Archive for September 2015

Video2MP3

By John Shipp | September 8, 2015

A super high traffic website, where, a user could convert a YouTube video to an MP3 audio file and then download the audio file to their computer. This site received billions (yes, billions!) of page views per month. By using the YouTube API along with ffmpeg we created a multi-server audio conversion farm and a…

The Crisis of Authenticity in the Digital Workforce

Introduction In the era of remote work and gig economies, hiring talented individuals has become a streamlined process. But what if the talent you’re hiring isn’t what it seems? In my own experience, I’ve found that a significant number of applicants resort to misleading tactics—ranging from AI-generated cover letters to downright identity fraud. Let’s dive …
The Hidden Cost of Hiring Overemployed Developers: A Cautionary Tale

Introduction In the fast-paced world of technology, a high demand for skilled developers has led many companies to compete aggressively for talent. While enthusiasm in hiring the best and brightest is essential, there’s a flip side to this coin—what happens when you find out that your newly-hired developer is overemployed and has concealed other jobs …
Preserving the Human-to-Human Connection: Why Empathy and Emotional Intelligence Matter in the Age of AI and Remote Work

In today’s world where AI, emails, and remote work dominate professional landscapes, the critical role of human-to-human interaction cannot be overstated. Amidst the convenience and efficiency that technology affords, there is a rising need to maintain our innate qualities of empathy, compassion, and understanding. Technology may facilitate instant communication, but it often lacks the emotional …
Scaling Your Business with a Fractional CTO

Scaling a business is a crucial but challenging task that requires careful planning, especially when it comes to technology strategy. A Fractional CTO (Chief Technology Officer) can be a game-changer for startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) aiming to grow without the immediate need or resources for a full-time CTO. Unlike a traditional CTO …
Building and Leading High-Performance Tech Teams

The role of a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) goes far beyond making tech-savvy decisions and overseeing development projects. At the heart of every successful technology venture lies a high-performance team. But how do you create and lead such a team? Here are seven key strategies to help you build and lead a tech team that …
Fractional CTO: What It Means and Why Startups Need One

The concept of a Fractional CTO might seem novel to many, but in the rapidly evolving world of startups and technology, it’s an innovation born of necessity. A Fractional CTO is, as the name suggests, a Chief Technology Officer who serves on a part-time or contractual basis, typically for companies that either can’t afford or …
11 attributes of a good CTO (Chief Technology Officer) and what is a Fractional CTO?

A good Chief Technology Officer (CTO) plays a crucial role in a company’s growth, strategy, and overall success. Look out for the following signs to identify a competent CTO: Technical Expertise: The CTO should have a strong technical background with deep knowledge in their industry. This includes understanding current technologies, programming languages, platforms, and architectural …
Spaces vs. Tabs – An ongoing debate.

The debate over whether to use spaces or tabs for code indentation is an age-old one, and it mostly boils down to personal preference and team or project-specific conventions. However, there are some advantages and disadvantages associated with each choice. Using Spaces for Indentation: Pros: Consistency: Spaces are always displayed as a fixed width in …
Javascript defer and async attributes, what they are, how and when to use them.

What does it mean to defer a javascript? When you defer JavaScript in an HTML document, it means that you are instructing the browser to execute the JavaScript code after the HTML has been completely parsed. This is done by using the defer attribute in the <script> tag. By default, without the defer attribute, the …
What is the difference between an API and a Webhook?

API (Application Programming Interface): An API is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software systems to communicate with each other. It defines the methods and data formats that applications can use to request and exchange information. There are various types of APIs, including REST, SOAP, and GraphQL, among others. APIs are typically …