Procedural Programming, Solana, and Linux

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This week we’re discussing procedural programming, Linux distros, and Solana. If there’s a specific topic you want us to cover next week, please let us know in the survey at the bottom of the email.

This Week’s Resources

• What is Procedural Programming

• The People’s Blockchain: Solana

• This Week’s Jobs in Tech (Hackr Jobs)

• The Best Linux Distro For Programmers

• The Arguments for Arch Linux (Video)

• Unity vs. Unreal Engine for Game Developers

• Talk to an Expert: Where to Get Started in Tech (Mentor)

• Coffee Badging: Tips on Minimizing RTO Headaches

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Procedural Programming 101

Procedural programming is the bread and butter of software development, the no-nonsense, straightforward approach that’s been the backbone of coding for decades.

In fact, procedural programming is still essential in 2024, powering critical systems like operating systems (e.g., Linux kernel in C), embedded devices, and performance-sensitive applications, where its straightforward, efficient structure is necessary for low-level control and resource management.

It’s all about breaking down a problem into a series of step-by-step instructions, making it the go-to method for anyone looking to write clear, linear, and easy-to-follow program code.

So what are the downsides? Here are a few things to consider with procedural programming:

• Scalability Issues: Becomes hard to manage as codebase grows due to lack of modularity.

• Code Duplication: Encourages repetitive code, making maintenance challenging.

• Tight Coupling: Functions and data are closely linked, leading to less flexibility in changing parts of the system.

The Best Linux Distro for Programmers

Here’s a video that started some conversations. In our article on the best Linux distros, we dubbed Ubuntu as the top choice for programmers.

Viewers chimed in with arguments in favor of Arch Linux and Gentoo. And there are some strong opinions on the subject.

Check out our video above for the comments, or watch our new follow-up video to learn more about Arch Linux.

Is Solana the Future of Crypto?

Solana has been called “the people’s blockchain” and there are two good reasons for that: affordability and speed.

Solana is a public blockchain platform that’s been making waves due to its increasing popularity.

Unlike traditional blockchains that often struggle with congestion and high fees, or Bitcoin, which relies on the resource-intensive Proof of Work mechanism, Solana uses a unique blend of timestamps and Proof of Stake (PoS) to achieve its impressive scalability.

This takes the form of a unique consensus mechanism called Proof of History (PoH).

Unity vs. Unreal Engine: The Verdict

Here’s the verdict on whether game developers should use Unity or Unreal Engine. (Hint: It depends what you want to do).

Of course, you’ll want to know C++ if you plan to use Unreal Engine.

Coffee Badging Tips: How to Avoid an RTO Headache

It looks like our article on coffee badging is really taking off. The main takeaways?

• Consider your timing: If you’re badging in at the same time in the morning every day and then never badging again, it could be a sign you’re leaving early.

• Batch meetings: If you need to make in-person appearances at the office, a little planning can help you keep all your face-to-face meetings on one day.

• Leave a trace: If your RTO employer tracks your location via IP address, you’ll want to make sure it’s associated with your work office instead of your home. You might want to look into VPNs.

Are you coffee badging? Let us know in the survey below!