A quick update on project progress first: after struggling for the last couple of weeks, we have finally gotten at least some parts of the local development environment set up so we can start working on implementing the first changes for the Capstone Website Project.  Setting up the environment has been difficult and tedious, and has solidified for me the importance of clear and helpful documentation so that future developers don’t have to struggle through simply getting started.

One new technology I had to quickly install and learn the basics of in order to set up development was Docker (as mentioned in one of my previous blog posts). It just so happens that now I’m learning more extensively about containerization in my Cloud Application Development class and have an assignment that specifically uses Docker.  Another fun coincidence is that we had a discussion post on cloud development in this class, and I have been working with Google Cloud for the first time in the same cloud dev class for the last couple of months.  Since these are both Computer Science classes, it’s not that surprising that they have overlapping concepts and tools, but this happens sometimes between completely unrelated classes.  I remember learning about truth tables in an Intro to Philosophy class at the same time as learning about them in one of my early Math classes.  While I never thought some required Philosophy class that I had no interest in taking would be any help to me in my Math classes, by having two different perspectives of the same general principle I was able to get a much better understanding.

I am of the opinion that electives are important, but colleges should not require so many.  Even within the same area of study I don’t think students should not be forced to pay for extra classes that don’t pertain to their specific path.  This intermingling of topics between related as well as seemingly unrelated classes however has shown me the value of getting multiple perspectives.  While I still think you shouldn’t be able to force people to take too many extra classes, I now see the value and potential benefit of getting knowledge in a wide range of topics.