Even though all current in-person have been cancelled, some tech events are still happening. Many conferences are transitioning to being fully-online, and anyone can release anything they like on YouTube (other video hosting services are available). How do you keep your presentation sounding natural? When pre-recording, what things shouldn't you edit out? What does it mean to move at the speed of thought? Should you have a full word-for-word script? Find out all this and more in this week's pres...
Apr 20, 2020•35 min
We've talked about organising conferences before (in episode #46). And we've talked about pivoting before as well (way back in episode #31). This week we're covering the mother of all pivots; converting a fully-booked in-person conference into a 100% remote event. So what needs to change when an event moves online? And what do the speakers have to do to adapt? And, perhaps most importantly, how can an event recreate all the "extra curricular" experiences that make attending a conference so valua...
Apr 13, 2020•38 min
This week's episode is another deep-dive into a niche coding topic. This time, we're dealing with time. In short, writing code that deals with times and dates is horrible. We're here to tell you that, as a sensible developer, you should avoid it at all costs. But if you're unlucky enough to actually _have_ to programme with times and dates, what are some of the common pitfalls? What "gotchas" are lurking in the depths? And how can you deal with them in the most effective way (and hopefully not b...
Apr 06, 2020•32 min
It is easy to think that when you are writing code your target audience is a computer. But almost all code is more than a simple list of instructions for a machine to follow. A mature codebase is a living, breathing thing that gets touched by many, many developers. So how do we go about writing our code for _humans_ ? What does "habitability" mean in a code context? How does the Broken Windows theory transfer to the code you write? And why should you avoid "code golf" at all costs? Find out all ...
Mar 30, 2020•24 min
Lots of people are working from home now, and for many it's their first experience of being a remote worker. Ed is in this boat too - it's very new for him, having only worked from home for a single day at the time of recording. Tom, on the other hand, has worked remotely for many years (in some form or other). So what obstacles has Ed already encountered? Which parts of WFH are worrying him most? And what tips and tricks does Tom have to share from his (and his more qualified and cleverer colle...
Mar 23, 2020•26 min
It's a sad fact of the world that bad code exists. But is this just developers doing their best impression of builders? "Who put this in, mate? It's all got to be ripped out and replaced" . Is all old code bad code? Are there reasons that bad code gets written? Are the justifiable excuses and mitigating factors? If you're just starting out in your coding career you might think that only bad developers write bad code, but the truth is more nuanced than that. As you gain experience you are certain...
Mar 16, 2020•25 min
We think that the best way to learn *is* by doing (it works for us, but your milage may vary). So when you are learning to code, what should you be doing? What are good things to build when you're just starting out? It's all well and good to say "Just Build Websites" *(©️ shoptalkshowdotcom)* , but *what* websites? So what do we think you should build? Do we think different types of project are useful for complete beginners and those with a little bit more experience under their belt? What did w...
Mar 09, 2020•30 min
We've talked before about the essential equipment you need when learning to code, but this week we take a look at all the tech and tools that we use everyday. Get two nerds in a room and you'll have three opinions about what is the best technology to use. A lot of this stuff is definitely optional, but we get utility from using it nonetheless. So what kind of equipment gets Ed excited? And which bits of kit does Tom think provide the most value? Which of our hosts spent way too much on the World...
Mar 02, 2020•26 min
Creating an MPV (Minimum Viable Product) is a big deal in "startup land". But what are they, exactly? How do they differ from a normal proof-of-concept or technical prototype, and are they a useful part of the development cycle? MVP is an oft-abused term, but why do people insist on skipping the "viable" part? What should you bear in mind when creating a genuinely useful MVP of your own? Find out all this and more in this week's fortuitous instalment of A Question of Code. Mentioned in this epis...
Feb 24, 2020•29 min
What is a CLI, and what is a GUI? What are the key differences? And why would you choose one over the other? Are there tasks that cannot be accomplished in the command line? The command line has a steep perceived learning curve, so is it worth the time-investment to learn properly? And is there any benefit to switching to a non-standard shell or terminal application? What are "bash" and "zsh"? Find out all this and more in this week's favorable instalment of A Question of Code. ## Mentioned in t...
Feb 17, 2020•31 min
At some point you're going to want to put the code you've written onto the internet. In the "bad old days" you should FTP your files onto a server and boom; you've got a working website. Easy peasy. But why don't we work like that any more? What are "build pipelines"? And what do terms like CI and CD stand for? And what do they actually mean ? Who or what are Jenkins and Travis? Do we need to know all these things? (Spoilers: yes, we do!) What are the benefits? Do they help with automation? With...
Feb 10, 2020•34 min
What are the differences between working at an agency and working "in house" for a single company or product? How much does team size factor into the different experiences that the developers have? And is it an issue of design vs. development, or frontend vs. backend? (Spoilers: no, it isn't) And how important are good project managers? (Spoilers: very) Find out all this and more in this week's fabulous instalment of A Question of Code.
Feb 03, 2020•28 min
We think that every developer should have a blog of some sort. But they shouldn't be hard to create. In this episode we dive into the mechanics of building and hosting your own blog. We run through many of the options and answer the common questions. Why use a blogging tool? What is a Content Management System, and do you really need one? What do we think of the "Off the shelf" options? Are they all garbage, or do some have their uses? What are Static Site Generators and why are they useful? Whe...
Jan 27, 2020•31 min
AQoC takes on a new flavour this week with the addition of our first ever guest: the magnificent Tony Edwards, organiser of the Future Sync tech conference. Tony tells us all about the history of the conference, and graciously answers a lot of questions about the process of becoming a speaker. What does a typical talk-application look like? How are submissions reviewed by the FS team? What makes a great talk topic? And why would you even want to give a talk in the first place? Find out all this ...
Jan 20, 2020•43 min
When you're pivoting to a career in tech, software bootcamps can seem very attractive. The idea that you can learn to code in three months, and have a guaranteed job at the end of the process sounds too good to be true. But is it? There are a lot of caveats and warning signs to beware of, but are bootcamps a valid option? In this episode we discuss the specifics of coding bootcamps. Are they worth the cost (both in time and money)? What does Ed (a former teacher) think of the quality of teaching...
Jan 13, 2020•34 min
When coding, we often make use of external tools and snippets to make our life easier. Importing existing code into your codebase is a common occurrence. But what is the difference between code that adds missing features to the language you're using and code that changes the way you structure your application? The crucial difference is that the former are libraries (probably) and the later are frameworks (probably). Are all libraries small? Are all frameworks huge? Where do we draw the line betw...
Jan 06, 2020•31 min
Throughout 2019 Tom and Ed have both been applying a "Yearly Theme" to their lives. We've talked a lot about the concept of Yearly Themes before, but this episode is a deep-dive into the whole idea. What were our themes for 2019? Do we think they were successful, and will we be carrying any aspects of them forward into the next year? And, most importantly, what are our Yearly Themes for 2020? Find out all this and more in this week's forward-thinking instalment of A Question of Code. Mentioned i...
Dec 23, 2019•33 min
Every developer's average work day will be different, but there are habits and patterns that crop up all the time. If you're a developer, the chances are you'll have sat (or stood) through plenty of "stand ups" and one-to-one meetings. We've covered "How much time do you spending coding in a coding job?" before, but since then Ed's started his first programming job. Now that both of our hosts have experience of working in a professional coding environment, it's time to deep-dive into the subject...
Dec 16, 2019•31 min
When you've decided you want to get a job as a professional programmer, it can be hard to know how long to expect the learning process to take. We only have two hosts, and while their stories are (hopefully) useful, it's only a small segment of a much bigger picture. We polled our listeners to find out some of their stories, and specifically asked how long it took them to get their first coding job. Does it take everyone years? Or can it really be done in just a few months? Find out all this and...
Dec 09, 2019•21 min
This week we finally get into a thorny issue that's raised it's head in several previous episodes. What do our hosts think of tech recruiters? What do recruiters do? Are they useful, and should you use them? Can you ever even trust a recruiter? Are there red-flags you can watch out for? Find out all this and more in this week's engaging instalment of A Question of Code.
Dec 02, 2019•27 min
There comes a point in every developer's career when they're afraid of being caught out. Afraid their colleagues will discover that they're a fraud. Afraid that everyone will notice that they don't really know how to do their job - they've just been pretending this entire time. This phenomenon happens all the time, and it's name is "Impostor Syndrome". So what is impostor syndrome? Should you pay attention to it? Should you be on the look out for it in others? It sounds bad - and it really can b...
Nov 25, 2019•29 min
Every developers wants to refactor all the things all the time. But is it always a sensible decision? How should you deal with "not invented here" syndrome (as much as a problem for programmers as it is for builders and carpenters and plumbers)? And how do you fight the urge to spend all your time fixing old code at the expense of creating something new? Find out all this and more in this week's refined instalment of A Question of Code.
Nov 18, 2019•23 min
We're hoping to do a "how long does it take to learn to code?" episode, but need more data points than just our own. With that in mind, we're inviting you to tell us your experiences. The best way to get in touch is through Twitter, where Tom has asked this question : "Self-taught developers: how long did it take you to go from knowing you wanted to be a developer to actually starting work at your first dev job?"...
Oct 14, 2019•2 min
An oft-heard bit of advice is "apply as soon as you can, before you think you're ready". It's good advice, and it's advice we ourselves have given many times on this very podcast. But is it always the case? Can you be too early? We think you can be. So where is the line drawn? How do you know when you know enough to have a serious chance of getting your first job in the industry? And how do these two conflicting pieces of advice manage to both be correct? Find out in this week's speculative inst...
Oct 07, 2019•35 min
When learning to code, you need to remember an awful lot of new information. In fact, this is true for every stage of your career. Storing and recalling the things you've learned efficiently is a key skill. Can systems-thinking help with this process? And how do Ed and Tom tackle this particular challenge? At all Find out in this week's recollective instalment of A Question of Code.
Sep 30, 2019•32 min
Ed's been finding something unusual is taking up most of his time at his new job. This week Tom and Ed discuss why you should be using version control everyday, as well as some tips for getting around the nitty gritty parts of git. Should you even be using version control? What does it mean when you add, commit, push and pull? Git version control Github online git storage Sourcetree, a git GUI...
Sep 23, 2019•33 min
Having started his new job, Ed has discovered he'll need to learn C#. He's already learned a few different languages, notably Python, and has dipped his toe into the world of C++. So how should he approach having to learn yet another programming language? It's something most developers have to do fairly regularly, so are there any techniques and tips and tricks to help make the process easier? Find out in this week's pedagogical instalment of A Question of Code. Mentioned in this episode: Episod...
Sep 16, 2019•31 min
Now that Ed is a "professional" programmer, he needs to think seriously about his "tooling". And by that, we mean all the supporting technology that comes alongside actually writing code. Gear lik computers, screens, keyboards, and mice (mouses?) is important, but so is the more ephemeral side of things. Which project-management methodology your company uses has a big impact on what your programming-day looks like. And so to do the software tools you choose. So how long should you spend automati...
Sep 09, 2019•32 min
So you've accepted an offer for your dream coding job. You start next week; what should you do between now and then to make sure you're as prepared as possible? There are plenty of options. Do some company research, take on more coding challenges, or commit to learning some new tech. But you've done the hard work already, so you could focus on some well earned R'n'R to make sure you're in the right frame of mind to face those first few days. Should you set yourself some homework? Or is it better...
Sep 02, 2019•21 min
This week Ed has some news that puts the future of this podcast in jeopardy (spoilers: not really). We talk about that, as well as the concept of "pivoting". What does a career pivot look like? Have Ed or Tom actually pivoted? What does pivoting look like? And how do you know when a pivot is a good idea? Find out in this week's existential instalment of A Question of Code.
Aug 26, 2019•15 min
