DEV Community: Jeff Stroup

Why is Pair Programming a thing!? 🤔

Jeff Stroup — Wed, 17 May 2023 03:46:14 +0000

In my recent programming venture, I stumbled upon a new gig that introduced me to the concept of pair programming. Surprisingly, despite my six-year career in the field, I had never encountered this collaborative approach before. Intrigued by this novel practice, I penned an in-depth article on the drawbacks of pair programming on my website. In this article, I will share some insights on the topic.

Despite spending six months in this new gig, I still find myself grappling with the rationale behind pair programming. Moreover, the fact that this gig offers the flexibility of working from home only adds to my confusion. As an introvert, the idea of spending prolonged hours in a Zoom call is undeniably exhausting. 😪 I initially chose this career for its emphasis on autonomy and independence, coupled with a dash of teamwork. Pair programming, with its constant presence of another developer dictating every line of code or vice versa, seems contrary to the principles I valued.

While my personal experience has left me skeptical, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of pair programming objectively. Some proponents argue that it fosters knowledge sharing, accelerates problem-solving, and leads to improved code quality. On the other hand, critics claim that it can hinder individual creativity, impede productivity, and even be a drain on company resources. In my article, I delve deeper into these aspects, offering a comprehensive analysis of the practice.

Pair programming is a subject that can evoke strong opinions, and I'm curious to hear about your own encounters with this collaborative technique. Have you ever experienced pair programming in your career? If so, what were your thoughts and impressions? I encourage you to visit my website for a more detailed exploration of this topic and to share your valuable insights in the comments section. ✍️

Pair programming remains an enigma to me, challenging the very foundations of my preferred programming approach. While I see it as a potential waste of company resources and a hindrance to critical thinking, I acknowledge that opinions on this topic may vary. Whether you are an advocate or a skeptic, it is crucial to foster open discussions and consider diverse perspectives. Let's delve into the intricacies of pair programming and explore its potential impact on the software development landscape.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. 🙂

How did You Get Started?

Jeff Stroup — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 00:52:39 +0000

Software development and UI work is such a vast field. You can't help to be amazed at all the opportunities and sub-topics software development and UI work offer. What is also amazing is the fact you can do either of those literally anywhere in the world and anyone can do it. Because anyone can do it, it is interesting to learn how people got started since everyone's path is different.

Back in the day, I use to work in a grocery store. I really did think I was going to work there forever. Then one day, they shut the doors for good setting off a chain reaction. A blessing in disguise.

I then somehow ended up in construction work and after a while, became extremely unhappy. I had no degree at this time and was limited on my options. Searching for what little options that I had led me to a video (I wish I could remember it) about programming and in that moment found what I wanted to do. Interesting fact, I created a Youtube channel a while back for this very reason. To maybe one day change someone's life for the better. Anyway, it ultimately led me to degree in computer science and the rest is history.

That was my story of how I got started. Kind of wild but well worth every minute. Now that you know mine, how did you get started?

74 Coding Problems

Jeff Stroup — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 22:20:24 +0000

So awhile ago I posted an article with the same title; however, it had to be deleted because I didn't read (where is the dunce cap 🤦‍♂️). Well, I am here to try again and go more in depth with a few of the projects and the languages I did through out college. You will be able to find the full list here and at my link down below. Let's begin!

I not only added a list of the projects but also the languages I wrote them in. You will find languages such as:

Assembly x86
C
C++
Javascript
PHP
R
Bash
Perl
Python
Visual Basic

Of course you don't have to write the projects in the same languages they fall under. They are there to maybe introduce you to something new. Projects range from simple to difficult in both project and language.

Here are some of the projects you will find on the list:

Plenty of Algorithms (Hash Tables, Linked List, etc)
Battleship game

Nothing Fancy, built right in the console window, 1P, 2P, and basic AI

Bash Shell

Similar to what you find on linux with the same commands. ls, cat, tail, etc

Wack-a-mole

Complete UI that kept score and a timer to end the game

Sanitize credit card numbers

As it sounds, take any credit card (credit cards have a specific number of digits and specific starting digits EX: Visa starts with a 4 and has either 13 or 16 digits) number and replace all but the last X digits with ...

Notepad application

Complete GUI with common text editor functionality. Save, load, format text, etc

Address Book

Also exactly what it is. Name, phone number, address, etc

As you can see, the projects listed are pretty well rounded. It might also show how something so simple as to counting characters can be more difficult in other languages. I am curious as to what project you are going to build and with what language.
If you get to this point and are curious as to what else is on the list, here is the link https://jstroup.dev/article/seventyfour. Happy Coding!

For those that are curious and are wondering why there isn't a comment section. I haven't got around to it yet 🙂. I built the site from scratch and still struggling with finding a good UI unfortunately. The joys of coding 😅