One of the most convenient new features added to the Unity game engine is the NavMesh system. These built-in components allow for automatic pathfinding with minimal configuration in a scene. They also offer an impressive amount of customization out-of-the-box, such as dealing with more complex geometries and adding multiple custom agent sizes and step heights. Read more on How to Draw the Path of a NavMeshAgent in Unity…
The Software Life
Helping a Coworker with Grief in the Long Term
A year ago, on July 25, 2017, my partner passed away very unexpectedly. This experience gave me some insights on how, as coworkers, we can help each other deal with grief. Read more on Helping a Coworker with Grief in the Long Term…
Beyond Coding Bootcamp, Part 5 – Finding a Community
Becoming a software developer is a big undertaking. Finding a community that can help you is vital to your success. Let me be plain about this: I would have failed out of college if I hadn’t sought tutoring from my classmates. If you want to become a software developer without a traditional classroom environment, you’re going to need help. Read more on Beyond Coding Bootcamp, Part 5 – Finding a Community…
Beyond Coding Bootcamp, Part 4 – Expanding Your Skill Set
During your quest to become a software developer, you’ll encounter some domains that may or may not merit study in their own right. Everything on this list is valuable but dispensable. You could get a job as a developer (as a member of our Accelerator, for example) without knowing what static analysis is, for instance.
And yet, I’d suggest choosing a few of these areas to study. Read more on Beyond Coding Bootcamp, Part 4 – Expanding Your Skill Set…
Beyond Coding Bootcamp, Part 3 – Learning to Think Like a Programmer
Of all the computer science classes I took in college, there were three that I’d recommend, without reservation, to someone who wants to do my job. Each taught me something that relates to programming as an activity and a way of thinking. There’s nothing terribly domain-specific (like networks or databases, which I will cover in the next post) here, just stuff that helps you build programming muscle. Read more on Beyond Coding Bootcamp, Part 3 – Learning to Think Like a Programmer…
Beyond Coding Bootcamp, Part 2 – Understanding Algorithms
If you’re going to be a developer, you need to understand algorithms.
At its most basic definition, an algorithm is just a program. “print(“Hello, World!”)” is an algorithm, albeit a very boring one. As a software developer, your job boils down to reading and writing algorithms, or figuring out why and how some algorithms are wrong in certain circumstances. Read more on Beyond Coding Bootcamp, Part 2 – Understanding Algorithms…
Beyond Coding Bootcamp, Part 1 – A Roadmap for Learning Software Development without College
If you’re reading this, you’re probably interested in learning software development but not interested in completing a four-year degree program to get a bachelor’s degree in computer science (CS).
There are a lot of good reasons to be at the intersection of “want to be a developer” and “not want to get a degree.” So I’m going to provide you a roadmap to getting the skills you need to be a software developer.
Solving Bathroom Contention with MQTT: Atomic’s A2 Office Gets a PottyMon
It’s been nearly four years since Scott Vokes made the first version of the “Callaloo” bathroom occupancy monitoring system in our Grand Rapids office. As we grew in size and moved to a brand new building, I revamped and expanded the system to fit our new office. And now with our Ann Arbor office growing in both team and office size, it’s time that they got a Callaloo system of their own! Read more on Solving Bathroom Contention with MQTT: Atomic’s A2 Office Gets a PottyMon…
Thoughts on Coming Out During Job Interviews
My search for my first full-time job was different than other people’s. As an out gay person in a relationship, I had a few more anxieties on my mind when it came to my future workplace.
Would my orientation cause conflict between myself and my new coworkers? Would I be able to talk openly about my girlfriend? Was it even possible to figure out if a company was safe while interviewing with them? Read more on Thoughts on Coming Out During Job Interviews…
How to Present Your Portfolio at a Software Design Job Interview
I recently had coffee with a young professional designer. She was lacking confidence after leaving her current position and needed a bit of encouragement. We talked for over two and a half hours about her portfolio, interview skills, and the industry in general.
While every person is different, I find myself giving young designers many of the same pieces of advice about interviewing for a software design position. Read more on How to Present Your Portfolio at a Software Design Job Interview…