CodeCall Programming Forum - Blogs - cdg10620

Let's Be Original

cdg10620 — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:05:32 GMT

I'm currently working towards finishing my CIS degree at the University of Houston. This semester I'm taking a Software Engineering class. Our project for this semester is to come up with an original piece of software that people or businesses would find useful, begin an execution plan, build, test, and release the software. I don't have a problem thinking of a real world scenario, building a plan, coding, testing, or releasing the software... I have a problem with the "original" part. It just seems that everything has already been done. I want to do something that is original or at least a better way to do something that is already out there, I just can't think of anything... (neither can my group)

So here is my question for all of you here at CodeCall (if you don't mind me picking your brain). If you could have a piece of software to assist you with a certain task either professionally or just something you would use on your own, what would it be?

Your time and thoughts are always appreciated.
Code:
foreach( string idea in brain )
{
	if( !idea.original )
		continue; // Keep Thinking
	else
		OriginalIdea(); // You've figured it out!!!
}

How it all started...

cdg10620 — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:37:39 GMT

So I was thinking this morning about how I got started in programming and figured I would share the story.

When I finally settled on a degree I decided to go for a B.A. Computer Science:Information Systems. My cousin has the same degree and he has done very well. I also figured that it would give me options to be a programmer or be on the operations side of IT. So I started the degree plan and one summer decided it was time for a new job. I had a friend who helped me get a job as an estimator for a construction supply company. I worked there for 3 days when my cousin called me and said "Hey... You're going for a computer degree right?" When I answered yes he replied "Well... You want a job?" So I jumped at the offer and came to the office for an interview. I initially thought I was going to be working helpdesk like him but they had other plans. I had an interview with the Programming side of things. I was not going to turn my nose up at the job and I took it.

Talk about knowing the right people and being in the right place at the right time. So I have been a programmer in the field for about 1 year and still going strong.

My question to you is how did you get started in programming?

Another Day...

cdg10620 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:00:35 GMT

Just another morning at the office. I got here at about 6:50am like I normally do. Logged on to my laptop, got some coffee, checked e-mail, and then began coding. I'm currently in the process of translating and updating some of our old asp classic applications into ASP.NET with C#. I do enjoy updating some of these applications because it give me some creative freedom with re-designing them. One of our other developers created a new style sheet (CSS) that really streamlined our applications. Now we just need to go in and apply that style sheet to them all. I do have to say that the new style looks very clean.

Hopefully I'll get this application finished and move on to the next one. I just finished a really large one the other day. Updated a current project to use the new style, and now I have 4 more updates in queue. We'll see how the day goes.

Is anyone else working on anything interesting?