2011 Cultural Heritage Informatics Fieldschool

As part of the programming team for msu.seum, our task was to dive head first into Phonegap, jQuery Mobile, Google Maps API and the various flavors of javascript included in them. In order to start building the app, we had to quickly get our bearings with the various frameworks and APIs. Below, are some of the strategies I used to help get my footing and program msu.seum.

When In Doubt, Read the Docs

A large number of answers usually lie in the documentation of the framework you’ve chosen. It just takes some time to dig through them and find the answers. Already read the docs, but didn’t find your answer? Read the docs again. Chances are you missed something or didn’t fully understand it the first time.

Consult the Book of Knowledge

Search Google. It’s highly like that you’re not the first to encounter a certain problem. Using error messages or key phrases about what your currently working on as search terms typically reveals that others have had the same issues and what they did to resolve them. One website that has proved to be invaluable is Stack Overflow, a question and answer site designed to help users solve each other’s programming problems.

Ask the Community

Development frameworks often have their own IRCs (Internet Relay Chatrooms) or forums with people of all experience levels willing to help out. Sign in and ask a question.

Check the Release Notes

Sometimes problems you encounter are a known issue or stem from a change in the framework itself. Checking the release notes for details on the current version of an API or framework may reveal features that are no longer supported, acknowledgements of bugs or features to be fixed or added in future versions.

Just Do It

If you spend too much time reading and worrying about how to do something or deal with a particular issue, nothing will get done. Instead of trying to find all the answers, jump right in. Once you’ve got some quick bearings on the issue, jump in and tinker.

Take Risks and Experiment

Once you’ve jumped in head first, experiment! See what happens when you change things and try to do some reverse engineering. “If I change X, then Y happens. So, X and Y must be related in this way.”

Apply Your Previous Knowledge

If you have previous programming knowledge, apply it to your current case. Most programming and markup languages have similar concepts which are applied in much the same way.

Try and Try Again

Keep at it. With enough time, a breakthrough is sure to occur. Even if you aren’t patient, focus on the end goal to get you through the rough patches.