Computer Sciences and Information Technology
Topic:
Cyber Security uk
Week 8: My Toolkit
Many of the software that we often take for granted today are a product of software developer’s creativity or ability to convert their ideas into software that can be used to make our daily lives easier. For example, we often take the sound of an alarm as a usual occurrence without considering the fact that it’s an art of software development. As such, software development does play a huge role in our daily lives because it an important element of modern technological advancements. Software development can be a challenging undertaking because it requires a lot of work to piece everything together. However, software development can be made easier by using specific applications that enable software developers to go about their development work easily (Obrenovic, 2013). In the past I have been able to use two applications for my software development, and these are the Appery and the GoodBarber.
The Appery provides a cloud based platform where developers can be able to easily come with mobile applications. The Appery application builder’s enables users to develop iOS and Android based applications fitted with different features (Appery, 2019). Given that the Appery provides web based software development tools, it gives room for API integration and backend features that provides the application with the following capabilities. The first feature is the database which provides cloud space for storage of data coming from the application. Secondly, the server code allows the web developers to write the applications logic on its server using various programming languages such as JavaScript (Appery, 2019). The API Express helps developers to connect the software to other web based applications that incorporate advanced services to it (Appery, 2019). The fact that this application tools helps software developers to build their apps online makes it ideal software for modern software development.
Most beginning software developers may often find it hard to use different software development applications because they focus too much on the features of app which can be difficult to navigate for individuals with little experience on software development. GoodBarbers applications aim to solve this challenge by providing a platform where both new and experienced developers can develop their software (GoodBarber, 2019). By laying emphasis on applications design over features, GoodBarbers application makes it essay for beginning developers to navigate through the application and develop a good product. However, this does not imply that its features development framework is inferior, instead it is able develop a good mix of both software design and features such that it is easier for users to navigate through it, especially beginning software developers.
I have used both applications in different capacities of my software development education. GoodBarbers was very helpful to help me come up with my first software product which was journaling program for personal computer. However, as my programming and software development knowledge improved, I was able to develop more advanced software using the Appery application builder. Using both applications has significantly influenced my decision to pursue software development as a career because they present an essay and straight forward way of going around with my software development work. For instance, using applications like GoodBarber made it easy for me to navigate through software development when I was starting out because it was an easy to develop basic software using the application.
As my software development knowledge and technique grew, applications such as Appery have helped me developed more advanced software thus making my learning journey essay. In both applications, I had to use online video tutorials provided by their developers on how to navigate through these applications successfully. Having tutorials in place helped to understand how to these applications easily and faster, thus ensuring that my way around them was quick.
Week 9: My Inspiration
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was often described as a technology visionary to the fact that he could be able to visualize and develop various electronic gadgets and computer software that shape the modern technology world (Storch Rudall, 2012). Steve Jobs founded and was the chairman of the Apple Inc, a company devoted in development and manufacture of computer and electronic products. I have always drawn inspiration from the Story of Steve jobs mainly because of the teachings and ideals he held in his life and organizations, attributes that have enabled to achieve immense success in the computer technology world. For instance, Jobs advocated that for an individual to perform well in any career or occupation, they must learn how to love it because they will be able to give their all towards accomplishing their goals (Storch Rudall, 2012). However, in situations where a person doesn’t love what they do for a living; they have very little chances of success because they are not motivated to give their all. As such, Jobs argues that when looking for a career path, a individual should look for something that makes they happy and keeps them motivated to work on it every day (Storch Rudall, 2012).
I believe that I have made the right choice to pursue software development and programming as my career choice because I find it very interesting and intellectually challenging, something that will keep me motivated to develop my skills in it every day. In addition, I have always been attracted to computers right from a young age and I believe that pursuing a career in computer technology is the right choice for me because I’m in a field that I love and enjoy.
Another aspect of Steve Jobs life that is worth noting and emulating is how he handled failure. A Steve job describes how he had to undergo through many failures before finally being able to develop some of his most successful products. At some point, jobs considered running away from the Silicon Valley because most of his products failed to make any impact in the market or the society considered them as failures (Murugesan, 2011). However, as Jobs describes it, his love and passion for computer technology and electronics drove him through and helped him navigate through the tough times. Eventually, Steve Jobs was able to learn from his failures at the beginning to develop amazing products at apple, some of which have been credited for having a significant influence on the modern technology world (Murugesan, 2011).
In a similar way as Steve Jobs, I have experienced some frustrating moment during my journey if learning how to be a software developer. However, by drawing inspirations from people like Steve Jobs, I have come to understand that it is part of the learning curve and these frustrating experiences we go through when starting out at something are meant to sharpen our knowledge and undertaking about it. I find Steve Jobs story being related to me because not only was he an expert in my field of interest, but he gives a realistic explanation of the journey to becoming a successful professional in computer technology.
Week 10: My Software Application
GameApp is a software that I will develop with the aim of helping game developers to have an essay way of designing and creating modern video games. Today it is very hard to create a 2D-arcade game unless the user has advanced knowledge in Microsoft DirectX or the Visual C++ programming (Nicolette, 2015). This means that the amount of coded games out there is still limited to the fact that advanced video games require user to have advanced knowledge. However, with the GameApp software, I intend to make it easier code everybody with basic programming knowledge to be able to code 2D-Archade games without any problems. In addition, this software will help experienced professional software developers to navigate through the basic Microsoft DirectX and Windows9x quite easily, allowing them more time to focus on developing more complex aspects of a game. As a result, developing this application will be very significant for the gaming industry because not only will it contributed to the development of more games but it will help advanced programmers to have more time or concentrate on developing more advanced features of a given game thus resulting in the development of better products.
The GameApp software will be supported by a number of features that will help its users navigate through it. The first will be user created objects such as Bitmaps to help with animation, movement routines and collision detection features. However, the most important features will be the input wizard, whose role is to guide users through the different stages of game development, particularly the novice users who are yet to perfect their programming skills. Another feature is the level editor which will give a graphical representation of all the objects that are being developed by the application’s users. The application will use the Microsoft Access database for storage of its database which the application’s users will be able to access them from the application’s interface. The design of this software program is in such a way that it can perform and behave using normal Microsoft windows operating systems. For the application to function properly, the user is advised to use at least Microsoft DirectX 7.0. However, users may apply a lower version of Direct X but the results may not be the same as those using a higher version of the software.
The presentation and marketing of the GameApp application will first be made contacting all major game developers to notify them of my product. By having a major game developer adopting this application as one of their tools, it will help popularize and market it to the wider community of the gaming industry (Singh, 2013). Secondly, Using various social media platforms or forums on gaming will also be an effective strategy that can be used to popularize this application. Moreover, the fact that the development of this application is a gradual process that will involve regular updates will help notify its users in different social media platforms and forms on any new updates (Singh, 2013). In future, the idea will be to come up with a website that lists all our products so that users can always come to it to check for any new software or updates.
At the moment there are no software that are similar to the GameApp software which means that it will not have a lot of competition in the market because it is a fresh idea However, as more people become familiarize with the concept of the idea behind this application, I expect similar application to be developed which will provide more competition. As such, the application will have to be advanced and updated regularly to incorporate new features that will help its users meet the current market need.
Week 12: My Goals
Software development can be mistake to be just about programming but the art goes beyond that because it equips developers with the skill to improve on the lives of others and their community through technology. As such, a course in computer technology is important because it helps us influence the lives of others positively. In addition, the rapid development of computer technology has meant that the opportunities available for software development are expanding fast thus making it a growing profession (Kong, 2008). My passion for computers began at a very young age every since I started playing computer games. My desire to understand how these games were created and played on a computer screen often fascinated me. My fascination at that time was with how all the characters in these computer games were linked and this where my interest in software development began to flourish.
By the time I was finishing my high school education, I had a clear idea that I wanted to pursue a course in computer technology in college because it would draw me closer to my dream. As such, this explains why I have decided to pursue software development as a career because it is something I’m really passionate about. My current short term goals is to obtain an internship program at one of the best software development companies near my home or school because I believe it will help me acquire more practical knowledge and experience from the field, which will translate to forming a better understanding of my course work. Moreover, I also hope to develop a few basic software using the knowledge I have acquired in school because I believe it is a good way to practice and build on what I already know to become an experienced and skilled software developer.
My long-term objective is to finish my undergraduate program in computer programming because it will equip with the necessary skills to get a job in any programming or software development field. Obtaining such a job will be very beneficial because it will equip me with the right environment to continue acquiring more knowledge and skills necessary for successful software development. Though it might time some time, my goal is to strive everyday inorder to become the best software developer that can I become.
Other than my career goals as a software developer, I would also want to pursue other interest mainly in sports. Throughout high school, I was a very good rugby player and it is a passion I have carried on with me even into my college life with the intention of pursuing it even beyond college. Rugby as a sport has taught on how to become disciplined and develop teamwork which are skills that will be important in both my future career and daily lives. I would wish to pursue rugby coaching as part-time job outside my career profession because it will help me share my knowledge about the sports and also understand various aspects of human development.
References
Appery (2019). What is Appery.io?. [online] Docs.appery.io. Available at: https://docs.appery.io/docs [Accessed 5 Jan. 2019].
GoodBarber (2019). About the company | GoodBarber. [online] GoodBarber. Available at: https://www.goodbarber.com/about/ [Accessed 5 Jan. 2019].
KONG, J. (2008). Visual Language Techniques for Software Development. Journal of Software, 19(8), pp.1902-1919.
Murugesan, S. (2011). What We Can Learn from Steve Jobs. IT Professional, 13(6), pp.6-8.
Nicolette, D. (2015). Software development metrics. Shelter Island, NY: Manning.
Obrenovic, Z. (2013). Software Sketchifying: Bringing Innovation into Software Development. IEEE Software, 30(3), pp.80-86.
Storch Rudall, Y. (2012). Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography20122Walter Isaacson. Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography. Little Brown, 2012. £25 656 pp. 9781408703748. Kybernetes, 41(7/8), pp.1160-1161.
Singh, S. (2013). A Study of Marketing Strategies of Software Firm: A Case of Syber Systems and Solutions. Journal of Research in Marketing, 1(3), p.74.
