Gravitywho? #1 James
In this series I interview the award-winning team of creative geeks, thinkers and grafters, one by one.
Hi James, great to meet you. Love the beard. So where are you from and how long have you been at Gravitywell?
I was born in Bristol, raised in Oxford and I've been at Gravitywell for 3 years and 8 months.
Not a bad stint then! What's great about working here?
The team and the diversity of the projects. I get to work on projects that really interest me, with a group of people that are super smart and a constant inspiration. When we get together we create incredible things.
If you had a dream client, who would they be and what would you like to work on for them?
I'm not sure I have a dream client! The software would most likely be hardware based though. Sorry for the cop-out answer :)
No that's absolutely fine. How did you get into Software Development?
I was sick of running bars/shops and had some free time whilst living in Thailand, so I decided to spend it learning to code. I got my first job a few months later (after a nasty bout of Dengue fever) working on wordpress sites. Learning to code changed my life - I found something that I truly love to do. This quote puts it perfectly:
"A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both." - François-René de Chateaubriand
*Googles Dengue fever* Sounds horrendous! So what’s your advice for someone wanting to get into Software Development?
Learn git early. Learn by building things that interest you. Never forget that the OSS (Open Source Software) you use daily is free and maintained by volunteers, so be nice to them!
Very wise. Okay so what's the worst thing about being a Software Developer?
Imposter syndrome. There are so many highly intelligent people in our game and it can be very hard (well, for me anyway) to not constantly compare yourself to others. The feeling of being bad at your job is ever-present. There is so much to learn in software development, which means you're always at the beginning of something. It is important to know that this is OK. Another quote (I'm full of them today!) that has helped me:
"Don’t compare your beginnings to someone else’s middle." - Jon Acuff
Loving the quotes! What's your favourite piece of tech and why?
A tough one... probably my Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphones. They allow me to block out my surroundings, which is good when I am stuck on something.
Your dream Hackathon destination would be..?
A bothy in Scotland with gigabit internet.
And a fire, hopefully! Finally, what's the best kept secret in Bristol?
Bishopston Hardware on Gloucester Road. It is a treasure trove of all things DIY, with a band of really helpful people ready to answer all your questions. It is nice being able to get your supplies from somewhere other than a massive chain.
