Hey everyone,

Some things I have learnt in my almost two years studying IT / Software Engineering …

• People skills, teamwork and communication are very important in the developing relationships, friendships, software solutions
• Coding doesn’t mean Software Engineering, neither does Hacking
• Software Engineering is usually very much like a Sunday roast, either under done or over done
• Democracy works in teams, provided they are small odd number teams (Modeling the effort dispersion using odd sidded equilateral polygons) and the personalities and natures of the team member are either complimentary, similar or contrasting. Democracy in larger teams leads to bureaucracy and ochlocracy.
• Documentation and Code commenting / usability is only as important / useful if you have an appropriate reason or justification for it. Otherwise it becomes extensive, vague or overly specific and requires much more effort than the actual design or implementation process.
• Just because something is done in “the industry” doesn’t make it correct or valid practice
• Flexibility and Tolerance are also important especially when dealing with deadlines and clients
• Just because you a taught a certain way to do something, doesn’t make the best way to do that something, and it doesn’t mean that way is the only way
• Exhibit intelligence, creativity, initiative in an IT Lecture and you will get labeled as a hacker, engineer, or otherwise regardless of what course you actually do or who you actually are
• Standards are either de-facto or obtuse with too many different versions, if they aren’t then they are out of date
• KISS is a good policy
• Things just don’t build easily on MS Windows (I tried wxMozilla), even with MiniGW or Cygwin.
• Project management when properly done is actually useful
• Make sure that the computer you are compiling the final release on doesn’t have a virus.

Consider I just finished my Software Engineering studies exam today , I think now is good time to post this. I was going to add a section on what I use Windows for, but decided against senseless Microsoft Bashing. (As we all know I am in favour of bashing Microsoft senseless…., but meh, I can be civil)

I will probably add more to this over time, as I learn more. I am off to study for my other exams and continue blogging.

Happy coding / or (software engineering :P)

Benjamin Southall aka Appleman1234 🙂

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