An ageing coder tackles his ageing code
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Owen Campbell
@opcampbell
slides - http://www.owencampbell.me.uk/docs/djangocon2015.pdf

https://github.com/meatballs

Ageing Coder
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- Learnt on ZX81 - 1kB memory, Z80 assembly language, no permanent storage
- Storage on cassette tape
- Made a space invader move from left to right
- Moved onto Acorn BBC Micro - 32 kB memory, BASIC - a **high level** language
- Draw random squares - teacher complains most are diamonds - **understand requirements**
- University - FORTRAN 77 - another high level language
- deliver code to mainframe
- now used many many languages and technologies

Ageing Code
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- accounting system - built to try "innovative databases"
- written in Lotus Approach
- system moved to MS Access
- converted to MS SQL Server with .NET client
- change because

  - SQL Server license cost
  - Windows development environment, and Windows VM

Way Forward
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- wanted web app -> framework
- started with Ruby and Rails (as experienced it already)

  - only ever started from scratch with Rails - but this time needed to use existing database and Rails made it hard

- then tried JS and node.js

  - hate JS (emotional response)

- Scala and Play framework - heard about it

  - Scala language is a thing of beauty
  - Play framework was OK, but it's young, and libraries and tools weren't there so would have to start from scratch

- Python and Django

  - was able to build stuff fairly quickly
  - Postgres, Django REST Framework
  - Logic as Django/DRF code (previously logic was in SQL Server stored procedures)
  - angular JS UI, coffeescript, UI served separately

- modular application
- all built on open source
- kept original database design