Software Dev

A Case For Force-Unwraping! Optionals in Swift

This topic came up at work last week, with lots of different opinions on how to deal with optionals, so I was happy to see a clear opinion here.

πŸ‘‰ The Danger of Playing it Safe

For any non-programmers reading this, a force-unwrap means that if your app comes across a value that just simply doesn’t exist at all ☁, then let the app crash right then and there πŸ’₯.

This article distinguishes between development, where it’s okay (and in sometimes encouraged) to crash, and production, where it’s never okay. I like the case here for avoiding poisoned app states that can occur with nil values. Just die already, already! πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™‚οΈ This article basically says that some development crashes are good because they expose problems, and to take a more aggressive approach with force unwrapping.

So be assertive with forced unwrapping. If there is no case where the optional should ever be nil, force unwrap

I think I’ll start taking more chances with force unwrapping and point to this article next time it comes up in a code review. πŸ˜‰

Via iOS Dev Weekly.

Parenting · You

Parenting Advice (Dax Shepard Edition)

Dax Shepard, cool guy that he is, has some great advice on raising kids. My favorite, besides no butt pads (β€œYour butt is a pad”), is that kids are good at figuring, uh, stuff out.

I watch them navigate situations over and over again that they would not do if I was present or my wife was present. By God, they work shit out.

πŸ‘‰ We Love Dax Shepard’s Easygoing Approach to Parenting

You

Things Genuinely Strong People Do

Here’s a great aspirational post if you want to be a strong and kind person.

πŸ‘‰ 12 Things Genuinely Strong People Do

It takes 12 (kind of) simple things such as taking responsibility for your own happiness, living for the struggle, manage your emotions, showing patience and restraint, being indepdendent and vulnerable and expecting the same from others. You know, easy stuff like that. πŸ˜‰