Coders and software developers for telecom
Coders is a weekly look at the fundamental computer science driving the telecom networks that keep the world connected.
RCR Wireless News CEO Jeff Mucci discussed the finer points of coding with Ely Compean, SVP of the NetAmerica Alliance, and Bob Miller, a software development leader and product lead for Fenstermaker. In addition, Miller worked at GlobalStar Inc. as SVP engineering and product development and served as CTO of Unibill a telecom BSS/OSS company and Xpedius, which was acquired by Time Warner Telecom.
The trio of telco veterans discussed the telltale signs of a promising young coder, along with the parallels between coders and musicians.
“If they have a love for it, they’re going to show it,” Compean said. “It’s intuitive. They just want to figure it out. It’s really unique how elegant those who are going to be good at it become elegant quickly. Those coders who are really good are almost like a musician that is also really talented and you can see it in their code.”
Miller, picking up on the similarities between coding and making music, recalled a paper he wrote in college.
“I noticed a high correlation between the really proficient programmers that I hung out with and the fact that they were all musical in nature. What I determined was that music is a lot like software development: it’s a set of words, rules, syntax, that in and of itself, doesn’t really define anything.”
Miller continued: “When somebody takes those rules … you can pretty much develop or create anything. All the music we hear is created from that same set of notes. Programming is exactly the same thing. The logic is always going to be similar and you’re just able to create something using those sets of tools. Really they’re the same thing. Music and programming come from the same core.”
Compean explained that coding prowess can be adapted to the telecom sector through coaching.
“It takes dedication from the architect, from the manager, to explain [telecom],” he said. “You can give them an instruction set or you can explain how a piece of equipment or the overall architecture comes together. You want to help them understand.”
