101 karma · joined August 30, 2022
The only time I think you could truly do nothing is when you've passed.
I would say I was in a similar place - Wake up, Go to work, come home, watch youtube, sleep, repeat; I had projects I was interested in but couldn't bring myself to do them. For me, part of the answer was changing my environment, the people I was with, the culture was to chill because you're exhausted from work. Another part was, like you're doing now, working on yourself. Another, specific part of working on myself was taking inventory of the things I 'valued'. Did I truly still value those things or were they things from my youth that I am clinging to? Do I value them because I authentically value them or is it because culturally they are valued? Am I applying those cultural valued to places that matter to me. For example: "Hard work". I do value hard work, but the places I was applying that value did not provide return on the investment. So now I apply 'hard work' elsewhere.
I think it is both necessary and good to do this from time to time. Good luck on this journey.
Kids are literally just the definition of inexperienced.
I recently interviewed at Netflix and during the design portion of the interview I was tasked with navigating to a UI, creating a user-persona, and making arguments for or against how well the interface delivered on my goals as a user. I chose Amazon and "Parent of a family shopping for groceries". Mostly because I have a lot to say about the interface personally and I felt this would be useful in the interview.
Now it used to be that when you clicked on the account section in the top right of the interface - the page would refresh and nothing would change. I found this infuriating because the dropdown was just a hover. Turns out the interface now takes you to a landing page with the same info as the hover.
HOWEVER. During the interview, that hover (The one for Account), also advertised products to me. I mentioned that this is causing friction for me as a user, that what I want is to view my account information but I am being bombarded with more irrelevant things to buy.
The interviewer - some lead of design within the company said - "Well, you have to remember that all of these decisions are tested to death and there is good likely good reason/research to back up that part of the UI". I wish I had the presence of mind to say that response betrays the exercise we were doing but I digress.
Biz > dev > user. Biz ≹ user.
Could you explain, in your own words instead of putting the responsibility on me to interpret your meaning, how they are blaming their partner for the interaction?
Location: USA
Remote: Yes, please
Willing to relocate: No but occasional travel, OK
Technologies: React, Typescript, Next.js, PostgresSQL, Docker, Github (To name a few)
Résumé/CV: Can email if interested:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendrickdrews/
Email: drewskenny@gmail.com
I'm a largely-self taught Full-Stack developer with a focus on the Front-End/Design side of things. I've got ~6 years experience professionally programming. At my last position I went from Developer => Tech Lead in about a year and before I left was leading 5/6 teams without failure to deliver. Knowledgeable in 508 compliance and architecting entire projects/Working within departments to solve issues. I'm the kind of developer who asks a lot of questions to as many people as necessary to get the job done.I always wished that sheet music was rotated 90 degrees. The more I hear from musicians the more I think maybe that's not good... but there is something to be said about, "with experience you'll just get it, it become natural" especially with a system that's been around for hundreds of years...
I'm not going to pretend to know the motivations of all people who clean up beaches but it is unlikely that the overwhelming majority do it simply for clout farming. People are more than one thing. Regardless they are just one example of so many examples of good public work that people do right now - in a culture that I would argue does not meaningfully incentivize this behavior. I don't think whether or not people do it when they are alone is relevant here. We're literally arguing about whether people would in a different culture, not the selfish one we currently occupy. I think a society like that is not only possible but necessary.
But anyway, last thing I'll say is that I get the sense that your view is more informed by a pessimism about "how people are" - and that how they are is concrete and unchanging - rather than about data or thinking more holistically.
Also, this appeal to nature really doesn't hold up to scrutiny either. We do things that "go against our evolutionary nature" all the time. For example: None of us spread our shit anywhere. Or how, due to current culture and city design, people largely live isolated physically from larger communities. The list goes on.
Okay but, as far as I can read this its just universally true? Respectfully, you're not making the case for it being impossible and you're pointing to something that literally exists now. If it's hard, cool, I'm not afraid of difficult challenges, I honestly believe most people aren't afraid either.
> No, this is the basis for the tribe, with similar concerns about intertribal conflict.
That's fine, a bigger circle of people is exactly why I believe that your premise I was originally responding to doesn't hold up to scrutiny. I think in the present day people are able to operate in several different tribes that are not in serious struggle with one another and there's nothing concrete to point to (as far as I know) that there's an upper limit?
In another comment you mention that "No one would choose to be a Janitor" and I think that is rooted in "At the snap of the finger we'd be socialist and that would cause chaos" kind of thinking. "Being a Janitor" is only a "bad thing" due to our present culture. I certainly don't think it's less important that someone is a Janitor as opposed to a Lawyer or something - The reason people "Don't" want to be Janitors right now is less to do with 'the job' and whatever stereotypes you have in your head but because it's one of the jobs that doesn't pay enough for someone to live comfortably. I don't think its a huge leap to believe that if you could live comfortably and with dignity as a Janitor, people would absolutely do it.
Shoot, people volunteer to be *fire fighters*...
I think a culture that teaches the value of community and does a great deal to impart on the youth that we have the nice, comfortable lives (with arguably more freedom) is because we share those burdens and its part of our civic duty... that its patriotic to do so. I could see that working out.
Plus how crazy is it to think that cultures and societies did operate similarly in the past, pre-industrialization? Isn't this the basis for the family unit?
Location: USA
Remote: Yes, please
Willing to relocate: No but occasional travel, OK
Technologies: React, Typescript, Next.js, PostgresSQL, Docker, Github (To name a few)
Résumé/CV: Can email if interested:
linkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendrickdrews/
Email: drewskenny@gmail.com
I'm a largely-self taught Full-Stack developer with a focus on the Front-End/Design side of things. I've got ~6 years experience professionally programming. At my last position I went from Developer => Tech Lead in about a year and before I left was leading 5/6 teams without failure to deliver. Knowledgeable in 508 compliance and architecting entire projects/Working within departments to solve issues. I'm the kind of developer who asks a lot of questions to as many people as necessary to get the job done.Specifically related to this topic is a talk by Dan Abramov called, "The Wet Codebase" - He says it better than I can sum up and has visual aids : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17KCHwOwgms
Other have pointed out code that is similar in function vs similar by coincidence and I think that thought alone is worth chewing on.
Learning A can be pretty quick for some basics, learning B is a rabbit hole that can take ages to 'learn'. The good news is most of what you need is for something 'competent' is in A
To answer your points below:
1) Front load your design. The equivalent to Pseudocode for the Front-End is to wireframe. Consider all of your pieces, how they should be grouped, and why. There are some common patterns you'll run into in everyday life. If you find those patterns, draw them on a piece of paper (or your editor of choice, you could do it with mspaint if you wanna). Then you can write out your HTML/CSS. I typically work back and forth. All the HTML, then I CSS, then more html if needed, then more css. etc.
2) An effective Front-End is one which gets the user where they want to go with as little friction *as possible*. Emphasis on as-possible because, just like asap, it doesn't mean "yesterday" it means, "Please prioritize this task above other tasks". An effective FE has a clear idea of purpose and wastes no time achieving those goals. Also, see patterns above. This might not be useful yet but one pattern is to look at the shape of what you're trying to display and allow that to dictate the FE. As an example - almost all documentation sites have a left (or right, or floating) vertical navigation, it takes up maybe 10% of screen width, and then the content of that documentation fill the rest of the width with some amount of padding on the left and right. Consider flipping this pattern. Make the Nav horizontal and the documentation full width to get a feel for why most documentation looks the way it does.
2.1) Some terms to search, "Elements of Art and Principles of Design". I recommend everyone look them up - there are ~20 ideas that reference how we go about making something aesthetic.( Art - color, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value ; Design contrast, balance, emphasis, proportion, hierarchy, repetition, rhythm, pattern, white space, movement, variety, and unity )
3) Uh this is a bit more complicated than I can do in a single comment but maybe we can share discord names if you like the cut of my jib so far.
To me, this would be like saying writing a function in a React component and then writing the HTML for that same component is context switching. It just doesn't stand up to scrutiny. The tasks are related and in a similar headspace - even if they aren't connected 1:1.
I personally think its worth 10 dollars for what it is. A barebones and clean aggregate job site. The other free sites have too much engagement or don't get the amount of listings RR does.
1. Slow down and ask for a few minutes to collect myself. "I'm not in this context, do you mind if I have a minute to organize my thoughts". And then do a little "whiteboard" in my notebook or something. Some people might say to verbalize your thinking process and I agree but there shouldn't be anything wrong with taking a few minutes. (I mean, this doesn't even necessarily test for how I'd do on the job because I'm at least competent at coding)
2. Practice more situations. Any time I struggle with a problem after the interview I make sure I understand that tech. Right now I'm studying up on class components and websockets. (Two technologies I either don't really see anymore: we use functional components on my latest projects or stuff you set and forget)
I think #2 is part of what people mean when they say that interviewing prepares you for the next one.
- Some places that I get far with I've literally reached out afterward and asked for pointers. One piece of feedback I've gotten is, "We didn't get a good sense of what drives you." which, that's fair. I think of software engineering as more of a technician => "I have the skills to solve your problems" and not so much, "My passion is building the front-end for X,Y,Z business" I mean, I'd obviously like to find work with meaning but I'm not driven by that meaning. I don't think we'd ask our plumber to show their passion for the work (Not that they can't have that) but instead we're more concerned with, "Are you competent?" - That's something I need to work on for sure.
- Lastly, I've learned that an interview is for both parties. The person interviewing me is also representative of the company. The last two interviews I had a bad feeling about the fit post interview and I think I should have reached out and rescinded my interest because our values didn't align.
Most of the time though, I check all the boxes and don't even make it to interview stage so its hard to really glean anything useful most of the time. Could it be a bad market? Is it because the only box I don't check is having a CS degree? (I have a bachelors but not in CS) Is it my experience is too varied? Who knows. Best I can do is to keep at it.
Sent out upwards of 500 applications, 10, 20, maybe 30 interviews even fewer that have gone to the 'final rounds' and even some very close calls. No offers yet.
I'm also spending this time learning new tech that interests me and working on a portfolio site that is true to those interests. This is slow going but I don't let it get me down (if I can help it) because I help my partner garden, raise our dog, and work on my other hobbies as well.
Location: USA, Michigan (EST, but other time zones are OK)
Remote: Yes, please
Willing to relocate: No but occasional travel, OK
Technologies: React, Typescript, Next.js, PostgresSQL, Docker, Github (To name a few)
Résumé/CV: Can email if interested:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendrickdrews/
Email: drewskenny@gmail.com
I'm a largely-self taught Full-Stack developer with a focus on the Front-End/Design side of things. I've got ~8 years experience professionally programming. At my last position I went from Developer => Tech Lead in about a year and before I left was leading 5/6 teams without failure to deliver. Knowledgeable in 508 compliance and architecting entire projects/Working within departments to solve issues. I'm the kind of developer who asks a lot of questions to as many people as necessary to get the job done.I'm currently working through some WebGPU Projects and learning THREE.JS. I'm more interested in Developer roles than Lead roles but I am interested in working with other members of the team and mentoring/learning.
But its perfectly okay to say that the benefits the previous poster mentioned aren't worth more to you than the convenience + quality of just buying a new pair of socks. Because the truth of it is that darning your own socks costs almost nothing.
If talent was decided in a way where talking about 'something innate', as in we could go so far as to say... 30%? 40% 50% nature accounts for aptitude.. wouldn't we actually have reason for a caste system? Is it specific - This person is wired to code - what does that even mean? There are so many skills and subskills.
I'm sure it exists, its just funny/frustrating that the word is used to describe what appears to me as the minority factor instead of the majority.
Location: USA
Remote: Yes, please
Willing to relocate: No but occasional travel, OK
Technologies: React, Typescript, Next.js, PostgresSQL, Docker, Github (To name a few)
Résumé/CV: Can email if interested:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendrickdrews/
Email: drewskenny@gmail.com
I'm a largely-self taught Full-Stack developer with a focus on the Front-End/Design side of things. I've got ~6 years experience professionally programming. At my last position I went from Developer => Tech Lead in about a year and before I left was leading 5/6 teams without failure to deliver. Knowledgeable in 508 compliance and architecting entire projects/Working within departments to solve issues. I'm the kind of developer who asks a lot of questions to as many people as necessary to get the job done.Well, not everyone involved right? If I understand correctly, just the people who don't care about the people affected by the API cost increase.
Why is it other peoples responsibility to not inconvenience you?