Q. How long have you been a developer for?
About 20 years.
Q. How did you get started?
I went to college for computer science. That’s when I started learning about programming, I had no clue about programming before that.
Q. What do you enjoy most about your job?
Creating solutions that help our clients be more efficient and profitable, manage and run their business in a better way. On the technical side, providing a solution that helping them solve complex problems. It’s also great to be able to work with the team that we have.
Q. What exactly is it that you do here?
I manage the server infrastructure, help clients through the engineering process and figuring out their business requirements, while mapping that to the technical requirements. Also, working with the development team in architecting the solution for their day-to-day work as well as helping the project manager understand the technical side of the projects on daily basis. Additionally I manage security and compliance.
Q. Biggest/hardest project you have ever worked on?
I would say Slatwall. All other projects are creating a solution, versus in Slatwall, we took on a challenge to create a system that will fit the needs any customer has or will have in the future, across any industry: be it manufacturing, retail, publishing, retail, education, etc. It was definitely challenging to create a solution that will fit the needs of businesses with different requirements. Our goal was to create something that would fit their needs 80% out of the box and then be flexible enough to fit the other 20% with customizations. We have done a great job in achieving that.
Q. Best resource you have found for your work?
Google. Google knows it all! Also, I think it’s very important because I don’t like to keep a lot of information in my brain, there is only so much space, so there is no need to store unnecessary information when Google has unlimited storage. You can find whatever you need there, it’s easily accessible.
Q. What is the most challenging part about being a developer?
Keeping up with technology is one of the most challenging, because technology is changing everyday. You have to be on your toes. Keeping up with the security aspect of it, due to the large amount of breaches that happening so it’s really important to write secure code. For that there are different lists available, which is another important aspect of keeping up with security. It doesn’t help that we are in the web industry which is different than desktop and applications, because now you have to make sure the application is working correctly on every browser or mobile device. So that’s another challenge, making sure the UI is consistent throughout the different browsers.
Q. How do you think the field will change within the next decade?
I would be surprised if even Larry Page can answer that question. Ten years is a long time in IT. Things are changing so fast, if you think about it, we didn’t have Twitter ten years ago. It will be a different world for sure. We will absolutely have self-driven and flying cars; better access and uses to harness electricity, renewable energy, but one thing I know for certain is that it will be hugely different than what it is today.
Q. Advice for future developers?
Become more of a full-stack developer, don’t just rely on one specific technology, be more business centric and have a better understanding of the business requirements. In terms of technology, good knowledge of the back-end architecture as well as front-end as well, a combination of that will help. As technology is changing, you don’t know what is coming next. The move is more front the back end to the front end.
Q. How do you spend your free time?
I love watching movies, sports, playing with my kids and spending time with family. I also enjoy reading books.
Q. Favorite movie?
A Few Good Men.
Q. Favorite local lunch place?
My wife’s kitchen.
Q. Favorite video game?
Boom Beach.
Q. If you weren’t a developer, what job do you think you would have?
I would probably run some other business, or be a lawyer.
Q. Favorite company-outing you have gone on so far?
F-1 Racing.
Q. Dream vacation?
A secluded place where I can be unreachable on the phone.
Q. How do you learn new technologies?
By working on a project with that technology. This is also another piece of advice for new developers: work on a personal project where you can learn and play around with new things not have tunnel vision and just work on that, expand your horizon. That’s the best way to learn. Also by reading books all day long.
Q. What is your favorite IDE/code editor and why?
I use Eclipse it does everything I need it to do.
Q. What was the last conference you attended?
IRCE.
Q. Do you have any special secret talents?
I can sing, I play cricket. I have never cooked in my life, but for my oldest son's 10th birthday party, I cooked chicken curry for 40 people, in one dish and it came out excellent! Everybody loved it.
Q. Coke or Pepsi?
No soda, too much sugar.
Q. Marvel or DC Comics?
Marvel.