[Edu-sig] another code school tool ( + other topics)

[kirby urner]

*COOL TOOL*:

Another tool I've been meaning to mention, apropos of recent threads:

http://www.freecodecamp.com/

I signed up for it wearing my PDX Code Guild hat [1], interested in "the
competition" but then I'd say FreeCodeCamp is operating in a different
ballpark, too distant from ours to be considered a direct competitor in our
market (we do in-person boot camps).

FreeCodeCamp gives you thousands of DIY exercises across the several "full
stack" topics, but also promotes Chat and Meetup modes, so yes, you'll
actually start interacting with and maybe meeting some of your fellow
trainees if you show initiative (self-filtering).  Granted, some folks are
too remote to easily join in-person meetups; urban lifestyles are more
conducive to that mode.

As one climbs the ladder (I got off it for now, can't climb into every
treehouse) the projects get more complex and this morning my Chatter Box is
filled with talk of Cloud9 (apropos), where apparently they do deployment
exercises.

*CODE SCHOOL CONSULTING*:

On another front, I'm very "not pushy" about Python, meaning in this
context that if Vietnam code schools I'm advising prefer a MEAN stack (know
what that is?  I do), then more power to 'em. [2]

Far be it from me to say a pure JavaScript stack should be written off as
2nd class.  These are spanking new technologies and we want willing guinea
pigs to dive and and use them -- to their own advantage.

The theory is:  if you learn how to learn then the tool chain you pick will
stay variable, given new tools are coming in, yielding opportunities worth
availing of.

So by all means, start with a MEAN stack and migrate to something else over
time as you learn new tricks (there're always new ones to learn); just pick
an entry point that works, includes a winning hand possibility, then maybe
shuffle the deck and play a different hand (e.g. switch to something more
Pythonic).

*LISTOWNER BUSINESS*:

if you dig into admin details you'll see I've made
urner at alumni.princeton.edu a listowner however this may not prove optimum
in the long run so don't be surprised if I switch back to my kirby.urner
address at Gmail.

I've also posted from my work address with O'Reilly during the chapter when
O'Reilly experimented with running a code school (oreillyschool.com), since
closed.

Just helping document my activity, a geek thing to do.

I can't recall if I've posted from any other email addresses over the
years.  I go way back on edu-sig, but have only recently assumed any
listowner duties.

Fortunately Naomi Ceder is co-piloting as listowner and has considerable
experience (compared to me), listowning within Python.org, using Mailman in
particular.

*YAY MAILMAN*:

I really like Mailman and am recommending it to at least one of my geek
subcultures (one fairly new to the listserv concept in general -- yes,
behind the times, stuck in 1790s mostly :-D).

Finding a service that lets us set up like what Python.org has, a set of
Mailman listservs used for self-governance, is on my list of Things to Do
in a role-playing -- or we say "hat wearing" -- capacity (@npym_it).

Happy Pi Day!

Kirby

[1]  http://mean.io/#!/
M: MongoDB
E:  Express.js
A:  Angular.js
N:  Node.js

Funny:
http://xkcd.com/1655/
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