FAQ
Some questions I often get asked.
What is the best piece of advice you'd give someone in your field?
Always begin by identifying the core problem. Avoid the temptation to conflate issues that arise simultaneously; they may not be related, even if they appear to be. Tackling one problem at a time with clarity and focus ensures more effective and sustainable solutions.
How long have you been in the industry?
I've been programming since the age of 5 (1996), although my professional career began in 2010.
Did you go to college?
I briefly attended Moorpark College before moving to Orange County to work at NCSoft. While I don't have a formal education in Computer Science, I bring over two decades of experience to the field, with 15 of those years spent professionally.
Would you be open to giving a talk?
I absolutely love meeting, talking with, and helping others in the field in any way I can. Feel free to reach out to me via email at hey@dak.dev, and we can discuss the details.
I've done talks before at the Moorpark College and Cal State Fullerton Computer Science Clubs.
What is the best language for someone new in the industry to learn?
A better question might be, "How can I determine which language is best for me to learn?" To answer that, consider another question: "What do you want to build?" The tech field thrives on a passion for building and creating. While you could specialize in a single language like Ruby, the greatest success often comes from understanding the strengths and weaknesses of various tools available to you. This doesn’t mean you need to use everything all at once—Occam's Razor, or the principle of simplicity, definitely applies here.
If you're interested in building PC games, you might want to explore C++ or C# with game engines like Unreal Engine or Unity. For web application development, JavaScript is essential, and you might also consider PHP, Ruby, or Golang for server-side programming, depending on the needs of your application and the skills of your team.
Ultimately, the key is to "Seek to Understand." This means discovering where each technology excels, why it exists, and what its place is in the industry. By understanding these aspects, you can better decide which language to dive into first and start your journey in software development.