Herding Cats - Code Rush and a short history of me

Just watched Code Rush again this morning (Wikipedia entry here). I first watched this as part of the content distributed by the Open University for a diploma I was doing (Computing and Mathematics) back around 1999/2000.

Code Rush is a documentary about the time leading up to the release of Netscape source code for the 

Mozilla browser and followed a number of lead engineers and managers through their trials and tribulations. Its a really great insite into what was going on leading up to the dot com boom and bust of the early 2000's.

The documentary has been released through Creative Commons NC-SA license including a significant amount of footage which was never used in the finished documentary (here)

At the time, as I said I had started an OU course in computing at night to try and get into the software industry. I have loved computers since a kid (these where ZX Spectrum days), but never had the opportunities to study SW earlier. This was because I had not achieved sufficient results in the leaving certificate (Irish high school state exams), to get on a university or for that matter college on any computing related course.

The OU course spurred me on with the knowledge that I was capable of doing well in 3rd level some 12 years after not making it into college. I made to decision to leave my very well paid job (Selling software), to return to full time education.

On completing of my degree at Sligo IT I started with Pramerica Systems in Letterkenny, Co Donegal. Pramerica is a wholly own subsidiary of Prudential in the US. It was my last day with the Pru yesterday, after nearly six years.  

Watching Code Rush again some ten years later is interesting. At the time of first watching I had no idea what it really ment to be a coder. Not sure a really know to this day, save that it is something that still gets me going. Though to be honest I have not really felt the BUZZ for quite a while (until recently). I think this comes from being in the one place to long. You don't feel it happening at the time, and it takes an awakening to truly see your self.

On making the decision to take an opportunity in a new venture, I feel that buzzzz again. I wake up at five in the morning hungary to code and learn, happy to watch technical key note speeches and videos until my wife is ready the scream. 

I am moving for the comfort and security of a massive enterprise to a startup where 'I AM' the development department. I feel alive and cant wait to to get started.

Still I am grateful to Pramerica for the opportunities I had there. I learned a lot and have no regrets. I would throughly recommend Pramerica as a company to work for, yet my time has passed.

The old adage goes 'Managing developers, is like herding cats'. I am happy to report I am to be a CAT once more, come Monday ;0)

Where is the Hash key on my Mac (MacBook)?

Getting to know your new Mac toy, and cant find the hash key?
For Irish or UK keyboards you can get the hash key as follow:
--> Hold down Alt key and press the number 3 (Alt + 3 = #)

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How do I get the EURO symbol on my Mac (MacBook)?

Getting to know your new Mac toy, and cant find the € key?
For Irish or UK keyboards you can get the € key as follow:
--> Hold down Alt key and press the number 2 (Alt + 2 = €)

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Remote Working - Lessons Learned

Made the decision to leave my current job after nearly six years. Ill not mention the name of the company directly, but it is easy enough to discover ether way.

Its interesting how one comes to these bigger decisions. This was a difficult one for me after only recently getting promoted to a new position and the current state of the economy. 

Granted a major part of the decision was purely financial. Certainly this was the part that started me considering a move in the first place, BUT the real decider was the chains working remotely can place on you.

I have worked as a tele-commuter for much of the last four years in development roles. This worked really well as much of my interactions with clients (based in the US), where by conference calls or online meetings. My employer is a subsidiary of a large global enterprise, head quartered in North America. Development teams are very small with me on the most part only needing to work closely with one other Irish based technical colleague and a team lead.

The Irish base was in the far North West of Ireland. I live some seventy miles away making a very long round trip commute on not so great Irish roads! SO tele-working looked like the perfect fit for me....

Things to consider when deciding to work remotely:

1. Do you have a separate office space, or can you crate one?

When starting to work remotely I constructed a separate office space, so that I could still leave the house in the morning and GO to work. More importantly, I could leave the office in the evening, shut the door and return home. This worked well.

2. How often will you be able to get into the office?

While working as a developer I commuted to the office on average 2 - 3 times a month. This worked well for me as I was really a team of one, BUT has not worked out so well since joining a larger team were I need to be about more often to maintain more relationships....

3. Is your role suited to working remotely?

I would say (from my experiences), as a developer YES, but other roles requiring a lot of interaction with colleagues, NO. Or certainly to be considered very carefully.

4. Are you happy with your current position in the company, OR are you ambitious?

Its very hard to maintain your profile within an organization, if you are not about the office regularly. Remote workers tend not to be called into impromptu technical or strategic discussions. If management dont see you, you are unlikely to be thought of to lead 'that research into some new technology or other...' 

5. Organizational culture

Does the company really buy into the benefits of employing remote workers whole heartily? Be careful the company does not pay just lip service to this, and in reality treat tele workers as second class citizen. This was not the case in my organization as a whole, but a positive attitude was not uniform across all management.  

My tips and thoughts:

1. Make sure you have a separate space, dedicated to you work. You need to be able to close the door after work, making a clear distinction between your work environment and home environment.

2. Think carefully about your role and how it will fit in with only being in the office and meeting your team members in person occasionally. Remember it will be harder to get promotions, and you may no longer be thought of for possible roles because of your working position. 

3. Keep a log of hours worked. Send an email to yourself at the start and end of the day. You can set up a rule in your email application to save these to a folder called clock in or some thing simular. This can be useful if you are ever questioned about your working patterns.

4. Make sure you get involved in extra none core work activities where possible. Start a research project and get office based employees involved, start a column in the company intranet etc.

5. Keep a detailed chronological log of all the extra activities you get involved in outside your core work. Things like helping colleagues with technical issues, none core projects you are involved in. Learning and self study activities you have taken upon yourself. Keep logs of any productives or process improvements you find and implement. This is GOLD when it comes to annual performance reviews with your manager.

6. After over four years working remotely I think it important to be in the office at lease once a week. Make this day(s) a set day of the week, and make sure people know that (say), 'Tuesday' is your day in the office. Schedule as much face to face meetings as possible on this day and encourage colleagues to do the same.

7. Remote meetings need to planned even more carefully then face to face ones. Always send out an agenda well pryer to the meeting. Include diagrams, drawings illustrations where appropriate. Always use screen sharing. Even if you dont expect to need it, set up a smalltime or live meetings in case needed. Follow up all meetings with a takeaway list. Insure all participants know if action is required to follow up.

Id love to hear other peoples experiences, please feel free to comment and let us know.......