martinicity: Tag Dave Thomas

How Do You Get to Silicon Valley?

Rails Conference 2006 - Day 1