My Ruby Story

Panel: Charles Max Wood Guest: Jerome Hardaway This week on My Ruby Story, Charles speaks with Jerome Hardaway. Jerome used to be a panelist on Ruby Rogues and loved the ability to share his knowledge and interact with so many people from the community. He first got into programming by accident when he couldn’t find a job after becoming a veteran. He saw a commercial about job opportunities in coding, ended up finding a book on SQL and taught himself how to program. They talk about where he ran across Ruby on Rails, what he has worked on that he is particularly proud of, what he is doing currently, and more! In particular, we dive pretty deep on:

• Jerome’s experience being a panelist on Ruby Rogues
• Loves being able to reach his goals in a speedy manner
• Ruby Rogues Episode 279
• JavaScript Jabber Episode 239
• How did you first get into programming?
• In the military during the recession and had trouble finding a job
• Saw a commercial about coding
• Taught himself SQL
• Wordpress
• Focusing on making Vets Who Code better
• People would go for products over projects any day
• Chose Ruby on Rails
• Setting himself apart by picking to focus on Ruby on Rails
• Where did you come across Ruby on Rails?
• From PHP to Ruby on Rails
• Ruby
• Have you found the learning curve has gotten steeper for Rails?
• Keeping up with the JavaScript community
• What have you done on Ruby in Rails that you are proud of?
• Being the right person for the job when you don’t look like it on paper
• What are you working on now?
• And much, much more!

Links:

• Ruby Rogues Episode 279
• JavaScript Jabber Episode 239
• Vets Who Code
• Ruby Rogues
• Wordpress
• Ruby on Rails
• Ruby
• JavaScript
• @JeromeHardaway
• Vets Who Code blog
• Jerome’s GitHub

Sponsors:

• Loot Crate
• FreshBooks

Picks Charles

• Take some time with the people you care about
• Mattermost

Jerome

• Brian Holt Frontend Masters
• Pragmatic Studio

Panel: Charles Max Wood Guest: Takashi Kokubun This week on My Ruby Story, Charles talks to Takashi Kokubun. Takashi is a template engine hobbyist, is currently working on the JIT Compiler for Ruby 2.6, and is a Ruby on Rails application engineer at Treasure Data. He first got into programming in his first year at university where he learned C in his first part-time job. They talk about why he decided to work with Ruby, the first thing he built with it, and how you would write a templating system. They also touch on what he is working on now, what his plans are for the future, and more! In particular, we dive pretty deep on:

• Takashi intro
• Ruby Rogues Episode 357
• How did you first get into programming?
• Learned C in his first part-time job
• Creating iOS puzzle games
• Starting to work with Ruby on Rails
• What makes you decide to work with Ruby?
• Ruby was cleaner and simpler
• JIT compiler to make Ruby faster
• How did you find Ruby?
• Friends tweeting about Ruby
• What was the first thing you built with Ruby?
• What was it about Ruby that you really liked?
• Simple syntax
• Did you do anything in open source with Ruby before working on the JIT compiler?
• His JIT Compiler
• What goes into writing a templating system?
• Haml
• What are you working on now?
• No longer working for Cookpad
• How do you spend your time?
• What’s your favorite thing about working on all of this?
• Barbeque
• Speakerdeck slides on Barbeque
• And much, much more!

Links:

• Ruby Rogues Episode 357
• Ruby on Rails
• Ruby
• Treasure Data
• JIT Compiler
• Haml
• Cookpad
• Barbeque
• Speakerdeck slides on Barbeque
• Takashi’s GitHub
• Takashi’s Medium
• @k0kubun

Sponsors:

• FreshBooks
• Digital Ocean

Picks: Charles

• Dedicate show to Father
• Camping
• Utah Backyard Homesteading
• Pinterest

Takashi

• Takoyaki
• Ruby Kaigi 2018

Panel: Charles Max Wood Guest: Andy Hunt This week on My Ruby Story, Charles talks to Andy Hunt. Andy has previously been on Ruby Rogues for Episode 277, and is known for his book The Pragmatic Programmer, his company The Pragmatic Bookshelf, and much more. He first got into programming because of his interest in electronic music and his first RadioShack project he created, which led him to finding a book on the future of integrated circuits. They talk about how he found Ruby, why he wrote Programming Ruby, what he is working on now, and more! In particular, we dive pretty deep on:

• Ruby Rogues Episode 277
• His book The Pragmatic Programmer
• His company The Pragmatic Bookshelf
• How did you first get into programming?
• Interest in electronic music
• RadioShack project
• Book on the future of integrated circuits
• Fire in the Valley by Michael Swaine
• Exposure to the programming as it was being born
• How did you find Ruby?
• Time as a consultant
• Needed a flexible and fast language
• Couldn’t use C++ or Java
• Using Perl
• Amazed by the Unix shell
• Loved that he could write pages of code that would actually work
• Lacked documentation in the beginning
• Writing his Programming Ruby book
• Been messing around with Elixir recently
• Ruby is still his number one language
• And much, much more!

Links:

• Ruby Rogues Episode 277
• The Pragmatic Programmer
• The Pragmatic Bookshelf
• Fire in the Valley by Michael Swaine
• Ruby
• Perl
• Programming Ruby
• Elixir
• Andy’s GitHub
• @PragmaticAndy
• Andy’s Website
• @pragprog

Sponsors:

• FreshBooks

Picks: Charles

• Google Drive
• ScanSnap S1300i

Andy

• PragProg.com

MRS 050: Jacob Stoebel   Panel: Charles Max Wood   Guest: Jacob Stoebel   This week on My Ruby Story, Charles talks to Jacob Stoebel. Jacob is a Ruby and JavaScript developer and he works for a small company that works with publishers. Jacob first got into programming in high school when he took a computer science class where he messed around with Pascal and C++. He got back into programming after college when he went back to school for programming to try to make his data entry job easier. They talk about his journey pushing the boundaries with technology, how he went about starting his programming career, and more!   In particular, we dive pretty deep on:

• Jacob intro
• Ruby Rogues episode 355
• Honesty, Kindness and Inspiration: Pick Three blog post
• His RubyConf 2017 talk
• Encourage people to talk about what they are passionate about
• How did you first get into programming?
• Computer science class in High School
• Pascal and C++
• Went on to pursue other things besides programming after high school
• Job involved data processing
• Python class
• Setting limits as to what you can and cannot do with technology
• Pushing the boundaries
• Don’t be afraid to change your career
• Learning and taking more computer science class through his job
• Ruby and Rails
• Real world project that other people hold you accountable for
• Web apps
• Why Rails?
• Django
• What have you done in Rails that you’re proud of?
• Wiki Edu Dashboard
• Legacy projects
• What are you working on now?
• And much, much more!

  Links: 

• Ruby Rogues episode 355
• Honesty, Kindness and Inspiration: Pick Three blog post
• RubyConf 2017 talk
• Pascal
• Python
• Ruby
• Rails
• JavaScript
• Django
• Wiki Edu Dashboard
• Jacob’s GitHub
• jstoebel.com
• @jstoebel

  Sponsors: 

• FreshBooks
• Digital Ocean

  Picks: Charles

• RubyKaigi 2018
• Elixir Mix Podcast
• DevChat.tv YouTube
• DevChat.tv/15minutes

  Jacob

• RubyConf 2017 talk - Git Driven Refactoring by Ashley Ellis Pierce

Panel: Charles Max Wood Guest: Amit Choudhary This week on My Ruby Story, Charles talks to Amit Choudhary. Amit was previously on Ruby Rogues in January 2018 on episode 345 discussing app failures. Amit is a software developer at Big Binary, where he is a full-stack Ruby developer. He first got into programming when he learned C for a computer engineering course. They talk about how he got into Ruby, what he has done with Ruby, what the Ruby community is like in India, and what he is working on now. In particular, we dive pretty deep on:

• Ruby Rogues Episode 345
• Amit intro
• Currently works at Big Binary
• Family language is Ruby
• Interested in front-end languages
• How did you first get into programming?
• From Delhi, India
• First language was C
• Loved the logic behind how a piece of code works
• How did you get into Ruby?
• Vinsol
• What have you done with Ruby?
• Working with Ruby for the last four years
• Using Rails to create APIs
• eCommerce platforms
• His switch to working in the back-end
• Meta-programming
• Comparing languages to Ruby
• What is the Ruby community like in India?
• Start-up culture in India
• RubyConf India
• What are you working on now?
• And much, much more!

Links:

• Ruby Rogues Episode 345
• Big Binary
• Ruby
• Vinsol
• Rails
• RubyConf India
• Selenium
• Amit’s GitHub
• Amit on Big Binary Blog
• @amit_1992

Sponsors:

• FreshBooks
• Digital Ocean

Picks: Charles

• DevChat.tv/YouTube
• Ruby Rants coming soon on DevChat.tv/YouTube
• Facebook Marketplace
• DeLorean Motor Company

Amit

• Ruby 2.6

Panel: Charles Max Wood Guest: James Shore This week on My Ruby Story, Charles talks to James Shore about his background, how he got into programming, pitfalls that happened along the way, and his Agile story. James Shore is a thought leader in the Agile software development community. He was an early adopter of Agile development and he continues to lead, teach, write, and consult on Agile development processes. In particular, we dive pretty deep on:

• James Shore’s background:
  • Consultant, practitioner, and coauthor of “The Art of Agile.”
• How did you get into programming?
  • Began an interest at 15 years old.
• How did you go from hobbyist to a professional?
  • Modem background.
  • FidoNet
  • Software and technical design to the agile field.
• Agile field & development
  • Waterfall
  • Rational Rose
  • “UML Distilled” by Martin Fowler
  • “Java Modeling in Color with UML” by Peter Coad
  • WikiWikiWeb
• A lot of time we don’t look for these solutions unless we go through the pain.
  • This is so true.
  • In many ways the best learning comes through failure.
  • Design standards.
• JavaScript
• If you see a different style – and you can’t get past X, Y, Z – that’s a real sign of immaturity.
  • See past the different styles and find what you could “steal.”
  • Intellectual laziness.
  • Human condition is to not feel inferior.
  • Of course, not every idea is good, but try and see what is the root. 
• What do you feel like you’ve contributed to the programming industry?
• And much more!

Links:

• James Shore’s LinkedIn
• James Shore’s Website
• James Shore’s Twitter
• James Shore’s GitHub
• James Shore’s Book, “The Art of Agile Development...”
• FreshBooks
• FidoNet
• Waterfall
• Rational Rose
• “UML Distilled” by Martin Fowler
• “Java Modeling in Color with UML” by Peter Coad
• WikiWikiWeb
• Digital Ocean, LLC
• JavaScript
• CacheFly

Sponsor:

• Digital Ocean, LLC

Picks: Charles

• Ready Player One – Movie
• NG Conf
• Interviews

James

• Neil Killick
• Vihart – Mathematics Videos

Panel: Charles Max Wood Guest: David Hemmat This week on My Ruby Story, Charles talks to David Hemmat about his educational background, career choices, and suggestions for developers. David is a web developer who works mainly with Ruby on Rails. In the past few years, David has done work for a number of clients including Condé Nast, Six Red Marbles, ShopKeep, and Couplewise. Currently, David is working on a number of personal and professional development projects. In particular, we dive pretty deep on:

• David’s background
  • How did you get into programming?
  • David’s first job was being a software developer in the Dominican Republic.

• Ruby on Rails

• Consulting and referrals

• Contract work and being a freelancer
  • Upwork
  • Freelancer
  • Reddit

• Is there anything that you have done with Ruby or in the community that you are particularly proud of?
  • Talks about Ruby on Rails

• What are you working on now?
  • The company and Blue Coding.
  • They are interested in hiring a Ruby on Rails developer. If you are interested in this position e-mail at: [email protected] or [email protected].

• Hiring
  • Finding someone you can trust to lead the charge.

Links:

• Fresh Books
• Upwork
• Freelancer
• Reddit
• Digital Ocean
• CacheFly
• Blue Coding
• David R. Hemmat’s Website
• David’s E-mail: [email protected]
• Medium Account for David Hemmat

Sponsors:

• Digital Ocean

Picks: David

• Rails Tutorial by Michael Hartl
• Codecademy
• Rails Casts
• Platzi

Charles

• Framework Summit
• Ruby Hack
• Microsoft Build
• Podcast Movement

Panel: Charles Max Wood Guest: Benjamin Wood This week on My Ruby Story, Charles talks to Benjamin Wood. Ben and his brother Josh own a consultancy company together called Hint, where they specialize in upgrading Rails apps and run UpgradeRails.com. He first got into programming because he was interested in computer hardware and built a computer out of spare parts for fun as a child. They talk about what led him to Ruby and Rails, what he has learned in throughout his life, especially with running a business, and much more! In particular, we dive pretty deep on:

• Ruby Rogues Episode 288
• Hint and UpgradeRails.com
• How did you first get into programming?
• Interested in computer hardware
• Built a computer as a kid
• Grew up in time of dial up internet
• Discovered his house had two phone lines
• Snook extra fax line into his room to get internet
• Fell in love with the internet as a child
• PHP and DSL
• Built forums to keep in touch with friends
• Created content management systems with PHP
• WordPress
• Started a career in audio engineering
• Ran a recording studio for 6 years
• Built a website for the studio
• Started with JavaScript
• How did you find Rails?
• Wanted a change of career
• Self-taught
• Sub-contracting with his brother
• HoneyBadger
• What have you learned?
• And much, much more!

Links:

• Ruby Rogues Episode 288
• Hint
• UpgradeRails.com
• Rails
• WordPress
• Ruby
• JavaScript
• HoneyBadger
• Ben’s GitHub
• @benjaminwood
• BenjaminWood.org

Picks: Charles

• Serverless
• Procrastinate on Purpose by Rory Vaden
• Delegation Roadmap
• New Ruby podcast on YouTube and Amazon Alexa to come

Benjamin

• Tiny Desk Concerts
• Robin Olson Tiny Desk Concert
• Serverless

Panel: Charles Max Wood Guest: Catherine Meyers This week on My Ruby Story, Charles talks to Catherine Meyers. Catherine first got into programming after a significant career change from being an opera singer to being a developer. Friends of hers suggested that she begin a programming career and she hasn’t looked back since. They talk about boot camps, such as Flatiron School, the importance of life-long learning, how she got into Ruby, and why she loves the language so much. In particular, we dive pretty deep on:

• Ruby Rogues Episode 354
• Newest member on the Ruby Rogues Panel
• How did you first get into programming?
• Relatively new to programming
• Career change from opera singer to programmer
• Didn’t grow up thinking she would be a programmer
• Friends pushed her to programming
• Taught herself HTML
• Used Codeacademy, Team Treehouse, and Code School
• Boot camps
• Rejected from Flatiron School originally
• Not everyone gets into code the same way, and that’s okay
• Coding takes hard work
• No successful programming career is automatic
• The importance of life-long learning
• How did you get into Ruby?
• Ruby is such a fun and great language to start with
• High-level language
• Full-stack developer
• Red Antler
• Bias towards front-end development
• 2 types of front-end development
• Talk to people of different backgrounds
• And much, much more!

Links:

• Ruby Rogues Episode 354
• Codeacademy
• Team Treehouse
• Code School
• Flatiron School
• Ruby
• Red Antler
• @CCMeyers324
• CatherineMeyers.com

Picks: Charles

• Running With the Demon by Terry Brooks
• 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson
• S.W.E.A.T. Pledge

Catherine

• Schubert - Unfinished Symphony No. 8
• GeoGuessr
• Sharing the Work by Myra Strober

Panel: Charles Max Wood Guest: Sam Aaron This week on My Ruby Story, Charles talks to Sam Aaron. Sam is a programmer who likes to try to get other programmers involved and programming in creative ways. Currently, he has been making music with programming with Sonic Pi and teaching children how to do so as well. He first really got into programming when he picked up a graphing calculator when he was in school and would program games and pictures on it. They talk about what led him to Ruby and what led him to create Sonic Pi. In particular, we dive pretty deep on:

• Episode 215 of Ruby Rogues
• Sam intro
• Sonic Pi
• How did you fist get into programming?
• Programming on graph calculators
• Went to university to study programming
• Self-taught
• How did you get into Ruby?
• Ph.D. in CS
• Hated programming
• Saw first DHH screencast on Rails
• Liked that he could tinker with and get immediate results back with Ruby
• How did you wind up doing something like Sonic Pi?
• Monode
• Played piano as a kid
• Max Msp
• Over a million users on Sonic Pi
• What have you learned from creating Sonic Pi?
• Concurrent programming
• Interested in TDD
• Clojure
• Brought a lot from Clojure into the Ruby community
• How do you make systems simple?
• And much, much more!

Links:

• Episode 215 of Ruby Rogues
• Sonic Pi
• Ruby
• Rails
• Clojure
• Sam.Aaron.name
• @samaaron
• Sam’s Github
• @Sonic_Pi

Picks: Charles

• Vail, Colorado

Sam

• Sonic Pi
• Synthesizers
• Monodes
• Walking in the Hills