Articles by David Bolton
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Tips for Reducing Cognitive Load When Coding
What is cognitive load and why do we want to reduce it? When you are reading a block of code, cognitive load is the mental effort needed to understand it. The greater the complexity, the higher t… -
5 Popular IDEs for You to Explore
Back in the Dark Ages (i.e., the 1970s and early 1980s), programming compiled languages was a bit of a clunky process: load the editor, edit the source code, save it out, run the compiler; if any… -
4 Alternatives to Microsoft Publisher You Can Use Today
Back in February 2024, Microsoft announced that its Publisher DTP (Desktop Publishing Solution) will go out of support in October 2026 and no longer be included in Microsoft 365 plans. It's not a… -
State of Kotlin in 2024
Of the two programming languages named after islands, Kotlin at 13 years old is a relative newcomer compared to Java at almost 30 years old. Despite its relative youth, however, Kotlin has made r… -
Do You Have SMART Goals at Work?
You may have only recently heard of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely) goals, but the concept has been around for decades. It started out as a management-focused frame… -
Swapping C++ for Rust: The Upskilling Opportunity You have Been Waiting for
It's quite a thing when the White House through the Office of the National Cyber Director produces a 19 page technical report saying it's time to start writing memory-safe software. In it we read… -
Advice for New Software Developers and Engineers
So you’re becoming a software developer. What do you need to know about the profession? How can you put yourself in a great position to succeed? Breaking into software development is exciting, bu… -
The State of Java Development in 2023
Twenty-eight years after it first appeared on the programming scene, Java is still in the top three or four most popular programming languages (at least according to the TIOBE Index, Redmonk and… -
5 Ideas for Programmer Self-Promotion
If you’re a software developer on the hunt for a full-time job and/or contracting gigs, how do you build a reputation and get your name out there? The social-media ecosystem is a mess right now,… -
Windows vs. Linux vs. Mac: What’s the Best Dev Platform for You?
If you’re just entering the tech industry and interested in software development as a career, you’re probably wondering how the respective operating systems—Windows, Linux, and macOS—match up aga…