Yesterday (every time I type that word I think of the Beatles song...) I had an interview with the PM/Lead. I was given the opportunity to complete a calculator program. I had two hours and while I didn't complete it (I was too worried about removing the dependency from the UI to the BLL (Core) layers. If I wouldn't have been so anal I would have been able to implement an abstract class for the base methods for the operators and completed it easily. I think sometimes I get all caught up in the details I forget to get it working and then re-factor.

I used tests to help me along, but when I got side-tracked in my writing I also got side tracked in my tests. I'm learning more and more to trust the tests and not myself. As I learned from my music project, the tests will tell me what I need to do. Testing will then find the missing implementations or the erroneous errors that exist in computers that one doesn't always think about. But then you fix it with a test, then fix the code and you are back riding into the sunset again.

I had a quick code review of what I had written and it made sense to him. I was at least able to show him that the calculating worked, there was error handling and undo functionality, but I had the framework completed for that, just needed about 30 more minutes. I think I was too stressed to work efficiently. Not having a job and needing one does that I believe.

Sooo... we talked about the team. Right now it is pretty small, but they have a ton of work that needs done. The lead told me the code base wasn't pretty, but they have done a good job of removing some technical debt. He also discussed doing code reviews and weekly technical lectures where the team is teaching each other.

I had told them that I started that kind of program at my previous employer and even put the lesson notes on a wiki. I offered they should start video taping it. I think people are more often willing to watch something rather than read something.

We talked about source control as they are currently using SubVersion but are looking at Team Foundation System which I had installed and configured at said last place of employment.

I was given a tour of the software. It's some pretty impressive stuff (a WPF/C# program that uses USB to chat to modules inside of boat engines). They have a ton of features that are needed and are looking to add (hence why they were interviewing me).

On the way home, I was called an told I got the job if I wanted it. Pretty cool software system, working on boats (yes going on the lake with them!) and a team lead that is pushing the team towards software craftsmanship. I can handle a place like that.