Author Archives: Anesti Lara

Apprenticeship Patterns Chapter 1 and Chapter 2-6 Introductions

This week I read Chapter 1 of Apprenticeship Patterns as well as the introductions for chapter 2-6. One thing that interested me greatly about the first chapter was learning about what it truly means to be an apprentice. I always thought apprentice’s were like sidekicks, and did not matter, but the first chapter really changed my view. It made me appreciate apprentices as people who always think they can get better, and I really relate to that. I never think I did something perfect, and I always want to strive to better myself every day. The introduction to Chapter 2 was really interesting. The part that interested me the most was the story of the master and the apprentice. The master’s quote about coming to him with a glass already full is spot on. You need an openness to learn more so you can get better. Nobody knows everything, and you have to understand that to truly get better. The introduction to Chapter 3 showed me that even when you become a master at your field, you will still be an apprentice. You can always get better, and there will always be somebody better than you. The introduction to Chapter 4 had a very important lesson that you should never get too full of yourself. I agree with this because once you become comfortable with where you are, that is when people seek to improve less. There are always higher levels that can be reached, and you must never be complacent. The introduction to Chapter 5 goes over important knowledge that I must get better at. It goes over how you must not get distracted and stay focused on the goal. I see myself getting distracted and sidetracked many times in work, so I must focus on doing more to erase that distraction time. The introduction to Chapter 6 also goes into a problem that I feel like I have at times too. It goes over how people must be more focused on knowledge than the grade. I always get stressed and worked up over the grade that it becomes more important to me than learning the information. I feel like I have been getting better at it during college though, and I strive to continue doing better. The introductions to these chapters have really gotten me excited to get to read all of them!

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

What Visiting LibreFoodPantry and Thea’s Pantry Taught Me

One thing from LibreFoodPantry that I found interesting was how open they are about the software to the youth through Discord. In this time, many young people use Discord as a form of communication. Using Discord as a form of communication for the software is a good way to get young developers in on what is being made. I chose to write about this because many people do not realize this, and are not up to date with the times. It ends up failing to start a connection with the youth and future that is pivotal to keep these types of projects alive through them.

One thing from Thea’s Pantry that I found interesting was how deep and intricate it was. This seems like the biggest program I have seen thus far, and it is really telling how long this has been in the works. I chose this for that very reason, as it is very amazing to see the well thought architecture, the varying tools in technology, and the specific workflow of this program. The user stories are also a great way to learn about this program, you can see the various scenarios, and learn how it is supposed to work for each single one.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Anestiblog #7

This week I read a blog post that I thought really related to the class about custom software development. The blog started with a section about the process of custom software development. It consists of research, UI design, MVP development, testing, maintenance, and monitoring/support. The blog then goes into why it can be for you. It gives reasons like how it makes your business more unique, and personalized to the needs of your business. The next section finally goes into the 7 benefits. They are a personalized process, cost-effective, reliable, continuous support, flexibility, seamless integration, and exclusive ownership. I see all those benefits as a definite win, especially how you would be making it your own, and nobody can take it from you. The blog ends by going over how the advantages outweigh the negatives, and how they are too evident not to use.

 I selected this blog post because software development is my dream job, and I thought it would be interesting to read about custom software development since I have never heard of it before. This blog did not disappoint in that aspect, and I think it will help tons of others as well.

 I think this blog was a great read that I recommend for many reasons. One reason I would recommend this blog is because it goes in-depth on the different benefits. It makes a section for each benefit, and explains how it is a benefit. An example of this is with the cost-effectiveness benefit. The blog writes about how this is a huge benefit because since it is custom, you will only be paying to make it, but in the long run it will last you the entire time. Another reason is because custom software development could be something that you will need to know to do in the future, and it is good to know why it is so important. Then, when the time comes in the future, you will be ready. The final reason I will be going over is because it shows how the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. If anyone thinks custom software development is not worth it, maybe this blog could help them change their mind.

This blog taught me about how custom software development is really beneficial, and it should be used the most often. The material affected me heavily because it showed me that custom software development will be widely needed in the future, so I got to understand it. I will use this knowledge to try and further software development in my future.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Anestiblog #6

This week I read a blog post that I thought really related to the class about the history of software development. The blog goes over software development’s history from early computers to development today. The blog starts off with early computers, giving interesting facts like how the first piece of software was made with punch cards, and took 52 minutes to complete calculations. Then, there is a section about personal computers that people have in their homes. The section goes into how programming languages were becoming more well known, and how people started using computers outside of work in the mid-1990s. After, there is a paragraph about mobile computing devices, and how they developed from IBM Simon in 1994, and programmers starting to create phone apps in the 2000s to our smartphones of today. The blog ends with the software development of today. The ending is about how old programming languages are still used, and new languages are being made today. The ending also describes how modern software development is enhancing “dumb” devices by putting chips in them.

 I selected this blog post because software development is my dream job, and I thought it would be interesting to read about the history of it. This blog has a great way of showing how software has progressed over time ,and I think every CS major should read it since we do not want history to repeat itself.

 I think this blog was a great read that I recommend for many reasons. One reason I would recommend this blog is because it is a good history lesson for people that are interested in software development. It is good to learn about the past, so that we could prevent similar mistakes from happening again. Another reason I would recommend this blog is because it has a lot of interesting facts for people interested. One example is when the blogger writes about how the IBM Simon was the first predecessor to smartphones in 1994, and it even had a touchscreen and email! The last reason I would recommend this blog is because it could help having this knowledge in a future job to show how interested you are in software development, and how knowledgeable you are in the area.

This blog taught me about how software development has progressed through time from software that needed an hour to run to our technology of today. The material affected me heavily because it showed me how programming languages from early in its history, like C, are still used today. It makes you really think about how much was overachieved in the beginning, or is being underachieved now. I will use this knowledge to try and further software development in my future.

https://praxent.com/blog/history-of-software-development-innovation

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Anestiblog #5

This week I read a blog post that I thought really related to the class about agile software development. The blog is about the phases of the agile software development lifecycle. The blog starts off explaining Agile and why it is used. It is being used because of its flexible, iterative, and incremental character. The blog then goes into the phases, and some agile techniques and tools. The phases are requirements, design, development and coding, integration and testing, implementation and deployment, and finally review. Some of the tools and techniques are spiral SDLC, and waterfall SDLC. The blog then goes into the pros and cons of agile software development. A pro is that there are flexible working hours around the clock, and a con is that all communication takes place on the internet, so it might be harder to connect with fellow developers. The blog ends by summarizing the cycle of agile software development, and describing it as aiming to build and deliver flawless working software on a tight schedule.

I selected this blog post because software development is my dream job, and I thought it would be interesting to read about a possible way I might be working using the agile method. This blog has a great way of showing how agile software development works, and how useful it could be, and I think every CS major should read it since we have to take another class similar to the things in this blog with software process management.

 I think this blog was a great read that I recommend for many reasons. One reason I would recommend this blog is because of how deep it goes into explaining the cycles of agile software development . The blog gives a description for every phase, and explains what to do at every phase, what others are going to do while you are on that phase, and what tools to use when you are on the phase. Another reason I would recommend this blog is because a lot of jobs that we will be looking for in the future will be using the agile method, and if we are not good at using it, then we are at a disadvantage to be hired. The last reason I would recommend this blog is because it is focused on teamwork, and teamwork is important for every job, and not just computer science related jobs. Agile could be used anywhere. 

This blog taught me about all the phases, and that if they are all done correctly by a team of developers, they could really work productively as a cohesive unit. The material affected me heavily because it showed me what skills to learn, and what to expect if I want my future dream of software development to come true as many jobs might be using the agile method, so I must be prepared. Now that I know about the agile software development method, I will try to look for more different methods.

link: https://relevant.software/blog/agile-software-development-lifecycle-phases-explained/#Output

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Anestiblog #4

This week I read a blog post that I thought really related to the class about why software development is important. The blog is about a deep dive into the career of a software developer. It starts off describing software developers as the masterminds behind computer programs. The blog then gives what different types of software developers do, like how applications software developers are responsible for designing computer or phone apps, and systems software developers are responsible for operating systems level software. Afterwards , the skills needed for software developers are shown. Some of the skills are problem-solving skills, teamwork, motivation, and analytical strategy. The blog ends with the salary of software developers($110,000), and a message to motivate the reader for the future. I selected this blog post because software development is my dream job, and I thought it would be interesting to read about what I should expect for the future job. This blog has a good, in-depth description of how Software Development works, that I think every CS major should read. I think this blog was a great read that I recommend for many reasons. One reason I would recommend this blog is because of how deep it goes into the job of a software developer. The blog goes over what to expect, skills needed, the pay, and does it all at a high level. Another reason I would recommend this blog is because a lot of jobs that we need CS-343 for will all be similar to software development, so even if you do not want to become a software developer, you can still learn something. The last reason I would recommend this blog is because it could get people who don’t like software development into the area by showing them what to expect from the job. Knowing what to expect could really help open the doors for others to be interested in this field. I learned how many of the skills that are needed for software developers I have already like Java, and I also learned the skills that I have not learned yet like DevOps. The material affected me heavily because it showed me what skills to learn, and what to expect if I want my future dream of software development to come true. I will take all the knowledge given to me through this blog into the future by getting better prepared to do this job. Now that I know what to expect from software development, I will try to build on it for the future.

https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/technology/blog/what-does-software-developer-do/

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Anestiblog #3

This week I read a blog post about eight ways to make software development go by faster, and I thought it was an interesting read to share with everyone. The blog starts off describing time as the most valuable resource in the software world, and how faster is better. The blog then goes into the different options of speed such as marathons, extreme sprints, moderate sprints, and intervals. You can select between the four for whichever project you are doing. The eight ways are shown as skills, experience, system complexity, technical debt, refactoring, slow automatic tests, overtime/deadlines, and passion. It concludes by describing software development speed as complex, and that it has no easy solution, but it does have a lot of different solutions depending on how you work. I selected this blog post because this class is a software development focused class, and I see my future in that area, so I want to know the most about it.I think this blog was a great read that I recommend for many reasons. A huge reason I selected this blog is because I want to become a software developer myself in the future, so it was a read that I could enjoy. It is good to read the blogs on things you care about because it makes the recommendation much more credible. Another reason I selected this blog was because it does a good job of showing the most important part of a software developer job. How to make more out of less time. It gives a huge number of different ways to solve the problem, and they all are viable answers. The last reason I will be going over is that it does a good job of tempering expectations. Time management is an important resource when it comes to software development, but it is not just some beginner’s problem. Experts still struggle with it occasionally today, so do not expect it to be an easy problem to answer. I learned about how important speed is to software development, and how many factors contribute to it, and how complex it is.This material affected me hugely because it showed how important conserving speed to save money is, and how I can use certain methods in the future to make projects go faster. I will take all of this knowledge with me as I continue in my career. Everyone who wants a career in software development needs to read this because it shows how time literally is money.

link : https://www.apptio.com/blog/speed-in-software-development/

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Anestiblog #2

This week I read a blog post about the top 10 most popular software architecture patterns, and I thought it really related to this class. The blog starts off going into what software architecture patterns are, and why it should be focused on. The blogger describes the patterns as an outcome of the design principles architects use and the decisions they make. The blogger thinks it should be focused on because it enables a software system to deliver its business, operational, and technical objectives. The blog then gives some tips on how to know if your patterns are good, and then lists the 10 most common patterns. The blog ends on how to evaluate which pattern is best for your project. I selected this blog post because from last week I wanted to go deeper in the world of software architecture, and I thought the different patterns was a good way to go. I think this blog was a great read that I recommend for many reasons. A huge reason was that it really is good at giving background information before really getting into the list, so that you understand what a software architecture pattern is. Before I read the blog, I had no idea what it was, and that made me want to learn more, and this blog helped with that. Another reason I would recommend reading this blog is because it gives the top 10 most common patterns. That is important because for a career in this field, you have to know the most common patterns because those are the ones that will be used the most in future jobs. If anyone is thinking about a career in this field then they should definitely know the 10 patterns. The last reason I will mention is that in the end, the blogger explains that to get the right pattern for your application, software architects with that skill are the most sought after, so it really should be a big reason to learn more about patterns because you can really use it to your advantage. I learned what the software architecture patterns are, and that the software architecture models make it easy to reuse them in other projects since you now know the decisions and trade-offs. I also learned that the interpreter pattern, and the layered architecture pattern are two of the most well-used patterns, as I think I have done something similar to them before. This material affected me hugely because it showed how important the patterns are to software development, so it showed that I will be needing it if I ever want to become a developer in the near future, so it is really great to know this stuff. I will take all of this knowledge with me as I continue in my career. Everyone who wants a career in software development just has to read this blog as well.

link : https://nix-united.com/blog/10-common-software-architectural-patterns-part-1/

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Anestiblog #1

This week I read a blog post that I thought really related to the class about why software design is important. The blog starts off talking about what Software Design is and the different types of it. The blogger describes Software Design as a layout for structuring the code of your software application. The different types of software design are listed as Architectural Design, High-level Design, and Detailed Design. Each type gets its own paragraph description to teach you a bit about them. Then it goes into what the blog is about with the importance of it, separating it into four different points, and then showing a chart of the process. The blog ends with a conclusion about how their company can help you with design. I selected this blog post because I was always very interested in Software Design because I do not know much about what that area is about. This blog has a good, in-depth description of why Software Design matters, that I think every CS major should read. Many students just take a class to get the grade and not care ever again about the material anymore, and I am against that. Every area in Computer Science has something to teach you outside of school. I think this blog was a great read that I recommend for many reasons. I love how the blog separates different points and types into its own section, so that everything has its own explanation, and you do not need to go look up another site to understand information on this blog. The chart that shows the steps in Software Design flow is really well made, and shows you the right way to design from understanding the requirements to deploying the aspects of development into the design itself. It is a perfect introduction to somebody interested in working in this field, and shows exactly how good designs are made. Another reason I would recommend this blog is because of how every part of an application hinges on the design. No matter how hard you worked on your part of it , if the design is bad, the whole application will fail. I learned how modularity makes the software simpler by giving the convenience of future changes, the privileges of good Software Design, and how bad Software Design can destroy an entire application. The material affected me heavily because it showed how the Software Design is the backbone of an entire application, so it should never be taken lightly, and always should be put in the highest priority because it could make or break the application. I will take all the knowledge given to me through this blog into the future through looking even further into Software Design in the future, because it will be a big part of me trying to achieve my Software Development dreams. Now that I know why the design is important, I will spread further into what makes a design great or poor, and how design is improved.

Link : https://www.mindbowser.com/why-software-design-is-important/

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Introducing Myself

Hey everyone! My name is Anesti Lara, and I am a junior at Worcester State University majoring in Computer Science. I will be using this blog as a place to let out my thoughts on the world of software construction, design, and architecture throughout the semester. I hope you all enjoy the ride, and I will be back with real content soon!

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anesti Blog's by Anesti Lara and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.