Happy Thanksgiving
I am on vacation and spending time with my family. I want to urge you to do the same this Thanksgiving and for the holidays! Thank you for reading my blog, and I apologize I haven't been as active as I probably should.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Why “I’ll do it tomorrow” is not good for blogging
Search engines give more attention to fresh, new content. It's that simple.
If you're a business looking to start corporate blogging or may already have a blog you're most likely attempting to do so to keep your customers abreast of news and innovation within your industry. You may also be doing so to give a personal touch that surpasses your corporate exterior to develop trust. With each day that you miss putting out another blog post you are actually missing on an opportunity to build your business or your online brand presence.
Just as you wouldn't choose to follow the tactic of "we'll take today off and be open tomorrow" you should apply the same reasoning behind corporate blogging. Every well-defined blog post you write opens so many opportunities. Here are a few:
- Search engines will view your blog as active and may begin to give it a little more attention and higher ranking.
- Every defined post acts as a door or window that a customer can see into to find out more about your company.
- By focusing on your business and your customer in relation to the post it can be a lead generator.
- Practice. It will never hurt to write about your business or industry.
- Create a personal touch with your customers.
I have fallen victim to "I'll do it tomorrow" when it comes to this blog. I regret it when I realize I have several days in between posts. I know that every day that I miss an opportunity to write I miss a chance to connect with you.
What are some ways you have taught yourself to stay current in your blogging habits?
Why Web developers must understand business too
I see and hear about it too often. The typical stereotype of a Web developer or software engineer is a pocket-protector, glasses, algorithms, socially awkward and tends to be an introvert. These individuals are generally portrayed as out-of-touch when it comes to how their work truly has an impact on the business of their company. The guy portrayed to the right still rings true in modern pop-culture on what a nerd, Web developer or software engineer is like.
During my tenure at Ball State University I primarily studied code, applications and databases. I was completely on my path to Nerd City (does not really exist...I think). I opted to also study Information Systems Management to get a better feel for how IT and software engineering really impacts business. I actually saw quite the dynamic between most engineers I was studying with and the students that took the Information Systems Management courses. The students in IS Management generally understood practical business applications of IT and software engineering more than those who did not study IS.
Why is this important? I am always trying to find ways for the work I do to have a positive impact or effect on my company and our clients. Understanding practical business elements of a project it harnesses my focus to deliver more reliable code in the end. Many times Web developers and software engineers can get so hammered by the details of classes, objects, third-party applications, algorithms and the question of "does it work" rather than "why does it need to work"?
If you are in Web development or software engineering try to take a moment on the next project and think why does this client need this feature? The answer will almost inevitably give you more focus and a better understanding of what you need to do. The steps will become more clear on how to get to the end result. The question of "does it work" is still important in the end as you don't want to deliver a product that simply fails, but the question of "why does it need to work" will expand your insight on a project to catch potential traps or better methods to deliver a better product.
Brushing the dust off on .NET development
I will be the first to admit that over the past four years since graduating from Ball State University my path in programming has steered me away from .NET. This wasn't necessarily a personal choice. My first position developed their proprietary CMS in ASP Classic VBScript which I took the time to learn how the code worked and ended up becoming quite proficient in it over the past several years. When I started my position at Fusework Studios I continued to write in ASP Classic because that's what I had become accustomed to, and at the time it seemed simpler to stay in that realm.
For some time that's where I became comfortable. It was definitely within my comfort zone. Over the past several years I have had only a handful of projects that would venture into the realms of PHP and .NET development. Each time that I dared to enter this unfamiliar or old territory doubt crept into my mind, but thankfully I have been able to be accomplished enough that I was able to develop and succeed on each project.
Recently on a project I have had to update my personal and work computers with the latest Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 package. I disassembled a compiled DLL file that I was not familiar with only to find that the modifications needed done to the site needed so much more than this DLL was structured to do. I had two choices:
- Modify the DLL extensively to get the end result.
- Take what I needed from the code in the DLL and write a new application to accomplish the client's goals for the site.
I opted for number 2, and it was invigorating to be able to brush the dust off a long-lost development approach after working with ASP Classic for so long. Mike Lacey, the other Web developer at Fusework Studios, is a big supporter of .NET development and kept telling me "welcome home." It felt good to take on a new challenge. To do something different. To create something new. After going through the motions for some time in ASP Classic it felt great to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. I think inherently that's all a programmer or engineer really wants to do at heart. We want to create. We want to create something new. Even now my mind is reeling over what I can try next. The great thing is...I can't wait.
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