Hello, World!
Would I be a software engineer if I didn’t write a “Hello, World!” post to commemorate the opening of my new blog? I think not! The “Hello, World!” program is rooted in the early days of computer science and is typically the first program that a developer will write when learning a new programming language. It is a simple unit of code that proves that your environment is configured correctly and that you can compile and execute code. Once you get that initial program running, you can create whatever kind of software you like. The world is your oyster!
That is why it is fitting that today I write a “Hello, World!” blog post. Not only to test out the capabilities of my choice of blogging engine, but to pay homage to those who came before me. Those pioneers who established the art that is software development long before I was even born. To whom I owe an immense debt of gratitute. For my hobby, my career, and my life as I know it today, because nothing brings me joy like building software does.
Soon it will be the year 2025 and I’m aware of the fact that blogging is no longer as popular as it once was. Who wants to read these days anyway? Why read when you can spend hours being entertained by YouTube Shorts and Tiktok? If nobody is going to read my blog, who then am I writing for? The answer to that question is simple. I’m writing for me. I’m writing because I enjoy it. I’m writing because it helps me get my thoughts in order. I’m writing because I believe a happy internet is one that exists outside of the virtual panopticon created by social media apps.
My name is Daniel Harrison and I am proud to be called a computer programmer. I started on my journey around the year 2012, when I dropped out of college, for the second time around, and realised that I needed to do something with my life. So I started teaching myself to code. Just me, my computer, and some C++ books. At that time, I barely had an internet connection and I certainly didn’t know that people made a living out of this, nor was I aware of the rich history of the computer science field. To this day, I still don’t know what motivated me to keep on going down this path. But boy, was I hooked.
What started as a hobby turned into a profession and now over a decade later, with many years in the industry, I find myself wanting to share my story about this difficult journey. This website will serve as a repository for my thoughts, ideas and experiences during my journey to becoming a fully-fledged software engineer. I will cover subjects such as getting started in software, software history, and programming methods & techniques. The blog will also include a catalogue of notes and book reviews. I may also write more generally about life, philosophy, and the struggles of the modern era, especially when it comes to neurodiversity.
If you are interested in these topics, please consider bookmarking this website. Yes, you can save a website URL to come back to it later without having to put all your details in before-hand. Simply press the star icon in the address bar. We’re truly living in the future.
I don’t promise to post on a regular schedule, but on an ad-hoc basis as inspiration strikes. Hopefully that means my content will never be boring. If you are still here: thank you for reading this, and I hope that you find some value in what I have to say.
TL;DR: Hello, World!