What makes a real developer?

I recently had a meeting with another business partner, where the topic of what makes a "real notes developer" was discussed. The conversation went like this.

Partner: Notes development has changed alot and moved forward

Me: Yes theres alot of new tools to play with

Partner: Well, you're not a real developer unless you can program in Java

Me: *cough*. Errm, I'd like to point out that I don't program in Java

Partner: *silence*

Awkward much? While there have been situations that have seen me implement someone elses Java code - I've actually never written my own from scratch. Combinations of LotusScripts, COM and now JavaScript have gotten me through so far.

But it got me thinking. What makes a "real  notes developer"? Are there are any set of skills that together make a "good" notes developer? Or is the delivery of a great end product the mark of someone truly good. Its my feeling however that the R.A.D. architecture and multiple programming language support (@Formula, LotusScript, Java, JavaScript) that there is no "one" type of real notes developer?

This segues nicely to Peter Presnells post on "real notes programmers". The first line reads:

"Real Notes Programmers... don't program with java.  If God had wanted us to program in java he never would have given us @formula and LotusScript."

What do you think?

 

 

Getting social

I'm spending more and more time espousing the benefits of social software to both my colleagues and clients. To me, working socially just makes sense. I am always online, I have push messages from Facebook sent to my iPhone, my IM know where I am and updates my status' according. I now hardly check my email. To me -- email is a bit redundant. Why spend hours inside a single communication medium, worst of all one in which all your hard work is locked up tightly in a only other to get the benefit of your knowledge if you communication with them directly? For me  -- its such a time waster.

Whether you use facebook, twitter, read blogs, or run your own website -- you cant escape the immediacy that comes with having done some form of communication within a social context. So then, imagine how much faster and more effectively you could get your work done using a social networking tool? The times they-are-a-changing, check out this video called Social Revolution 2010 - if you're not working socially, it's time you started.