Getting Heavy Now

We're in the last phases of Ruby and it's getting pretty heavy, with concepts like hashes and Classes with .new instances and other methods that can be created for an improvised class.  I think I'm describing it right, but not sure.

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out how I can use all of these concept toward my class project.  In some ways it seems useful but in other ways it seem more complicated -- the typical conundrum of how much time do you dedicate to mastering something just to be more efficient at a task you could do easily, if maybe slightly more tediously, now.  I'm not sure but I figure I'll figure it out.

I will certainly go through a lot of Ruby refreshers in the coming days

And looking forward to Rails of course!

Necessarily,
Joseph

Go On

Sitting in class, week 2, class 4.

We're discussing Arrays and Hashes.  They are interesting and I know they're incredibly useful for most things, particularly when it comes to organizing data.  Things are going well so far.  We're definitely getting to the edge of where my prior programming knowledge ends and the vast unknown begins.  I'm enjoying the in-class exercises.  Hopefully there will be more of these, and hopefully I'll find them useful towards my personal goals and what I'd like to be able to do.  It seems like a good start.

Twitter API coming up next

Necessarily,

Joseph

The Deuce

Entering week 2,

We finished up the second class and everything went well.  The pace could be a bit faster, but we're still in the second day and some are still getting up and running with software and code language.  I take it we didn't finish the lesson anyway, so I figure the standard pace is going to be a bit swifter going forward.  I think we can handle it...  and I definitely want to get to as much as possible!

Generally speaking, that is; in reality I'm taking the class to learn about a few main, specific things.

First, I'd like to be able to create an interactive data tracking app.  Users would enter data and the data would then be updated and displayed in the same app/page, as well as saved to a file on a third party platform, i.e. server.  I'd need to learn how to set up a file on a server, create a form or webpage where user input can be taken, and have that input update the file seamlessly and instantaneously.  I'd also like for anyone to be able to access the updated file and -- bonus -- receive updates in real time, ideally.  The cherry on top would be to learn how to sort and filter the data on a separate webpage.  The first few of these items seem simple enough, and hopefully the last as well, yet I still don't have a clear understanding of how to make them all happen.  So we're on our way to that.

We learned a bit about git.  Before that was file and directory creation.  Seems like a decent start.

Necessarily,
J Dawg

In the beginning...

Hello World

Yesterday I joined General Assembly's positively bewdy BEWD course (Back End Web Development).  About 25 of us folks looking to better ourselves and learn new skills.  The instructor and TAs are nice and helpful, and will be eagerly reading this blog, so a shout out to these fine people.

I enter with limited but interesting knowledge and experience in html and some light programming.  I have zero knowledge of back end development, but am confident I can pick it up quickly provided I don't get lost during a class.  We partnered up, which should help us keep up and support each other.  I met a Polish-American gent named Piotr, who is cool and decidedly not too cool for school.

I have high hopes and modest expectations.  We learned about simple file and directory creation, as well as simple data additions to files.  That's pretty cool for a start.  Right now there are very specific things I want to learn to do.  Hopefully will maintain the focus as all manner of new concepts and possibilities are thrown our way.

Necessarily,
Joseph