Free Technology How to Increase your Marketability

1
Free Technology How to Increase your
Marketability

• Development Track
• Patrick El-Azem
• Principal Consultant, Net Gain Solutions LLC

2
Agenda

• Audience and Goals
• Tools
• The Foundation IDEs
• Adding On Good Tools to have
• Branching Out Beyond Just Code
• Learning Resources
• Hiring what the heck are they looking for?!?

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Audience and Goals

• Audience
• Entry-Level through Mid-Level Developers
• General-Purpose Software Development (i.e. not
  Embedded, iPhone, etc.) gt free tools
• Goals
• Review free tools available across platforms
• Review free learning resources
• Non-Goals / Non-Topical
• Soft skills
• Domain knowledge (e.g. UML, Agile, etc. etc.)

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Tools IDEs - 1

• The Foundation IDEs
• IDE Integrated Development Environment
• Offers capabilities like syntax assistance,
  debugging, build, and much more
• Can be multi-language / multi-framework
• Major Technology Domains
• Microsoft .NET (VB.NET, C, F)
• Java, C/C
• Dynamic Languages (JavaScript, Ruby, PHP, Python,
  etc.)

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Tools IDEs - 2

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Express
• Visual Studio 2008 Express C, VB.NET, Web, C
• www.microsoft.com/express/download/
• Limited capabilities full version is Visual
  Studio 2008 for - (3-month trial versions
  avl. though)
• SharpDevelop
• Open-Source Microsoft-compatible IDE C, VB, Boo
• www.icsharpcode.net/OpenSource/SD/
• Includes excellent 3rd-pty add-on tools
• Capabilities exceed Visual Studio Express

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Tools IDEs - 3

• Eclipse Java, PHP, Ruby, Python, and more
• www.eclipse.org
• Cross-platform, multi-language, extensible
• Many add-ons avl. e.g. Google Eclipse Ruby
• NetBeans Java, PHP, Ruby, Python, and more
• www.netbeans.org
• Cross-platform, multi-language

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Tools Adding On - 1

• Unit Testing (TDD!!)
• Why use? Developer first responsibility for
  quality!
• .NET nUnit (www.nunit.org), xUnit
  (xunit.codeplex.com)
• Java jUnit (www.junit.org)
• Many, many more avl. these are general-purpose

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Tools Adding On - 2

• Source Code Control
• Why use? History, rollback, concurrency mgmt.
• Subversion Server Client subversion.tigris.org
  (if you set up your own server, be sure to read
  tinyurl.com/68hdb9)
• Server with GUI VisualSVN (www.visualsvn.com)
• More avl. (CVS, Git, etc.) but Subversion is
  easy, cross-platform, low learning curve
• Read up on TTB and learn how to tag, branch,
  and merge

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Tools Adding On - 3

• Analysis
• Why use? Check your code against rule bases of
  best practices, look for problem patterns.
• FxCop .NET static analysis tool
  tinyurl.com/dm5fp8
• StyleCop .NET code style analysis tool
  tinyurl.com/5rzmqa
• Gendarme .NET/Mono static analysis tool
  tinyurl.com/a2o2ec
• Many more tools tinyurl.com/y25zj3

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Tools Adding On - 4

• Build
• Why use? Automate build processes that include
  more than just compile code copy files, call
  ext. executables, etc.
• .NET Nant (www.nant.org)
• Java Ant (ant.apache.org)
• Coverage
• Why use? Determine how much code is covered by
  unit tests gauge code complexity
• .NET PartCover (sourceforge.net/projects/partcove
  r)
• Java see java-source.net/open-source/code-coverag
  e

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Tools Branching Out - 1

• Database
• Good competencies database design/normalization,
  query writing, index design, execution plan
  tuning
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express
  (tinyurl.com/69a3uh)
• MySQL Community Server also included in some
  OSes and IDEs (dev.mysql.com/downloads)
• PostGreSQL (www.postgresql.org)
• IDEs typically have plugins avl. for database
  management, or DBs come with management UI

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Tools Branching Out - 2

• Web Frameworks
• jQuery JavaScript library (www.jquery.com)
• Microsoft Ajax Control Toolkit (www.asp.net/ajax)
• Microsoft ASP.NET MVC (www.asp.net/mvc)
• Ruby on Rails (www.rubyonrails.org)
• Frameworks
• Microsoft Web Platform Installer
  (tinyurl.com/bgpsj9)
• LAMP Stack Installer (tinyurl.com/5x2kr)

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Tools Branching Out - 3

• Object-Relational Mappers
• Why use? Simplify OO/DB development
• Subsonic (www.subsonicproject.com) fast, easy
  to learn
• Hibernate (www.hibernate.org) powerful, complex

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Learning Resources

• MSDN Learning Center enormous resources
  tinyurl.com/54fut6
• Microsoft Thrive - tinyurl.com/mmsaeu
• Ruby on Rails wiki.rubyonrails.org/start
• Java java.about.com
• Much more online Google specifics (language
  topic)

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Hiring

• Perspective Hiring Manager
• Companies and cultures vary! Also, right now
  hiring is risky. Dont despair.
• My experience our best hires self-motivated,
  passionate over resume alphabet-soup
• Be willing to freelance, tackle small projects,
  do pro bono
• Show ability to try new tech, apply to business
  problems
• Prototype show source bring screenshots or
  some sort of demo show eagerness.
  Free/open-source youll save me money.
  Pragmatism gt Dogma.
• Blog interesting stuff you do/try and put blog
  on resume
• Use LinkedIn update it, post status updates
  join groups like LIDNUG, Scrum Club, etc.
• Think on your feet dont be afraid to ask
  questions and use the whiteboard instead of
  freezing! We want to see you think, not see
  someone who knows everything.
• Network! Go to SwANH events, Chamber of Commerce
  events (e.g. www.ecoast.org), Professionals
  groups (e.g. www.mypn.org, www.catapult.org) etc.
  Get (good!) business cards (free _at_
  VistaPrint.com), elevator pitch.