Peter Rooke

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since Oct 21, 2004
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Biography
A seasoned software developer who has also worked within DevOps.
I have worked in computing for over thirty years.
For the last ten years, I have been a consultant working on a self-employed contract basis.
Currently, I’m working as a technical lead as an employee.
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Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom
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Recent posts by Peter Rooke

It can vary, on a previous project we just mandated using UTC.  Of course, we had one system that could not be changed, so all other systems had to be altered twice every year!  

Here's an insight Computerphile - The Problem with Time & Timezones ;-)  

"some very complex ideas"

- yes, it's also decentralised which I guess adds to the complexity.  Other systems I've used seem to only offer a centralised repository.
I'll agree the fundamental issue is that version control is difficult, more so on larger projects.  I'm guessing Linus (and others) were always more focused on the [complex] solution and expecting others to provide more usable tools (like IDE's).  

I do still find some terms confusing - "head" for example - but then I'm only halfway through "head first git".  
     
So I don't understand git too well but have used other version control tools.  Really would like to gain a proper understanding, but limited time!  

It seems a common complaint is that the various commands are difficult to understand and don't describe what you want to do from a user's perspective.  
Git is simply too hard
So mostly I stick to a few commands and practices; feature branches, rebase the main branch onto the feature often, and merge as soon as possible.        
I've started using the IDE a lot more for git.
Sadly I've not got the time but these links were posted in Linked-in:

1. AI Essentials - https://explore.skillbuilder.aws/learn/course/external/view/elearning/17763/foundations-of-prompt-engineering
2. ChatGPT Mastery - https://www.deeplearning.ai/short-courses/chatgpt-prompt-engineering-for-developers/
3. Google AI Magic - https://www.cloudskillsboost.google/course_templates/536
4. Harvard AI Introduction - https://pll.harvard.edu/course/cs50s-introduction-artificial-intelligence-python/2023-05
5. Microsoft AI Basics - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/what-is-generative-ai/generative-ai-is-a-tool-in-service-of-humanity
6. Prompt Engineering Pro - https://learnprompting.org
7. Google's Ethical AI - https://www.cloudskillsboost.google/course_templates/554
8. Machine Learning by Harvard - https://pll.harvard.edu/course/data-science-machine-learning
9. Language Models by LangChain - https://www.deeplearning.ai/short-courses/langchain-for-llm-application-development/
10. Bing Chat Applications - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/streamlining-your-work-with-microsoft-bing-chat/put-your-fingers-to-work-chatting-as-a-productivity-tool
11. Generative AI by Microsoft - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/paths/introduction-generative-ai/
12. Amazon's AI Strategy - https://explore.skillbuilder.aws/learn/public/learning_plan/view/1909/generative-ai-learning-plan-for-decision-makers
13. AI for Everyone - https://www.deeplearning.ai/courses/generative-ai-for-everyone/
14. AWS AI Foundations - https://www.coursera.org/learn/generative-ai-with-llms
15. Spring AI - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNKDoiOUo9M
16 - Encode Club - https://www.encode.club/ai-foundation
Ten years too late, but I would (well have) bet on Solidity which is used for smart contract development on the Ethereum (and now other layer two systems).  

"'If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry.'" [Satoshi Nakamoto]
1 month ago
Encode Club are running various public blockchain courses.

Some examples (from a long list):

- Solidity (the Ethereum smart contract language) https://www.encode.club/solidity-bootcamps
- Zero Knowledge proofs (cryptography) ZK Bootcamp
- AI (the current hot topic):  Encode Club AI Foundation

It's UK-based, so the timings will be GMT mostly early evenings (ie tea time).  

Previous courses are on you-tube: Encode Club Youtube

Disclaimer - I have no affiliation with Encode Club, I've just attended a few of their courses and have the NFT certificates to prove it!  

"If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry." - Satoshi Nakamoto.
2 months ago
Always try to have a smaller plate on the motorbike, but not too small as to get the attention of the police.  

The DVLA (or UK government) makes a small fortune on selling private number plates, it looks like "F1" is for sale for a cool £10,000,000
https://www.regtransfers.co.uk/info/uks-most-expensive-number-plates  
3 months ago
Before my time I started when the "green screens" of VT200 Unix terminals had mostly started to replace the older mainframes.
Of course, it's been my experience that if you dig deep enough you often find a mainframe somewhere with COBOL, VAX/VMS, and who knows what else!

“But you're out of your mind,” they said with a shrug.
“The customer's happy; what's one little bug?”

But he was determined. The others went home.
He spread out the program, deserted, alone.

The cleaning men came. The whole room was cluttered
With memory-dumps, punch cards. “I'm close,” he muttered.

The mumbling got louder, simple deduction,
“I've got it, it's right, just change one instruction.”

It still wasn't perfect, as year followed year,
And strangers would comment, “Is that guy still here?”

He died at the console, of hunger and thirst.
Next day he was buried, face down, nine-edge first.

And the last bug in sight, an ant passing by,
Saluted his tombstone, and whispered, “Nice try.”

Taken from GNU humor - credited to Lou Ellen Davis.

4 months ago
The mad genius George Carlin was probably right, pre-heated ovens, pre-boarding a flight etc

Anyway, as part of this boarding process, they say “we would like to pre-board…”…Well what exactly is that anyway? What does it mean to pre-board? You get on before you get on?
That’s another complaint of mine: too much use of this prefix “pre.” It’s all over the language now: pre-this, pre-that, “place the turkey in a pre-heated oven…” It’s ridiculous! There are only two states an oven can possibly exist in: HEATED OR UNHEATED!



The full quote is here: George Carlin - Airline Boarding
4 months ago
Arh COBOL   Way back at work, I was a C programmer, but the part-time college course was based around COBOL.  

candygrammar: n.
A programming-language grammar that is mostly syntactic sugar; the term is also a play on ‘candygram’. COBOL, Apple's Hypertalk language, and a lot of the so-called ‘4GL’ database languages share this property. The usual intent of such designs is that they be as English-like as possible, on the theory that they will then be easier for unskilled people to program. This intention comes to grief on the reality that syntax isn't what makes programming hard; it's the mental effort and organization required to specify an algorithm precisely that costs. Thus the invariable result is that ‘candygrammar’ languages are just as difficult to program in as terser ones, and far more painful for the experienced hacker.


Taken from --> Cat B CandyGramma
5 months ago

"So "pip" is the way to go."

- good to know.  ;-)
6 months ago
Here you go: MySQL Homebrew

The thing I see with Python is that along with many different versions, there are many different ways to install and configure it.
6 months ago
Just a bit of fun; Programmers are also human - you tube - my favourite is the emacs one.  

"Many a word spoken in jest" ;-)
6 months ago
Yeah, as long as it's outside of work hours (British Summer Time), then I'll be happy to help out.

I did once do some Kotlin within Andriod, but not too much, and don't really remember much!
8 months ago
This is the forum.  For clarity, it may be worth adding a comment about the exam version you are referring to.  
OCP-17 FAQ