Interview with:Genevieve Eddison [webshopappsgen]
INTERNET
 | What is your specialty in the interactive world? I'm a senior developer with WebShopApps. We specialise in extensions (think apps) for Magento eCommerce platform and are the #1 shipping extension provider in the world for this platform. We also have a growing number of extensions to help with post order workflow and pricing, tracking and much more. These are my babies. |
| What was your first job in the field? I worked on a foreign exchange trading platform for a very large financial services company. |
| What is your professional background? What did you do before? My career started as an analytical chemist working at a pharmaceutical company and I have a degree in biomedical sciences and research. It sounds completely useless for working in IT but I use the skills I learned in analysis, testing and technical writing every day.
My IT career began with a technical graduate program at a financial services company in the UK. I worked on everything from massive data networks, to supporting news and journalists and developing foreign exchange trading systems. I moved on to a large investment bank developing a credit trading system.
After a few years off with my family I have been working with WebShopApps and Magento since 2010. |
| What is the secret to keeping customer expectations under control in interactive development? Great communication is key. It sounds simple, but really understanding the requirements and clearly communicating what you will deliver is the most important step. |
| What was your first computer, and which is your current? My first computer was a Commodore 64. |
PROGRAMMING
| How did you begin programming and at what age? I was at university, so a relative late-comer. I just started playing around at home, teaching myself from books, and trial and error. After a few years as an analytical chemist I wanted a career change and started a technical graduate program with a large financial services company in London. |
| What languages do you code, and in what platforms? My first love was Java but I've worked with Perl, C# and C++, and lots of others. Now I am mainly working with PHP on Windows and UNIX/Linux. I'm still finding my way in the Mac world. |
| Please list web addresses where we can see some of your work |
| What motivates you to undertake a new project? I love a puzzle, and working on a solution then delivering. I don't need much motivation to start something new. |
| What part of project development is most gratifying to you? Honestly, all of it. I love being involved in the process from beginning to end and, call me weird, but I even love the final nitty-gritty, testing and bug fixing. It must be my research scientist background. |
| From the outside, it seems a rational job, but is creativity necessary for programming? Absolutely. Lateral thinkers are the best prgorammers. |
| What conditions do you need to concentrate when programming? Peace and quiet, sunshine and tea. |
| Do you think programming should be taught at the basic education level? Only to girls. We need more females in this profession. |
| What do you learn from software users? What's missing from core Magento and where we can step in and help. |
| In social settings, do people become interested when you tell them you are a software developer? The exact opposite of interested. It's the best conversation killer ever. |
| Do you work alone or in a team? Which do you prefer? Both, however I work remotely with my team. I would love to be in the same room as them, just to thrash them at pool on the office pool table. |
| At this point in your career, what would be the project of your dreams? If I could do anything, I'd love to work on the look and feel side of things more, as I am really interested in that but I'm NOT a designer, so I think I'll stick with the technical stuff. |
PERSONALITY
| If you were sent to a deserted island, which book, CD and film would you take with you? Book - War & Peace
CD - anything by Regina Spektor and I'd sing along at the top of my voice
Film - The Breakfast Club |
| A simple pleasure that for you is quite big or important. Fresh air |
| It is 5 pm on a typical Sunday: what are you doing? Couch work with my family. That is our most precious time. |
| Of what are you an addict? Diet coke - I'm 80 days clean. |
| What toy gave you the best moments of your childhood? Climbing the massive tree in my front garden |
| What was your first vehicle? A Fiat X-19. It was a hard top convertible - you have to stop the car to lift the roof off and tuck it under the front bonnet. Completely ridiculous really. |
| Your New Year resolutions. To try and write neatly - hand writing is a lost art. |
| A word or expression that you love. My son calls marmalade "jamaline". I don't know why but I love it, and I will never tell him the correct word because I never want him to stop saying it. |
| A word or expression that you detest. you know, like, how you, like, .....
You get what I mean. |
| What do you imagine yourself doing for your retirement? Spending 6 months of the year in my massive vegetable garden with some chickens and maybe a pig. Then spending the other 6 months exploring the world. |
| 
266 visits Whohub
Genevieve Eddison
Perth, Australia
|
95746 interviews created
![[webshopappsgen] Genevieve Eddison](http://www.whohub.com/_pics/83380.jpg?1337677070)
INVITE YOUR FRIENDS