Disqus - Latest Comments for m3talsmith

Re: The best developers are raised, not hired – The Principal Developer by Eduards Sizovs

m3talsmith — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 08:52:02 -0000

The company I work for does (IBM). I know a ton of friends that work for companies that do. Yes, we need better public education; no, trained people are more prone to be loyal to their company if it treats them well.

The whole job hopping comes down to the latter, companies of all sizes are known for bad treatment of their employees. As well as not giving raises as deserved.

Re: The best developers are raised, not hired – The Principal Developer by Eduards Sizovs

m3talsmith — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 08:44:11 -0000

So yeah, your bitter. I get it, but experience varies.

I was mostly self taught from the age of 12 before the internet came around, but I was fortunate to have friends coding as well. We helped each other by sharing our source code and sharpened each other's skills.

I've also gone on to run a business hiring people with little to no coding experience as apprentices and none of them failed: they all became excellent software engineers. Most of the people I've taught over the years prefer good corporate settings, those do exist.

This that don't are often young developers. I was one of you. I shunned corps for half my career, but you get tired of getting screwed by the startups, etc. and eventually realize that the over work plus chasing pay is worse than any possible politics. It takes a massive toll on your health and mental state.

So now I work at IBM after Red Hat was bought out. Those are two of the places where I've truly been unhindered in my work, have lots of freedom to work from home or office, and get great benefits like as much time for self education and the means to do it as I want. I got to say IBM is better at that than Red Hat is because they can afford it. I spend my days between mentoring others, working on issues, learning at my place whatever I'm interested in, being social, and working on my own projects that make me happy. It's even better than when I worked by myself for more than a decade.

Re: Common Gotchas in Go

m3talsmith — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 22:17:59 -0000

One thing you learn is never judge the language features by the `fmt` package. They have to do a lot of business logic there to make sure that anything can be passed in and come out whole again.

Re: The Future of Octoblu and Citrix Workspace IoT

m3talsmith — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 11:15:27 -0000

On a serious note, it's sad to see this service go. It truly was the easiest IoT service to use and had great protocol support! It will be missed. The whole team did an excellent job.

Re: The Future of Octoblu and Citrix Workspace IoT

m3talsmith — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 11:14:39 -0000

If Octoblu becomes fully open source, can we rename everything back to Skynet? ...

Re: Jerry Falwell Jr. on Twitter: 'Pope Francis Lost All Credibility'

m3talsmith — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 13:19:13 -0000

You're making assumptions again. I'm 38 years old, I'll have been married 19 years on the 24th, and I have 3 children, the oldest a senior in high school. You didn't even know how old I was, nor how long I've been a protestant: you definitely have no idea of how many times I've read God's word. I simply don't understand what the claims you're making give you in this debate, nor why you think you have any grounds to make them.

So, let's try this instead. Try setting aside your preformed ideas of how particular people think in certain ways, set aside what you think Christianity is, and instead take time to consider the that other perfectly reasonable people can have sane opinions that are not your own. Your opinions are not invalidated by my opinions, nor mine yours.

I do need to address your anger for a moment though. I don't understand it, nor do I think it's healthy for you. Please consider these questions for a moment. Who do you know, that have been convinced long term of an idea from an angry response to them? How does that anger help bring peace to you in your life? How does your anger help you grow as a peacemaker? How does it deepen yours and others understanding of God's will in their life? In other words, how does it mature and feed the Church as a whole, enabling them to all be peacemakers and be blessed?

Re: Jerry Falwell Jr. on Twitter: 'Pope Francis Lost All Credibility'

m3talsmith — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 12:27:41 -0000

You're embarrassing yourself. You needed only look at my picture to see how white I am. Not only that, but I was raised Southern Fundamentalist Baptist. I converted to Roman Catholic a few years ago because I don't believe as many of the protestants I know believe. You are putting forth a great example of what I left behind.

Frankly, who are you to declare what Christianity is? It is not our words that the Pope has been speaking, though it has been our thoughts unspoken a lot of our lives. Perhaps you'd rather hear Jesus though. Here our some of His words to temper your thoughts:

> Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”
> Matthew 25:34-36

Re: I’m joining the Go team at Google

m3talsmith — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 16:59:35 -0000

I'm actually becoming very interested in embedded. I'd love to get go embedded!

Re: Jerry Falwell Jr. on Twitter: 'Pope Francis Lost All Credibility'

m3talsmith — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 09:17:12 -0000

I fear that no one was reading the Pope's messages over the past several years because we had a black president. The Pope didn't just start saying stuff like this, he's been releasing entire papers on the maltreatment of the poor and POC for a while now, as well as trying to serve as an example by cleaning his own house out.

Re: Mobile, ecosystems and the death of PCs

m3talsmith — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 19:39:19 -0000

Started reading on my Mac, pulled it onto my iPhone, walked away and read it in the comfort of my chair while my Linux laptop was building my latest code. I think the mobile point given the laptop within arms reach was salient, but we are definitely not as homogenized as people often think others are. I'm getting ready to boot into Windows mode now to do more app development...

Re: Mobile, ecosystems and the death of PCs

m3talsmith — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 19:19:44 -0000

While I get where you're coming from, I think you misrepresent the techs you dislike in particular, and all of them in general. In particular, I think you misrepresent Apple's ease of development across multiple views. It is necessary to note that this is not an attack on Apple; I just feel the need to clarify some points.

Firstly, Microsoft had a series of modular unified libraries to code against. If you use the Unified Windows Application framework you will be guaranteed at least the same amount of flexibility as coding for iOS gives you. Microsoft has a battle ahead of them to push developers towards using it, but it does exist and is no different than the battle Apple had when they pushed their developed to use the Cocoa Framework. Using this Framework allows developers to focus on UI differences between screen sizes to bring their app to the next device. You can do this with Apple unless you want a desktop application. Apple explicitly keeps their OS's different. They also explicitly keep iOS locked down developer wise, so developers have to find work around a for things like tasks which last longer than 10 minutes, etc.

Android likewise has versioned frameworks for functionality. Much like Apple and Microsoft, you provide alternative layouts and resources for various screen sizes.

All three companies provide the same approach for reacting to varying screen sizes. Likewise, they all have cloud services for syncing or convergence: Apple has iCloud, Google has Google Services, and Microsoft has OneDrive and Live.

When you step back and look at them with fresh eyes you will notice more similarities than differences. It is not worth even arguing over the differences and that's a good thing. Developers can now focus on solving the goals of the application rather than the niggling differences the old divisions caused. Brand differentiation, like pc's, are on the flattening end of the curve.

Re: Mobile, ecosystems and the death of PCs

m3talsmith — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 18:46:02 -0000

There's a reason that Ubuntu and Gnome are moving to a responsive Window Manager solution.

Re: Why Rails 5 / Turbolinks 3.0 / Action Cable matter, and why @dhh was right all along

m3talsmith — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 18:54:22 -0000

Rails developer here from pre 1.0 days. I have the same relationship with Rails. It's very much a love / hate relationship. Something beautiful and simple went to hell with all the additions, configuration changes, fucking strong parameters (and words), etc. I can't put my finger on everything that's wrong, but I do know I choose Rails when working with Ruby devs in favor of their comfort level, but for my personal projects Rails falls very far down the list of choices.

That's not to say I believe in the whole "Old days" argument espoused in this article. Rails has always been easy to get up and running, and it mostly still is for simple things. But, scaffolds be damned, it's not the only shop in town these days. It's super easy to get a node.js or even golang project up these days. I get more done in a week of golang than I do in a week of rails, and I've been using rails since day one. We shouldn't be talking about ease of development anymore - that battle is over and everyone won. If you don't like SPA's fine, it's just one approach and not a difficult one to those well versed in javascript (or even ruby now). There is nothing that rails gives you that can't be gained through other frameworks just as easily.

Re: How to Install Elementary OS Luna (linux) on an HP Chromebook 14

m3talsmith — Sun, 05 Apr 2015 18:10:02 -0000

On the cron_haswell script. This will free you up to not have to copy and paste the chosen kernel:

# Grab Ubuntu kernel source

wget https://www.kernel.org/pub/...
tar -xJf $mykernver.tar.xz
cd $mykernver

Re: Ubuntu 15.04 Named Vivid Vervet

m3talsmith — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 11:45:02 -0000

I picked vivid vervet in the ubuntu survey. It seemed appropriate with Mark being from South Africa.

Re: Switching from Windows to Mac: What I learned

m3talsmith — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 18:49:26 -0000

I came here to point that out @Wes Souza . Good job.

Re: Non-Domination is an Article of my Faith

m3talsmith — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 11:40:42 -0000

I really like Peter's response. I wish I could reply to both and have them cross linked. But I can't so you'll have to suffice with my response.

The first part of the equation, the apprentice and master builder, can be accomplished without dominance; and should be.

Quite often the master arrogantly takes that term to heart and becomes destructive of their apprentices. They have no power to do that when the responsibility of teaching and running the business is equally shared.

The last paragraph speaks towards the second part of the equation. This lack of responsibility is a chain forged by both the master and the apprentice, which chains the master down to a life filled with stresses. They take own the responsibility of not only their life, but of all of those reliant on them.

I speak from experience. I helped found a co-operative of programmers where we do apprentice. I used to run a business as the boss. The choice to go with a worker owned mode of teaching, learning, and working is precisely to cut the chain. Everyone from the first day apprentice, to the seasoned veteran has equal say and responsibility in the running of the company, in the teaching, in the work, and in learning.

Domination kills the people working in tiny and large ways. I'm watching the slow death even now of family members in a family business that I married into. I've stepped away because I can't endure it and no one heeds my warnings. What used to be a business geared towards providing a living for each other and any in our community we could afford to, will eventually be a business that lives on it's own with that as it's primary goal: it will no longer be a family business - just family owned. It's already moved significantly in that direction.

Heed the warning and save your master builder's life and yours.

Re: The golden age

m3talsmith — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 18:08:47 -0000

It is not the same because that other half is not selecting leisure; just mere survival. They have limited access to education and even more limited access to education that is relevant or the means to implement it.

Re: The golden age

m3talsmith — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 18:06:26 -0000

You pose an interesting question, and I especially wanted to respond to your Adam/Eve garden conundrum. Adam and Eve were working; there job was to care for the garden and animals - to tend the trees et al. It wasn't toiling labour, but still labour.

I think we will always want to labour; and you're right in pointing out that some people immensely enjoy this: I would state that most people enjoy the challenges. We will also always be consumers; it's just that our taste for what we consume changes. It is that boredom in consumption that drives a lot of electronic innovations today.

I think that this is a laudable goal, to reduce the amount of time need to work in order to survive. This article really speaks to the need of writing down the goals that we want to achieve in order to define what that even is.

I'm a programmer by trade, and I see how many things I can create or automate out of the way. I even automate part of the coding process out of the way; my trade is constantly doing that. The difference with automation in my life versus others in differing trades is accessibility in my opinion.

Instead of imagining an employer putting robots in to make a particular part of a factory line less labour intensive, what would it look like if they allowed the workers to substitute the labour with their own automations? Even if it were obtainable for the labourer, would it even be allowable by the employer? Would the labourers wage be unaffected if it were allowed?

I think the one answer to all those questions is currently a resounding no.

I propose that we as a society may be ready to move on, but those with the resources and hiring power under their control are just fine with how things are. Any feint in the direction of less control over how the labour is done, or to even consistent and steady wages and benefits, brings resentment from the business owners; at least here in the US.

I think it's a laudable goal, but access to resources, or the means of production in traditional terms, is held tightly and will prolong the coming of the golden age. Movements like Open Source, DIY, Maker Spaces, and the internet community as a whole are changing things, but only by first sidestepping the main means of doing their work in the first place. We are essentially replacing the standard jobs with more of a tool gift economy. We share our tools and the teachingit requires to use them. We also network heavily with each other, passing jobs on by word of mouth.

I see this as a viable way of bringing the future about in small bits. We can increase the speed of progress by centralizing on the tools we need to build and hand out to others in order for them to join this revolution of sorts. Then building such and going out in full force into every community to help implement it.

To that end, this article would have done more by laying out the means to unify our goals, and pitching in to the network already in force. It was a great article, but I came away only inspired to continue what I and others are already doing. It did not add to the conversation.

Re: Dorothy Deserves Better

m3talsmith — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 22:19:47 -0000

Regardless of the various reasons you've put forth, I want her sainthood because it is through her that I saw Catholicism from a different point of view; and through that view have a clear vision of how to move forward. It is through her that I became catholic, and on my confirmation day I would like to be Christened with her name.

Regardless of whether she is formerly a saint or not, she is always a saint to me; and my christened name will speak to that and point to her every time I am introduced to someone; every time I ladle out another portion of food; every time I do the work for a poor person, that others will not do. So you can argue that Cardinals are using her for their and the churches gain, but I would argue that we are using her for the gain of the poor and to bring justice where injustice is currently entrenched.

Re: How can we keep young people in the church? | USCatholic.org

m3talsmith — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 00:12:50 -0000

I think that the new approach has more to offer than just to cradle Catholics. I am, hopefully, an example of that. Being raised Protestant, having tested, and found faulty, the waters of Atheism, and after a very thorough study of church history, am in the RCIA every week, as well as Mass at least weekly. I have learned the Rosary and pray it daily; I am reading the unabriged Cathecism; and I have found a renewed love for prayer and God.

I look forward to easter.

Yet, having been protestant, I find an appalling lack of ministries for the youth in my parish. I have 3 children who are used to Awana, bible studies, and so on. I know others have this struggle.

I also find less than enthused brothers and sisters in Mass who not only don't sing, but change places after a while of my singing. Everyone sings in my past churches! Our church leaders encourage it singing, the Catechism does as well.

So there are many trends and weaknesses to be shored up. I hope to be a part of those solutions.

Re: 2012 Rails Rumble

m3talsmith — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 22:15:44 -0000

I was really hoping to see this work. Ping me if you get it working (michael@rebelhold.com). It looks useful.

Re: 2012 Rails Rumble

m3talsmith — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:53:25 -0000

It's not a bad idea, but you suffer from a limited range - 25 miles is not a lot of room except in larger cities like ny. If it were easier to increase the range on the search results, and had a higher range limit, I could see this as something I would use.

Re: 2012 Rails Rumble

m3talsmith — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:47:54 -0000

I bailed as soon as I saw the form. Sign up through social sites is already too ingrained in me to want to do more.

Re: 2012 Rails Rumble

m3talsmith — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:45:12 -0000

Needs an index of badges and what they mean.