The Julia Group

10/19/2024

To be a better developer, learn character functions. They exist for a reason and the most likely reason is because people are annoying.

A few days ago, I wrote about programming for things you think will never happen, because you are wrong. Here is another one.

10/06/2024

Day 6 of my posts for aspiring software developers - Learn to love arrays -

I'm old enough to remember when SAS introduce implicit arrays. They were better than nothing but not as good as explicit arrays, so now you can forget everything about implicit arrays except that you shouldn't use them.

10/04/2024

Today's topic on "So, you want to be a developer?" Pseudo code -

Yesterday, I said it was fine to start with copying and pasting someone else's code as long as you learned to read it. I also said that a second option for getting started was to code a simple application that interested you.

10/03/2024

My latest post on "So you want to be a developer"

As a beginning developer, you may hear more experienced colleagues sneer at "copy paste" programmers. While they are right you shouldn't be doing that as a career, I disagree that it is a bad way to start.

10/02/2024

Day 3 of my series on "So you want to be a developer." My recommendations may annoy some people but, fortunately, I don't care. Yes, even though it's Day 3, this is Step 1 .

Here we are at day 3 of my articles on becoming a developer and yesterday I said that I was finally going to get down to coding and write about variables - global, local, string, numeric - but now I'm not. I'll tell you two reasons why.

10/01/2024

Day 2 of my series on "So, you want to be a developer." Don't worry, it's friendly.

Here we are at Day 2 of my series for wanna be developers and we're not to coding yet. That's why it's still Step 0.

09/29/2024

If you are thinking about becoming a software developer, I decided to do a daily post on LinkedIn because I felt like it.

I felt like writing about making games from step 0, although a lot of what I have to say applies to websites and, to a lesser extent, databases and other applications. If you want to be a developer or are just beginning, I decided to write an article a day until I run out of things to say or get bor

09/12/2024

Wondering how in 2 days, including all art, voiceover and coding, I made an app to teach about literacy tests preventing Black people from voting? 7 Gen Blocks. You can download a demo for free. https://7genblocks.com/blocks-pro/ This weekend, when I have free time, I'm going to do a revision of my app. You can see my first crack here. - https://7generationgames.com/can_you_vote/ Now that I've updated the 7 Gen Blocks website (finally!) - a lot more info, new games and updated games coming out.

Why 7 Gen Blocks? Whatever you are teaching, maintaining interest is a challenge – make it into a game! A huge amount of content, from learning an Indigenous language to financial literacy for young farmers to workplace training could be a great game but it’s been cost-prohibitive — until now....

09/05/2024

Took me less than 2 days to make this web app to encourage people to vote, including artwork, voiceover and coding. Check it out. iPhone and Android apps coming up soon. Comments and suggestions GREATLY appreciated. https://7generationgames.com/can_you_vote/

09/03/2024

I got so sick of those examples of fractions with pizzas that I filled this 1/4 with frogs. Also, FYI Forgotten Trail sends you to learn more in instruction like this if you miss the same problem twice in a row. https://www.7generationgames.com/forgotten-trail/

09/01/2024

If you wanted to, you would - maybe, eventually - https://www.lifeondemars.com/2024/09/01/if-you-wanted-to-you-would-or-would-you/

08/31/2024

In the second of three videos from session 1, introducing resources from the Library of Congress for teaching with primary sources, Professor Juliana Taken Alive of Sitting Bull College gives an overview of the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings, North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings and examples of lesson templates and primary sources that could be combined with Library of Congress primary sources in designing an educational game or creating lessons.

In the second of three videos from session 1, introducing resources from the Library of Congress for teaching with primary sources, Professor Juliana Taken A...