Nathaniel Talbott

Presentations

Fear of Programming

We developers spend a lot of time talking about how to improve technically at our craft, how to write better code, how to be more productive when we're writing code. But what about when we don't feel like coding? What about the emotions that often keep us from putting our fingers on the keyboard and working on that cool library we want to write or finishing up that cool side project we were so fired up about a few weeks ago?

Or to put it another way, why is it that some developers turn out so much more code than the rest of us? How do they maintain five open source projects (or more!) while we might be doing good to make progress on one? It certainly might be that they're smarter, or that they spend more time at it. But maybe not...

Maybe the reason we don't create more is that we're afraid. Afraid of not finishing, afraid of what others will say, afraid we won't know how to solve a problem, afraid that we're not working on the right thing. If creating code is even partly an act of artistry, then it's worth examining our emotional connection with what we're making. It might be time to start realizing that coding productivity is affected as much by our emotional outlook as it is by our technique.

If "fear is the mind-killer", how do we overcome it? How do we get past our fear so we can create something amazing and have a blast doing it? Those are the questions that this talk aims to at least begin answering.

Finally, why is it so important we conquer our fear and go on to create? _why puts it eloquently:

"when you don't create things, you become defined by your tastes rather than ability. your tastes only narrow & exclude people. so create."

Five Skills Every Freelancer Must Have

Lots of developers decide to try going it on their own - perhaps they're tired of being a cube rat, having technical decisions made by uninformed management, or having to service the bureaucracy before the client. Rubyists seem to have an especially high likelihood of going independent, since it gives them much more flexibility to use the language that makes them happy.

But as alluring as it might be to "be your own boss", everyone who makes the jump from the cube to the room over the garage finds out real quick that there's a whole new set of skills necessary to be successful. Even worse, freelancing doesn't come with a training manual that outlines all these important skills, and most folks just have to learn them the hard way: by trial and error.

But what if you could get a head start on these important skills without having to fail at them first? Or at least the top five skills, the ones that are often the cause of failed projects, unpaid work, and washed out freelancers? That's what you'll get in this session.

Nathaniel has freelanced for long periods of time himself, and now manages (in a cat-herding sort of way) a whole crew of freelancers at Terralien. He's worked with both experienced freelancers and folks who've just escaped the corporate maze, and has something to offer both.

Whether you've been freelancing for years, have just made the jump, or are standing on the edge contemplating the rocks below, you'll want to come find out how to be more effective as a freelancer. Or even if you have no plans to go independent, these skills also work within a larger organization to make you more valuable and effective. Don't miss it!