Time goes by! I published my last lessons learned article one year ago! :D :D Well, time for another one! I decided not to write about everything that happened since the last article, but only what happened in September 2022. Because of an important milestone in one of my major projects, this article is pretty short.
This is what I learned in September 2022:
- Docker, or better docker-compose, supports building images right from a docker-compose file. I did not know that.
- I started using the O’Reilly learning platform a couple of months ago. At first glance, at €43 per month, it is pretty expensive. However, I noticed I read more with the platform than without it. In two specific situations, I gathered important insights from reading one or two chapters in the right book. I browsed multiple books before I found the relevant chapters. Without O’Reilly, I would not have bought the pretty expensive books just to have a look if they contain the knowledge I needed in this specific situation. Besides the immediate problem-solving search for an information, I prefer reading books about a new technical topic and use blogs and YouTube videos only to fill in the gaps. A well-written book delivers the knowledge in a structured and consistent way. Another benefit of the platform is the audio books. As a huge podcast fan, I am used to wearing my headphones in a lot of situations. Now, I can consume even more books. This approach is only useful for topics that don’t need images or source code, though. I’ll continue testing the platform and hope that my initial experiences continue.
- Currently, I am trying Obsidian, the “text-file based second brain”. Since the beginning of the Covid pandemic that caused me to work remotely, I use simple text files for my daily planning. I learned about Obsidian some time ago but thought I wouldn’t need it because of my existing system. Functions like using templates for new files, automatic file creation for a new date or using links between documents are really compelling reasons to replace my simple text files with an Obsidian vault. I’ll continue testing, but the fact that I already installed the mobile app on my phone and set up synchronization via my NAS tells me that this is becoming the real deal for me.
- Since spring this year, I’m nearly exclusively use my new e-bike for travelling. The Riese & Müller Multicharger has no problem with commuting the 38 kilometer to work, bringing home the weeks purchases or transporting children to various places. This “bike” simply has it all. I love it. Last week, I updated it even more by buying a mobile phone grip so that I can load my phone from the large 750Wh power pack while riding. This is the first component Bosch released for the digital smart system, which already allows to fine-tune the different settings of the motor. I expect this to develop into a full-blown digital-bike-solution in which the e-bike becomes just another computer in the IoT.
Books I read:
I began using goodreads some time ago to keep track of my reading and to learn what others read.
- Over the last months, I read a lot of sci-fi, for example from Andy Weir and Becky Chambers. I absolutely loved the Wayfarers series!
- More in the technical corner, I read Terraform Up & Running and crafted some talks and a workshop from what I read (which is documented here).
This is what I’m working on right now / planning to do in the near future / other stuff:
- I plan on extending the Developer on the Stage website to give information about the online courses and also offer some directly usable material like cheat sheets.
- Despite some minor ones, I currently don’t plan to begin more complex projects.
(Photo: adrian825, http://www.istockphoto.com/photo/monthly-management-reports-36658768)
