Breaking tasks down into little pieces is a really great idea and programming languages need a way to make this easy. The solution is modules, subroutines, procedures or functions - all the same basic idea. This is an extract from my book Trick of the Mind which explores what it is to be a programmer.

Software Development is still a career where you can thrive without professional certificates. On the other hand employers looking to promote from within their existing talent increasing take notice of online credentials. And expanding your skill set  can be personally fulfilling as well as financially advantageous.

At the end of September 2023 Google will officially celebrate its 25th birthday. In fact the day itself has already come and gone as it was on September 4th, 1998 that Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

We have been considering the role of coding copilots in helping skilled programmers create code, but what happens when large language models attempt to create a spreadsheet? Is this just another way to get things wrong?

"API Documentation Best Practices" is a brand new short and free course by APISEC University which looks into why documenting your APIs should be an essential part of your software development cycle and not an afterthought.

SQLite 3.43 has been released with new support for Contentless-Delete FTS5 Indexes, as well as better JSON processing.

Google is trying out new map styles and has added new environment APIs to its Maps Platform. The Google Maps Platform is a set of APIs and SDKs that can be used to embed Google Maps into mobile apps and web pages, or to retrieve data from Google Maps.

MongoDB 7 has been released with full support for encrypted queries and easier management of Atlas Search indexes.

On this holiday weekend we take a break and look back at the wonder of off-the-wall clocks because it was too good to miss.

I have to admit I have a small passion for freaky clocks. They used to be hard to make, but now with powerful single-board computers and low cost displays they are not so difficult and the fun is inventing a new way to show the time.

The Linux Foundation has a new free course on the edX platform for those who would like to learn about, and experiment with, RISC-V. A verified track, to earn a certificate of completion, is also available.

Version 3.10 of GitHub Enterprise Server, the self-hosted version of GitHub that organizations can install on their own servers, has been released with improved security and compliance controls.

This is the 10th year for the annual Top Programming Languages exercise. Python coming top isn't news. It has now done so eight years in a row. What is important is that it is even further in the lead than ever before.

Microsoft is to cease updates for Visual Studio for Mac. The announcement said that there will be security updates and platform update compatibility for the next 12 months.

Author: Karl Wiegers
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Pages: 336
ISBN: 978-0137487776
Audience: General developers
Rating: 2
Reviewer: Ian Elliot
Who can resist a good pearl or two?

This book shows how to use the .NET MAUI framework to write apps that will run on Windows, Android, macOS and iOS platforms using existing .NET development skills. Matt Goldman reveals essential .NET MAUI development techniques through hands-on example applications in every chapter. Readers will learn cross-platform development quickly as they start building their own rich apps.

This reference includes timesaving solutions, tips, and workarounds to help plan, implement, deploy, provision, manage, and secure SQL Server 2022 in any environment: on-premises, cloud, or hybrid, including detailed, dedicated chapters on Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance. Nine authors including Randolph West tour DBA capabilities available in the SQL Server 2022 Database Engine, SQL Server Data Tools, SQL Server Management Studio and  PowerShell.

In this book, subtitled "A Fable of Harnessing the Power of the Metaverse, WEB3, and AI for Business Success", former Amazon Web Services VP and COO and Channel Chief at Unstoppable Domains, Sandy Carter, delivers a narrative about a brand struggling to improve their customer experience.