Remote Java Dev

Remote Java Dev

Tools

Pluralsight vs O’Reilly Safari

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Pluralsight vs O’Reilly Safari

There’s Eclipse vs Intellij, tabs vs spaces, and then there’s Pluralsight vs O’Reilly Safari. While learning platforms may not be as contentious as coding styles or IDEs, we do have our preferences as Java Developers.

Pluralsight and O’Reilly are far from the only paid options, but are two of the best and worth comparing. You can also find plenty of good content elsewhere at sites such as Udemy or Lynda, now known as LinkedIn Learning.

A Few Caveats

It’s worth noting up front that I’m comparing Pluralsight vs O’Reilly Safari on some specific content areas that I’ve personally frequented. These content areas are Java, Spring, Cloud, Microservices, Docker, and Angular.

Pluralsight

As a video dominant platform, Pluralsight really shines with its user experience. Both the desktop and mobile usability are outstanding. The quality of Pluralsight content is also very good.

Pluralsight also offers the ability to download content to your mobile device. This is definitely useful for offline scenarios or to prevent choppy streaming from a mobile data connection.

The content library overall is well sized though not extremely large. This can actually be a benefit as it’s easier to find what you want without having to choose between 10 similar options.

Another item in the plus column is cost. While a monthly plan costs roughly the same as O’Reilly Safari, the yearly subscription option is much more affordable. I’ve seen regular discounts on a yearly plan for Pluralsight for $199 down from its regular price of $299.

There are also some additional features such as Learning Paths and Certification Practice Exams.  I haven’t personally utilized these, but they may appeal to some learners.

O’Reilly Safari

The content library is massive! The best feature of this platform is having access to both video and written content. 

The written content library alone is huge and has books from O’Reilly, Packt Publishing, Manning Publications, and Apress to name just a few. If you’re fine with digital copies of tech books, this alone makes the O’Reilly Safari service a good value.

The video content on Safari can feel a little sparse, though it is not.  I think it’s just that the written content library is so big that it feels this way. You can easily search for just video or just written content to remedy this.

The large amount of content also means that you can reliably find the most up to date books or videos. You’d be hard pressed to find a popular technology that doesn’t have a number of content options available.

Understandably, this all comes with an additional cost. Though the monthly subscription price at $39 is comparable to Pluralsight’s at $29, the real difference shows up in the yearly price. 

O’Reilly Safari checks in at $399 for a yearly subscription.

***UPDATE***

An intrepid reader gave me a great tip to check out ACM membership. This membership looks to include O’Reilly Safari access for a much reduced price. As of this writing a yearly ACM membership is $149, regularly priced at $198.

While I have not personally gone this route, you should check it out if you’re interested in O’Reilly Safari.

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Likewise, another area of improvement for Safari is the user experience, especially when watching video content. The Pluralsight experience just feels better both on mobile and desktop. O’Reilly Safari’s video experience isn’t bad, but it could use some improvement to be on par with its top competitor.

Summary

The Pluralsight vs O’Reilly Safari comparison really boils down to what’s most important to you. 

Are you primarily interested in video content? Are you cost sensitive? Is user experience a big concern for you?  Pluralsight will deliver the goods if these are your determinant factors.

Do you want a massive content library? Is written content important to you? Does a moderate price difference mean little to you? Then O’Reilly Safari will be a better choice for you.

Honestly, you can’t go wrong with either platform. I’ve subscribed to both and found them to be excellent resources for ongoing learning.

Best Podcasts for Remote Java Developers

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Best Podcasts for Remote Java Developers

The Best Podcasts for Remote Java Developers are focused on a mix of Java, Knowledge, and Remote topics.

The parabolic growth of podcast content is both a blessing and a curse. It’s wonderful there’s so much great content. The curse is finding what we’re looking for amidst all the noise.

Here are some of the best podcasts out there covering topics that might be of interest to fellow Remote Java Devs. Enjoy!

Java / Tech

A Bootiful Podcast

Josh Long is a Spring Developer Advocate at Pivotal. He covers a variety of topics around the Java Spring, Spring Boot, and Pivotal(now VMWare) ecosystems. He’s also a Java Champion, prolific author, and all-around expert when it comes to Java, Spring, Spring Boot, and Cloud.

Josh puts out a ton of content across various platforms including Spring Tips on Youtube. If you want to keep up to speed on the latest in Java, Spring, and Cloud, Josh is a great person to follow.

Java Off Heap

Another great resource for the latest happenings around the Java world. Freddie, Bob, Michael, and Josh all focus on different parts of the ecosystem so there’s rarely a dull moment.  Which is no mean feat considering talking tech can be a little dry.

Java Pub House

Another Freddie Guime and Bob Paulin production who are both very engaging and knowledgeable. This podcast tends to focus on more granular subjects which is a great way to expand your world as a developer.

We tend to get locked into a tech stack wherever we’re working and so listening to Freddie and Bob go deep on a library or framework that we haven’t used yet provides some great information. Or even to further expand on the capabilities of tools that we do use, but may not have been aware of their full power.

Cloud Engineering – Software Engineering Daily

Jeff Meyerson does a great job in his Software Engineering Daily podcast. He’s very skilled at methodically explaining complicated ideas and is a natural teacher. I’ve been listening mostly to his Cloud Engineering podcasts lately and they’ve been very thorough and informative.

You’ll find expansive coverage of Cloud topics surrounding AWS, Kubernetes, and much more. Jeff interviews experts in the Cloud domain and with his own wide-ranging knowledge makes for a very interesting listen.

Knowledge

The Knowledge Project

Shane Parrish has created an invaluable resource with his Farnam Street blog and companion podcast, The Knowledge Project. Anyone and everyone can benefit from the pearls of wisdom found here.

Even if you were to only read the Mental Models section of Farnam Street you would be far more resilient to the endless complexity faced in our daily lives. A simple paragraph truly doesn’t do Shane’s resources justice. Check it out for yourselves if you haven’t already.

North Star Podcast

David Perell has built a great collection of writings and podcasts. He routinely interviews some of the smartest people in the world on the North Star Podcast.

You’d be hard pressed to not take away some valuable insights from David and his guests. I’d also highly recommend following David on Twitter where his Tweetstorms are always a wealth of thoughtful information.

Naval Podcast

If you’ve never heard of Naval Ravikant, you’re missing out. If I had to list a top ten best podcast episode list, Naval would be the only multiple entrant. He is more of a philosopher than he is an entrepreneur or venture capitalist both of which he’s excelled at.

Follow his Tweetstorms or his recently launched podcast with bite-sized excerpts from some of his interviews. If you like money, Naval has great insights on how to get it in the new economy.

Remote

Tropical MBA

The Tropical MBA podcast is centered around the location independent lifestyle. If you’re a Remote Java Dev or aspire to be full time Remote some day, then this will be of interest to you. Dan and Ian share a wealth of location independent information.

You’ll also find much of the content focused on entrepreneurship and how to build a location independent business. You can follow Dan and Ian all the way through their business journey including the challenges they faced when selling.

Location Indie

The Location Indie podcast focuses heavily on location independence and the digital nomad lifestyle. Definitely check this one out if you’re interested in building an online business you can run from anywhere.

Jason Moore and Travis Sherry have regular 30 minute podcasts as well as some longer interviews with their community members detailing their journeys towards location independence.

It’s a great podcast to hear the diverse ways in which people are living and working remotely. It’s easy to get tunnel-vision in our lives and fail to appreciate the countless permutations that are available to us in the world. The Location Indie podcast will help take those blinders off.

Summary

Choosing the best podcasts for remote java developers is a daunting endeavor. While there are no doubt many others providing great content, we only have so many hours in a day.

I hope you’ll enjoy these great resources as much as I have.

Tools of the Trade – Hardware

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Tools of the Trade - Hardware

The hardware tools of the trade for a Remote Java Dev can be quite simple or involved if you like.  Beyond a computer and an internet connection there’s not much else you really need.  However, some tools can make our work a whole lot more pleasant.

***There are NO affiliate links on this page.  If you’d like to buy any of these items, I’d recommend shopping around for the best prices.***

Monitor

People will likely differ greatly on this topic.  For instance, some are just fine with a small laptop screen and some want a NASA Mission Control setup with a wall full of monitors.

Personally I’ve really taken a shine to the Dell 43 Ultra HD 4K Multi Client Monitor: P4317Q.  In addition a tiling window manager is also very useful for such a large screen.  The Dell Display Manager(DDM) is fine if you’re on a Windows machine. Although, I had to abandon DDM after it stopped working while  connecting the monitor through a KVM Switch.

I really like the one large monitor approach compared to multiple 24” monitors for example due to the lack of annoying bezels.  Consequently, it allows much more flexibility for window sizings without ending up with half a screen on one monitor and half on the other.  

Developing web applications is great on the 43” Dell.  You can fully view your IDE, a web browser, and your Console all without having to wear out the Alt+Tab buttons.  Less interruptions of concentration equal more efficient development in my experience.

Mouse and Keyboard

I’ve enjoyed the Logitech items in this category.  Especially the Logitech MX Master 2S wireless mouse series.  It has more than enough functionality and is ergonomically very comfortable for me.

As for keyboards, I’m currently using the Logitech wireless K800.  It’s decent enough although I’d probably prefer a mechanical keyboard, which the K800 is not.  I chose a non-mechanical model for other reasons, mostly being the noise level that comes with a mechanical model.  Keyboard noise is seldom a problem for remote workers, but it can certainly be a distraction while on conference calls.

Headphones

I’ve become a huge fan of the Bose QC35 II Noise-Cancelling Headphones.  These may be even more valuable for in-office workers, but are still a great item for remote devs.  We can’t always control outside noise whether it’s the neighbors mowing the lawn or a family member vacuuming the lounge.  

When it’s time to launch into Deep Work(Cal Newport), putting on the Bose QC35’s and listening to some non-vocal music is a great way to focus.

If you happen to like Electronic music as I do, I’d also highly recommend Mixcloud!  They have an almost endless catalog of the many genres within Electronic including my favorites, the Global Underground series.

Bluetooth Headset

A good Bluetooth headset can be had quite inexpensively.  I’ve found it to be very useful not just for conference calls, but also in everyday life.  I’ve had the Plantronics Explorer 50 for several years now and it’s done remarkably well given its sub-$30 price point.

KVM Switch

If you’re like me and have multiple laptops and computers then a nice KVM Switch is very useful.  I’ve had good luck so far with the 4K TESmart 4×1 HDMI KVM Switch. I’ve connected the single bluetooth dongle from my wireless keyboard and mouse to the KVM Switch and it’s worked quite well.  

Summary

To recap some of my favorite hardware tools of the trade: