Before I heard about my Zurich time I was rather excited about the summer holiday in Finland. I am still excited but now this period in another country is also creating some buzz. So, what it shall be then?
Work. I have had chats with people and the project is based on rather interesting combination of technologies. I do have some experience with them but the project itself is huge and definitely it brings a lot new knowledge to digest. Working environment also differs from usual but at least the office is the same.
Location in Zurich. After two short visits I have good first impression. But I want to see more and also visit other cities. I have small network of people who could provide accommodation outside Zurich so I just have to agree when and where.
Language. Even though Swiss-German is different than general high German it will be a great opportunity to boast my German skills. Anyways, all written text is pretty much standard German. I have already applied to some staff dinner party and if old signs are still valid I will hear most of the time German.
Myself. Ten weeks is a short time. But my traineeship in Krakow in 2003 was only couple weeks longer and I really benefited from it. So why wouldn't I benefit now? Of course, it is not my first time to work abroad (but it is the first time to work abroad from abroad) and I even have some clues about the language. It will be also time to explore country and sort some thoughts.
Archive for July of 2006
Goal setting
July 11, 2006Switzerland again
July 07, 2006
My boss offered me an opportunity to work some time in Zurich. It was easy decission and I am going to spend ten weeks there, right after my summer holiday. I have enough time to unpack and pack.
Exciting time - again.
Exciting time - again.
It's summer time
July 05, 2006
when you hear first finnish tourists talking about souvenir prices.
Hsss, snakebite of programming
July 04, 2006
One thing I like especially with my current job is that I have certain freedom to choose what to do. Naturally there are some restrictions but they are made with some common sense. So, some time ago I spent few quality hours with Python.
It is just an another scripting language basically. But it is pretty good one. It is readable, it has plenty of support and resources online and I happen to like it. Enough reasons =)
There has been discussion now and then about which language to choose to get started with programming. Some people recommend Java or C/C++ but in my opinion those have way too much distracting things harassing beginner from learning basics of programming. Classpath problems, cryptic errors, compile, link, run etc. On the other hand some people recommend HTML but that is not programming because it is just structured way to describe layout.
I wrote my first lines with GW-Basic which I wouldn't recommend to anyone. Maybe modern basic could be better but I have no experience of those. My last basic I used was AMOS for Amiga. (I never admit using Visual Basic, never). Then I was suffering with C and pointers but I managed to get my first windowed app done in Mac OS 7/8. Oh, and some compulsory Pascal and Logo. Uh... Then I got to know Java and after plenty of effort I feel ok with it.
So, what I would recommend for somebody without any experience. I would go and show Python. It is easy to start with so called calculator mode, experiment with longer codes and continue all the way to object oriented programming. It is available to all major platforms, too.
Some info about those relics:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GW-BASIC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMOS_BASIC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_C
It is just an another scripting language basically. But it is pretty good one. It is readable, it has plenty of support and resources online and I happen to like it. Enough reasons =)
There has been discussion now and then about which language to choose to get started with programming. Some people recommend Java or C/C++ but in my opinion those have way too much distracting things harassing beginner from learning basics of programming. Classpath problems, cryptic errors, compile, link, run etc. On the other hand some people recommend HTML but that is not programming because it is just structured way to describe layout.
I wrote my first lines with GW-Basic which I wouldn't recommend to anyone. Maybe modern basic could be better but I have no experience of those. My last basic I used was AMOS for Amiga. (I never admit using Visual Basic, never). Then I was suffering with C and pointers but I managed to get my first windowed app done in Mac OS 7/8. Oh, and some compulsory Pascal and Logo. Uh... Then I got to know Java and after plenty of effort I feel ok with it.
So, what I would recommend for somebody without any experience. I would go and show Python. It is easy to start with so called calculator mode, experiment with longer codes and continue all the way to object oriented programming. It is available to all major platforms, too.
Some info about those relics:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GW-BASIC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMOS_BASIC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_C
One and half weeks
July 02, 2006
And then my summer holiday begins. The schedule is pretty full already for those two and half weeks in Finland. I booked tickets long time ago while they were still cheap and I decided to use Sterling.dk which had opened connection between Budapest and Helsinki. So far so good... Unfortunately their business did not get lift to carry on so they decided to terminate all Finland operations. Of course I was not too happy to see that but the July flights are still flown so no harm for me.
There is one thing that comes to mind already when I think about this summer holiday. A road trip. During those days we are about to travel from Helsinki to Sodankylä (950 km one way) and back in addition of visits to summer cottages.
There is one thing that comes to mind already when I think about this summer holiday. A road trip. During those days we are about to travel from Helsinki to Sodankylä (950 km one way) and back in addition of visits to summer cottages.