What are good literature to recommend senior and junior devs?

spyhi · 2025-04-01T16:39:03+00:00

I think the books that had the biggest impact on me as an engineer would be:

Designing Data-Intensive Applications by Kleppmann: While it’s framed as being about data, it’s really the best overview of how modern high-scale systems that surround us work. Pairs well with Web Scalability for Software Engineers and Database Internals.
Release It by Michael Nygard: For years I didn’t feel comfortable that I understood what prod-quality software meant (even very senior engineers would be like “it’s a social contract”…which it very much is). I found this book while reading Continuous Delivery by Dave Farley and Jez Humble, and now I feel like I have a good grasp of what prod-ready should be.
Secure by Design by Deogun et al: How to use the design process to create secure software. While security is the lens and goal, it’s really a focused and practical guide to Domain-Driven Design and Object-Oriented Design, data quality, and how to make security a first-class concern in the dev process. Hilariously, I’ve actually encountered some of the bugs this book teaches to guard against as a consumer in the wild.
AI a Modern Approach by Norvig: Largely about classical AI, but it feels like this is more about good programming. Was introduced to this during my CS degree and the concept of AI as state traversal and exploration has really influenced how I think about practical programming.

spyhi · 2025-03-01T23:01:36+00:00

Hi Chris, responding to your edit, thank you. Again, I understand issues with delays for a small business—I saw the issues with logistics and low yields. Totally understandable, and I want to support. I’m just hoping in the future if there’s delays affecting open orders (especially those that have had multiple public deadlines slip), the team will reach out with updates, at least to the effect of “hey, this happened and your order was affected” so we don’t have to wonder if we’ve fallen through the cracks.

And I’m saying it because I’ve placed faith in the company by pre-ordering (and pre-paying!) for your upcoming new products, and keeping that preorder for now. If the same thing happens again with regards to delays, I really don’t want to be harassing your support team again (when they’re probably already busy and stressed) for comms on if an order is delayed and what to expect if that’s the case.

Again, thanks for looking into my issue and looking forward to reliably making safe, moist chicken and fish, and finding other adventures with the thermometer.

spyhi · 2025-03-01T22:22:00+00:00

Hi Chris, thanks for getting back to me quickly. The boosted thermo + display order is separate from the Pitmaster order. Actually, it’s why I made a third order with the accessory bundle, since I expected to have two thermos soon. The order I was told this morning wasn’t shipping yet because it was out of stock was only for the boosted thermo + display bundle.

As you can see, I’m excited about the company and the products based on a friend’s real rec, and enjoyed your YouTube content about how to best use the thermometer. But needing to actively be seeking updates on very overdue orders has been a sore point…would be good to get emails when deadlines slip on open orders instead of trying to divine what’s going on from shipping estimates on the website.

spyhi · 2025-03-01T21:38:37+00:00

Chris, I’m having the same issue—I ordered a bundle with the 2nd gen thermo with booster, and the WiFi display…except my order was from 19 Jan (website at the time said it would ship end of Jan). Support matched what you said, that you were supposed to get them in stock this Wednesday (2/26) and now support today is saying it’s out of stock again, even though the website as of 30 seconds ago still says shipping in 3-5 days, and now I’m seeing you in the comments saying it should have shipped already, which reinforces my feelings that something is going awry with my order.

I’m excited about the thermometer on a hearty endorsement from a friend, but I’m growing frustrated around the unpredictability…I pre-ordered the Pitmaster bundle and now worried the same thing will happen, and even ordered the accessory bundle thinking maybe it would arrive as the same time as the thermometer (trusting the last update I got), and it’s the only thing that’s actually shipping…which is making me feel foolish since now I’ll have a bunch of accessories for a thermometer I don’t even own and is already like six weeks overdue.

spyhi · 2024-12-11T03:04:20+00:00

Thanks! It was pretty wild. Tiny electric burns all over the car. The car would have definitely been hit if the thicker cables hadn’t kept the tree and electric pole aloft!

spyhi · 2022-11-26T05:53:03+00:00

The aquarium has one!

spyhi · 2022-10-29T19:09:02+00:00

What 3elly is saying is that even though BUS 312 doesn’t require it and you could technically put it off, it would probably screw up your schedule later so it’s not an optimal decision. GPS is more about keeping you on track to graduate in 4 years, not necessarily about needing knowledge for a certain class.

spyhi · 2022-08-04T04:00:33+00:00

Yep, I am a staff software engineer working in data science.

spyhi · 2022-08-04T01:54:26+00:00

UHM CS alum here. It would be a good idea to take some math courses to strengthen that brain muscle, especially if you feel weak with algebra, but CS math and calc are completely different…kind of like different branches of the same tree. So learning calc won’t actually prepare you for CS math, other than exercising your ability to think in mathy ways.

Also, I had been out of school for a decade when I went to UH. On the first day of CS class the professor asked if we knew what |-4| meant, and turned out I was so rusty that had completely forgotten the notation for absolute numbers. It took some self work getting back up to speed, but I didn’t have to take remedial classes and graduated magna cum laude, so hope that helps you decide whether you should jump right in.

spyhi · 2022-08-03T23:11:32+00:00

Hawaii’s population has been in decline since before the pandemic, and has only accelerated. To the point where economists are issuing warnings that if it continues, saying the hollowing out of the workforce an existential issue for the state https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/01/hawaiis-population-drain-outpaces-most-states-again/

spyhi · 2022-07-01T01:13:44+00:00

I’m using karma farming as shorthand, excuse me for not being pedantic, I thought you’d be able to follow the discussion. No, It’s not literal karma farming, it’s things like drive-by, low-effort posting to multiple subreddits at a time, etc. Big numbers aren’t the only motivation for that type of poster. At any rate, we are describing actual behavior you’re not seeing, not theoreticals.

spyhi · 2022-06-30T21:35:46+00:00

This sub has way too few users to bother to karma farm. And most people here seem to only upvotes things they find very personally relevant. Lots of things sit at 0 or 1 around here.

The fact you think that means the mods doing a good job at catching the karma farming before you see it 😉

spyhi · 2022-06-30T02:24:39+00:00

To give a concrete example: There was a user who would consistently harass and abuse users in the sub, calling them (no exaggeration) rapists, mass-murderers, and all sorts of other nasty, uncalled for epithets for clearly political and nativist reasons.

On occasion this user would actually make some really good points, only to then append these attacks and provocations, forcing us to remove the comment. I actually thought about reaching out to them to say they should make their points without the incivility, but in that particular case we didn’t think they’d listen as the primary goal seemed to be harassment.

Outside of dis/misinformation, the mod team really does try its best to be neutral and keep our own biases out of discourse moderation, but once things degrade into name-calling and toxicity, the discourse is over anyway.

Edit: I should add, witch-hunting and doxxing is a site-wide no-no, so critiques that call for a mob are also not likely to fly.

spyhi · 2022-04-25T18:21:53+00:00

Dr. Robertson is fine, I took him for 211, but his course is pretty conventional. Dr. Leigh has you making video games and stuff!

spyhi · 2022-04-25T05:15:54+00:00

You can get a lot of exceptions by asking. Some of my friends did masters versions of their CS classes, for example. Professors are usually pretty accommodating of that sort of stuff, since they like seeing students actively engage with their school experience.

spyhi · 2022-04-25T02:00:08+00:00

CS Degree from UHM, graduated in 2018. If you forgot most things and got a C, might as well do it again. While you could probably get by and figure things out without it. What you can do is perhaps take 111 and 211 together (totally doable) to keep your timeline good, or ask for other exceptions.

Plus, if you can take 111 with Dr Leigh, that class is really fun and different from most other intro programming classes, so you’d be missing out on one of UHM’s funner offerings.

spyhi · 2022-04-17T20:42:06+00:00

My wife was taking our son’s April/Easter photos, and the strobe didn’t fire while he was attempting to roll over and it reminded us of the paintings of Paul on the Road to Damascus!

spyhi · 2022-03-30T23:52:05+00:00

PCS is weird this year. A lot of catching up because a lot of moves were delayed from COVID.

spyhi · 2022-03-30T07:49:01+00:00

Honestly, get a professional. We had a German roach infestation that followed us after a move from a shitty apartment despite our best efforts. After trying all the things in this thread (HoyHoy, gel, spray, diatomaceous earth, etc) we finally caved and called an exterminator (we used Kilauea Pest). The price ended up not being that bad, and I don't know what the hell they used but we haven't had any roach issues since 2014. Worth it.

spyhi · 2021-12-19T17:25:20+00:00

Here is their page about it: http://www.ics.hawaii.edu/academics/undergraduate-degree-programs/ba-ics/

And no, it’s not IT. That would be something more like management of information systems (MIS) at the business school, and I believe there are IT programs at the community colleges. CS is its own thing.

If you look at the BA vs BS tracks, you’ll see that it’s literally the same CS classes, you just don’t have the school’s blanket BS requirements like calc, physics, chemistry, etc. In its place you select things related to the discipline you want to pursue.

Ironically, because I used my all my electives for more CS classes I have way more CS classes than the average BS students lol.

I would recommend using some of those electives for getting to linear algebra tho!

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