Dug Stokes
Developer
I started frag.co.uk in the mid-90s after working with a local company writing some custom software. At the time I was writing business software in Visual Basic.
Later I was writing remote network tools whilst working at my local school, including remote management and deployment.
Over the years, I’ve progressed into various languages, frameworks, and mostly into website development. I particularly focus on business logic, especially integrating platforms into other services. Some of these are custom projects such as with Laravel and NodeJS, and others as plugins with existing platforms like WordPress and Magento. But I’ve also dabbled with assembly, and working directly with ICs and FGPAs, I run Gentoo Linux for fun, and I enjoy learning how everything works.
I’ve worked with a lot of different industries and some of these integrations have taught me a lot about a variety of technologies and subjects, and I’m fairly comfortable working with anything thrown at me.
Visual Basic
Visual Basic, often abbreviated as VB, is a user-friendly, event-driven programming language developed by Microsoft. It is widely used for building Windows applications and automating tasks through the creation of graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Visual Basic is known for its simplicity and ease of use, making it an excellent choice for beginners and non-programmers who want to develop software applications without delving too deeply into complex coding.
Visual Basic is integrated with Microsoft’s development environment, such as Visual Studio, which provides a powerful set of tools for software development. It utilizes a “drag-and-drop” interface for designing the visual aspects of applications, allowing developers to visually create forms and controls and then attach code to them. This visual approach simplifies the development process, as developers can interact with the interface and write code to handle events like button clicks and data input. Visual Basic is suitable for a wide range of applications, from simple utilities to complex business software, and it has been used for many years in various industries due to its accessibility and versatility.
Lavarel
Lavarel is a popular and widely used open-source PHP web framework that has gained immense popularity in the world of web development. It was created by Taylor Otwell and is known for its simplicity, elegance, and developer-friendly features. Laravel provides a robust set of tools and libraries that streamline the web development process, making it easier for developers to build sophisticated web applications and websites efficiently.
At its core, Laravel is designed to promote clean and maintainable code through its expressive syntax and conventions. It offers a wide range of features, including a powerful routing system, a robust ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) called Eloquent, built-in user authentication, and a templating engine called Blade. Laravel also comes with a comprehensive ecosystem of packages and extensions, which further enhance its capabilities. The framework is known for its commitment to security and offers built-in features to protect against common web vulnerabilities. Additionally, Laravel has a strong community of developers who contribute to its ongoing development and provide extensive documentation and support, making it a preferred choice for web developers seeking a modern and efficient PHP framework.
NodeJS
NodeJS commonly referred to as Node, is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment that is designed to execute JavaScript code on the server-side. Developed by Ryan Dahl in 2009, Node.js has gained immense popularity in the world of web development due to its non-blocking, event-driven architecture, which allows developers to build highly efficient and scalable network applications. It is often used to develop server-side applications, APIs, and real-time applications such as chat applications and online games.
Node.js is built on the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine, which provides exceptional speed and performance. It allows developers to use JavaScript for both client-side and server-side development, enabling them to write server-side code in the same language as their front-end code, promoting code reusability and reducing the complexity of switching between languages. Node.js also boasts a vast ecosystem of open-source libraries and packages available through the npm (Node Package Manager), which simplifies and accelerates the development process. Its non-blocking, asynchronous nature makes it well-suited for handling multiple concurrent connections and performing I/O operations efficiently, making it a preferred choice for applications requiring real-time updates and high performance.
Magento
Magento is a robust and popular open-source e-commerce platform used by businesses to create and manage online stores. Founded in 2008, Magento offers a comprehensive suite of tools and features that empower retailers to build customized and feature-rich online shopping experiences. The platform is known for its flexibility and scalability, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.
One of the defining features of Magento is its ability to handle complex and large-scale e-commerce websites with ease. It provides a wide array of customization options, from design and layout to functionality, enabling businesses to create unique online stores that align with their brand identity and customer needs. Magento also offers powerful SEO capabilities, multi-language and multi-currency support, and a variety of extensions and integrations to enhance the functionality of the online store. With a strong community of developers and a wealth of online resources, Magento has become a go-to choice for businesses looking to establish a strong online presence and deliver a seamless shopping experience to their customers.
Gentoo Linux
Gentoo Linux is a highly customizable and source-based open-source operating system that is renowned for its flexibility and performance optimization. Unlike many other Linux distributions that rely on pre-compiled packages, Gentoo takes a unique approach by allowing users to compile software packages from source code to tailor them to their specific hardware and requirements. This approach is often referred to as a “rolling-release” model, where users have the latest updates and can fine-tune their system for optimal performance.
Gentoo is known for its extensive documentation and robust package management system called Portage. Users can specify compilation flags, optimizations, and dependencies for each package, which allows for a highly personalized and efficient system. While Gentoo’s learning curve can be steep due to the level of customization it offers, it is popular among advanced Linux users and system administrators who appreciate the control and precision it provides. The community around Gentoo is dedicated and supportive, offering resources and guides to help users make the most of this unique Linux distribution.