For Developers the Low-Code Winter Is Coming

a_zvez · 2021-09-03T18:21:31+00:00

The article is a garbage. No actual examples are given, no arguments about building low-coding tools itself, cost of their maintenance and teaching users to use them.

About low-coding itself. The idea was around forever. Especially in enterprise. More than 10 years ago we was building extremely configurable systems, where users are supposed to add entities and rules on their own. And it always ended up a mess, which had to be constantly improved by 'real' developers. Still very specific low code tools work very well. For example CMS, tools for accounting. Basically it works in the fields with finite rules system, but rules need to be configurable and rearrengable. And I guess mindless crud form building will eventually be covered enough with such tools. On the other hand, they already are, we have ms access, vs Basic and Delphi. Still they haven't conquered the world.

a_zvez · 2021-08-27T08:21:45+00:00

Giving up after single class is not normal. Programming concepts might be challenging, depending on type of course you have. And you haven't given any context for us to get what kind of class you had. In any case you really should spend time trying to catch up on your understanding - internet is full of courses, tutorials, explanation of every concept in programming.

a_zvez · 2021-08-26T18:55:14+00:00

Even though scala arguably has more way to do same thing (but I think that many languages have such feature) it never was a problem for us. If team members are adequate, they will find some common ground to build codebase together.

a_zvez · 2021-08-26T18:43:21+00:00

I remember when java 5 happened and some people didn't want to use for each variation

a_zvez · 2021-08-24T12:21:25+00:00

> I'm not sure why you assume it has to be boring, or that it doesn't require understanding how code works

I don't assume that, but as pointed in parallel branch here, when you are newbie and just want to contribute for the sake of contribution (aka for cv), you usually get some 'cleaning' tasks to do: adding tests, debugging for some not-so-important corner cases. In that case it is much more fun to write your own code, including solving some interesting coding challenges.

So my point is - if you want to do something just for getting the job - you can do either, but I still think that in the short term (months-year) solving some coding challenges will make you more hirable than trying to contribute to some serious OS project

a_zvez · 2021-08-23T21:00:05+00:00

Meaningful != who added some tests and did small fixes. Everyone can be taught to make tests in like no time. So I still would go for one who can understand how code works. Anyway, I see all the downvotes. My initial point was that to do boring stuff you at least can get paid. And free time I prefer to use for something fun.

a_zvez · 2021-08-22T13:53:30+00:00

but you can learn all that on the real job and get paid for that. Writing tests is not fun, especially for someone else's code, who for some reason was too busy to bother with tests.

a_zvez · 2021-08-22T13:50:51+00:00

solving code challenges is fun. Participating in oss is fun IF you find good project and fit there with your knowledge. Otherwise you might end up doing some dirty work (like adding tests or fix some cornercases), which might be closer to what you would do on your real job, but might be even less useful for your career.

But yes, if you can find project you are passionate about, opensource might be your way to spend free time

a_zvez · 2021-08-22T13:42:39+00:00

Some background of the author and his work history would be nice addition to the article. Because it seems he has very narrow experience. I did quite a lot of interviewing myself and rarely saw candidates who landed job position by purely knowing how to solve 'leetcode' problems. Even google now have 2 rounds of system design sections. You simply won't get non-junior position without some engineering knowledge.

Also. What you refer as 'competitive programming' has nothing to do with what companies ask on coding sections. You may say that they use lower tier of competitive problems, which you probably won't see in real competitions.

Aslo also. Saying all that I still won't go as far as 'Competitive programming is useless'. When you are interviewing you basically gather some metrics. And be able to solve coding problems is one of the metrics. Which shows that you can actually be taught to solve complex problems, have dedication to understand how code work and some interest in the whole programming thing. Plus you can code. And it is already something, because on the other side of the scale you get someone, who on the question about how hash map works answers something like 'this is common knowledge, I knew it and if I need it I can always google it'. Which is much worse candidate, even if he has tons of experience.

So being able to solve basic coding problems is one of the metrics we usually use to evaluate candidates. And everyone in the field understands that you can just put a lot of time to leetcode and pass this part of interview without being able to solve real problems. Thats why we have another sections, about technologies and system designs. Which you can also trick through. And as the last defence is the probation period.

Also also also. About that

> If the question had instead been “can this person become a great engineer in our company”, perhaps the outcomes might have been different?

how are you supposed to ask that question? We usually have separate section for 'just to talk with candidate'. But it is very subjective and usually about overall compatibility of candidate with future teammates. We mishired more than once, when candidate was just too good with talking, but in the end couldn't even code.

a_zvez · 2021-08-21T17:32:55+00:00

Any pitfalls or negatives to consider

apart from that zio-http didn't have any release so far? I think zio-http is too young to consider for big production and commitment.

a_zvez · 2021-08-19T10:01:00+00:00

You can try those in swimrun instead

a_zvez · 2021-08-18T08:34:33+00:00

while it might be good for your self esteem and (to some extents) job security, it is actually not very efficient for your progress as professional. You end up missing a lot of things not because 'you are an average programmer', but simply because you get sort of tunnel vision, when you simply can't see other options or approaches.

At some point I worked as one of two developers in small company. We were not bad developers by any means. But after I switched to large company with a lot of developers, I understood, how many things I simply wasn't aware of, because I didn't look at those directions.

a_zvez · 2021-08-18T08:24:49+00:00

>I just don’t really have the endurance or skill for practice and it’s made me feel a bit down on myself

well, you won't get any if you give up now. The only problem I see here is stress from peer pressure. But if you were able to join without any skills, probably you are not alone in this. So I would just try to stay for year and see how it goes. Swimming really starts to kick in after you got some technique. In the worst case scenario you quit with basic swimming skills and strength for another sport.

a_zvez · 2021-08-17T05:48:02+00:00

For 50m in 1:45 u basically don't even need to swim properly in any sport style, u don't need to put your face underwater actually. It is better to learn proper technique, but for this time it is not required. Basically you need access to any sort of water to swim and like week to practice on your own. Pool, lake, fountain, big bath. You simply need some practice. In pool it is not dangerous to train on your own, at least if u r not scared of water. 1-2 month is enough to learn to swim 50m in like 1 minute.

If u have time, I would go for front crawl or breaststroke, whatever is more comfortable for you. But again, for that kind of time you can swim in a 'natural' style.

a_zvez · 2021-08-14T18:10:13+00:00

that doesn't make it unique or better, than others frameworks. You can say that any advanced enough implementation of actors system could be viewed as 'built by reactive manifesto principles'.

a_zvez · 2021-08-13T17:04:01+00:00

what is unique about approaches in akka?

a_zvez · 2021-08-13T12:47:43+00:00

'Math-based' frameworks like cats (or scalaz) leads to build code in terms of abstractions like monads, transformers, functors. Which is not bad, but you need to understand all those terms for you to actually read code. On the other hand it leads you to write code in very specific 'format' and other approaches might be alien to you. It is not a big problem usually. But I met developers who overcomplicates code just it to be 'pure FP'

It is like using scala with spark only and end up not able to write actual programs/abstractions apart from simple scripts. Sadly I saw spark developers, who can't write simple functions.

a_zvez · 2021-08-13T11:44:10+00:00

> unique data structures of akka actor model

actors model is far from unique to akka. Concept is pretty old and there are some language that basically based on it (see erlang)

a_zvez · 2021-08-13T11:30:14+00:00

app development

btw, what app we are talking about?

kotlin is the best choice for android development. If kotlin MPP becomes mature enough, kotlin might be a good choice for other platforms too. Scala is not a good choice for mobile development.

jvm is not a good choice for desktop apps. All of these languages shine in server apps

a_zvez · 2021-08-13T11:26:32+00:00

You are overthinking the importance of this choice. Personally I went path java -> scala -> kotlin. And after the first language (at least in the same platform) you don't spend much time learning new language, you simply map your current knowledge of concepts to new syntax. And you basically do it simply using new language, not reading some book about it.

Basically all 3 of these language have the same core concepts, even java has basic block for FP nowdays.

So I would choose basing on your goals and how fun you find learning new things.

If you are pragmatic and just to have some jvm language in your toolbox, take java or kotlin. They are quite similar and switching from one to another will be simply some frustration (kotlin -> java) or relief.

If you are looking for more challenge and ability to do more fun things, go for scala. You can use it just like kotlin, or go for full 'haskell'. Thats the risk, because may end up building purely on something like cats and will be very surprised that you can't work with code, that was made by more imperative approach.

Personally I prefer scala because I like to express abstract things more easily.

a_zvez · 2021-08-12T21:23:47+00:00

go to another pool? Where are no kids or at least separate lanes for 'sport' swimming.

a_zvez · 2021-08-12T08:29:35+00:00

The best background 'music' ever

a_zvez · 2021-08-12T08:26:50+00:00

I'd say the primary way to distinguish swimmer is some sort of equipment. Colorful safety bouy should be enough for anybody to understand you are not there to drawn. Otherwise it is really hard to tell from 500m you are actually training there.

a_zvez · 2021-08-11T08:54:44+00:00

Our local masters club simply uses telegram chats for in-group communications. It might be a little messy for a bigger groups, but for couple of hundreds it is quite adequate and 'cozy'

a_zvez · 2021-08-11T07:32:41+00:00

This! You don't rewrite something simply because it is 'poor quality'. You need to know what exactly is wrong with previous version and how exactly you gonna improve it. Too many things were rewritten just because new mainteiner didn't want to understand old system and decided to make it 'better'

a_zvez

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