The Lady Programmer

I made several career transitions in my life: I started out the workforce as a licensed engineer, then I got employed as a programmer. But now, I do freelance jobs as a programmer and writer.

I did not think I would make several career shifts in my life. Many fellow Filipinos would say that I missed out on promising overseas opportunities that help me get gainfully employed on big companies. Overseas employment often gives a better paychecks and plenty of perks. They have said I should have used my profession as an engineer to work in a high-paying semiconductor industry in Singapore or find an IT job in Japan instead.

photo credit: djeyewater (SXC)

However, I decided to try out full-time freelancing. I am not yet ready to stop where I have just began. Little did they know that I hired my own self to earn my own income. This trick worked well for me because I am about to reach the income level of a gainfully employed individual who choose to stay and work in the Philippines.

I am still open to other similar options though, but getting work abroad is not something that fits on my freelance career list right now.

Filipinos still prefer to carry cash rather than using their debit cards to make a purchase. For the few (like me) who insist on paying using debit, credit or even cellphone wallet at the counter, here are tips that are helpful to manage such transactions:

photo credit: craiova (SXC)

1. Register for online banking systems. Almost all major banks provide online banking systems for free. After opening an account, register with these banks immediately so that you can easily access your account without waiting for the monthly bank statement.
2. Be wary of phishing sites. Phishing sites are sites that pose as the real one. There are already banking sites that are not real and looks very similar to the real one. Of course, the primary intention of these sites is to steal your username and password.
3. Install firewall software and anti-spyware. Many antivirus programs come bundled with these features. With the age of fast internet and almost online access, this is now a must even in home PCs.
4. If you are a Windows user, turn your Windows updates on. I would recommend setting it to automatic updates so that the download runs in the background.
5. Use the latest browsers. Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer are still good ones to use with Windows. If your connection is fast enough, turning on phishing settings helps a lot.
6. Use different passwords for your online accounts. Keeping the same username and password for several accounts that contains money is a great risk.
7. Use a difficult password for money accounts. As said, combination of letters and casing would be of help. Never use words that are used in the language: for example chairman vs. l9hkTMl4j. Difficult passwords are often difficult to crack.
8. Never give out your password to others. I believe this is the greatest risk of all – to give out password to others. People tend to use the same username across other sites and even the same password and this compromises security.

These are the tips that I often practice and with the ever-changing internet, there will always be new ways of protecting oneself from such fraudulent acts. Be vigilant and keep yourself informed from time to time.

photo credit: DaleEu (SXC)

I have tried my hands learning Java, Visual Basic, Perl, C, C++ and other programming languages but I still consider Visual Basic as the fastest way for me to develop databases. If you are in a corporate setting who needs databases written out, then Visual Basic is the way to go. When I was learning that language, the first database that I had connected with it was with MS Access. Not long I was learning how to create and secure databases in MS SQL Server as well.

However, if you are considering smaller databases instead, do away with Visual Basic and just create the entire thing in MS Access – if you do not need so much network connectivity with other users.

I believe each language or technology has its own strengths: comparing Java applets and ActiveX technologies, many would go on developing Java applets instead. But with Java applets versus Flash, there are so many developers who would choose the latter. With so many technologies that are used in creating web pages, then there are so many options that would make it easier for an IT developer to create applications within the specified deadline.

Too often programmers would like to get their hands dirty in writing code. Oftentimes though, the project manager still overseas and controls how the IT personnel is able to meet deadlines and come up with superb work that will truly make an accomplishment for the IT department. This makes it a truly challenging feat for a developer to create such programs in the nick of time.

Windows SP3 is now officially released! Although it has already been around for its beta stage, now the robust operating system that powers more than half the world over (and almost all of the Philippines). The new service pack can be downloaded from the Microsoft download center at no cost.

You can download the whole service pack here.

Did you know that the first known programmer was a lady? You’ve probably heard this listed in many computer books – way before the blogosphere has conquered cyberspace. Ada Lovelace is credited as the first known programmer. In Wikipedia she is accurately described as the first known publisher of a computer program. She had worked with Charles Babbage on the Analytic Engine project. For this Charles even called her the “Enchantress of Numbers” because of her impressive intellectual skills that is rarely found in a titled lady like her.

If you are interested whether the two had romantic interludes: you might be disappointed because there was no recorded fact on whether they had been attracted to each other. Their meetings were all pure work.