Comments on: Invest in yourself

By: Thorbjørn

Thorbjørn — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:31:30 +0000

My best advice to you is to USE the things you read about. Solve a problem – yours or any others – with the technologies, and you will learn lots more than just by reading about it.

Programming is a craft – you need to practice all the time.

By: Invest in yourself « Je pense en Java, Java is fun

Invest in yourself « Je pense en Java, Java is fun — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:53:15 +0000

[...] under Software Development , Programming , Uncategorized Yes, the most effective way is Invest in yourself [...]

By: funjava

funjava — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:46:59 +0000

I remember that about 2 years ago, I wanted to learned Struts just for the goal of learning a new Web framework. I picked up the book “Jakarta Struts Live” and read it. Until now I have never used Struts in a read project. And I have forgotten all things about Struts. But what I have really learned from the book is TDD (Test Driven Development).
And then 1 year ago, I worked with Hibernate in a project for 6 months. I have read “Hibernate” in action. Now I have forgotten many of details about Hibernate. But in my mind, the problem of mapping between 2 worlds: object and relational is now much more clearer and my skill of database modeling have improved too.
Good books do teach you about the techno you are working with, but you can forget about it 6 months later. The basic knowledge and method that you can learn from books, in the other hand last for your all professional life and take you to a higher level in the way you work.

By: taffit

taffit — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:52:30 +0000

>> Java is so 90’s and should only be used for legacy stuff
Made my day… And professionally argumented, too… Time to wake up man…
There are always pros and cons for every programming language, but this is absolutely wrong.

Good article though. The problem with depth vs. breadth is well analyzed: as an IT worker you must have a broad knowledge of many technologies (and it helps you if you switch projects / technologies), at the other side you have to be specialized enough to complete a certain project. And the more you are specialized – guess what – the better solutions you produce.

My personal advice is to keep on learning your whole life, specialize yourself on one technology but every now and then gain a little deeper insight at other methods / technologies / whatever.

Just my 2 cents…

By: Tahir Akram

Tahir Akram — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 07:22:01 +0000

If we are working in any project, we will face real time problems and hence to we learn a lot in order to give the solutions. We go best in depth of the technology or the framework we are using. Means working in real time project gives us better chances to explore things in more depth.

But still there are many things, that one can love to learn, offcourse these things are not in his job, so one will go to some books and tutorials to learn it out. Do this type of learning can be compared to learning in projects?

Because while reading book you just test some tutorials, and when you see things getting work, you feel happy to say that you have done it. But you didn’t implement this in real time scenario.

So I want to ask, if I also want to invest in myself. how can I justify my off-project learning (means extra learning) better, to boost for my next job. Because employer needs the person best in ability and sharp in technology…

so what you guys think …

–
regards
Tahir Akram

By: Top Posts « WordPress.com

Top Posts « WordPress.com — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:59:32 +0000

[...] Invest in yourself As I grow in my professional life, I’m see that it’s very important to be well informed. When you are doing […] [...]

By: Andries Inzé

Andries Inzé — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 19:17:36 +0000

I’ve read more then half of Beginning Ruby: From Novice to Professional, as a breadth first education. However, since the most part of new projects are still in Java (and .Net), I believe strongly that the best investment for me is Java.

My point was not that you should read Java books, but that good books offer information (and education) that you can’t find easily online. Each of us should decide for themself what are the best topics to study.

By: onur

onur — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 19:08:39 +0000

I don’t understand why you offered java only books. Java is so 90′s and should only be used for legacy stuff

By: Andries Inzé

Andries Inzé — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 19:08:05 +0000

Paul, I am currently reading ‘Refactoring’, indeed a great book.

And indeed dept and breath are totally wrong.

I find JUG event’s not accessible. BEJUG (Belgian JUG, and I’m Belgian) asks € 100 + VAT on a yearly basis. I find this to be too much for the couple meetings they offer.

By: Jim Bethancourt

Jim Bethancourt — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:27:09 +0000

Another great way to learn is to go to your local JUG meetings if at all possible. You’ll learn about topics you may not have thought to look at twice but may end up serving you well on the job, and you’ll meet lots of really great people along the way.

Cheers,
Jim Bethancourt
Houston JUG President