Episodes
-
Udemy vs. eDX vs. Pluralsight -- who wins? Tony Alicea, instructor for over 10 years on Udemy and Pluralsight, breaks down when to use online learning platforms vs. actually writing code. What's the quickest way to learn web development? What do the best learners do?
Show notes
https://tonyalicea.dev
https://thesmythgroup.com
Course coupons
https://understandingreact.com/?coupon_code=WPP
https://teamdynamics.dev/?coupon_code=WPP
-
How do you know when it's time to quit your designer or web developer job? What do signs of gaslighting and verbal abuse look like in the workplace. Matej Latin, author of betterwebtype.com, shares the crucial turning points of his designer career from corporate banking to GitLab to his self-led journey, coaching thousands of aspiring designers.
Links:
Medium (Matej Latin): How my Dream Designer Job Turned into a Nightmare Job betterwebtype.com design course by Matej Latin Matej Latin on LinkedIn Matej Latin's websiteTimestamps:
0:02:25 - Economics to Design: WTF? 0:05:11 - Gitlab's #1 practice for remote work 0:10:27 - Remote's Impact on Teams: Good or Bad? 0:16:12 - Collaboration Secrets for Remote Teams 0:20:56 - Engineers and Designers: BFFs? 0:26:10 - Designers: Speak Up! 0:35:25 - Flat Orgs: Dream or Nightmare? 0:40:20 - Dream Job Becomes Hell 0:50:57 - Toxic Positivity & Gaslighting at Work 0:53:43 - Side Hustles While Working Full-Time 0:57:37 - Fix Your Damn Portfolio 1:00:55 - Job Interviews: Don't Be a Sheep 1:06:42 - When to Say "F* it" and Quit** 1:08:57 - The Importance of Passion in Your Work 1:10:16 - How to Find Your Dream Design Job 1:11:37 - The Importance of Mentorship for Designers 1:12:26 - The Importance of Transparency and Expectations 1:13:49 - The Myth of "Hitting the Ground Running" -
Episodes manquant?
-
What are the best ways to learn full-stack web development? Muhannad Nouri, full-stack developer at Enverus, shares with us his #1 tip for leveraging YouTube, TikTok, and X to enhance his full-stack learning.
Timestamps
01:43: Do you need a computer science degree to be a web developer? Muhannad shares his experience. 04:37: The #1 tip for new web developers to avoid feeling overwhelmed. 09:15: ChatGPT and Copilot: essential tools for modern web development? 12:18: The secret to learning new web technologies without burning out. 18:15: Social media: Friend or foe for web developers? 33:38: How to stay informed without drowning in newsletters. 45:46: Is LinkedIn still relevant for tech professionals? 50:49: The job hunt: How to make your resume stand out in a crowded market. 53:13: How to get that first web development interview. 57:45: Networking when you're not looking for a job. 01:12:05: The highs and lows of web development: What keeps us coming back for more? 01:23:03: Convincing your boss to adopt new tech: Muhannad's proven strategy. 01:31:07: The Angular vs. React debate: Which framework is right for you? 01:38:02: The art of mentorship: How to guide others without holding them back. 01:43:04: Pair programming: Valuable even for experienced developers? 01:50:02: How to get that first web development interview. 01:57:45: Networking when you're not looking for a job. 02:01:31: Where to find Muhannad online. 02:01:48: Muhannad's parting words of wisdom.Links
Muhannad Nouri: LinkedIn Dr. Tony Tang: University of Calgary -
Dan Stevenson, a seasoned instructor at SAIT, demystifies the complexities of web development. Dan emphasizes the significance of mastering fundamental web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while highlighting the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the face of evolving trends. He delves into the challenges of balancing innovation with accessibility and performance in web design, offering valuable insights and practical tips for aspiring and experienced web developers alike. The discussion further explores the role of AI in web development, the advantages and disadvantages of using frameworks, and the crucial role of soft skills in career success.
Links:
SAIT Interactive Design - Web Design and Development Major SAIT Student for a Day:
https://www.sait.ca/programs-and-courses/student-for-a-day Dan's website:
https://danstephenson.ca Dan's podcast: Fireside chat: https://www.firesidechat.ca/ -
What is web accessibility, and why does it matter? Daryl Suttie, accessibility enthusiast, answers our questions about accessibility gotchas and illustrates how we can promote web accessibility and "sell" it to large software companies.
Timestamps
[00:01:00]: Daryl's Background - Accidental accessibility specialist; held roles in design, development, product management, QA; now advocates passionately for web accessibility [00:03:24]: Accessibility Laws and Regulations - Current state in Canada, US, Europe; accessibility becomes hotter topic in coming years [00:06:49]: Accessibility Debt - Exceeds general technical debt; often unchecked upfront; much costlier to fix later than baking in from start [00:09:00]: TV Remote Analogy - TV remote navigation parallels keyboard-only web browsing; relatable way to build empathy for these users [00:18:00]: Screen Reader User Diversity - Benefits many beyond blind users - those with low vision, dyslexia, cognitive issues, distractibility; many lack power user skills [00:35:53]: Manual Testing Importance - Value of manual accessibility checks, even quick tab review; catches issues automation misses; some manual testing critical [00:41:19]: Expanding Accessibility Knowledge - How to stay updated on best accessibility practices; constant learning curve even for experts [00:51:07]: Growing Accessibility Demand - Increased demand predicted as more jurisdictions tighten regulations; uptick in RFPs requiring accessibility [00:51:51]: Reach Out to Daryl - Connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/darylsuttie for accessibility questions, website audits, or to learn about his accessibility journey [00:53:07]: Accessibility Barriers Unintentional - Most accessibility barriers stem from lack of awareness rather than malice; still problematic and important to address [01:04:00]: Form Interactions and Accessibility - Challenges with instant form submissions; separate actions for option changes and form submission; avoid unexpected context shifts [01:10:27]: Neglect of HTML Fundamentals - Developers often lack HTML knowledge; over-reliance on CSS and JS; semantic HTML benefits accessibility [01:17:00]: Daryl's Journey into Accessibility - From early HTML dabbling to accessibility-focused roles; fueled by passion for inclusivity and better user experiences [01:36:33]: Business Case for Accessibility - Opportunities in serving untapped user segments; competitive advantage; sticky users; millions with disabilities [01:40:25]: Responding to Accessibility Pushback - Incremental improvements over perfection; celebrate small wins; 10% progress still meaningful; ratchet up gradually [01:44:41]: Keeping Up with Evolving Standards - Continuous learning essential; even experts encounter knowledge gaps; importance of referencing latest documentation [01:46:41]: Accessibility in B2B Contexts - Readiness to adapt if needed; quick wins possible with focused training; direct user feedback critical [01:49:00]: Rising Frequency of Accessibility Requests - Increasing RFPs with accessibility requirements, especially in public sector; accessibility gaining visibility across industriesLinks
Daryl Suttie LinkedIn https://makeitfable.com/
https://inclusive.microsoft.design/
https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/developing-websites-accessibility-getting-started -
Sub-sea cables make the internet possible today, but what about the data centres they connect to? Take a look inside the operations of what happens inside "colo" or "metro" centres that keep the internet fast and efficient via "peering". Coral Taylor Bliss of Equinix, which manages over 112 data centres worldwide, gives us the inside scoop on what it takes to run some of the world's most critical infrastructure.
Coral Taylor Bliss (LinkedIn) Equinex WebsiteTimestamps:
00:01:36 - Introduction of guest Coral Bliss Taylor 00:02:23 - Coral talks about her background 00:03:09 - Overview of Equinix and its founding principles 00:04:21 - Explanation of internet peering 00:07:37 - Importance of physical internet infrastructure 00:08:06 - How internet infrastructure enables web development 00:13:25 - Difference between Equinix and public cloud providers 00:45:25 - Equinix's platform and how customers utilize it 00:57:08 - Cost comparisons between Equinix, owning your own data centers, and public clouds 01:02:35 - Equinix Fabric for connecting data centers and clouds 01:06:10 - Equinix's ecosystem of connected networks and services 01:07:41 - Internet connectivity challenges in some countries 01:13:01 - Impact of satellite internet like Starlink 01:14:29 - Excitement about AI and internet-enabled entrepreneurship 01:16:00 - Sustainability considerations with aggregated data centers 01:22:19 - Where to connect with Coral / Equinix -
Kevin Powell gives out his #1 tip on learning and teaching CSS. How can you keep up to date with all the new CSS features coming? Should you still use Bootstrap? What about Tailwind? CSS in JS? How do you CSS in 2023?
Learn how Kevin got started with web development and teaching CSS. Hear his perspective on using frameworks like Bootstrap and Tailwind to learn. Get insights on the challenges beginners face when starting with CSS and how to overcome them.
Discover Kevin's approach to using CSS tools and frameworks in projects. Find out his tips for structuring HTML to support styles. Learn about semantic HTML and accessibility best practices.
Get the inside scoop on starting a YouTube channel, podcast, and online courses. Hear Kevin's pain points with CSS units and lack of colour mix support.
Kevin Powell on YouTube Kevin Powell's Newsletter Kevin Powell's Podcast Kevin's WebsiteTimestamps
(00:04:04 - 00:07:04) How Kevin got started with web development and teaching it (00:07:04 - 00:10:04) Kevin's experience using CSS frameworks like Bootstrap to learn (00:10:04 - 00:15:04) The challenges of learning CSS for beginners (00:15:04 - 00:18:04) Kevin's approach to using CSS frameworks and tools (00:18:04 - 00:24:04) Building your own learning management system vs using a platform (00:24:04 - 00:29:04) How to structure HTML to support styles (00:29:04 - 00:35:04) Semantic HTML and accessibility practices (00:35:04 - 00:44:04) Kevin's YouTube channel and creating content (00:44:04 - 00:47:04) Starting a podcast and newsletters (00:47:04 - 00:54:04) Making YouTube a full-time job (00:54:04 - 01:02:04) Kevin's tips for CSS (01:02:04 - end) Pain points with CSS units and lack of color mix suppor -
AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Azure... the list goes on. But how hard is it to migrate an existing tech stack to the cloud? Heman Tailor, director of IT at SCA Interactive, gives us the lowdown on the pros, cons, challenges of migrating his infrastructure from on-prem to AWS.
-
Josh Collinsworth wrote a blog post about why ReactJS is outdated and which technologies to try instead, and we wanted to learn more. Why has ReactJS remained the king of front-end frameworks, and what can we do about it? What about frameworks like Svelte, Vue, and Astro? View transitions API as per Astro along with some life advice on how to choose a front-end framework in your next project.
Josh Collinsworth on Mastadon Fresh framework for Deno Quina word game Hondo word game VueJS interactive demo Pass the Pigs game PWA builder Tauri Rust framework -
Andrii Borovskyi discusses Functional Programming in JavaScript and TypeScript and why it still remains unpopular, despite ReactJS' functional components. What is functional programming, and how can teams adopt it? Can we really stop debugging altogether by using functional programming? Andrii tells his story of how he got into web development and how he sees the future of web technologies progressing with functional programming
Timestamps 0:00:00 Intro 0:00:26 Andrii's story on how he decided to pursue web development 0:03:27 Why can we call ourselves software architects, but not engineers 0:06:26 Is CSS a programming language... yet? 0:07:04 Cross-continent hitch hiking and getting started with HTML and CSS 0:11:34 Learning Javascript while on the road 0:13:50 First job 0:15:11 Andrii's career path and making difficult decisions 0:18:43 Sean's career and self taught vs engineers 0:22:05 Be patient: Team leads can have bad days too 0:22:38 RTFM is the worst 0:23:18 Functional programming, let's go 0:32:30 OOP vs FP 0:41:51 How to identify side effects 0:42:47 Functional composition 0:43:56 Reusability 0:45:29 Refactoring I 0:51:51 Naming functions 1:10:01 Private methods in OOP as an example of side effects 1:14:40 Refactoring II getting in and out of trouble 1:20:40 React flavour 1:26:16 Imutability of props and arguments 1:28:16 Leaky Abstractions 1:28:06 Refactoring III DRY 1:29:39 Refactoring the team away from OOP 1:32:48 Composition vs inheritance 1:37:56 Wrap up and connections -
Is .NET still a thing? Has it caught up with other full-stack frameworks like NEXT, NUXT, SvelteKit, and Remix? Philip Young comes on the show, drawing from his 10+ years' experience as yoga practitioner and software developer to give us the inside scoop on .NET and mindfulness.
-
What challenges do women face in the tech industry? Kylie Woods & April Hicke discuss the barriers to entry for women and the story of why Kylie decided to close down Chiq Geek.
ChicGeek TryToast April Hicke (LinkedIn)TryToast promo code FIRSTFREE to get your first month free at TryToast.
-
Allie Knull joins us to discuss why resumes are so outdated and how to get your next best tech job without using your resume.
Do resumes really matter that much? How about job experience? When should you negotiate a salary? Is there such a thing as being "overqualified" for a job? Allie tells us all this, and more.
Allie Knull on LinkedIn Allie Knull on TikTok ResumeFree -
How can web developers improve their documentation skills? How important is it for software development businesses to hire technical writers as opposed to offloading the responsibility to web developers? Mitch Willis, long-time technical writer, joins us to explore the reasons to hire a technical writer specialist, for both large and small teams.
-
What's life like as a digital nomad? What are the pros and cons of living abroad in digital nomad cities like Bali and Chengdu? How much sense does it make to pack our bags and work remotely as a web developer, given that most jobs allow remote work? Ryan Hnetka, a long-time working nomad with over 20 years of experience as a digital nomad, gives us the lowdown on the ins and outs of the digital nomad lifestyle.
-
As software developers, what can we do to understand our emotions? Does coaching help, and how much does "self-help" actually matter in the workplace to maximize our workplace efficiency? Cami Travis-Groves, a former graphic designer, and now life coach, shares with us her steps to understanding and making sense of difficult emotions in and outside of the workplace.
Cami Travis-Groves (LinkedIn)
Cami's Pyramid of Emotions
Cami's Upcoming Men's (pay-what-you-want) workshop
-
What role do PMs (project managers) play in software projects, and what techniques do they use to create successful software releases? Mark Dodd, long-time PM at Koncept, walks us through his process of managing project scope, meeting best practices, and how to involve key stakeholders into software projects.
What is a stakeholder? How do stakeholders differ from investors? What happens when a stakeholder doesn't want to be involved in a software project? How can we best determine key stakeholders in software projects? What is risk mitigation, and how can we pre-emptively deal with bugs and stakeholder issues prior to ending a sprint? What's the difference between agile and what PMs do? Should all PMs know or practice agile? How important is agile to project managers? What does a great retrospective look like? What strategies do PMs use to conduct successful retrospectives?Connect with Mark Dodd on LinkedIn.
-
What are Verifiable Credentials (VC) and how can web developers leverage the new W3C specification to build out future-proof authentication solutions? How do Verifiable Credentials differ from traditional OAuth providers like with Google, Meta, or Microsoft, and how can we reclaim our independence with technologies with VCs? What's the future of Blockchain and Web3 applications?
Robert Forget (LinkedIn) Credivera Join our Discord! -
What's causing all the layoffs in the tech industry? How can we use AI and ChatGPT to supercharge our resumes and cater them to job postings? How important are job postings anyway? Stephen Wensley, from Acuspire shares with us his insights from parsing 1000s of resumes using AI on what you can do right now to simplify your job search.
ChatGPT and how it has taken offWhat AI means for web developers. Will we lose our jobs to ChatGPT and AI?How important is catering your resume to a job description as opposed to networking in-person? What works best to find jobs?Why 60% or more of jobs are never posted, and why you may not want to apply conventionally -
"One more thing". We always have one more thing to do in software development -- whether our customer asks us for one more feature, or we task ourselves with going beyond the requirements, the challenge remains: how much is enough?
What is overengineering? How do we know when our software is ready to launch? When customers can always come back to us with more work -- one more thing -- when do we know when to stop adding more features? How can we reduce scope creep in our projects while still overdelivering? Does it even make sense to overdeliver? What "one more thing"s make sense as developers, and what does overengineering even look like?
- Montre plus
