Blog - Arthur Dick

What's in a Name?

Friday, April 19th, 2024

In the grand language of code, variables, functions, and classes play together to create the symphony of our programs. But what makes the music clear and beautiful? Just like a well-written piece relies on each note, the readability and maintainability of code depend heavily on one crucial element: naming.

Sure, you can technically name a function "doStuff" and a variable "temp," but future you (or any poor soul collaborating with you) will be left scratching their heads. Meaningful names are the cornerstones of clean code, and in this post, we'll delve into why they matter and explore best practices for crafting names that sing.

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Tags: software developmentclean code

Thriving in Silence

Saturday, April 13th, 2024

The stereotype of the programmer as a lone wolf, toiling away in a basement lit by a single monitor, holds a grain of truth. But for introverts like myself, this isn't some caricature - it's our happy place. While the world of programming might seem extrovert-central, filled with collaboration, meetings, and code reviews, introverts can not only survive but thrive in this field. In fact, I'd argue that our introversion grants us unique strengths that make us valuable assets to any development team.

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Tags: software developmentintroversion

The XY Problem

Friday, April 5th, 2024

We've all been there. You're neck-deep in code, staring at an error message that makes about as much sense as a cryptic fortune cookie. Frustration mounts, and in a desperate attempt to regain control, you head straight to your favorite developer forum, ready to unleash your question upon the world. But hold on a second! Before you fire off that question about how to manipulate the 17th element of a nested array within a specific function (solution X), take a step back. You might be falling victim to the classic XY Problem.

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Tags: software developmentcommunication

The Art of the Command Line Interface

Friday, March 29th, 2024

For some, the command line is a daunting black box, filled with cryptic symbols and indecipherable jargon. But for software developers like me, it's a symphony of power and precision, a canvas for creativity and efficiency. It's more than just a tool; it's an art form.

Sure, the initial learning curve can be steep. But once you master the basic commands, a whole new world opens up. You navigate with lightning speed, manipulate files with surgical accuracy, and automate tasks with awe-inspiring efficiency. It's like wielding a scalpel instead of a blunt axe, crafting solutions with pinpoint control.

But the beauty of the CLI goes beyond its functionality. It's raw, unadorned, and stripped to its essentials. There's no flashy interface to distract you, no clickbait buttons to tempt you. It's just you, the computer, and the pure, unadulterated power of text.

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Tags: command linemini project

The Enigma of the Black Pawn

Friday, March 22nd, 2024

Chess is an ancient game, a battlefield where strategy and foresight determine the victor in a war fought with pieces on a 64-square board. Each piece plays a crucial role, from the imposing rook to the humble pawn. In the vast expanse of the digital universe, these age-old symbols have found a place in Unicode, ensuring that they transcend the limitations of the physical world to make their mark in digital communication. However, not all is well on the digital chessboard. A peculiar anomaly has emerged - the transformation of the black pawn, a change that has raised more than a few eyebrows and sparked frustration among chess aficionados and Unicode enthusiasts alike.

First, let's thrust ourselves back to 1993, a pivotal year when the black pawn was christened into the Unicode family as part of Unicode 1.1 (♟︎.) Fast forward to 2018, and we witness the addition of this iconic piece to Emoji 11.0 (♟️.) Yet, within this transition lies a tale of inconsistency and vexation.

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Tags: chessUnicode