Rod Paddock

2 months ago | codemag.com | Rod Paddock

Another week, another pair of large maintenance tasks. The first task was to do a full replacement of a logging system. This logger was built over the span of 10 years, was a bit “crufty,” and lacked some functionality we needed. The other project was/is a bit larger and we are code naming this one: “Changing the engine while the truck is driving down the road.” I'll talk about both of these below. When this application (The Truck) was built, its sole purpose was to maintain a client-facing portal.

Aug 27, 2024 | codemag.com | Rod Paddock

It's time for another art image from your trusty editor. I like to call this the Pile of Possibility: pencils, pens, paint, Legos and Crayons. These are all the tools and materials capable of endless artistic possibilities. The tools and materials of the software developer consist of code, compilers, text editors, and, every so often, a carefully chosen icon. And just like art materials, they're capable of endless possibilities.

Jun 13, 2024 | codemag.com | Rod Paddock

The words from the guitar teacher were spoken with the soft forceful power that only a true mentor can deliver. "If what you're playing sounds awful, you're only one fret away - just move one fret in either direction. I distilled it down to harmony that's one fret away."This passage from musician Adam Tepedelen's book “Mud Ride: A Messy Trip Through the Grunge Explosion,” is a statement so powerful that it refuses to leave my headspace.

Apr 22, 2024 | codemag.com | Rod Paddock

I spent last weekend in rainy (normally sunny) Southern California. During this trip, I managed to corral the kids into going to the Academy Awards Museum. There, we came across a set of drawings from the original Disney animated film The Little Mermaid (Figure 1). From what I could deduce from the drawings, I believe they are what are called key frames.

Feb 21, 2024 | codemag.com | Rod Paddock

As they like to say, a picture is worth a thousand words and the picture you see below (Figure 1) is proof positive. This editorial you're reading is a direct result of the ideas I “chicken-scratched” on a stack of post-it notes. This set of notes came from a conversation Melanie Spiller and I were having about collaboration, in particular the concept of remote collaboration. We discussed at length how our work, and how we perform it, was greatly transformed during the COVID crisis.