Eric Ritz
From Deep Thought
Contents |
Bio
I am a computer programmer originally from Spartanburg, SC, currently living in North Charleston.
In 1992 I was given a vtech computer for my eighth birthday. It came with an interpreter for the BASIC programming language, a simple textbook, and a bundle of example code. I quickly became hooked on the creative aspect of software design, realizing that I could create anything I wanted (once I figured out how). On Christmas 1992 I received my first desktop PC, and I have been an avid computer programmer ever since.
For many years human languages were a passion of mine, and I discovered I could absorb them easily. Thus, after finishing high school in 2002 I entered the U.S. Army as a Japanese translator. Unfortunately, a leg injury that healed improperly caused me to receive an Honorable Discharge in 2003.
After that I returned to computer programming, literally went completely broke trying to find a coding job, and failed to do so. I spent part of one semester in college studying web-related programming, and promptly dropped out and went broke again while working on personal programming projects.
At the end of October 2007 I was fortunate enough to be hired at Cyber Sprocket Labs, where I'm currently living out my dream.
Methodology
I am different from most of my peers in that I view programming as more of a creative process than a logical one. For me, computer languages are the same as spoken languages. I could describe to you a program in English, or I could describe it to you in C++; each has their own grammars, verbs, nouns, dialects, idioms, slang, and so on.
I do not approach a program intent on following a fixed design pattern; just as in natural discourse, sometimes it is better for me to be more verbose or descriptive, and other times a program is better served by getting right to the point. Because of this attitude, I am generally pessimistic about technologies which force me into a particular style—i.e. Java's insistence on object-oriented programming.
I know many programming languages, but once you have learned a few you have learned them all. I am even familiar with some of the more esoteric languages such as Lisp (my favorite), assembly language, and LOLCODE.
An Example LOLCODE Program
This program asks the user for his or her pet and prints a message depending on the input.
HAI CAN HAS STDIO? I HAS A PET GIMMEH PET, OBTW This is the beginning of a long comment block, or actually, "OBTW" was the beginning. And to end it... TLDR BOTH SAEM PET AN "CAT", O RLY? YA RLY, VISIBLE "JOO HAS A CAT" NO WAI, VISIBLE "JOO NEEDS CAT" OIC KTHXBAI
LOLCODE is serious business.
Pro Tips
- Eric learned everything he knows about respecting women from Nine Inch Nail's Closer.
