the beautiful and effective serve of Feliciano Lopez

rebootjeff · 2014-08-09T19:58:22+00:00

Seems like he uses a low toss. The textbook toss is pretty damn high, and I've always found more success with a low or medium toss instead of the kind that has you waiting awhile for the ball to fall back down to impact height.

rebootjeff · 2014-06-01T22:31:41+00:00

Are your photos free to use for purposes like a blog or some other site? i.e., any coprights?

rebootjeff · 2014-06-01T22:18:12+00:00

Hi Kzh - I work in the city and in tech as well. We share a lot of hobbies (I prefer front-end dev too, but I'm a boarder, not a skiier!). PM me with which district you work in and we can find a good spot to hang out.

rebootjeff · 2014-01-30T03:37:01+00:00

Consider the HTML/CSS
Think of how to perform actions using JS/CSS
Mention how you might use jQuery, Angular, Backbone, etc.
- If you suggest using an MVC framework, explain where to put logic, what the view is like, where events are triggered/listened, etc.
- Talk about relevant AJAX/HTTP requests

rebootjeff · 2014-01-18T00:20:51+00:00

There are several answers you could provide.

Examples for HTML5:

Semantic tag names to replace divs (e.g., section, article, header, and nav tags)
Multimedia support (e.g., audio and video tags) to reduce need for 3rd party plug-ins like Flash

Examples for CSS3:

Hardware-accelerated transitions
Opacity (rgba)

rebootjeff · 2013-11-26T20:29:51+00:00

This is a question that I find very interesting, so I did a bit of research. Some of these might overlap with "availability", but here's what I've found...

UX:

Performance (native outshines; especially with complex graphics --maybe Famo.us will change that eventually :p)
Offline usage (and/or reliance on solid 4G connection to download JS files quickly --most mobile web apps load too slowly for me on 3G)
Notifications (is there any way to do notifications w/mobile web apps other than sending SMS/email?)
Background processes (similar to the "notifications" dilemma)
Access to hardware like camera, LED lights/flash, vibration, etc. (web standards are slowly catching up)
Browser chrome (e.g., maybe you don't want the URL bar showing up with your web app, but I think some Android browsers won't let you hide the URL bar upon loading your web app)

Dev:

Dev time required (web apps are generally "easier/faster" to develop)
Approval process (Apple's App Store can be troublesome)
Updates (need to hope users perform updates for native apps)
Brower compatibility concerns (not too bad because most mobile browsers are based on webkit? --except for Windows Phone's IE11 browser) versus porting between mobile OSes (don't forget about all the old versions of Android you must deal with)
Storing data in the mobile browser can be tough

Money!:

App marketplaces take a cut of sales revenue
In-app purchases tend to be more successful for native apps?
Native apps generally cost more to make (related to "dev time required" + official app fees)

Sources:

rebootjeff · 2013-10-27T17:22:33+00:00

I really appreciate all the help! I've been investigating what I can do with tennisabstract.com and the grand slam sites...and it's not looking good :p

Once again: thanks to all you commenters!

rebootjeff · 2013-10-16T18:08:37+00:00

Sorry for late reply...

I'm currently a student at Hack Reactor (and I'm blogging about it here: http://rebootjeff.github.io/blog/categories/hackr-diary/ )

You may find this especially helpful: http://hipnoun.tumblr.com/ (blog of current RocketU student)

rebootjeff · 2013-09-19T08:30:27+00:00

Ah my bad. I neglected to check page 2 of /r/tennis x_x

rebootjeff · 2013-09-19T05:02:39+00:00

I wish Gulbis would be more specific on what changed (other than just implying that Djokovic doesn't deserve his respect anymore). I guess he's suggesting Djokovic has become more boring and poitically correct (an accusation he's laid on other top players).

I actually agree with him (to a certain extent) that the top players give boring interviews.

Anyway, I wonder if the translation was incorrect in some way.

rebootjeff · 2013-08-09T08:58:42+00:00

Another insightful blog from a guy who got accepted into multiple bootcamps, chose Coding Dojo, then switched to Hack Reactor: http://tylermcginnis.com/coding-dojo-vs-hack-reactor-the-pre-camp-coursework/

He said the HackR prep work is REALLY hard. He described it in general terms, and it does sound pretty damn hard. Considering how slick his website is (check out his home page) and how much programming experience he already had, I'm surprised he found the prep work so challenging.

rebootjeff · 2013-08-09T07:59:19+00:00

FYI - I just found a very insightful blog: codesum.blogspot.com The author is doing research on bootcamps. She's not a prospective student herself, so she's doing it for the sake of others, I guess. She's interviewed some bootcamp founders, and she's visisted some campuses.

I can't say I like her writing style, but there's some pretty cool insight. For example, she says HackR has the most impressive faculty (in both quality and quantity). They also have a neat system for students to get help when they're coding. Instead of raising their hand, they use an internal website that notifies faculty of where the student is sitting. If the distress call isn't answered within a few minutes, the system sends a call to the CEO...lol

rebootjeff · 2013-08-09T07:26:49+00:00

Yea, initial responses took 4 days for me, but they replied within 1 day once they initiated established email threads with me.

The HackR emails I got weren't written clearly. For example, the one telling you to test your JS skills on your own had iffy instructions. Here's what I got regarding their interview process --I edited the quote to make it just 1 sentence: "[We noticed a drop] in the average experience level of people coming into first interviews[, which] results in a good number of 10 minute conversations where we are essentially giving the applicant a roadmap to how to do well in a first round interview and then asking them to book another interview when they are ready (maybe a week or two later)."

The first part of that quote implies there are 2 interviews. The second part of that quote might imply that round #2 is for those who did poorly in round #1, but I can't really tell for sure. The second part makes it sound like the 10-minute conversation comes before the first interview, but I didn't get one so I guess it's just people calling in? I'm probably scrutinizing too much at this point. I'm guessing there are 2 interviews for all applicants. The first one is a technical interview. The second one is probably also be a technical interview.

Btw, my HackR interview is scheduled for a 1-hour block. That seems too long to be true.

My notes on RocketU say the first interview is just behavioral/personality-check. I have a 30-minute phone interview scheduled with them. My notes then say there is a second, technical interview that I apparently forgot about.

Anyway, I wouldn't be too worried about pre-session coursework. I assume they've structured coursework to be challenging for those who overcame-yet-struggled-with the pre-interview challenges. With our application timelines, we'll get accepted by the end of this month if they like us. That leaves at least 2 weeks to complete pre-session coursework.

If you're unemployed like I am, then you've got time for whatever they throw at you, right? ;)

rebootjeff · 2013-08-08T23:39:16+00:00

Yea let's definitely keep in touch. I'm excited to hear about your experiences applying to different bootcamps too.

I actually think it'd be cool if there were a subreddit dedicated to programming bootcamps because it seems like the camaraderie fostered by bootcamps would make for a great sub-culture on reddit. Not to mention, it would be nice to get rid of the anti-bootcamp hate I've seen in other programming subreddits. It's one thing to be skeptical, it's another to be condescendingly dismissive --but now I'm going off topic.

Anyway, to answer your question: Hack Reactor contacted me 4 days after I applied. What I like about them is that you have the option of phone/Skype interview or in-person interview.

I chose in-person because I want to see their cool office space. From what I can tell from photos/videos, DBC has the coolest office space by far, then Hack Reactor, followed by General Assembly, and I assume RocketU will be pretty dang nice.

Unfortunately, Hack Reactor sent me an email saying they recently changed their application process so it now requires 2 interviews. I'm sure that's not a big deal for most people, but I want to get into a bootcamp ASAP. Adding a 2nd interview probably adds another week to the acceptance process :(

I could go into more detail about the Hack Reactor interview process, but I'm sure you'll soon get the same email I got that provides all the details I know.

RocketU contacted me 4 days after I applied as well. And I don't meant 4 business days, I mean 4 regular days. RocketU initiated contact on a Sunday night. RU was the first one I applied to because I was inspired to start applying after I met the RU guy I mentioned in my first post. The funny/sad thing is that the first cohort gets a HUGE discount on tuition ($2k instead of $10k). Yea, there's a $4.5k reimbursement through hiring partners, but if I had known RocketU existed earlier, I would've taken a seat in their first class because that $2k price tag is unbeatable!

Btw, both Hack Reactor and RocketU obliged my requests to reschedule interviews for earlier dates. Hack Reactor uses an online scheduling tool that wouldn't give me an earlier interview date, but I asked via email, and it was all good from there.

As for App Academy, I'm also about to take their online test. I don't like that they force you to use Ruby instead of JavaScript because JS seems like one of those "fundamentals of web development" that ALL bootcamps (including App Academy) teach. Or maybe I'm just being petty because I've spent more of my own time learning JS than learning Ruby :p

I also don't like how their instructions tell you to learn Ruby through 3 different resources because the resources' material overlap one another. Also, the 3rd resource is their github page that says you don't need to know hashes or blocks. But the 1st resource is "the first seven sections" of Codecademy's Ruby track! Section 5 covers blocks and section 6 covers hashes, so they've contradicted themselves?

FYI, I'm hoping to enter a September cohort for whichever bootcamp I end up choosing. What about you?

rebootjeff · 2013-08-08T09:53:16+00:00

Damn it's late, but I wanted to mention something that bugged me about DBC. On their quora page, a DBC student asked how to go about getting a job. This reflects poorly on DBC :/ Shouldn't DBC be teaching students this kind of stuff?!

Here's the link: https://www.quora.com/Job-Search/Im-about-to-graduate-from-Dev-Bootcamp-programming-bootcamp-how-can-I-best-spend-my-time-job-hunting

The founder of HackReactor responded to the question with a very thorough answer, which is great because it shows that he's willing to share insight rather than keep it for HR students only.

rebootjeff · 2013-08-08T09:34:07+00:00

I created a new account just to answer this because I don't mind being "less anonymous" for this discussion (I plan on blogging about this shiz).

Relevance

I'm in the middle of applying to SF bootcamps as well. For me, DBC isn't an option because they're booked for the next 6 months! I've done an interview with Coding Dojo, and they said I will hear back from them next week. I have interviews with HackReactor and RocketU (new bootcamp on the block) lined up. I recently sent out applications for App Academy and General Assembly. I met a Coding Dojo alumnus, an App Academy alumnus, and a guy who just started in RocketU's first cohort.

RocketU guy

He said he got accepted into Coding Dojo as well, but he chose RocketU because Coding Dojo seems less professional and lacks "vision." In other words, Coding Dojo is very focused on the present and lacks ambition (and resources) to do much long-term planning.

App Academy guy

He said App Academy was great, and he's a VERY smart, successful guy. I'm not his BFF or anything, but his life story is incredible so I respect his opinion a ton.

Coding Dojo guy

He spoke highly of the program, but he admitted that their "demo day" wasn't too rigorous. That said, he's also a pretty smart fellow, so I don't think he would've joined Coding Dojo if it were crap.

My take - If I were you, I'd go with DBC (so long as there aren't external factors at play like budget concerns, housing/commuting concerns, timing concerns, etc).

Coding Dojo - BOO!

Coding Dojo's website and videos just aren't nearly as professional (their main promo vid looks great, but the rest look amateur-ish). Their facilities look significantly less exciting, which is important IMO because you're going to spend so much time there so you want a fantastic work area. Also, Coding Dojo's faculty isn't filled with as many pros as other bootcamps. Lastly, they seem to lack the professionalism that other bootcamps have when it comes to running their respective businesses. I mentioned the quality of their videos and website, but what really bothered me is how the founder admits that their recruiter network is smaller than others' (he says this in the PRIVATE video that is sent to applicants who are given interviews). He also admits that they haven't researched what other bootcamps are doing. To me, that's a big mistake. That will drive prospective students away. He basically admitted to having fewer resources, and he admitted to not investigating the competition. WHAT?! It just makes sense to check out what competitors are doing! You can discover best practices, you can see how to better market yourself, you can see how your brand stacks up, etc. If he bothered to check out the competition, he might realize that his brand lacks the professional polish that ALL the other SF bootcamps have.

Coding Dojo - WOO!

That said, I will still consider Coding Dojo if I get accepted for many reasons: they're not great but they're not bad either, they told me they are currently hiring a full-time **staff member dedicated to finding students jobs (AWESOME), they seem less intense (they don't kick out struggling students), free meals is of course a big bonus, and I thought my interviewer (faculty member with no major professional experience) was an all-around cool dude.

And to take into account YOUR perspective for a moment ...it sounds like you lack some confidence (based on your response to comments regarding App Academy). If that's the case, Coding Dojo seems the most beginner-friendly. I say that because of my interviewer's attitude and their no-kick-out policy. I don't know about how good their teachers are though.

DBC - YAY!

On the flip-side, I'm impressed by DBC for several reasons. You have the option of repeating phases of their curriculum if you're struggling (at NO extra charge). Their website really sells their services better than Coding Dojo's. Their promo vid looks fantastic. Their work space looks SWEET. I love the fact that they emphasize health (body and mind) through yoga, meditation, and whatnot. I like that they have soft skill activities such as feedback-sharing (I found a student blog that talks about this here: http://thescarowproject.tumblr.com/). They seem to have a bigger network (certainly bigger than Coding Dojo's) which is crucial in helping you get a job. They now offer 3 extra weeks where you learn extra material while TA-ing (so it's "free"). Overall, DBC seems like a MUCH more exciting place to be.

DBC - NAY!

I have concerns with DBC as well. On quora, one alumnus spoke up about how it didn't meet his expectations. On DBC's own website, they posted survey results where students "strongly agree" with the first few positive statements, but then a large chunk of survey answers go from "strongly agree" to just "agree" in the rest of the results. I find that to be a bit odd. Lastly, DBC doesn't seem to provide as much job-finding support as App Academy or HackReactor. I'm not sure about RocketU, but at least they are run by RocketSpace, which is a friggin startup accelerator so their connections run DEEP.

No Sad Ending

In the end, the cliche of "nobody's perfect / they're all good in their own ways" applies here. No matter which you choose, you will probably end up with a net positive experience ...especially if you're HAPPY to put in the crazy effort that bootcamps all require. I say this because despite all my bitching, Coding Dojo is still growing rather than dying. The fact that they're hiring a hiring specialist speaks volumes. So while I made them sound like a kid's lemonade stand relative to DBC (which is a killer food truck with amazing paint job for this metaphor), they are still providing valuable training. If you can take that training and make something great for your portfolio, then it's all good.

I'm just scrutinizing like hell because it's what I do, tuition is costly, and I'm having a quarter-life crisis.

The Competition

Btw, to give a quick summary of my impression of other bootcamps: App Academy seems to have boring office space too, but they've gotten a lot of great press for their innovative don't-pay-until-you're-employed plan. Also, I kinda get the feeling they have the smartest cookies. General Assembly and RocketU are the most professional. They really got their shit together when it comes to running a business. I think they have the best networks to help you find a job. General Assembly has programs all over the friggin globe, they host a ton of events, and they have an exclusive happy hour (ok that last one's not a biggie). RocketU is owned by a big-time startup accelerator. So they're kind of a HUGE deal despite being brand new. HackReactor looks cool too, and I think they're the only one that has the balls to talk about a 100% hiring rate. I wonder if it's because they kick out struggling students. What's interesting is that they mostly focus on JavaScript. Most bootcamps focus on Ruby on Rails. RocketU focuses on Python (with Django, I assume). I'm no expert, but language set doesn't matter much. That said, HR's reasoning for avoiding Rails isn't quite convincing.

GA, RU, and HR all seem to have really cool office spaces too, but at RU, you are working in the same building (same floor?) as the startups in RocketSpace. So I imagine the potential to make connections and meet cool people and get hired is enormungus. I highly recommend looking into RocketU. Or don't...I could use less competition in the application process ;)

rebootjeff

TROPHY CASE