So we’re in recruiting mode at Observer Media Group, and boy does it suck. We’re trying to fill just one position; a junior to mid-level developer. We’re looking for candidates who know PHP, HTML, and Javascript cold, and ideally know a bit of Drupal and have at least one other language under their belt with some preference towards Python and Ruby since we frequently build projects in those too. But of course there’s a gap between what’s in our budget and what qualified candidates want to earn. And of course there’s no lack of candidates who would be happy earning much less than what we can pay. But those candidates are either inexperienced, uncommited, or simply clueless, not to mention needy and whiny. More ⊕

Guess who’s back, back again…?

Is your application a hooptie? Could it stand a ghetto-fabulous makeover of MTV-sized proportions? Chances are, even if it is washed and waxed, it could probably move on up to the big time by following a few nuggets of kind reflection.

I’ve been kicking around some thoughts and observations of various social media sites and APIs. And guess what? My eyes have seen the glory of the pimping of your app. That’s right — just follow these golden rules and you, too, can go from limp to pimp.
More ⊕

I visited one of my favorite sites today — A List Apart. I was excited to see an article entitled “Getting Started with Ruby on Rails.” Like the name suggests, it is a solid introduction to Ruby on Rails and programming with the framework. Through Rails has already won many converts, it is still just being picked up by scads of developers… those who thought it best to wait until it was more supported or more mature.

I began experimenting with Rails fairly early due to a coworker’s suggestion. Then I dove in head-first when I started working for a firm specializing in Ruby on Rails development. And I’ve loved every minute of this wild ride. It is more fulfilling than previous frameworks I’ve used — ASP.NET, in particular. This feeling is due in heavy measure to the eloquence of Ruby the language, it’s natural feel, but also to the design considerations of the Rails framework. It is true that constraint can spawn creativity… ask anyone who has written a Sonnet and followed the appropriate conventions including Iambic Pentameter and the rhyme scheme. In this way, Rails allows me greater creativity and flexibility through its constraints. More ⊕

I wrote about the ASP.NET MVC Framework previously — and since then, had a chance to take a look at the source code and provide some feedback of my own. In my opinion, it has a long way to go, but it is a great step in the right direction from Microsoft. Not only are they moving toward public involvement in releases and a more acceptable release schedule, but a better overall philosophy of community involvement and adherence to de facto web application code design standards. It seems MS got the hint from the success of Open-source frameworks and felt the need to compete. Who says Open-source competition for developers hearts and minds is not a good thing? More ⊕

Well, it looks like the boys and girls in Redmond finally saw the proverbial light.  And, even though it was a train speeding down the ruby-hued rails, could this new Model-View-Controller framework release be what ASP.net programmers need to free themselves from their repetitive spaghetti-coded nightmares?

I hope so.  Better late than never, I suppose.  I’d still like to see ORM and the other wowie-wows that Rails offers.