My Random Stuff

#valentine's day

I did a thing after finishing #firepunch. I though I'd try to make a study of Agni from the panel.

Abella from Fear and Hunger Termina.

Hacker Ferret muses on Labels and Identity

Hacker Ferret muses on Labels and Identity I’m a Web Designer I’m a Programmer I’m a Freelancer I’m a Contractor I’m a Project Manager I’m a Software Developer No, I’m a human being whose value goes far beyond that of generic labels. I am a problem solver, an IT sherpa, a builder of businesses, a fountain of knowledge and experience, consultant of both the business and the web. I am one who…

Landing an IT Job in Rural Areas with “Guerrilla” Tactics

Who are you You are not a creepy silhouette person with no soul. You are any of the following: Self-taught and looking to get into a professional position Experienced but, recently relocated and can’t find work Experienced but, have been away from the field Have some formal education but have not been able to find that first job   Bottom line: You need to be able to do the work and have enough…

Being “Grateful” Getting Tough? Check out “Ham On Rye”

You think your life is rough? Read “Ham On Rye” Charles Bukowski I promise you that your shit will smell like sunflowers by the time you get to the end. As a recently “woke” history nerd, I only recall hearing about the Great Depression in the Macro. I do not remember much of anything regarding personal stories of individual persons but, after reading this I’ve been given a newfound respect for…

What is Alexa Skills Kit? A quick and dirty explanation for developers

In this article, we will discuss ASK development from 10,000 feet. The core concepts, syntax, hardware and fill in any gaps in between.  What is it? Alexa Skills Kit (ASK): The Alexa Skills Kit is an SDK that allows developers to develop “skills” for any device hosting Alexa Voice Service. The Skills allow for developers to react to and send respond to a user’s audio input. Alexa Voice Service…

Amazon Alexa Skills and AVS Resources

Resources for Alexa Skills Kit and Alexa Voice Services Lots of solid resources for folks wanting to get started with developing skills for Alexa and extending Alexa voice services. In prepping for upcoming my talks and interview at javascript jabber I’ve amassed a bunch of resources that I thought would be handy for people interested in Alexa as a development platform.       Alexa Skills Kit:…

Whats new 2017 Speaking Engagements, Podcasts and Company Plans Oh My

First Half of 2017 Featured Guest on Javascript Jabber Recently Terrance (owner of HFS) has been featured on the Podcast Javascript Jabber for discussions about programming with Alexa Skills Kit and Alexa Voice Services (ASK) Feel free to check that out. https://devchat.tv/js-jabber/jsj-274-amazon-voice-services-echo-skills-terrance-smith Startup Boot Camp Hacker Ferret Software participated in…

4 Things Clients Do That Make Consultants Like Me Crazy~

Got me all like.. Preamble On one of the consulting Facebook groups, Freelance Hackers, I saw something that holds true to Hacker Ferret Software as well as countless other freelancing and consulting companies and thought it worth pointing out. The post is by Heidi Hanson reads as follows. TL;DR: If you’re going to make a post here, then be clear and honest and responsive! Between my partner and…

Breakdown My AH-HA Moment with F# and Functional Programming

Intro This actually happened months ago but, I’ve been wanting to discuss F# a bit. As a way of “sharpening the saw”, I went through Chris Marinos’s excellent F# Koans and though I’d post my solution to one of the problems. I’ve been playing with functional programming for a long time and bounce between different languages and implementations. Historically I’ve preferred the simplicity of “Lisps”…