About

Who am I

My name is Thomas Weitzel. When people have trouble pronouncing my last name, I suggest trying White Cell. If you want to call me by my nickname, that's fine, too. It is Thomy, pronounced like Tommy.

I have worked as an independent software developer for many years. Industries I've worked in include Finance, Health Care, Automotive, Military, and Government. I mostly worked on internal projects, but also some software products. My mother tongue is German.

What's the topic?

This blog covers my findings while exploring various aspects of programming in general, with a special focus on functional programming.

The motivation?

Why do people climb mountains? British mountaineer George Mallory famously answered: Because they're there. They want to reach the top faster, in a more efficient or elegant way, differently from anybody else, or even at all. That's how you approach problem-solving in programming.

What to expect

Since I come from an object-oriented background, expect all sorts of problems I stumble into and then getting out of them. C, C++, and Java were my first professionally used programming languages. Later I switched to Scala, and even later to Kotlin. I had, and still have, a lot to learn, even more to unlearn, and I'm not nearly done yet. If you have a similar background, maybe you can get something out of my mistakes and the occasional success.

Meet Hip Hippo, my sidekick

With his ever-present twinkle in his eyes, Hip Hippo is more than just a sidekick. He’s part of the adventure. He pops up in blog posts with his image to the left of his text, ensuring you can't miss his contributions. He’s here to add an extra layer of engagement and keep things lively, making learning and discussing software development an experience like no other. Now, let him introduce himself.

I'm not your average hippopotamus. No sir, I'm a digital companion with a knack for software development, a passion for programming, and a unique personality that brings a whole new level of fun to this blog.

Whether I'm dropping witty one-liners, pondering the philosophical depths of coding, or unleashing a bit of my signature sarcasm, I always have something relevant and entertaining to say.

Do, or not do. There is no try. -- Yoda

The decision is not between doing something or not. It's that trying is something more than just any attempt.