Team $$$ Efficiency Through Modularity

Any veteran developer knows that integration and maintenence is where all the time and money goes, writing a simple module can be a few days work once the requirements, interfaces, and dependencies are set in stone. Modularity (OSGi) promises to eliminate much of that cost, by never fully integrating a module into the rest of the code base. Every module stands on it's own, lives in it's own classpath, and develops in it's own tested, versioned process. Read more »

If you're looking for an easy, fun, and intellectually challenging way to succeed as a developer - look no further than your local user's group.

Here's My Easy Success Story:

• Started going somewhat religiously, 11 years ago.
• Attended hundreds of cutting edge technology presentations.
• Started and led a few smaller special interest groups.
• Made a few presentations myself over the years.
• Served in various leadership roles at request of others.

As a result of the above, I've stayed gainfully employed even through 2 tough recessions, made tremendously beneficial contacts that will always keep me working as long as I am physically and mentally able.

If you knew me personally, you wouldn't attribute any success to my social skills. This is a case of just showing up, being a nerd, and stumbling through good fortune.

Don McGreal from last night's meeting:

Example: SOLID Presentation

Last night we had a presentation on SOLID, by one of the Read more »

One thing you can always count on is m2eclipse. In 2 years of using this tool, I've never been anything other than ecstatic. Great stuff.

3 Hours Gone: Poof!

3 hours is the same value to me as a serious wad of cash, and I hope that's true for you too. Time is all we have! Read more »

Martin Lippert's recently announced move to SpringSource is one of the most exciting events to happen in software so far this fall.

Speculation - Good Things that May Now Happen:

• Fills gaps in OSGi and STS development at SpringSource
• Many half finished pieces have prospect of now being glued together in a nice fit.
• Critical last mile issues such as training and taking OSGi to the market, are now within reach. 

  Read more »

The good news from JavaOne

• Netbeans taking a higher level of importance
• Swing and JFx getting a long overdue revisit
• The competitiveness of the JDK being taken more seriously

this is all very good news from where I sit.

Take a look at Amy Fowler's current blog (long time Java Swng and JFx lead) and you'll see some of why it seems to mean so much that this stuff is getting such a serious look.

Warms My Heart?

You can't have a "Warms My Heart" kind of event unless  Read more »

Dangerous Fred

Every big team has seen one or two of these guys. Dangerous Fred. Brilliant and stupid at the same time, breaks the wrong rules and still gets pretty amazing stuff done. But you don't want him touching your code.

I think I've been Fred in decades past, at least once or twice. Sure have written a couple things I'm not so proud of, on the way to becoming a slightly better programmer. Read more »

Google released 4 tools for free today! Seriously good stuff.

If you've ever followed the Instantiations group, you know that it puts out some very useful stuff. Google just purchased this shop a few weeks ago, we were wondering what was going to happen...

http://googlewebtoolkit.blogspot.com/2010/09/google-relaunches-instantiations.html Read more »

Last night we had a sequence of 3 different speakers at a user's group here in Dallas. I recommended this for your group - I think you'll like it, at least after you figure out how it happened.

It seemed like our regular old Spring user's group like we always have:

Read more »

I was wrong to think of UI developers as lightweights. A good UI developer is anything but a lightweight.

There. I've said it.

Arrogance, thy name is Pete

10 years ago I felt I had to make a choice. I could either specialize in the back end stuff, architecture, databases, such as that. Or I could do UI. 

DId I make the right decision career wise? Maybe. I chose the back end, and it's been a really nice ride. I'm a systems guy, and there's enough there to keep me always learning, the money hasn't been bad, all is well. Read more »

Oracle sues Google to recover fees from Java (Dalvik).

[From this story on ComputerWorld.]

Because I'm not a lawyer and I don't understand how the law works regarding virtually every tool I use (and it must be in the hundreds including all the libraries I consume), this scares me.

Oracle owns the language that I've programmed in for over a decade. In an economic sense, Java is my lifeline. If they ever decide to aggressively pursue revenues, I have no idea how that could impact me negatively. But it seems like it could be huge.

Do other developers get frightened too? Or is it just me? [comments below] Read more »