Why Node JS is Fascinating?

Very Important – The information is not suitable even for dummies in Node JS. It is just a record of the fact that I have just been stunned by its concept and have a feeling that if it sustains it might change the very programming paradigms that people have been taught from ages.

1. It is server side JavaScript. Yes that’s what it is!
2. It is popular – http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nodejs-selected-by-infoworld-for-2012-technology-of-the-year-award-2012-01-11
3. In case you haven’t read you should first read this presentation from the site. (http://s3.amazonaws.com/four.livejournal/20091117/jsconf.pdf)

From the slides –

We have been taught code like this

var result = db.query(“select..”);

// use result

 

either blocks the entire process or

implies multiple execution stacks.

But a line of code like this

db.query(“select..”, function (result) {

// use result

});

 

allows the program to return to the

event loop immediately.

1. Other mind boggling stuff –
   

   “Node, instead, handles every connection and doesn’t block, enabling it to capture as many tweets as can be thrown at it. A node machine able to handle 50,000 tweets a second, and you’re talking only 20 servers.”

Source – http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/library/os-nodejs/

1. http://metamarkets.com/2011/node-js-and-the-javascript-age/

   These guys have actually said that it is going to define this decade and I don’t disagree. They have named it very aptly the JavaScript Age.

    

    

    

    

After reading all this I could figure out a few things (may be completely off the mark except the first one) -

1. It is awesome.
2. It takes JavaScript to the next level. It makes programming not just easy but scalable for dumb people like me.
3. It uses event loops which I have always loved J
4. It challenges every existing server side language JSP/PHP/.net (yeah some people do care about that too). As it changes the very style we do IO.
5. Although it would take a herculean effort to make it that popular but it may force people to adopt it in a few years time.
6. It allows JavaScript to beat the hell out of everything else. I don’t think even the inventor of JavaScript thought that this would happen one day.
7. It’s not new in its concept but is a game changer in its application.
8. Some guys have even said it is the next Ruby on Rails only this time the scale is far bigger.

If you are already feeling as excited as I am you can google or read through the second response on stackoverflow (strangely not marked right by the poster even though it has more number of votes) -

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1884724/what-is-node-js

 

Work places you should stay away from

These days I find myself reading a lot of linked in blogs especially the ones which talk about the utopian workplace or a real good one. Places which provide people the right environment to excel and other good things.

Although I really loved the failure wall from Jeff Stibel – (http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/12/why_i_hire_people_who_fail.html).

There were a few other good ones.

I thought I will start writing down points for the places exact opposite. Somehow I always look at the negative side first so let’s first right about things which don’t exist. I thought I will start making up a checklist of things which job seekers should look for before accepting an offer. After all you too have an option (I mean it’s not always bad times J) if an employer can expect a zillion things in you, why shouldn’t you be doing the same. And as usual I can’t help being blunt in these topics –

1. Never work at places which try and change your attitude – If you think you are being constantly told that you are trying to change too many things J and you better watch your own way. Make sure you don’t change your attitude because you are right and they are retards. After all if organizations become stagnant then there must be something horribly wrong imbibed in their culture. If somebody from the management is sticking to a line it’s their job to tell the reasons why they are averse to change. May be they are trying to save their jobs.
2. Honesty should be a practice not a policy – Just printing posters and sticking them around doesn’t really motivate people to follow that path. If you are serving a customer your honesty lies in selling the customer the right things. If you are not honest in that god save you! Spending all your effort in proving people dishonest for pity things and cheating customers is a crime that should be punishable by law. But unfortunately no definite measures are in place to do that.
3. Never work at a place which forces you to go against your ethics (there is huge difference between your personal ethics and company ethics).While some educated idiots are a really happy lot making policies on the fact that increasing the number of work hours can increase productivity. Sadly they didn’t learn anything else than direct proportion in school. A lot of places are encouraging people to come to work and finish their classroom hours even if they don’t work. It is not only stupid I find it unethical on a lot of grounds.
4. Ask about your career path explicitly – After all dumbness is a norm at a lot of mediocre places and you should not quit your current job for dumb places no matter how lucrative they look in the beginning. Just think which is more important mental peace or money. Collective dumbness can make you dumb!
5. Exits should be easy – My brother told me once. If you want to check how good a hospital is in its operational matters you should wait for the discharge day. The longer they take the worse they are. Actually exactly same applies to firms. You should enquire from people on how hard it is to leave the firm you are joining unless you intend to spend your life in that place. The best way to reward an employee is to make his exit easy. So that the last thing he remembers can make him return. After all loyalties aren’t created in a day and it’s as simple as finding out whether that person will return if he has a chance in future. By making his exit difficult you are making an indelible impression on his mind. Forget about returning he is bound to warn a lot of people about joining you in the first place.

    

   Lastly something you should not be looking for -

   Do not expect everything – After all you are going to be a part of someone else’s dream! The person who starts a firm has a set of goals he wants to achieve. And you cannot derive full satisfaction from those goals because they are not yours – basic difference why some people have their own firms and others just work for them. So don’t keep hopping on the fact that some other place will give you satisfaction.

Finally I hope this list doesn’t grow !