WHAT WOULD THE CORGIS DO?

Thoughts on software remodeling and legacy code.
  • Embracing the Red Bar: Safely Refactoring Tests
     SEP 20, 2016 Written by M. Scott Ford

    Do you ever refactor your test code? If not, I hope you consider making this part of your normal practice. Test code is still code and should adhere to the same high standards as the code that's running directly in production. As important as it is, refactoring your test code is actually a little risky. It's very likely that you could turn a perfectly valid test into one that always passes, regardless of whether or not the code that it covers is correct. Let's explore a technique for protecting against that possibility.

  • Three Books That Influenced Corgibytes Culture
     SEP 15, 2016 Written by Andrea Goulet

    One of the comments I get frequently is how the culture of Corgibytes feels distinctive. Clients enjoy working with us, employees are happy and not stressed out, and the company just kind of purrs. This didn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of lots of intention and implementing specific strategies.

  • I’m Not a Ninja Programmer, I’m a Yogi Developer!
     SEP 13, 2016 Written by Catalina De la cuesta

    One of the many cool things that we do here at Corgibytes is yoga classes three times a week. The word “yoga” conjures up images of fit ladies on their mats in a classroom, and the teacher in the front doing crazy poses. You probably don’t imagine a group of people, each one sitting at his own desk, on different continents, connected online with the teacher and doing the crazy poses in their chairs. Well, that’s how our yoga classes are, and as unusual as this might sound, it is amazing. I love yoga classes!

  • Moving Remote to Remote
     SEP 6, 2016 Written by David Grieser

    My first job out of college took me 1,500 miles from where I grew up. After a year of working there, I spent most days working from home along with my other co-workers. The team commuted to a single point about once a week since we enjoyed hanging out with each other and it helped us catch up on what we were working on. Shortly after this, I had a desire to move back home to spend time with family, but wanted to keep working with a great team. That wasn’t a problem and this soon unlocked the awesomeness that was being remote.

  • Bridging the Technical/Non-Technical Divide
     SEP 1, 2016 Written by Andrea Goulet

    Eight years ago, I went to my high school reunion. I had worked successfully in the field of sales and marketing since graduation. I had started my own consultancy when I was twenty-four which helped clients with sales and developing their “brand voice.” I was the human voice behind businesses large and small. At the time I loved my job and had no plans on leaving my industry. At the reunion, I looked around, and after the mandatory mingling that comes with being a social butterfly, I locked eyes with someone I recognized. He was leaning against the bar, drinking a soda, and looking utterly uncomfortable. Yep. That was none other than M. Scott Ford.

  • My Quest for Mediocrity
     AUG 30, 2016 Written by Don Denoncourt

    “How would you rate yourself as a programmer?” They always have to ask THAT question in job interviews. And I hate it. So much. Why do I hate it? Because I know they won’t like my answer. But what am I supposed to do, lie? Nope. I have to be honest. Which is why I take my time before responding. I take a deep breath, look deeply into the eyes of the interviewer, and, finally, I say: “Average.”

  • Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks
     AUG 23, 2016 Written by Nickie McCabe

    One of the great benefits of working for a small company like Corgibytes is the ability to adopt change quickly, especially in day-to-day operations. Some of the biggest improvements in operational efficiency have come through our virtual office manager and assistant, a little canine chat bot we call Ein.

  • When an “Office” Is No Longer a Spatial Thing
     AUG 16, 2016 Written by Jocelyne Morin-Nurse

    “You’re so lucky! You get to work in your pajamas!” That’s the most common reaction I get when I tell people I work from home. I don’t work in my pajamas. I’m pretty sure none of my colleagues do either. And if they do, they’re not sharing it. Obviously, it’s a personal decision, but, for me, when I’m in my pajamas, I want to chill, not work. And although my “office” is at times my recliner, I am working, not lounging.

  • Software Remodeling
     AUG 11, 2016 Written by Andrea Goulet

    My dad is a self-described contrarian and eccentric. I love that about him. He doesn’t ever do something because that’s the way you’re “supposed to.” He’s also incredibly driven and energetic. He’s a fixer. If he sees a problem, watch out. If it aligns with one of his passions, he’ll put all of his energy towards finding a solution.

  • The IDE vs Text Editor Battle
     AUG 9, 2016 Written by Catalina De la cuesta

    There are 10 types of programmers: those who use an IDE, and those who think that the ones who use an IDE are not real programmers. I'll start by making it clear that I belong to the first group and do care _a little bit_ about the other group’s opinion. So I decided to dig a little deeper and collect opinions about this topic. The choice was either to become a real programmer and switch to a text editor, or to reinforce that I am a real programmer who uses an IDE!