Filipina Programmer

Project Lightning

2011-05-03T21:44:00.001+08:00

Part 1

We have been developing for some time now what we will call Project Lightning. And from this project, we have discoveries about other helpful stuffs out there.

Well, it’s never too late. So for not so early birds like us, I hope this will help you.

1. Dropbox

Rating: ★★★★★

From its name, it is your online drop box. This started as a group repository since our client is in the US and now I have also started using it personally.

Dropbox has a basic 2GB of free space which is enough for some basic files you need immediate access to anytime, anywhere like resume or temporary backup files during presentations. I have lots of benefits from this but I think it is best for you to watch their video. Follow their Get Started and referrals scheme then you could have as much as another 8GB!

2. Facebook Feed And Like

Rating: ★★★✰✰
Site:
Feed: http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/javascript/FB.ui/
Like: http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/plugins/like/

Facebook says so much of how most of us live these days, so of course Project Lightning needs to connect too. Our client made their own FB page which I used in setting up the Like button in the site. The Like button is very easy to do, especially that FB developers already have the page on creating the button by just providing the attributes you would prefer.

FB Feed Dialog is a little more complicated that the Like button. First, my teammate registered the site as an FB Application. He did this to obtain an application ID which is a pre-requisite in using the FB Feed Dialog. This is a sample of what I am talking about. I think the unappealing side of this is that we have to maintain the App page we have registered aside from the site’s fan page. Like You Tube, which is a site but also have an App page to let their users post directly videos from YouTube.com to Facebook.

3. Jing
Rating: Not Applicable

Jing, and basically all of TechSmith, are wonderful creations that helped the Project Lightning. Our client mainly uses Jing in capturing screencast when enhancements and bugs are simulated or demonstrated. I haven’t tried using the Jing itself, but as an end user (the one watching the videos made through Jing) I really find it useful. It could be a great help in creating tutorials or help videos.

Like Dropbox, Jing also have a free 2GB of space and offers payment options to have Jing Pro.

4. Yopmail
Rating: ★★★★★

Tired of using your personal email addresses to test your application? Try using the services offered in Yopmail.com. In Project Lightning, we needed email accounts for different scenarios and user types. Yopmail not only allows you to create disposable email without subscription but accessing it is so easy (no password, logging in, etc.) which reduces time consumed in accessing a normal email client server.

This is just the first of the two-part series learned from Project Lightning. Other last, and half part, coming soon... ✌

Disclaimer: The post contents of this blog is the opinion of the author and is not intended in any way to malign anyone. The images used are not owned by the author but is either on public domain or owned by the companies featured in the blog. The author is not responsible, nor will be held liable, for anything anyone says about this post.

January 2011 GratITtude List

2011-01-31T23:56:00.002+08:00

1. Played scrabble with Papa and Lex for the first 4 hours of the year.
2. Bonding time with Mama.
3. Thanks Katts! Had a good time with Katts, Leah, Daqs, Cis, Xtian and Lowlah in Aveneto and Starbucks!
4. Thanks Yen for the yummy polvoron =p
5. One goal down :)
6. Weeh! Started my own blog! 2nd down - target for the year... (Guys thank you for the support!)
7. GC received for Perfect Attendance last October
8. Thanks Car! Great dinner date with Car, Oyis and Neri! ♥ chat in Kanin Club.
9. Thanks JL! Reunion lunch with JL, Gino and Chris in Eat & Go.
10. Great Bible Study with Val, Arvil, Rachel, Kate, Daqs, and Mommy Leah.
11. Movie marathon / Weird dance / jam / ٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶ / nice walk with BY
12. Lovely rain
13. Good laugh with officemates and for the cheese burger stuffed bread
14. Improving play in pingpong :))
15. A call from my brother
16. New technical things learned from my current project in the office
to God for answered prayers
17. We're all safe
18. Good vibes with housemates
19. My SMITS friends for always checking on me
20. Good health (APE ok)
21. Tere gave me sampalok because I'm sleepy
22. For the Word for the World Christian Fellowship family :)
23. Started to do exercise
24. Jollibee Chicken Spag as a reward after not eating chicken for 1 month
25. For the great Sunday service in church and a good preaching from Ptr. Hern (Victory Podcast)
26. For friends who were always there to listen (kahit paulit-ulit lang kwento ko) and who remembered me first (not the other way around)

I encourage you to write your own gratitude list! Always keep the good things in your heart and acknowledging that we are always blessed by God! -leMody

Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

First time mo? Take IT from my Experience!

2011-01-23T19:47:00.000+08:00

I am one of the (used to-be) stubborn person you could find in the IT Industry. Kung hindi man ako, e kabarkada ko ung mas makukulit or magugulo pa! So sa mga (magiging) fresh graduates, baka may matutunan kayo sa mga ituturo ko (a.k.a. tips ) based on my or my friends' experience.

1. Ano ba gusto mo maging? Sa IT, hindi lang programmer ang pwede mo tahakin. Dito, as entry level, pwede ka maging programmer (a.k.a. developer, software engineer, application specialist), designer (a.k.a. graphic/layout artist), tester (a.k.a. quality analyst, test engineer), o kaya network admin.

Ako, nagsimula ako bilang Junior QA Engineer kahit ang gusto ko talaga ay maging isang programmer. Ilang buwan bago matapos ang kontrata ko, sinabi namin ni Car sa sarili namin na sa susunod na trabaho namin, magiging programmer kami

2. Resume (a.k.a. Curriculum Vitae (CV). Your resume will say so much about you so here are some tips:

Formal e-mail account. Gumawa ka ng formal email account unless kaya nyo panindigan ang isang super-cool na email. Ang e-mail ko na nagapply after college ay leMody_astig@***.com. "Why astig?" lang naman ang isa sa mga tanong na paulit-ulit kong sinagot sa mga naging interview ko.
Proofread. Basahin mo ng ilang ulit ang resume mo. Bago mo isend sa isang company, isend mo muna sayo o sa isang kaibigan para idouble check. Ang isa sa mga maling ginawa ko ay ang gumawa ng application letter (through e-mail) at inattach lang ang resume. After several days with no reply from different companies, dun ko lang ulit binasa email ko, only to find out na wala ung nirerefer ng mahiwagang line na Please see attached resume.
Don't say less. Bilang fresh grad, di ko sinama ung mga college stuffs ko, halimbawa mga school seminars, activities, certificates (kasi feeling ko baduy). Hinanap sila ng isang HR employee na naginterview sa akin, kaya dapat isama nyo yun. :)

3. Saan? Kung saan mo gusto! Gusto ko dito sa Manila kahit ayaw ng parents ko. Ngayong gusto ko naman itry sa Baguio, ayaw na nila akong bumalik dun dahil naintindihan nila na mas malaki IT industry dito. Ang iba, nasa ibang bansa na. Ang mga gaya ko naman na masaya na dito sa Pilipinas, e di andito pa rin! Pwede rin kung saan pwede. Try nyo ito:

Accenture. Isa sa mga kumpanya kung saan naipapadala sa ibang bansa ung mga empleyado nila. Tingin ko, more than 50% na ng naging classmate ko sa Accenture ang nanggaling na o nasa ibang bansa ngayon. Ang iba naman, umalis na ng Accenture at tuluyan ng nag-ibang bansa.
BlastAsia. Up-to-date technologies and many more hehe.
SMITS. IT Subsidiary ng San Miguel Corporation and it is for you to find out kung anong meron.

4. Ask! Para sa akin, ok lang ang magtanong, basta sa tamang tao. Wag akong gayahin na basta basta pumipirma. Wag mapressure o magpapressure. Relax lang.
HR Interview. Sana naman alam mo inaapplayan mong position para di mo na itanong. San ka madedeploy (Office, Home-based o Client)? Working hours (40hr/wk, 44hr/wk, AM/PM, mon-fri, o until sat)? Status ng position (contractual, regular, o project-based)? Kung hindi mo rin alam ang ibig sabihin ng bawat option, magtanong lang po.
Technical Interview. Anong technoligies gamit? May training po ba or self-study? (Kung may training, ask the HR kung may bond)

Ok, pwedeng hindi mo pa alam ngayon kung san ka. Pero kapag dumating ung panahon na alam mo na, go for it! Habang it's not yet about the money.

A Glass Half Full

2011-01-14T21:52:00.001+08:00

It was around 1pm when I felt again the twitching pain at the left side, back of my head and followed by numbness in my left cheek down to my neck. Even if it lasted for only 3 seconds, I really got scared, panicked, and got close to tears. Minutes later, I was already in a hospital nearby.

I said to the doctor something like "Since last night, I feel like a vein in my head gets twisted for about 2 seconds and will be gone. I feel this with irregular intervals." And told the doctor the recent one with numbness. The doctor asked other symptoms and I answered them all with no. The diagnosis was simple and no-brainer : headache.

I don't think they heard me. I seriously know what headache and migraine is. And this is different.

The second doctor, in the Non-Urgent room took more time with me. I repeated my situation and it was broken down to me.

1. Since the headache (urgh!) has started last night, I should have taken even a paracetamol.

2. I was asked to slowly bow down my head and I before I did a full bow, I felt pain at the back, below my neck. She said it was indeed a muscle spasm/contraction/tension (type - headache). The muscles in my skull were tight thus causing pain.

I was given prescription and was released from the Emergency room.

Why did I acted that way? Why do I feel extremely annoyed when they categorized my pain into a simple headache?

I should be thankful to God it was just a headache. I would not dare hear what I was expecting them to say. I should be extremely happy I got to talk to a doctor - who happens to be an expert on this one. I should not fully rely on my Programmer instincts and Dr. Google.

We should always, always, look at the glass half full.

PS. Dr. Google said muscle spasms can be caused by emotional and physical stress, and improper posture when using a computer (alam na!).