Blist is a new online version of Access.   The people’s database, similar to Zoho.   I thought a recent post on their blog was interesting.   They’re looking for developers in Seattle.   Here is the instructions for the interested candidates:

 If you’re interested, send me an email. If you have a current resume, great. If not, we’ll get that later. I like to look at code, so send me some. Send me the solution to the following programming challenge:

Without using any built in date or time functions, write a function or method that accepts two mandatory arguments. The first argument is a string of the format “[H]H:MM {AM|PM}” and the second argument is an integer. Assume the integer is the number of minutes to add to the string. The return value of the function should be a string of the same format as the first argument. For example AddMinutes(”9:13 AM”, 10) would return “9:23 AM”. The exercise isn’t meant to be too hard. I just want to see how you code. Feel free to do it procedurally or in an object oriented way, whichever you prefer. Use any language you want. Write production quality code.

I look forward to hearing from you.

http://blist.com/blog/

I thought it was interesting to learn that Jamis Buck of 37Signals and Ruby Core Team is both an friend of Jesus and a D&D player going as far as creating a random D&D dungeon generator.   I thought this was insteresting since, in the 1980’s, Evangelicals thought Dungeons and Dragons was the great threat to teenage boys everywhere.  Here are some quotes from his interview on the Godbit Project.   Robert is the interviewer:

Jamis: I was a huge D&D nut in middle school and high school, and programming brought me as close to being a “wizard” as I was ever likely to get. So, that got me started on it. From there, I found I also loved the “puzzle” aspect, approaching a new problem and discovering a new solution for it. Studying computer science formally introduced me to yet other ways to think about problems (compiler theory especially fascinated me, as did computer graphics). Recently, it’s been the search for beauty in programming that has been drawing me on. That’s one of the lovely things about writing software—there is always something else for you, just beyond the next hill.

 […]

Robert: One thing I learned recently was that you are a Christian. How did you come to faith? Was this something that you were brought up in, as a child?

Jamis: My parents are to be credited for introducing me to the faith, and for teaching me correct principles and encouraging me to follow them. My own testimony of Jesus Christ, though, was gained through personal searching and experience, and has been a wonderful foundation and compass for me.

Robert: You mention your personal testimony of Jesus Christ, do you mind sharing that with us?

Jamis: My testimony of Christ is not a burning-bush, Moses-coming-down-the-mountain, theme-song-and-theater-worthy-event kind of thing. Like ballast, anchor, compass, and sail, He quietly lends stability, confidence and peace, not lessening life’s storms for me but rather being the rock I can hold firmly to as the storms pass. He has helped me so many times, and I know that if I continue to hold firm that He will ever continue to help me. He lives!

Robert: Amen!

Here is the full interview:

http://godbit.com/article/jamis-buck-the-interview