patrick elder

update: link at bottom now works

It’s time to move forward with the next release of I Slept Great!, which includes bug fixes, focuses on better responses from the tracker, and an easier signup process for the user. It’s always been a challenge for me to move past version 1 of a release because I tend to go back and want to fix or refactor everything. While I shouldn’t release an application with bugs in it, it’s something that commonly makes itself more present in an extensive website and application (that’s no excuse!) It’s a constant reminder that I can either dig a larger hole for myself and take forever to release v1.1.2 or I can move forward and learn from the experience.

I’ll often use the phrase “Part of becoming a better programmer” because I am constantly improving my process and become a more agile developer. What’s it mean to be an agile programmer? A useful defiition of agility taken from “Practices of an Agile Developer” by Venkat Subramaniam and Andy Hunt desribes agility as follows …

Agile development uses feedback to make constant adjustments in a highly collaborative environment.

Now, I look at this definition of agility and try to find a conclusion to my constant need to adjust my applications and process. It’s not hard to find one is it? I learn by feedback from users & peers and make the necessary adjustments.

I don’t think agility is something you necessarily learn. I believe agility is built into every developer, just waiting to explode on the scene. I had the instinct to correct my code even before the concept of agile development became widespread. I think every good programmer carries it with them … It’s just time to let it breath.

A good read… “Practices of an Agile Developer” can be found at http://www.pragmaticprogrammer.com/

Side Note: I do not condone the realease of a buggy application!