Panel: Charles Max Wood

Guest: Todd Gardner

This week on My JavaScript Story, Charles speaks with Todd Gardner. Todd is one of the co-founders of Track JS, which is a JavaScript error monitoring service. He first got into programming in Jr. High when he and his friends played around with computers they had dumpster dived for from their school in order to play video games. In High School, he learned how to create websites so that people could register for his LAN parties online. They also discuss the importance of finding passion in what you do as well as what Todd is most proud of contributing to the JS community.

In particular, we dive pretty deep on:

• Track JS
• Stack trace
• Telemetry
• Decodes errors that are actually good to focus on
• How did you get into programming?
• Warcraft video game
• Started programming past gaming in High School
• LAN parties
• Pearl
• The importance of passion in programming
• C#
• He didn’t start off with programming as his focus
• Find the thing that inspires you and go do it!
• How did you wind up on JavaScript?
• Working as a consultant
• Knockout vs Backbone
• .net contractor to JS contractor
• Node JS
• What are you most proud of in JS?
• Understand that you’re never done with a JS app
• What are you doing now?
• And much, much more!

Links: 

• Track JS
• @ToddHGardner
• Todd.mn

Picks

Charles

• Eternium
• The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber
• My Business on Purpose Podcast
• Jamie Masters 
• Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
• The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran

Todd

• Smart Things
• Rage