spacetraveler11

Learning generalized concepts of FP just make a lot of sense IMO. Knowing that you can map all functors the same way wether it's an Optional, List, Future or Either is a useful tool to have. Using it in a language with syntactic sugar to compose map and flatMap (>>= in Haskell) operations helps to write clean code a lot. For me, solving problems in a functional way is not always as intuitive as the imperative approach but the end result is usually worth it. That said, FP can become a complex mess if your engineers are too dogmatic about it and bringing on new people who aren't as much into FP is almost impossible then in my experience.

Is there a difference in the interview process between the US and the EU? Wherever I applied to in the EU I was almost always given a small, practical programming exercise relevant to the field I was applying for and for which I had a few days to hand in my solution (usually they were quick to solve, depending on the level of polish you would put in). In the interview itself we would then discuss the implementation and that way I got to know the team I'd be working with and they could see if we were able to discuss and explain code.

I made a first version of an XBattle remake over the weekend with Unity [1]. Still needs a lot before it can be released but the basic features are working already.

[1] https://giphy.com/gifs/unity-game-dev-xbattle-stdR5qYdqrgNll...

Same for me. Not sure yet where though. On my own I'd be free to chose anywhere but I've been playing around with the idea of doing it together with my cousin who is interested in this as well. When we were kids we would often times help our grandpa in his garden who was growing all kinds of vegetables and fruits there. I want to become like my grandpa and see my grandchildren playing on my land.

As a software dev freelancer I was using the Single-Person-Company (Einzelunternehmer) option that Germany offers. Personal liability is a risk of course (that can be mitigated by getting insurance and was never an issue for me) but in terms of upkeep it was very easy thanks to my tax consultant. This option is however not recommended if you want to get investors, especially from abroad.

Me too, one of my first projects was building an app with CodeIgniter that was interacting with a Magento shop backend. Was so cool when we finally were able to trigger an order in Magento from our CI app. Whatever one thinks about PHP, it does get a lot of devs started in web programming.

Yes, in fact it's what I've been doing the past few days. Luckily there's a long weekend coming up with lots of free time for me to work on it: XBattle style game rewritten in Unity. Plan is to get a basic version browserized so I can get some feedback from players. My list of features I want to add is already starting to grow exponentially (e.g. persistent multiplayer world: hop on to play the game whenever you have time, then leave your troops in a defensive position and hopefully nobody is able to break your defense while you're not playing ^^).

Play Framework: Built on top of Akka, non-blocking architecture (offload any long-running work into Futures), mature codebase and APIs for Java and Scala. It's an opinionated framework where you'll write your code in a classical MVC style (define endpoints in a routes file which are then handled by controllers).

http4s: Focused on functional programming, more of a library than a framework. Doesn't define the architecture of your program as much as Play and can therefore be integrated into your project more easily if you want to add HTTP to an existing project.

I enjoy working with either of these two. Pick Play if you want a framework (contains everything to get going with HTTP but forces a certain architecture). Pick http4s if you want a library and/or more focus on functional programming.

Thank you for this comment. See [1] for a video of Richard Garfield talking about this topic.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSg408i-eKw

XBattle looks so cool, amazing that this game was made 30 years ago. Kind of similar to a game I had been working on (and might just get out of the dustbin to reactivate).

Anyone looking to get started with hexagonal grids should check out [1] from Red Blob Games. Comprehensive tutorial on hex grids explaining coordinates, fields of vision, pathfinding and more.

[1] https://www.redblobgames.com/grids/hexagons/

There are a lot of helpful tips in this thread and similar ones. Maybe I can add a bit about my own situation for perspective.

1. Become really good at your job. Be able to finish a task in less time than what is expected. Take the remaining time to relax and reduce stress. Don't engage in "bull**" tasks that are meant to make people seem productive. If you reliably deliver value in the important tasks nobody will mind. Find a niche in your team or company that makes you in particular valuable. For me that's writing code in a niche language where few people have experience and being able to teach others, ie. train colleagues in programming. Reduce your working hours if possible (4 days max of 9-5 per week).

2. Do some work on your mental attitude. Feeling guilty is a self-destructive path. Read [1]. If you're struggling with anxiety, I recommend meditation and breathing exercises (eg. [2], watch the video on safety before trying it). Get at LEAST some physical exercise (even just walking outside). Spend more time in the sun whenever possible.

3. Do stuff that makes you feel like a winner. Beat a difficult video game, set yourself a goal to lift x KG in an exercise of your choice or challenge yourself to do something you know you should be doing but makes you nervous. Find motivation outside of work. For me that's working on game development projects. Try to be persistent and get some work done before the workday starts.

[1] https://newsletter.butwhatfor.com/p/takeaway-tuesday-facing-...

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybOi4hjZFQ

Kind of okey.

* Started working on side projects again. Need to develop a workout app for myself so I can track my activities at the gym and make sure I get enough variety in my exercises. Maybe I can turn it into sth. releasable that could help others with similar physique as I had (skinny/hardgainer type) to gain some muscles. Feel like there could be more out there to help people who are naturally rather skinny to get success at the gym. Also started working on small game-dev projects just for fun for now. Making a few prototype games, exploring mechanics and seeing if any turns into something fun that I want to invest more time into.

* Mixed success at managing my mood and anxieties, working on not falling back to coping behaviors and instead just accepting the thoughts and feelings I get. Feels like I'm doing a LOT already but it's still tough sometimes. Also, working hard to not get overwhelmed with what's going on in the world. Being honest with myself I have very few excuses though because I'm healthy and privileged (work, education, living in a rich country).

Work is okay and I like the team I'm in. It's not particularly purposeful but on the other hand not stressful at all right now and they offer quite a supportive environment (home office whenever I want, out-of-company counseling). Looking forward to reducing my working hours to 4 days / week (again, very privileged). Other software devs are probably making much more money than me but maximizing my income by switching jobs is not sth. I'd want to do now.

That's it for now, have a good weekend!