in reply to Re: Proving I have mad perl skillzzzlz
in thread Proving I have mad perl skillzzzlz

Simply saying you are working on opensource programming will show that you code as a hobby.

I can't agree with this statement. There are simply too many people out there who say "I'm working on building my own OS kernel written in Perl" or something like that. Just look on SourceForge for projects that were started years ago but have yet to release any files and likely never will (I'm guilty of creating a few of them) (yes, I know they're starting to clean out stale projects).

If you want to put an Open Source project on your resume, be sure that you have released some actual code for it. It doesn't have to be big. It could be full of bugs and only have minimal functionality. As long as it runs through the compiler/interpreter without errors and has some basic functions, you'll be ahead of 90% of the "Open Source Programmers" out there that have nothing to show.

When I got my current job, I was working on a server implementation (in Perl) of the Hypertext Coffee Pot Control Protocol (RFC 2324) (there are a few clients for it out there, but I couldn't find any servers). When I was asked for code examples, I had already gotten the server up to the point of a basic HTTP/1.1 server, but the HTCPCP methods weren't implemented yet. That didn't matter, since I knew what I had worked, so I submitted it. I have now been working for that company for a year and a half, though the HTCPCP server still sits at the point it did back then . . .

----
I wanted to explore how Perl's closures can be manipulated, and ended up creating an object system by accident.
-- Schemer

: () { :|:& };:

Note: All code is untested, unless otherwise stated

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Re: Re: Re: Proving I have mad perl skillzzzlz
by exussum0 (Vicar) on Dec 22, 2003 at 15:56 UTC
    You are 100% right. If you say you are doing the deed, make sure to have some proof. Lying on your resume or about your experience is a sure fire way to lose a job opportunity, but still at least tell people what you do is a good idea, including OSS.

    Play that funky music white boy..
[reply]

      I don't think it has anything to do with lying. The people who say "right now, I'm working on this one project . . . " are usually sincere in saying so. It's just that there are a lot of people who say that, but few of them have the discipline to even get something that works at a minimum level, much less get to a reasonable standard of functionality.

      I once read a book on working as a game programmer. This is a highly competitive field, since making games is a dream job for a significant chunk of programmers out there. It interviewed several noteworthy designers in the industry. More than one of them noted that 90% of the people looking for jobs in their shops are of the "I'm working on Foo" veriety. The remaining 10% may not have completed anything more complex than a Pong clone or even a screen saver, but they often get hired.

      ----
      I wanted to explore how Perl's closures can be manipulated, and ended up creating an object system by accident.
      -- Schemer

      : () { :|:& };:

      Note: All code is untested, unless otherwise stated

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[d/l]

        It's just that there are a lot of people who say that, but few of them have the discipline to even get something that works at a minimum level, much less get to a reasonable standard of functionality.

        Which is really the litmus test that I think those interviewing are looking for. Every applicant wants a job, many show the desired interest and enthusiam, less have the perseverance to actually see the project through to a releasable state (suffering along with that the maintenance and enhancement phases).

        This is analogous to the belief that those who completed a degree program or certification are dedicated enough to see things through (whether or not this is an appropriate gauge of dedication is not my point, I think you can see the corelation).


        cp
        ----
        "Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic."
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Re: Re: Re: Proving I have mad perl skillzzzlz
by BUU (Prior) on Dec 23, 2003 at 04:07 UTC
    Simply saying you are working on opensource programming will show that you code as a hobby. I can't agree with this statement. There are simply too many people out there who say "I'm working on building my own OS kernel written in Perl" or something like that. Just look on SourceForge for projects that were started years ago but have yet to release any files and likely never will (I'm guilty of creating a few of them) (yes, I know they're starting to clean out stale projects).
    Not wishing to put words in his mouth, but when I read that line I thought the whole "working on an opensource program .. as a hobby" meant more along the lines of you honestly enjoy coding, enough to do so in your outside time as well. It seems to me that an employer would prefer to employ someone who likes what he does, not so?

    But of course you are absolutely right about the whole starting and not finishing thing, and there do seem to be large numbers of programs like that.
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