Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!news.mixmin.net!feeds.phibee-telecom.net!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed4.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.005 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.99; '*S*': 0.00; 'python,': 0.02; 'subject:: [': 0.04; 'repository': 0.05; 'engineer.': 0.07; 'django,': 0.09; 'modeling,': 0.09; 'sure,': 0.09; 'subject:How': 0.10; 'api': 0.11; 'cc:addr:python-list': 0.11; 'python': 0.11; 'bug': 0.12; '(django,': 0.16; 'cc:name:python list': 0.16; 'clone': 0.16; 'crud': 0.16; 'frankly': 0.16; 'luck,': 0.16; 'perceived': 0.16; 'should.': 0.16; 'subject: \n ': 0.16; 'subject:when': 0.16; '\xa0maybe': 0.16; 'fix': 0.17; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'code.': 0.18; 'do.': 0.18; 'app': 0.19; 'things.': 0.19; 'subject:] ': 0.20; 'cc:addr:python.org': 0.22; "haven't": 0.24; 'cc:2**0': 0.24; "i've": 0.25; 'source': 0.25; 'nearly': 0.26; 'least': 0.26; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.27; 'point': 0.28; 'am,': 0.29; 'direction': 0.30; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; "i'm": 0.30; 'code': 0.31; 'that.': 0.31; 'etc.).': 0.31; 'lot.': 0.31; 'subject:what': 0.31; 'framework': 0.33; 'implemented': 0.33; 'there,': 0.34; 'maybe': 0.34; 'subject:with': 0.35; 'basic': 0.35; 'something': 0.35; 'but': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.35; 'there': 0.35; 'really': 0.36; 'subject:one': 0.36; 'done': 0.36; 'doing': 0.36; 'subject:?': 0.36; 'project': 0.37; 'jason': 0.38; 'question,': 0.38; 'whatever': 0.38; 'that,': 0.38; 'little': 0.38; 'anything': 0.39; 'ability': 0.39; 'sure': 0.39; 'how': 0.40; 'algorithms': 0.60; 'contributing': 0.60; 'everybody': 0.60; 'simply': 0.61; 'back': 0.62; 'offer': 0.62; "you've": 0.63; 'information': 0.63; 'choose': 0.64; 'design,': 0.64; 'pick': 0.64; 'become': 0.64; 'more': 0.64; 'here': 0.66; 'started.': 0.68; 'overall': 0.69; 'targeted': 0.69; 'eight': 0.74; 'day': 0.76; 'regularly.': 0.84; 'subject:find': 0.84; 'to:addr:james': 0.84; 'subject:OFF': 0.95 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :cc:content-type; bh=RW96xIi3ohpSbznsct+1ugpD0Kt3hQlr71m8rXw+Klc=; b=AUSvyOnwnOnZ19p7btbT61DPpqH3FnU8Qom04QCdsTfBIFwbl+68gweszboKr230wg vHPBau8y82b0l+sENLANcKZ+D8oZoUWu6sKekump6MDEhYzwKcIRsGAv/qa6wPBHIHwL hktOjE3AeWt0tfAT63pFCU6KrsV4AlAG17lGyMV2BtN1G0vGa3RC3LIgivWCe8oTx/P8 eCWwgwZ4NxFR+lZWWZ0cF3iENeQ4o8mu+AQxJIFwh96HekOI2xtGa0BiDEHRXUpvFHyN 8hWq2Ol4Vwt2ESrq7xBbsXWsz6mwu/mQG1dVyF2VpDMcfE4n894yhbF3FJT6H6HAYbiw D34g== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.236.113.69 with SMTP id z45mr5768813yhg.0.1396965645831; Tue, 08 Apr 2014 07:00:45 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: References: Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2014 10:00:45 -0400 Subject: Re: [OFF-TOPIC] How do I find a mentor when no one I work with knows what they are doing? From: Jason Swails To: James Brewer Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=20cf3010eb111555e504f68869e6 Cc: Python List X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 97 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1396965655 news.xs4all.nl 2839 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:33279 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:69865 --20cf3010eb111555e504f68869e6 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 On Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 3:07 AM, James Brewer wrote: > I'm sure there will be a substantial amount of arrogance perceived from > this question, but frankly I don't think that I have anything to learn from > my co-workers, which saddens me because I really like to learn and I know > that I have a lot of learning to do. > > I've been employed as a software engineer for about eight months now and I > feel like I haven't learned nearly as much as I should. Sure, I've picked > up little tidbits of information here and there, but I'm no more confident > in my ability to build anything more complex than a basic crud app than I > was the day I started. > > Things I'm interested include contributing to both Python and Django, > database design and data modeling, API design, code quality, algorithms and > data structures, and software architecture, among other things. > > Basically, I want to be a better engineer. Where can I find someone > willing to point me in the right direction and what can I offer in return? > Find something that interests you (you've done that already). Clone the repository of whatever interests you (Django, Python, etc.). Then start reading their source code. Maybe pick up a bug report that you think you can understand and work on coming up with a solution -- that will lead to more targeted reading than simply perusing it at random. Chances are someone will fix it before you get a chance, but just seeing how _others_ have designed their software and implemented it will help you learn a lot. The more you do that, the more you will understand the overall framework of the project. Best of all would be to choose a project that you use regularly. Once you become more experienced and knowledgeable about the project you've chosen, you can start contributing back to it. Everybody wins. At least I've learned a lot doing that. Good luck, Jason --20cf3010eb111555e504f68869e6 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable


On Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 3:07 AM, James Brewer <james@brwr.org> wrote:
I'm sure there will be = a substantial amount of arrogance perceived from this question, but frankly= I don't think that I have anything to learn from my co-workers, which = saddens me because I really like to learn and I know that I have a lot of l= earning to do.

I've been employed as a software engineer for about eigh= t months now and I feel like I haven't learned nearly as much as I shou= ld. Sure, I've picked up little tidbits of information here and there, = but I'm no more confident in my ability to build anything more complex = than a basic crud app than I was the day I started.

Things I'm interested include contributing to both = Python and Django, database design and data modeling, API design, code qual= ity, algorithms and data structures, and software architecture, among other= things.

Basically, I want to be a better engineer. Where can I = find someone willing to point me in the right direction and what can I offe= r in return?

Find something that interests you (you've done that already). =A0Clone = the repository of whatever interests you (Django, Python, etc.). =A0Then st= art reading their source code. =A0Maybe pick up a bug report that you think= you can understand and work on coming up with a solution -- that will lead= to more targeted reading than simply perusing it at random. =A0Chances are= someone will fix it before you get a chance, but just seeing how _others_ = have designed their software and implemented it will help you learn a lot. = =A0The more you do that, the more you will understand the overall framework= of the project.

Best of all would be to choo= se a project that you use regularly. =A0Once you become more experienced an= d knowledgeable about the project you've chosen, you can start contribu= ting back to it. =A0Everybody wins.

At least I've learned a = lot doing that.

Good luck,
Jason

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