Coding from where?

The title of this blog can actually be read two ways: Either you see the “coding” part as the activity of producing software, or as the final result of that activity, for example a software library or a finished executable.

When working as a developer, chances are that you occasionally come across the latter and sometimes it’s just looks like an abomination from the fiery pits of hell. Often times you have to work with it regardless and somehow manage to live with its obscure quirks or weird ways of doing things.

The first way to interpret the site’s title may or may not be the consequence of finding a piece of code forged by the devil. Whatever the reason, sometimes work just sucks. Perhaps your client is constantly hovering over your shoulder with unreasonable requests or the general working conditions are bad (having no AC in the summer time can quickly make you believe you are literally in hell). Or the problem is your fellow software developer, who keeps checking the same broken code into the repo without even testing it…

Here I will collect stories of that kind I encounter during my work. The idea is to get my experiences out there so others may learn from it. Besides, I want to establish some kind of archive so I don’t forget the lessons I took myself. I will try to not just rant about bad stuff, but usually try to offer a solution as well. if possible with some humorous way of phrasing my antics in code.

About me

My name is Gero Herkenrath and these days I code for a living. I work as a mobile developer for Trusted Shops (and for the record: That place is far from a hellish work place, so I am lucky in regards to feeling like I was actively coding in hell).

Gero wearing his trademark hat

I have a PhD in Computer Science and formerly specialized in human-computer interaction with a focus on location-based games and software. Which, by the way, sounds fancier than it is. When I was done with my dissertation I decided to leave academia and join the regular work force in IT as a developer. I collected a lot of experience on iOS (plus the usual tidbits you have to pick up as a computer scientist in general), but recently also started seriously writing code for Android.