Calling Clojure from Java is easy, if you know which classes are important.On my current project I make all my Clojure files resources, load them, and call the functions directly. The following example shows Clojure printing the argument it's given.; printer.clj(ns printer)(defn print-string [arg] (println arg))// Java calling...

When I worked with Zak Tamsen, one of his favorite (software development) sayings was: Kill Your Darlings. The idea was simple, don't get too attached to code. I'm not sure why so many developers become so attached to code they've written. Perhaps developers have the same attachment to code that artists have to their paintings or music. Or,...

When I worked with Zak Tamsen, one of his favorite (software development) sayings was: Kill Your Darlings. The idea was simple, don't get too attached to code. I'm not sure why so many developers become so attached to code they've written. Perhaps developers have the same attachment to code that artists have to their paintings or music. Or,...

Retrospectives can be complicated meetings. Done correctly, they can provide immense value. Done poorly, they can be a show that provides negative value. A well run retrospective requires more than just going through the motions. Several things contribute to a successful retrospective; however, in my experience the key ingredient is trust.I...

Retrospectives can be complicated meetings. Done correctly, they can provide immense value. Done poorly, they can be a show that provides negative value. A well run retrospective requires more than just going through the motions. Several things contribute to a successful retrospective; however, in my experience the key ingredient is trust.I...

I'm a huge fan of retrospectives. When consulting I found retrospectives to be absolutely required. An enormous amount of value was derived from expressing concerns and discussing the expected and actual impacts. However, I've also worked on a few highly functioning teams that never seemed to get the same value from retrospectives. Highly...

I'm a huge fan of retrospectives. When consulting I found retrospectives to be absolutely required. An enormous amount of value was derived from expressing concerns and discussing the expected and actual impacts. However, I've also worked on a few highly functioning teams that never seemed to get the same value from retrospectives. Highly...

This morning I read Joel: From Podcast 38 and it reminded me how immature developers are when it comes to testing. In the entry Joel says:a lot of people write to me, after reading The Joel Test, to say, "You should have a 13th thing on here: Unit Testing, 100% unit tests of all your code."At that point my interest is already piqued. Unit...

This morning I read Joel: From Podcast 38 and it reminded me how immature developers are when it comes to testing. In the entry Joel says:a lot of people write to me, after reading The Joel Test, to say, "You should have a 13th thing on here: Unit Testing, 100% unit tests of all your code."At that point my interest is already piqued. Unit...

If you've ever read tips on interviewing then you know it's a good idea to have questions ready to ask someone who's just interviewed you. If your not good at remembering questions under-pressure you should write down a few and take the note with you.Most of my important questions are answered in the interview: What does your software process...

If you've ever read tips on interviewing then you know it's a good idea to have questions ready to ask someone who's just interviewed you. If your not good at remembering questions under-pressure you should write down a few and take the note with you.Most of my important questions are answered in the interview: What does your software process...

ThoughtWorks does it's best to attract smart developers. It's no easy task. How do you convince the smartest developers in the world to join a company that requires 100% travel (in the US anyway) and become consultants. It's a tough sell. I've always believed that people join because of the other people they'll be working with. And, of the...

ThoughtWorks does it's best to attract smart developers. It's no easy task. How do you convince the smartest developers in the world to join a company that requires 100% travel (in the US anyway) and become consultants. It's a tough sell. I've always believed that people join because of the other people they'll be working with. And, of the...

Most Java unit tests consist of a Class Under Test (CUT), and possibly dependencies or collaborators. The CUT, dependencies and collaborators need to be created somewhere. Some people create each object using 'new' (vanilla construction), others use patterns such as Test Data Builders or Object Mother. Sometimes dependencies and collaborators...

Most Java unit tests consist of a Class Under Test (CUT), and possibly dependencies or collaborators. The CUT, dependencies and collaborators need to be created somewhere. Some people create each object using 'new' (vanilla construction), others use patterns such as Test Data Builders or Object Mother. Sometimes dependencies and collaborators...