I can't Keep Up, I am Always Behind

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I just saw a post that Angular 6 is now available. I was just getting up to speed with version 2 and 4, and I haven't even looked at the new features in 5 yet. I finally got good at Bootstrap 3, and now Bootstrap 4 is out, the panel which was one of my favorite features is gone along with several others. I tried publishing a .Net Core site the other day, and the server and my development environment were out of sync with the versions, so I had to update the server, and edit the .csproj file to get the site to run. I never seem to get up to speed on something before its replacement is on the scene.

I remember back in the 90's I would push to use an updated technology, and often the manager of the department would say that he didn't want to be on the bleeding edge. He considered anything under a couple of years old bleeding edge, while I considered it pretty well proven. It seems like today any technology that is a couple of years old is legacy. I can't even fathom what bleeding edge is anymore. 

To be fair, the world is a totally different place than it was in the 90's. Back then if you implemented something new and you found a bug, often you would have to wait for a disk to get an update. Today you can get patched code on a daily basis, and so much of the source is available, you can even debug things yourself. 

Lately I have been fortunate enough to be working on some newer projects instead of patching up some legacy code, so I have been feeling pretty good about keeping my skills up. I still feel like I am really far behind, but at least I am not feeling like I have lost everything. A few years ago I was working on a SharePoint project, and by the time it was over, I really felt like I was learning development from scratch. I really hate being stuck on projects that don't allow me to use my skills.  

When I go to user group meetings, I often hear the speaker mention a technology that I had never even heard of before as if it were one of the biggest things out there. It could be a JavaScript library or a Visual Studio plugin or a design pattern. When I hear these things, I take notes and look them up later as well as taking note on the actual topic for the meeting. Some days I feel like my brain really can't absorb any more, and I should start looking for another career. Then there are the days where the light bulb clicks, and I finally understand something. Those are the days when I remember why I love my career so much. 

Besides user group meetings, I have been using Pluralsight and Udemy courses to try to keep my skills up. I have used Pluralsight for years and I have really learned a lot from that platform, but I have found a couple of instructors on Udemy that I really like, and their format can be a lot cheaper. With Pluralsight you pay a monthly fee and you get access to all the courses. With Udemy, you pay for each course and then you own it. When Udemy has their $9.99 sale, it can be a really good deal. There is the drawback that if you buy a course that you don't like, you are stuck with it, but there are previews, ratings, and a content list, so it is pretty easy to make an educated pick.

I also read a number of magazines and e-zines. I was really happy to find several of the magazines I read are available on the kindle. There really doesn't seem to be as many books written which makes sense if the platforms change by the time the book gets published.  

Here is my current list of things that I want to learn or become more proficient in. 

  • Angular 6
  • React
  • TDD
  • AOP
  • NoSql
  • Ionic 3
  • PWA
  • ASP.NET Core
  • Docker Containers
  • AI Chatbots
  • Adobe Premier

How do you keep your skills up to date? What new technologies are you trying to learn? What do you think will be the hot new thing? Let me know in the comments below. 

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