The Void
I woke up this morning with a hole in my very center. I felt it immediately, something in me was gone! Something core, replaced by a cold space. A dark void in the shape of a missing piece.
It's worse than losing a tooth. I would impulsively explore the space to confirm what I already knew. Whatever was there before wasn't there anymore. I prodded the void, yearning for a familiar comfort that wasn't there. I couldn't stop myself. This core piece, this central part of me, was gone. And I had no idea where it was? In its place an unfeeling void.
Brave New Virtual Worlds
As technology progresses, so the world gets smaller. Virtual reality (VR) is allowing us to explore new worlds in new ways. It also has the potential to redefine how we interact virtually. It can close vase distances as participants play in the same virtual spaces.
Conversely, augmented reality (AR) is allowing us to layer more content on top of our own. This could change how we see our own world and everything that lives in it. Even though we have seen the potential for both of these technologies, mass adoption has still delayed the wave.
Sweet Love Gateway
Ephemeropolis was my first burn. I got involved with the AfrikaBurn website build in 2010 but I never attended. It had long been on the to-do list, so we started making plans late 2018. The core build team included Igor, Alastair, Margaret, Tiffany and myself. Supporting the team was Bjorn as well as the 'NoFomosapiens', who were all incredible. Oppikoppi and Meilie-pop had bigger build teams but many members couldn't attend AfrikaBurn. Contributing to AfrikaBurn seemed natural since we had built structures at festivals before.
The project took the form of a hyperbolic paraboloid gateway (look at my fancy vocabulary). Igor, Alastair and Margaret had built this structure before at Oppikoppi. Based off of their insights, I thought there was room to refine 'how' it was build. I also took on the responsibility of lighting the structure.
The Almighty Prototype
Hindsight is completely unforgiving. Looking back & observing oversights is a luxury most projects cannot afford. Allowing yourself space to fail & learn at an early stage of a project has advantages. It also allows a project to grow while preventing journey bottlenecks and minimising drop-offs.
Ready, Set, React.
I am surprised how quickly I took to React. I had completed Functional Programming in Scala and was itching to apply the theory. I never anticipated how naturally React (and by extension functional programming) solved many of the problems I was facing. Below are some impressions of deploying my first React application.
Do you even functional bro?
My interest grew from a side conversation I over-heard. After that, every taste taught me something different. There is something truly haunting about functional programming.
I have completed Functional Programming in Scala. I was not fully prepared for the learning curve as many of the concepts and principles were new to me. What I took away from the course has had a real impact on the way I approach software development.
The Joys of Craft
I get great satisfaction from viewing a product I built using tools I prefer following principles I believe in.
On any given day, I work on a number of tech stacks that get the job done but leave me thinking, "If I could have built this from scratch?" Most projects suffer from budget & time constraints and end up being good enough. But when you do have enough time, when you are able to pick your tools and set them up just right and you watch them work together… then the endorphin's flow.
Read moreWe're Live!
This blog has been a long time coming. I have wanted to post on a number of things that completing the blog became a priority. Before I jump into topics of interest, I want to list some of the technologies driving the blog.
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