A year passes quickly, especially when it’s your first year with a new company! Neil has now been our “JavaScript guy” in the Tools group for a full trip round the sun, and we asked him how he’s enjoyed his first twelve months. Fortunately, he seems to have settled in well – “Most of all, I don’t think any company has done as much to make me feel welcome, or to check in sometimes. Being a remote worker, that was always greatly appreciated. Also, I’ve worked for quite a few companies – so I mean it.”
For anyone considering working at Dyalog Ltd. Neil has the following advice – “Be prepared to be involved in conversations that push you to the limit of both your practical and your theoretical understanding. I mostly get to watch the APL masters work from a slight distance. If anything, that was the reason I chose to join Dyalog Ltd. The patient mentorship from Adám (and glimpses in to APL language decisions and history) has been a delight. Watching how quickly Morten can work, knowing every nook and cranny, has been… humbling. However, that’s where it’s interesting: there is so much skill and ability packed in to such a tiny company. But they’re nice people and there’s nothing to fear.”
At Dyalog Ltd, Neil mainly works on a project that will allow cross-platform ⎕WC-style interfaces, optionally remotely, and even embedded in webpages. He has also dedicated himself to steadily increase his APL skills. His broad experience with non-APL environments and languages has provided another useful outside perspective to our efforts at connecting APL with the outside world.
When not working, Neil enjoys spending time outside. He spends a lot of time in nature, walking and enjoying the lovely lakes where he lives in Germany. He likes to grow wildflowers because he hopes that they will grow without any help, but unfortunately this is not always the case and this year, he had only two flowers before August – it’s as if they hadn’t read the packet that very clearly stated that they should bloom in ‘June – July’!
