My first encounter with the Command Line Interface (CLI)

Programmers and scientists staring at a black or white background screen, with just a cursor blinking and typing their way away into hysteria or melancholy had always been the stuff of pure science fiction to me.

I had been using a computer for over ten years and I could not remember ever having used that black-screen-with-white-cursor program let alone type myself into hysteria with it. I patiently waited for an opportunity to experience the hysteria those programmers and scientists had while using the mysterious program.

Well, as part of my preparations for @Andela’s BootCamp, my opportunity finally arrived to use the program. I found out the program was known as the Command Line Interface (CLI) and I was utterly disappointed. I was utterly disappointed at the misrepresentations hundreds of movies I had watched made about the hysteric states users of CLI got into. But I was not disappointed with the power and usefulness of the CLI.

The CLI is a text-based interface that is used to operate software and operating systems while allowing the user to respond to visual prompts by typing single commands into the interface and receiving a reply in the same way. (https://www.techopedia.com/definition/3337/command-line-interface-cli)

Perhaps the best way to understand the CLI is to contrast it with the Graphical User Interface (GUI). The GUI is what you see when you open a typical Windows or Mac system; a collection of graphics, images, audio etc. that allows you to navigate the system with ease. The GUI allows you to perform actions such as opening a file by just clicking on a image of the file, delete a file by clicking on a text and much more by interfacing with pretty looking graphics. The CLI is quite the opposite. Imagine performing all those tasks by just typing a command into a cursor prompt; now that’s the CLI.

As tedious as it may sound (yea, the CLI can be quite tedious: you are not allowed to misspell a word, you obviously have to know the command before you can type it and so much more), the CLI is actually quite useful.

The CLI can actually be much more faster than using the GUI (provided you know the commands). The CLI uses much less memory and much less processing time. For much more complex tasks, the CLI can be scripted to automate tasks and the CLI is actually independent of the operating system. The CLI can also operate on reduced display hardware requirements e.g. a simple low-resolution monitor is sufficient. (https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-Command-Line-Interface)

(https://er.yuvayana.org/command-line-interface-application-advantages-disadvantages/)

Aside from its ability to make you look like a geek, perhaps the greatest advantage of the CLI is how low-level and yet sophisticated it is. For me, the CLI commands are like individual Lego™ blocks. They provide you unparalleled ability to build what you want.

How I bullied my mind into learning under pressure

The time allowed was crystal clear, “One week!”. I had been consuming API backends for years but I never thought to learn how to build one or read up on it. I had always thought to myself, why do I need to build an API when I could just use out of the thousands already available on the web or outsource the build process?

Finally, my nonchalance had caught up with me; I had just one week to build a well-tested API backend for a web application using the famous Node.js and Express framework. I also had to ensure that my code followed a specific style guide (Airbnb) and use Mocha, a popular testing framework. For developers with years of experience, this might look like a stroll in the park, but for newbies with just a few months of coding experience, this can be daunting. If the only thing you can do after installing Node.js is to type `Node –v` in your command line terminal to check the Node.js version; then closing your laptop to sleep can very much look like the best option.

Of course, the first instincts of a millennial kicked in — Internet search. My search query was simple enough- ‘How to build API backend’; but the results varied quite a lot in style, pattern, framework etc. I became more confused and fear kicked in. What if the little JavaScript I knew was not enough to implement an API backend? What if I am unable to implement it at all? What if I implement it but followed a wrong tutorial and did it in a completely wrong way? What if after what if!

But one thing was absolutely certain: I was determined to do whatever it took to become a fellow at the prestigious Andela. I could not give up now. I would not let fear and a fixed mindset stall my progress. I knew too much about Carol Dweck’s amazing work on mindsets to fall victim of a fixed mindset. It was yet another challenge for me to demonstrate to myself that my mind was the only obstacle between unimaginable growth and me.

There was no time to waste, the time was short and the requirement was clear. This was my first encounter with using the required frameworks and building an API so I had to start from scratch. Tutorial after tutorial, video after video, one blog post after another, I kept on reading, watching and learning. After all, no one has ever been reported to pass away from information overload. Learning had never felt so laborious.

After close to two days of non-stop self-learning, it all began to make sense. Our minds just have a funny way of making things look difficult out of fear. The process became clearer and easier after running through tens of tutorials. And when I eventually opened up the command line terminal and started typing away the code, sure I made a lot of mistakes, but then every mistake meant more reading and more learning — an opportunity to grow.

Then, I reflected on the state of mind I started from, I was afraid to even think about the challenge or open up the command line terminal. But now, I was happy with what I had learned and how far I had come with building the API. I was even happier when I was able to help my peers and point them in the right direction from my little experience.

I realized my mind was afraid to learn at the beginning, for fear of being limited in capacity, but I had successfully bullied my mind into learning even under pressure.

It's SAP Insider HANA 2016 Conference! Feb. 16-19, 2016. Please pay for my ticket? *Sad face*

Next week is HANA week!

So lately my interest in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERPs) has skyrocketed, I even dream about it these days!

Enterprise Resource Planning software giant, SAP (Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing) in collaboration with SAPinsider is hosting the Insider HANA 2016 conference from 16-19 February 2016 in Wynn Las Vegas.

The conference is an opportunity to showcase the latest SAP HANA product capabilities and hear from lots of experts from SAP, partners and LIVE SAP HANA customers.

A number of SAP experts are billed to anchor sessions at the event. Experts from top consulting firms Deloitte, KPMG, Accenture, Comerit etc. are scheduled to anchor sessions.

See you there! (If I get money for my ticket!)

Facebook.org: Which side of the argument are you on?

Facebook.org: to stay or to go?

Update 09-Feb-16: India stands by net neutrality! Prohibits service providers from charging discriminatory prices for Internet services even if it is free, effectively banning Facebook internet.org.

It's one of those arguments I just love listening to. You really can't help but to see sense in both sides' arguments.

Background

August 20 2013, Facebook announced it's Internet.org project. The goal was/is simple: to connect the world (through the internet of course!). First step was to provide the world's poorest with free access to a collection of websites and applications through partnerships with telecommunications companies.
Noble, right? I mean who would oppose free access to the internet?

Netflix comes to Nigeria: What's all the fuss about?

At the prestigious Consumer Electronic Show (CES) 2016, Netflix CEO and co-founder, Reed Hastings, made the much anticipated and yet surprising announcement: Netflix was going live in 130 countries instantaneously. An elated Hastings reeled out a list of countries, including Nigeria, in which Netflix was being switch on. Hastings chronicled the goal of Netflix in this excerpt carried on Netflix’s website: “Today you are witnessing the birth of a new global Internet TV network. With this launch, consumers around the world -- from Singapore to St. Petersburg, from San Francisco to Sao Paulo -- will be able to enjoy TV shows and movies simultaneously -- no more waiting. With the help of the Internet, we are putting power in consumers’ hands to watch whenever, wherever and on whatever device.”

Netflix, established in 1997, is an American company that delivers media (TV shows, movies) on demand to subscribers via internet. Netflix also rents out DVDs and Blu-ray disks via mail. As of October 2015, Netflix reported 69.17 million subscribers worldwide, including more than 43 million in the US. Netflix reported revenues of US$ 5.50 billion for 2014 financial year.

CES 2016: What I'ld give to be there!

CES 2016!!!

The prestigious Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the premier consumer electronic show (pun intended) of the world. It's one of those events I'ld give the world to attend.  Organized by the Consumer Technology Association, the CES is a global consumer electronics and consumer technology tradeshow that takes place every January in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 2016 edition was as exciting as ever! The top-guns as well as the new entrants were all on hand to display their prototypes and next-gen consumer products.

Google achieves AI 'breakthrough' by beating Go champion

Every once in a while, we get a news so refreshing you begin to reimagine the current capabilities of technologies and the future prospects.

Before I proceed with this write-up, I must take a minute to give a big shout out to all those who dedicate all their time; Night and Day to conducting research and making all the innovation we admire today. We thank God and we thank you all!! You add hope to our existence!