Technology Archives - LDNDeveloper

Essential Considerations for Aspiring Solutions Architects: A Guide to Building Effective Systems

As a solutions architect, your job is to design and implement systems that meet the technical requirements and align with business goals. Whether you’re just starting your journey or looking to refine your skills, understanding the core aspects of systems architecture is crucial. This guide will explore ten key areas to consider when designing solutions. Each section provides three essential points to remember, making it easier for you to create scalable, secure, and efficient systems.

The Full-Stack Developer: A Marketable Asset

Let’s delve into why being a full-stack developer makes you more marketable than specializing in just front-end or back-end development.

Imagine that you are a chef. As a frontend developer, you are an expert in creating visually appealing and delicious desserts. As a backend developer, you are a master at crafting the main course, ensuring it’s cooked to perfection and packed with flavors. Now, imagine being a full-stack developer – you’re the chef who can do it all, from appetizers to desserts. You’re the one-stop solution to a complete and satisfying meal.

Unleashing the Power of AI for Business Success

Staying competitive is paramount in the rapidly evolving business landscape. One way to ensure this is by harnessing the power of AI. This blog post will delve into how we can use AI to simplify tasks, make decisions, organize our day, and conduct research. I will also discuss the potential risks associated with using AI and how to mitigate them.

Simplifying Tasks with AI

AI can automate repetitive tasks, freeing our time to focus on more complex issues. But how does this work? AI tools like Taskade, Todoist, and TimeHero use algorithms to handle data entry, respond to basic customer inquiries, or sort and categorize emails. These tools learn from the data they process, improving their performance.

Evaluating AI – Top 5 Security Considerations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a game-changer in many industries, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation and growth. However, as with any technology, it’s essential to consider the security implications when evaluating the use of AI. Here are the top five security considerations:

Data Privacy: AI systems often require access to vast amounts of data, including sensitive information. Ensuring that this data is handled securely and in compliance with privacy laws is paramount.
Robustness of AI Models: AI models should be robust against adversarial attacks where small, intentionally crafted changes to input data can lead to significant errors in output.
Secure AI Development Lifecycle: Security should be integrated into every stage of the AI development lifecycle, from the initial design to the deployment and maintenance stages.
Explainability and Transparency: Understanding how an AI system makes decisions can help identify potential security risks. AI systems should be transparent and provide clear explanations for their choices.
Regulatory Compliance: Depending on the industry and region, different regulations may apply to the use of AI. Ensuring compliance with these regulations is a crucial security consideration.

Andrew Pallant – A Strategic Leader in Engineering

Introduction

In the dynamic landscape of technology, effective leadership is crucial for driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and achieving organizational goals. As a Vice President of Engineering, I have had the privilege of witnessing Andrew Pallant’s remarkable journey—a journey that exemplifies technical excellence, strategic vision, and unwavering commitment to customer success. In this article, we’ll explore Andrew’s impact, his role in shaping engineering teams, and the principles that guide his leadership.

Enhance Your Technology Career By Learning To Speak

Have you ever had a customer, co-worker or manager look at you as if you had two heads? When an IT Professional, speaks it is very important that who we speak to understands what we are saying. You cannot sell an idea, explain an issue or develop a project plan if you who you are speaking to does not understand. The use of jargon is the biggest obstacle that IT Professionals face. Continue reading Enhance Your Technology Career By Learning To Speak

What Languages do I Use

I was recently asked what I use to develop software and websites. I mostly use DotNet Technologies as it is often interchangeable between websites, web applications and desktop applications. I can often use the same data access classes and business logic between multiple platforms. I find that DotNet allows me to easier structure objects visually and logically. I prefer to develop using C-Sharp, but I get requests to use VB.NET and J-Sharp on a regular basis.

When I went to college, I had learned C, Pascal, COBOL and some Mainframe language that I cannot remember. Upon graduating I taught myself VisualBasic 3, RPG. My first programming job was Visual COBOL. I had created a company in the Caribbean Islands programming public utility and insurance software in RPG. I can honestly say since I sold my shares of the company, I cannot foresee myself developing in RPG again.

Why don’t I use PHP? Well I do use PHP, but for specific purposes and upon request by a customer. A specific purpose is when I create a WordPress site or other content driven sites. I will not often create a website or web application from scratch using PHP as Microsoft made ASP.NET easy for rapid development.

Do I use JAVA? Yes; I do believe there are cases where JAVA is still relevant. JAVA is still a good tight platform for developing small single purpose applications. I have used JAVA 3 times in the past 2 years for applications that I believe fit the bill well.

Now, I am curious; What do you use and why?

How to deal with a non-technical boss

We have all had bosses at one time or another that we had to deal with who was not technical in nature. Often we find it frustrating because we do not speak the same language and we do not know how to deal with each other. We as the employee can take the first step in understanding each other.

How to Speak?
You need to transform your speech into a language that your boss will understand. Knowing full well that your boss will not understand tech terms, programmer’s language or computer-speak; an alternate language is required. It is a bit of an art to transform your speech into something else. My father-in-law does it very well, but I am still learning. I like the idea, if my wife has trouble understanding it; it may be too techie. It is best to learn business terms that mean the same as tech terms. You also need to shed the technology details and implement business details. Chances are the non-technical boss will not care how it is done, but they will care about timelines, money and training.

How to Process?
Your non-technical manager will throw out business terms. They will tell you what they want using their business language. They may try to throw out some tech terms, but often they will use them incorrectly. The best approach is to make notes, and ask questions. Forget how you will go about accomplishing the task, but instead find out the details of the requirements.

Example: If they say they need a calculator to calculate how much to ship a box, ask questions like:

1. How is it done now?
2. Ask about rounding rules?
3. Ask if they do it by weight or size or both?
4. Ask if there is a matrix of postal codes?
5. Where do they get their rates?

Remember; they really do not care how you will program it. They just want it usable and for it to function correctly. Take your notes and ask your questions. Take everything back to your office and transform the details into a project and programming plan. Write out the formulas, draw out your user interface and write out your timelines for approval.

How to Act?
Do not get frustrated. Remember they are just as confused by you at you are of them. It is not their speciality to be technology. Treat them as a customer; it will help you respect them. Make lots of notes and repeat back to them what you hear. Use non-offensive language and body gestures. Sometimes drawing pictures will help both parties to understand.

Creativity and Love Flows in London

London Ontario boasts creativity and cutting edge ideas with companies like rTraction, Voices.com, Echidna and many others. These companies are bleeding edge when it comes to employee management, project management and their technologies and methodologies. I have seen many good things come from these companies and believe London Ontario should be applauded for its support in the technology sector.

Between foosball, MeetUps, OpenData and the UnLab activities, these companies share a bond, that only the technology world can understand. These companies together will put London Ontario on the same playing field with other technology centres of Ontario, Canada and the rest of the world. Socially London tech companies are more advanced. They see the trends and move with and ahead of them at a rapid pace.

I have also noticed a new trend of technology companies in London also getting actively involved social causes, like reforesting, helping homeless, helping students, garbage clean-up and much more. These people and organizations love London, they love Ontario and they love Canada. Even politics tend to be a centre point of beliefs and passions for employees and leaders of the tech community.

Now, I have mentioned the tech companies, but it is not without the employees, will these companies advance on to the world stage. The employees are the heart and soul of the companies that support the leaders of these companies. These employees are independently trying new ideas and concepts through the support of their employers. These people are truly amazing with their talents. London has some of the best technology employees around.

Aaron McGowan, is another person to be watching who makes up our community. Aaron is a champion for OpenData which is a moving trend with our local governments to share data with the development world. He is full of passion to have more data open to everyone to use and develop software freely.

Applaud the tech community, join in the social movements and hug a geek today. It is not without each other can we move forward to do even greater things.

Internet Explorer Crashes On ActiveX Plug-ins

I was recently trying to download some development tools from MSDN where a Microsoft File Download Plug-in is used. Every time I clicked the download link, the file download manager tried to launch and then crash the Internet Explorer session. I had also seen this with some open source remote help desk tools, but figured it was a bad update on the plug-ins.

Well the answer was, Microsoft is trying to manage your memory so to prevent attacks on your computer. To install the plug-ins, you need to :

Go to the Tools menu
Click on Internet Options
Click on the Advanced tab.
Go to the Security Section
Uncheck the “Enable memory protection to help mitigate online attacks *”
Click Apply
Click OK

Close Internet Explorer and then try your plug-in that previously crashed your Internet Explorer. If you are not a local administrator, you will have to contact your IT department to do this for you.

Note:
When your plug-in is installed or you have finished your activity, re-enable the “Enable memory protection to help mitigate online attacks *” option as extra protection. I and Microsoft do not recommend surfing without this option enabled.