=====[[CardSpring]]=====
[[IAP]] is about trying something different. After a string of management internships, I felt I was losing touch with my Course 6 side. Could I still program? Since I took a lot of course 6 classes this past semester, I had spent a lot of time benchmarking my course 6 skills. Course 15 naturally left me with less time to hack on code. [[CardSpring]] was a great opportunity to join a bunch of hard-core backend-programmers. The [http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffwinner CTO] ran cryptography at Netscape during the SSL days. It was my first exposure to more modern tools like Git, Ruby, and Cassandra and working predominately on the backend (it's an API company). I studied hard the week before the job to catch up on the latest tools.
As a programmer I built a complete set of integration tests using [http://rspec.info/ rspec]. The tests were designed to simulate the use of the API by publishers - both normal, expected uses and unexpected, error conditions. It was a good way to learn the insides and outs of the API. The team was really, really helpful to me and the other interns and helped us get up to speed with Ruby and the code base.
Continuing my benchmarking obsession from last semester I thought a lot about: How much are you expected to know going in? What are you expected to learn on the job? There are so many different subsets of programming that it is impossible to be an expert in all of them. How much should a new grad know about specific tools already? And more generally, how can you measure and compare smartness/aptitude: how fast should you be able to figure something out? How many times do you need to be helped with something before you can do it on your own? How much should you try on your own, before asking for help? Should you lean more towards asking if it is a risky operation?
In the end, I left with a positive review. The team was "sorry to see me go," "happy with my work product," and "thought I learned fast." This made me very, very happy - I was still able to code! I was able to catch up and learn up to their expectations as a MIT Course 6-er. I think this helped restore some of my self confidence I talked about lacking from the past semester.
However, in the end I also found that I personally like product management more than development. It is a completely different style of working - At Disney I lived in Outlook; here I didn't touch calendar invites once the whole trip. But I think product management fits my aspirations more closely. It's fun to read up on a system and then be able to understand it. It's exciting to think critically about a problem and come up with a way to crack it! Often the reward cycle is much smaller, as you are making visible progress every day. However, you are still stuck to your desk, doing work assigned to you. Ultimately, that type of work is not as fulfilling.
=====San Francisco=====
Living in [[San Francisco]] was super amazing. I am super glad I am moving there after school. So much of the field is in the Bay Area - so I have so many interesting friends in the area! Plus, the city is really nice. There are lots of shops and restaurants all within walking distance. I think the public transit is actually pretty good, despite what the locals say. I enjoyed exploring the different areas of the city; in part to look for housing: [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157632665672855/ Sunset], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157632665679387/ the Presidio], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157632665684269/ Berkeley], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157632669827382/ SOMA], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157632669836078/ Pacific Heights and the Marina], and
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157632669841364/ South Beach]
=====Next Semester=====
This semester, my last at MIT, I have 4 required classes left, plus a paper. For my management degree, I have to take [[15.053|15.053 Linear Programming/Optimization]], as well as [[15.075 Statistical Thinking and Data Analysis]]. For Course 6, I need to take one more AUS or CS Lab class; I taking [[6.170|6.170 Software Studio]] . I also need to do an [[AUP]]. I am planning on working on something relating to [https://panopticlick.eff.org/ Penopticlick] with [http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/hal/hal.html Prof. Hal Abelson]. I also need to take one more HASS-D, [[4.605|4.605, the History of Architecture]]. I am also taking [[6.933|6.933 Founders Journey]] where entrepreneurs come in and talk about their startups. For example, in the first class, Paul English, one of the cofounders of Kayak shared his story. I am also "shopping" a number of other interesting-looking classes. --[[User:ThePlaz|ThePlaz]] ([[User talk:ThePlaz|talk]]) 00:57, 7 February 2013 (EST)
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2/7/2013 IAP Personal Update
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