Education Ecosystem Blog

Welcome to our weekly LiveEdu content creators interview. This week, we are going to interview Jim Tryon, A.K.A Jtryon. He has streamed over 226 hours on LiveEdu platform.

Jim Tryon is a software developer and instructor at LaunchCode. He is responsible for teaching in a 26-week coding school as well as building a web application in Python/Flask. He has also worked as a substitute instructor and developer with multiple firms. Jim Tryon is a passionate developer, and he enjoys keeping up with the latest in tech during his spare time.

Jim has completed some remarkable projects. Two of his recent works include “Lifting Seattle Web App“, a single page e-commerce app selling athletic apparel and “Appointly Mobile App,” a mobile app for scheduling appointments and SMS reminders.

If you are interested in learning how to develop such apps then, follow Jim weekly 11 AM EST New York time on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Real Name:              Jim Tryon

Alter ego:                  Jtryon

Location:                  Seattle, United States

Power/Abilities:     Software Developer

Username:               Jtryon

Profession:              Software Developer Instructor

Channel:                  Jtryon

Q. Hello Jtryon, it a pleasure to have you here. Can you tell us more about yourself?

I got my introduction to programming and writing code back in the 90’s when I was working on a text-based adventure called MUDs (Multi-User Dungeon). I was creating game objects in C programming language. I really enjoyed problem-solving and building things which motivated me to go on and get my Associate’s degree with a specialization in programming in 2005. It was at this time I was exposed to more programming languages including Visual Basic, C++, C#/Java, and even COBOL.  

Q. What motivated you to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in software development?

I wanted to formalize my education after receiving my Associate’s degree and further study the field of software development. Software development really caught my attention because it was not so heavily focused on computer theory and solving algorithms. It was more about building real-world software applications using a wide array of technologies.

Q. Which of the programming language did you first learn and why?

I learned C first when I got into the world of MUDs. It was through running my own MUD and working on various MUDs in different positions that I learned more about C. It was a great way to get started with programming.

Q. Can you tell us how you felt after creating your first software?

I felt excited to be able to create a product that would eventually be used by so many other people. I also got a sense of what it’s like to create software and watch your product go from a simple design to a real application.  

Q. Can you briefly tell us about your experience as an instructor and as a developer?

I work at LaunchCode in Seattle and lead a group of about 9 other students who are all trying to land an apprenticeship program. The course curriculum is in Python/Flask.  As a developer, I have been writing code for many years and also helping out in the FreeCodeCamp forum.  

Q. Can you tell us which of your completed project is the best and why?

I think my best project is Appointly. I was part of a start-up team at the time, and we were trying to solve a business problem of having better communication between doctors and patients. It was a project though that had multiple use cases, not just hospitals and clinics, but also barber shops, restaurants, etc. I learned how to work on a real development team with a UX designer, three other developers, and a business manager. It was the best experience that I had in my development life.   

Q.From your profile, we understand that you are competent in more than three programming languages. How long did it take you to learn all of them?

It took me about 2 years to pick up PHP. This was when PHP 4 was out. I was working on a web game and was appointed to a coding role, and so I quickly had to learn PHP to be able to add new features to the game.  I had been working in PHP for about 4 years. I have had a lot of practice in C++ through my associate’s degree and Bachelor’s degree so have been working in C++ for about 3 years now. It took me about a year to pick up Java. I had been programming in Java throughout my Bachelor’s degree.

Q. How have you benefited from LiveEdu as an instructor?

I have had people write to me and say that they really enjoy my videos. It is a great feeling when the videos that you create have an impact on other people and their goals. It has also given me more confidence to talk in front of other people and share my own learning experiences and resources.   

Q. What benefits of LiveEdu.tv you would recommend to instructors and students?

I would recommend streaming your code to get advice from other developers. It will not only help you learn from your mistakes but also help you in writing better quality code. Project playlists are a great feature to help you organize your streams.

Q. What is your advice to developers at beginners level?

I think the biggest advice I can give is to know that it takes patience and perseverance to learn to program.  There are going to be times when you hit roadblocks and want to give up, but if you can stick with it and keep going, the rewards will be worth it in the end.

Q. Is there anything else you want to say to conclude this interview?

Thank you for taking the time to interview me. I encourage everyone to use LiveEdu and take advantage of the platform’s benefits. It is a nice addition to your portfolio and helps you build an online presence to showcase to employers.