Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer

State-of-the-Art Computer Folklore (part 5)
By J. Timothy King on June 26, 2013
This is part 5 in my series of how the Mac reminded me why I fell in love with software development, and why it still matters. While reading Andy Hertzfeld’s anecdotes (and those of his colleagues) of designing the original Macintosh computer, I was inspired, inspired to take account of my own passions, the passions […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged Apple, computers, history, Macintosh, software engineering

State-of-the-Art Computer Folklore (part 4)
By J. Timothy King on June 19, 2013
This is part 4 in my series of how the Mac reminded me why I fell in love with software development, and why it still matters. While reading Andy Hertzfeld’s anecdotes (and those of his colleagues) of designing the original Macintosh computer, I was inspired, inspired to take account of my own passions, the passions […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged Apple, computers, history, Macintosh, software engineering | 1 Response

State-of-the-Art Computer Folklore (part 3)
By J. Timothy King on June 12, 2013
This is part 3 in my series of how the Mac reminded me why I fell in love with software development, and why it still matters. While reading Andy Hertzfeld’s anecdotes (and those of his colleagues) of designing the original Macintosh computer, I was inspired, inspired to take account of my own passions, the passions […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged Apple, computers, history, Macintosh, software engineering

State-of-the-Art Computer Folklore (part 2)
By J. Timothy King on June 5, 2013
This is part 2 in my series of how the Mac reminded me why I fell in love with software development, and why it still matters. While reading Andy Hertzfeld’s anecdotes (and those of his colleagues) of designing the original Macintosh computer, I was inspired, inspired to take account of my own passions, the passions […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged Apple, computers, EFG, history, Macintosh, software engineering

State-of-the-Art Computer Folklore
By J. Timothy King on May 30, 2013
A couple weeks ago, I was reading through Andy Hertzfeld’s anecdotes at FolkLore.org, about how he and his colleagues developed the original Macintosh. These stories brought me back, first to nostalgic times, then to a nostalgic purpose. I remembered all the reasons I first fell in love with software development, many of which are also […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged Apple, computers, Damon/IEC, history, innovation, Macintosh, software engineering | 2 Responses

Yelling with the Boss
By J. Timothy King on July 25, 2012
The last clear memory I have of my school-year jobs was the VP yelling at my manager, red-faced, outside his office, right out in the middle of the hallway. The job, at this now-defunct manufacturer of centrifuges, for me started as a co-op job in college, while I was studying electrical engineering. They hired me […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Professionalism, Stories, True Stories | 1 Response

Depression and the Software Developer: Smiling in the Piss Pot
By J. Timothy King on July 5, 2012
Developing software is supposed to be one of the best jobs available, because it uses creativity, and it requires professional independence. And those software jobs are out there. But some of us are not currently working one of those jobs. In early 2009, I wrote a post entitled “7 Best Things About Being a Consulting […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged biography, depression, programming, software engineering, stress | 1 Response
Depression and the Software Developer: The Last Straw (Conclusion)
By J. Timothy King on March 17, 2010
Another part of this series of posts, “Depression and the Software Developer.” This latest story I started on Monday, part 4 of “Depression and the Software Developer”. [Note: You can read the story from the beginning in order to catch up.] No client or employer will ever admit to you that he doesn’t want to […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged biography, depression, programming, software engineering, stress | 13 Responses

Depression and the Software Developer: The Last Straw
By J. Timothy King on March 15, 2010
Here’s a story I’ve been keeping on the back burner for almost a year now. I haven’t published it until now, because it still hit too close to home. But this week, I’ve scheduled an interview with Sharon Cathcart, author of In the Eye of the Beholder, which I am currently reading, and a memoir […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged biography, depression, programming, software engineering, stress | 5 Responses
Depression and the Software Developer (part 3)
By J. Timothy King on April 21, 2009
(This is a continuation from part 2 of “Depression and the Software Developer”.) [Note: This is a recounting of an experience from several years ago. Read the story from the beginning in order to catch up.] According to psychologist Joe Griffin, the cycle of depression starts when innate needs are not being met. Among these […]
Posted in Confessions of a Veteran Software Developer, Personal Improvement, Software Development, Stories, True Stories | Tagged biography, depression, Ivan Tyrrell, Joe Griffin, programming, SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Software Development, software engineering, stress | 3 Responses