> Traditional enterprises were the dominant software employers in the 1990’s, meaning that tech trends likely reflected their interests. That would be a good explanation for UML’s initial rise. Over the past two decades, though, software culture shifted progressively towards large tech-first companies and startups. Neither, historically, was the target audience of CASE vendors. Over time traditional enterprise starts borrowing from tech and startups vs the other way around, leading to the progressive decline of CASE in its extant niches.
This I think was the real thrust of the argument. While UML's death may be exaggerated in many corners of the corporate world, so too is its life in representing our industry as a whole.
I think there's a more positive interpretation to be found as well.
Think of any type of task that you can get "in the zone", or a "flow state" with. Having an audience that reacts positively to your work can create a positive feedback loop that causes you to do better on the task. You tend to do better at things you enjoy doing.
The opposite can also be true. If you do something you're unfamiliar with, chances are your audience won't react positively to watching you do it. This can create a negative feedback loop that causes you to do worse. (I think this is changing though, with the advent of "Let's Play"s, streaming culture, and the voyeuristic enjoyment of watching someone improve at something over time).
This is a wonderfully in depth tutorial, thank you for taking the time to write this up! I’ve debated using PostgREST for projects before and I think this will push me to use it on my next one.
HN Who's Hiring has been the best in my experience, for a few reasons:
1) A massive plaintext feed dissuades some applicants, so finding a job posting that doesn't match obvious keywords means you'll face less competition.
2) Most posts reflect fresh openings, or at least openings still actively looking for candidates.
3) Many will list a direct email address where you can deliver your pitch / cover letter directly.
Second best for me has been WeWorkRemotely, though since the pandemic it's been flooded with competition and doesn't have any of the advantages of the above.
As a generalist I've been able to find several positions with this strategy, even while hunting for my latest position during the pandemic:
1) Don't over-filter. Take the time to manually skim each job posting on high-quality job lists, like the HN who's hiring. As a generalist I tend to be a good fit for smaller teams that have diverse problems and individuals I can connect with. Those individuals usually make more open ended job postings that don't sift well through most filters. Additionally, you'll get a better sense of where the job market as a whole is at.
2) Make extra effort in your initial outreach to a few positions. Surprisingly "cover letters" are still effective if they're presented in the right way and through the right channels. A form cover letter may be ignored, but a freshly written pitch for a particular job listing can stand out.
3) Don't copy-paste until you have your pitch figured out. If you're like me you'll find yourself rephrasing it slightly each time you write an initial outreach, and eventually you'll find the common elements that make their way into each. Try to make your pitch shorter each time while keeping those commonalities. A shorter pitch is more likely to be read.
Fellow Minnesotan here, also dreading the lack of social release valves. I can confirm that there are hiking opportunities in the winter though, and I'm sure the trails of county and state parks will be especially well kept and trafficked this year.
Another hobby I'm looking to pick up to offset the loss of a gym is winter biking. I purchased an electric bike last year and have thoroughly enjoyed riding it long distances in the warmer months on the local trails. I hear that many of the trails are plowed in the winter, so I'm hoping to find safe places to use it that can avoid the ever-present ice.
This I think was the real thrust of the argument. While UML's death may be exaggerated in many corners of the corporate world, so too is its life in representing our industry as a whole.