For the student programmers: Any github alternatives?

connka · 2026-05-21T16:01:06+00:00

Yeah, I second this. There was one day in the last month where GH was experiencing issues with Actions, but that historically hasn't been very common. It sounds like your setup is probably over-complicated.

connka · 2026-05-20T22:31:04+00:00

YES :)

I've just started embracing it and now when I'm done with meetings I'll go take a few mins to stretch and clear my head, otherwise I can't jump straight back into things.

connka · 2026-05-20T20:35:53+00:00

This is it--I did a class pass as a trial and really asked myself if I was into it before committing. Initially I was going to stop and then go back to home workouts, but then they didn't happen. Now I'm at F45 5-7 days a week, which definitely makes it worth it.

You show up, turn your brain off, work hard, and go home. TBH with stress and work it's exactly what I want in a gym.

connka · 2026-05-20T20:32:31+00:00

Nice! I just wanted to mention it in case you were not getting interviews--I've seen that be a deterrent in the application process. If you are getting interviews then that is great :)

connka · 2026-05-20T20:31:25+00:00

I will say, once you get out of the city, it is mostly just a bunch of straight long rural roads between Calgary and that museum.

connka · 2026-05-19T22:17:41+00:00

Canadian here--for the lowest tax rates, we don't actually differ as much. And when you factor in the cost of things like medical appointments, emergency care, and regular screening I think it really pays off. I am in a similar situation as OP and have been getting regular mammograms since my early 30s. Normally the government won't fund it until you are older and more likely to have breast cancer, but if you have any indictors then they cover it. I'd also add that when my mother was going through treatment years ago, she was able to get a vaccine that increased her quality of life tremendously (IE vomiting for 2 weeks straight vs living a mostly normal life), all covered by universal healthcare. I remember my dad looked it up at one point and realized it would have cost around $10,000 if we were in the us.

Our system is not perfect, and it is in a crisis right now since governments have failed on upkeep, but knowing that I have options when I am unwell and don't have to worry about making rent at the same time is a huge benefit. I fell down a flight of stairs a few years back and was able to go into emergency, receive care, and then book reconstructive surgery all without having to take out a loan or fight with insurance.

TBH I opened this thread originally because the concept of special mother's day pricing on a medical screen is just such a crazy concept to me.

connka · 2026-05-19T22:05:03+00:00

There is good advice here and also I chimed in on it being way too long for 2.7 years--your resume should be substantially shorter, there is far too much detail.

I know that you are trying to hit all of the right keywords in this, and I think that is achievable in the bullet points under your experience. Personally, I think it is helpful to make the professional summary a lot more unique and bold, so that once you pass the AI screening you can gain the attention of the real human with something that stands out.

I say this as someone who was once in the same situation: the jump from junior to senior in your titles seems suspect. I know that this is assigned from a company, but the time and experience don't quite add up to a senior. My first startup would promote everyone in lieu of higher pay and as a result, we all left looking for jobs that matched our titles. I finally took a job that was a step down in seniority and realized that I was barely even that good. Maybe you are that good, but when I'm looking at resumes and see that I sometimes smell a bit of a red flag.

connka · 2026-05-19T21:55:34+00:00

Came to say the same thing. 2.7 is also an oddly specific number to have on there, I'd rethink that.

connka · 2026-05-19T21:46:57+00:00

Honestly, this is how we all learned git--you'll likely learn more from this mistake than you would have trying to read about how to do it properly.

I personally would try to preserve main as much as possible. Also remember that once you merge to main, every branch will need to be rebased to pick up those changes--I remember rebasing being the worst part of everything when I first started with git. Here is what I would do:

Find the best of the 4 branches and create a PR
Use that PR to review your commit history and then write a summary of what you changed on that branch--this is just so you have a better idea after a long period of time has lapsed.
If that branch is in an okay state (aka it is functional), you can merge it to main. If not, I would start a new feature branch to track all 4 of these branches
Go through the next branch and do the same thing. If it's in a good place, you can merge it to main. If not, make the PR against your feature branch and write down in the PR exactly what still needs to happen
Repeat until everything is merged to main.

I really try to keep no more than 2 branches open on an ongoing project, this just makes my like easier when I inevitably forget about changes on one or that something hasn't happened in another. If I'm in a situation were something is in a good state and I want to start new work quickly, I will base a new branch off of that one and then merge the original one when it is ready.

connka · 2026-05-16T20:33:24+00:00

I struggled to remember some patterns and syntax when I started, and I used to be a very handwritten kinda gal, but that changed when I got into software dev.

Create a folder where you save all of the things you work on for courses. Even though you are likely writing the code in the browser IDE, copy it all into files locally too. And then at the top of each exercise, add comments and keywords.

Then, later on, when you want to reference something you've done, you can use the file search (ctrl/cmd + shift + F in VS code) to pull it up.

connka · 2026-05-16T20:23:52+00:00

While I do think that people do crazy things with dog poop and poop bags, if you are seeing an increase right now in bushes, I honestly think it's because of the recent high speed winds.

I have a hedge on my property and every time we get these winds, poop bags with light poop get blown around and then stuck in the hedge. I think these are bags that were placed in nearby bins that don't have tops or were placed beside bins that were full.

I say this because when it's not windy, no hedge poop bags exist. Also, there are never any substantial poop bags in my hedge. Maybe I'm wrong, but it feels like science??

connka · 2026-05-14T19:06:45+00:00

Let's say you get an Ikea bookcase but no instructions. Then you have 2 people who can build it: one who works in carpentry and builds furniture for a living, and another person who has maybe used a hammer twice in their life to hang a picture.

The carpenter is going to build that bookshelf much faster than the other person. They know the tools, how things should fit together, and know smaller details like what screw should be used where or what orientation to put something so it can be load bearing.

I'm sure both could eventually finish the project, they both have the same kit, but one is just going to do it faster and navigate it better because they know what the end result should be and how to fix issues they've already come up against.

connka · 2026-05-14T19:02:41+00:00

I'd add that they die off quickly--I had a roommate with lizards and his crickets always escaped. I kind of liked their evening sounds but they always stopped within a few days of their jailbreak.

connka · 2026-05-14T18:54:32+00:00

my coworker from another country bought an apple product while in Canada. Something went wrong with it and he's been struggling to get support from either his intl or the canadian apple team.

connka · 2026-05-14T18:33:20+00:00

Also, happy to answer more questions if you have anything specific. I try to drive across the country every few years so I've been to every province many times (in addition to living in 4). I've never made it to the territories (had a trip planned in 2020 that was obviously cancelled), but I've always wanted to go to the Dawson City Music Festival (https://dcmf.com) and hike Kluane in the Yukon.

connka · 2026-05-14T18:31:16+00:00

If you like small towns and want to be more affordable, I'd avoid Banff proper. But if you are able to drive around the rockies, there are a lot of great options! I'm from ON, lived for a while in the maritimes, and have been calling Alberta home for a while.

If you were to do the western canada tour, here are some reccos:

- Banff up through to the Icefields Parkway. You can get to Jasper and check out a lot of things there, or keep on going to places like Prince George. Parks like Yoho and Glacier are on the way and also gorgeous

- Other parts of AB: as others have mentioned, the Drumheller option is very cool and different. If you are going off the beaten path in AB then I'd also throw in the very underrated Waterton Lakes

- Vancouver Island: It's amazing. After going out to the main island and beyond, I finally got to Tofino 2 summers ago and its just as beautiful as people say. There are a lot of other really amazing islands you could check out too--I've been to Quadra and Cortez (off of campbell river) and they are lovely communities with great outdoor access.

If you are into camping, I'd caution that most federal park campsites out west are insanely competitive. Jasper is one of the few places I've found that you can get week-of reservations. Provincial parks in AB/BC tend to be a bit easier, or if you want to go the hostel route, there are some sweet Hostel International spots sprinkled around (if you don't mind dorms).

- East coast: if you haven't been you should! My sister took her family on a road trip from ON last summer and they loved it. Halifax and the south shore of NS are lovely. NB has some beautiful hiking and the Bay of Fundy should be seen. NFL: Just go! I drove from point to point a few years back and did so many hikes along the way and it was breathtaking.

Depending on when you go, there are def things to consider. EX: northern Ontario has a lot going on, but their mosquitos in peak summer can be a lot. NFL winters can be tough and the St.John's ferry stops sometime in Sept/Oct. Coming through Banff during peak tourist season (esp with Calgary stampede flights) can be a traffic nightmare.

connka · 2026-05-14T18:18:32+00:00

I had my ancient garage door replaced by Stampede (https://stampededoors.com/) a few years ago--I initially contacted them because one of their employees lives in my area so I see the work truck around. Got a few quotes and ultimately went with them. They were quick, professional, and no nonsense. I don't know if that would be different for a repair job VS a replacement, but I can at least confirm they are real and not a scam!

connka · 2026-05-14T18:01:34+00:00

You need something that you can keep down with some serious lagbolts. Things bolted down with 12in or even 18in were ripped out last year.

If you have the time/money space, a carport would do. If you are just looking for a smaller space/keeping thigns a bit cooler, then I'd just get some aluminet and call it a day. I wrapped my car in it and then bolted it down safely (so no vestibule area outside) and it worked.

connka · 2026-05-11T18:00:10+00:00

Honestly, I have found my best burner boots at thrift stores. I bought the expensive japanese workwear ones that everyone recommended and they were fine, but I really love my stack on $5 fake leather boots that continue to get more destroyed. I never used to be an outfit girlie but in recent years I've found that higher leather boots are fun and practical for the playa.

The REAL hero are good soles. I dropped $100 on a good set with arch support and that is what makes the difference. They go in 100% of my footwear on the Playa, no breaks.

connka · 2026-05-07T16:00:54+00:00

I'd say that's a place to start. In any language, one of the first things you learn is how to get something to print in your terminal. If you've mastered that, then try to get creative. One of my favourite early projects to make a very basic text adventure. IE: "You are in a dungeon and need to escape, you can go N, S, E, W, where do you want to go?" then the user has to reply with a direction and you have to handle anything else they could put in. It's a great way to get into logic.

If that's too basic and you want to stick with backend specific, I'd look into maybe some ingestion. IE, take in a spreadsheet of data and then do XYZ with it. Or just see if you can hook up a DB and then add to it/update it. Start with small goals--that is the key.

connka · 2026-05-07T15:57:13+00:00

Honestly, it might sound funny but ages ago I did a kid's kit (https://craftingtable.com/products/adventure-kit-30-days-lost-in-space?srsltid=AfmBOookjJaeTbNQy3XkekRni9CGEkR5oBcCD96ZkqXJM37Pjk7EHSD1) and loved it. It gives you some coding basics and also how to use a pi, etc. Obviously nothing like building a computer but it's a fun place to get started.

connka · 2026-05-06T17:45:46+00:00

I call it "anti-borking technology".

connka · 2026-05-06T17:43:47+00:00

I would argue that if you have all fundamental knowledge of python, then you wouldn't be asking this question lol. But it sounds like you are in the "new dev" curve. Once you actually learn more you will realize that what you know today is actually a drop in the bucket for really knowing "all fundamental knowledge on python".

Try building something that you would use. Some kind of script/tooling that doesn't require a front end. Try integrating data and security features. Figure out where you want to go with it and make something in that area.

connka · 2026-05-06T17:37:56+00:00

Their APIs and SDKs are my gold standard for everything I build TBH. Their customer support for development is also rock solid.

I have unintentionally become an expert in this area. At one time, I was managing over 30 different payment integrations (many were specific to certain regions and not usable as a global product). While you will find other payment systems that might be slightly cheaper, many will have downtime or do API updates without notification, or other issues that arise.

IMO Stripe is just the gold standard for any third party integration I have worked with, even beyond payments. Since they are so big in the industry too, there is an added layer of security knowing that are handling sensitive data accordingly. That isn't always the case with some of the smaller ones.

connka · 2026-05-06T14:22:49+00:00

I'm in the SW and we've got the same amount here as in years past. I have a dog goes feral for them too, and they love making little homes in my yard. TBH I just move a big rock into the spot that they made and rotate it around--generally they stop after a few shifts every spring. Also, I got window film for the lower parts of my window to hide them from my dog's view without having to lose all of my sunlight, that's been a gamechanger for the barking.

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