Saturday, March 21, 2015

The Stand affecting businesses and saving lives

What Happens When You Start Standing at the Workplace…

This article is about 2100 words (about 12 minutes read engaging your precious time) and is meant to help you redefine how you work and fantastic for your workplace if you want to be more productive, energetic and have more love& passion for your job.
This one caught our attention in year 2014 after reading so many great reviews and benefits from people who were already rocking it. See images below:

worktable1
(this guy (Archad) article at  arshadchowdury.com actually inspired us to try it out)
multidesk
           multidesk laptop stand
singledesk
  single-desk laptop stand

We eventually got a hold of it and changed our workplace look in January 2015 and now we have 13 of these standing work desk tables in our office.

What difference does this make and how is it any better for a personal or corporate setting?
In our corporate base, it’s a normal 9 – 5pm duty Mondays through Fridays, except for the executives who are committed with no time constraints, always available even during vacations – they are still communicating business.
The standing work table desk allows you to stand while working at your job and it has helped our company to be more productive. Everyone here is using it, even the CEO’s office.

How productive?
When our members of staff stand on their feet doing their jobs, we realized they were more hardworking, innovative and creative and they were better organized. Maybe there is a better correlation with the feet and the brains and the entire body system! We will research at it later and write an article on that.
There was no more lazing around and this was good for business.
We also discovered better fitness and health benefits as we saw improvement in postures as some of us walked and stood straighter than previous times; and in overall, the company got more at alert at work.
But resuming work between 9 – 5pm meant about 8 hours at the job, so we had to tactically schedule the hours so it won’t bite. Between 9am to 12 noon – all legs were on stand before this desk doing their jobs. 12 noon to 12.30pm, we were free to go sit if we needed to. And 12.30pm to 2.30pm – all legs were up again standing at work. Between 2.30pm to 4pm – we were all free to choose to sit if we wanted, we could move around, lounge together brainstorming, snacking, chatting, etc. all still centered on the business of the day. And 4pm to 5pm – we were all attentive on our feet rounding up for the day and when closing, we left the office more agile, active, and satisfied.
Being on our feet working has made us rely less on coffee to stay sharp and everyone now looks forward to a new day at the job more optimistic and energized.
Great for offices and homes, the standing work desk table aids to keep you on the healthy path as it helps heal back pains, waist pains, shoulder pains, arthritis, joint pains, leg pains, chest pains, etc. and provides/helps better stomach abs and improves posture and looks.


Remember we said earlier that we got inspired after reading articles on it. Below is an excerpt of it from Mr. Archad from arshadchowdury.com
IN HIS OWN WORDS from his site:

It has now been two years since I started using a standing desk at work. No matter how long my workday is, I stand at my computer. This means some days I stand over 10 hours, with the only breaks being when I nap, eat, or meditate.
I don’t have before and after blood tests or other objective metrics, but here’s my subjective experience. I cannot attribute all these changes to standing; I do a Power 20 workout every day. Nonetheless, I stand more than any other activity, so it probably shapes my body more than anything else.
Some things that I feared would happen did not actually happen.
  • I didn’t develop any knee, foot, back, or hip pains.
  • I don’t feel exhausted at the end of the day or week.
  • My productivity and ability to concentrate did not go down.
What did happen:
  • My posture improved. My neck and shoulders no longer pitch forward.
  • My legs became more muscular.
  • I no longer get back pain.
  • My work day involves a lot more movement.
Side Effects:
  • Negative: Sitting for more than 2 hours at a time is now mildly uncomfortable.
  • Positive: I get less frustrated when standing in lines or on the subway. I bet half the frustration of standing in line is caused by the fatigue of standing. I have none of that now.
Adjustments I made over the 2 years:
  • I used to stand on a thick pad wearing shoes with extra-padded soles. Now, any shoes will do, and no floor pad is needed.
  • I raised my computer 5 inches higher than when I first started because I was bending my head too far forward. My keyboard is now at chest level and my eyes are looking slightly downward at about 105ยบ.
  • Instead of taking sitting breaks, I now take jumping-around breaks. A few hops actually revitalize my legs better than sitting down does.
Overall it has been wonderfully positive. After two years of doing it, I still heartily recommend a standing desk.

Hope you enjoyed this article! Please leave your comment

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

6 Powerful Books on Programming for now and future and their Influence on World’s Top Programmers

The first on the  list influenced the likes of Bill Gates and also helped me a lot, and countless several others. The list will help you change focus on programming and business.
Success in life and in any venture is greatly influenced by people you have met or would meet and by books you have read or would read.

My name is Maria Stanley chilling in my little posh office here in New York City, a seasoned programmer and a very successful one at what I do.

The programming world is a field mostly dominated by men and even when I chose to pursue this as a course in the university, I got eyeballs rolling from my family members and friends; some said to me, go study law, others said I should study medicine.
But I knew I had some ants moving in my head looking for the avenue to spill out what I could learn and manifest in programming.
I greatly owe my success to the curiosity watch in me that helps me make researches and probing into matters that call to success.

And the only thing I could write now about is on the greatest books on programming and how they did influence the world’s best programmers in the likes of Bill gates, etc.
I owe 80% of my success rate in this field with regards to ideas, implementation, marketing and business revelations from these books. If you live in New York, I could invite you to my office and borrow you any of them as far as you promise to return them, which I know you likely won’t return (LOL); or, you could buy them as they are very available and affordable online.
Enjoy the review and don’t forget to use the social share buttons on this site to share this article as it would be surely useful to others.
1. The Art of Computer Programming by Donald Knuth
the art of computer programming by donald knuthThe great writer Professor Donald Knuth, author of this awesome book “‘The Art of Computer Programming”, was awarded the Faraday Medal by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for his contribution to computer science and has many other world renowned awards to his credit.
Microsoft’s chairman Bill Gates once commended Knuth’s book, saying: “If you think you’re a really good programmer,… read [Knuth's] Art of Computer Programming and afterwards send me a resume if you can read the whole thing, and show me the proof you did, I will employ you.”
Donald E. Knuth is known throughout the world for his pioneering work on algorithms and programming techniques, for his invention of the TEX and METAFONT systems for computer typesetting, and for his prolific and influential writing (26 books, 161 papers). Professor Emeritus of The Art of Computer Programming at Stanford University, he currently devotes full time to the completion of his seminal multivolume series on classical computer science, begun in 1962 when he was a graduate student at California Institute of Technology. Professor Knuth is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the ACM Turing Award, the Medal of Science presented by President Carter, the AMS Steele Prize for expository writing, and, in November, 1996, the prestigious Kyoto Prize for advanced technology. He lives on the Stanford campus with his wife, Jill.
Mr. Micheal’s ( a reader) comment on this is as below:
Dr. Yale Patt once told me that anybody who reads through these volumes and completes all the exercises will become an incredibly valuable software developer, and thinker in general. After spending a few weeks with these books, I realize that he was correct, although completing all of the exercises may be impossible in any reasonable amount of time.
Do yourself a favor, read through them, and try to complete the exercises. I promise you will become a significantly better programmer, regardless of your current skill level.
CLICK here to Access Book and further review

2. The Passionate Programmer: Creating a Remarkable Career in Software Development
the passionate programmerThis book teaches you to (among other things):
1. Increase your programming skill and potential by changing your attitude and work habits.
2. Maximize your time and money by treating your programming time like a business.
3. Keep your passion for programming alive, and growing.
4. Advance your career either at your job, or on your own.
5. Manage and run your own company successfully and efficiently.
The Passionate Programmer is majorly focused on how to manage the direction of your career.
It’s pretty great and full of advice to land the Tech Job You Love. CLICK here to access book and further review


3. Programming Interviews Exposed: Secrets to Landing Your Next Job
programming interviews exposed bookBe prepared for your next job interview with this tried-and-true advice In today’s tight job market, competition for programming jobs is hotter than ever.
This third edition of a popular guide to programming interviews includes new code examples, information on the latest languages, new chapters on sorting and design patterns, tips on using LinkedIn, and a downloadable app to help prepare applicants for the interview.

CLICK here to access book and further review


4. Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship
clean code book to buyReaders of this great book will have tremendous  understanding as to:
  • How to tell the difference between good and bad code
  • How to write good code and how to transform bad code into good code
  • How to create good names, good functions, good objects, and good classes
  • How to format code for maximum readability
  • How to implement complete error handling without obscuring code logic
  • How to unit test and practice test-driven development
This book is a must for any developer, software engineer, project manager, team lead, or systems analyst with an interest in producing better code.
One of the best I have read on programming.
CLICK here to access book and further review


5. Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools (2nd Edition)
compilers programming bookCompilers: Principles, Techniques and Tools, known to professors, students, and developers worldwide as the “Dragon Book,” is available in a new edition.
Every chapter has been completely revised to reflect developments in software engineering, programming languages, and computer architecture that have occurred since 1986, when the last edition published.
The authors, recognizing that few readers will ever go on to construct a compiler, retain their focus on the broader set of problems faced in software design and software development.
This awesome BOOK is a reference point for success any day,any time
CLICK here to access book and further review



6.  Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software
design patterns programming book
Highly RELEVANT for you!
Capturing a wealth of experience about the design of object-oriented software, four top-notch designers present a catalog of simple and succinct solutions to commonly occurring design problems. Previously undocumented, these 23 patterns allow designers to create more flexible, elegant, and ultimately reusable designs without having to rediscover the design solutions themselves. The authors begin by describing what patterns are and how they can help you design object-oriented software. They then go on to systematically name, explain, evaluate, and catalog recurring designs in object-oriented systems. With Design Patterns as your guide, you will learn how these important patterns fit into the software development process, and how you can leverage them to solve your own design problems most efficiently.
CLICK here to access book and further review

The above BOOKS are the best I have read and been influenced by. The first on the list was the book that mentored and changed Bill Gates story to success.
Others had been read and commended by the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and so many you can imagine.
You can get a full look and reviews into other major bestseller programming books by going here.
Hope you had a great time reading.
Please leave your comment below, I would be glad to hear your views.