# Tech Tuesday: Second Anniversary Celebration (and Recap) By [Continuations](https://continuations.com) · 2013-10-08 tech tuesday, second anniversary --- It turns out I announced [Tech Tuesday](http://continuations.com/tagged/tech_tuesday) [just over two years ago](http://continuations.com/post/11017651810/announcing-tech-tuesdays) and wrote the first actual post on Tuesday, October 11, 2011, titled “[Computing’s Building Blocks](http://continuations.com/tagged/tech_tuesday).” Today I am recapping some of the major themes that I have covered so far as preparation for thinking about what to write about next. The [Building Blocks](http://continuations.com/post/11313999634/tech-tuesdays-computings-building-blocks-overview) sequence started with the [Binary System](http://continuations.com/post/11610378537/tech-tuesday-of-bits-and-bytes-binary-number-system). It then took a look at the [Central Processing Unit (CPU)](http://continuations.com/post/11905023100/tech-tuesday-a-first-look-at-the-central-processing) and contrasted [Main Memory](http://continuations.com/post/12194075974/tech-tuesday-main-memory-dumb-lazy-and-slow) with other [Storage](http://continuations.com/post/12510627878/tech-tuesday-storage-oh-my-how-it-has-grown). Next up was [Networking](http://continuations.com/post/12834145139/tech-tuesday-no-computer-is-an-island-networking) for connecting computers with each other and [Input/Output](http://continuations.com/post/13156126080/tech-tuesday-input-output-interrupts-and-queues) for getting data in and out. Of course to make all of these things work together we needed an [Operating System](http://continuations.com/post/13498372866/tech-tuesday-operating-systems-making-it-all-work) which provides the basis for letting us [Program](http://continuations.com/post/13823734190/tech-tuesday-programming-a-start) the computer. The next big series covered [How the Web Works](http://continuations.com/post/15615918569/tech-tuesday-how-the-web-works-overview) starting with the [Anatomy of a URL](http://continuations.com/post/16004201409/tech-tuesday-anatomy-of-a-url). After a look at [DNS](http://continuations.com/post/16405180072/tech-tuesday-dns) we then examined the [HTTP](http://continuations.com/post/16817834275/tech-tuesday-http) protocol. From there digging a bit deeper and looking at [Routing and TCP/IP](http://continuations.com/post/17208097551/tech-tuesday-routing-and-tcp-ip) which is how data travels on the Internet. Next up was a look at [Web Servers](http://continuations.com/post/18011033249/tech-tuesday-web-servers) and a two part mini series on the [Web](http://continuations.com/post/18434175219/tech-tuesday-web-browser-part-1) [Browser](http://continuations.com/post/20005228110/tech-tuesday-web-browser-part-2). In between I provided an introduction to [HTML](http://continuations.com/post/18844862921/tech-tuesday-html), [CSS](http://continuations.com/post/19232533977/tech-tuesday-css) and [Javascript](http://continuations.com/post/19626879535/tech-tuesday-javascript). From there Tech Tuesday embarked on a much more thorough examination of [Programming](http://continuations.com/post/21265111368/tech-tuesday-programming-overview). First up was a look at [Programming Languages](http://continuations.com/post/21711478677/tech-tuesday-programming-languages). Then an explanation of the difference between [Syntax](http://continuations.com/post/22191274437/tech-tuesday-syntax) and [Semantics](http://continuations.com/post/22650194817/tech-tuesday-semantics) followed by an introduction to [Literals, Constants and Variables](http://continuations.com/post/23099284456/tech-tuesday-literals-constants-and-variables). From there we took an in depth look at [Data Types](http://continuations.com/post/24466802838/tech-tuesday-data-types-part-1), which wound up having a part [2](http://continuations.com/post/24952165509/tech-tuesday-data-types-part-2) and [3](http://continuations.com/post/25428855141/tech-tuesday-data-types-part-3). We then examined [Reserved Words](http://continuations.com/post/25938201509/tech-tuesday-reserved-words) as the basic elements of expression which let us form such things as [Control](http://continuations.com/post/26901427784/tech-tuesday-control-structures) [Structures](http://continuations.com/post/27404919948/tech-tuesday-control-structures-contd). Programming would be pretty boring if we couldn’t define our own [Functions](http://continuations.com/post/28406213064/tech-tuesday-functions-part-1) which establish their own [Scope](http://continuations.com/post/28904392038/tech-tuesday-functions-part-2-scope) and can have [Arguments](http://continuations.com/post/29405442321/tech-tuesday-functions-part-3-argument-passing) passed to them. This was followed by a mini series on [Data Structures](http://continuations.com/post/30865209047/tech-tuesday-data-structures-overview), including [Records and Structs](http://continuations.com/post/31334982137/tech-tuesday-data-structures-records-and-structs), [Maps and Dictionaries](http://continuations.com/post/31791635870/tech-tuesday-data-structures-maps-and-hashes-and), [JSON](http://continuations.com/post/32258769783/tech-tuesday-data-structures-json), [Objects](http://continuations.com/post/32732636365/tech-tuesday-data-structures-objects), [Arrays](http://continuations.com/post/33228554577/tech-tuesday-data-structures-arrays) and finally [Lists, Trees and Graphs](http://continuations.com/post/33704167984/tech-tuesday-data-structures-lists-trees-graphs). Once we have all of these goodies we need to understand the different ways of manipulating them using [Algorithms](http://continuations.com/post/34161537119/tech-tuesday-algorithms-introduction). I first showed [Algorithm in English](http://continuations.com/post/34161537119/tech-tuesday-algorithms-introduction) and then [Implementations](http://continuations.com/post/35634750649/tech-tuesday-algorithms-implementations) in multiple programming languages. A [Wrap Up](http://continuations.com/post/36140805269/tech-tuesday-algorithms-wrap-up) of algorithms was then followed by an [Interim Review](http://continuations.com/post/36671748437/tech-tuesday-programming-interim-review) of programming. From there we dove into some of the engineering practices that come along with programming, such as [Bugs and Debugging](http://continuations.com/post/37712951161/tech-tuesday-bugs-and-debugging). One way to find and even avoid these is through extensive [Testing](http://continuations.com/post/40015928064/tech-tuesday-testing) which tends to be harder for systems involving [Concurrency](http://continuations.com/post/40601970644/tech-tuesday-concurrency-intro). One way to deal with that is through [Atomic Actions](http://continuations.com/post/41809927198/tech-tuesday-concurrency-atomic-actions) and another are [Locks and Mutexes](http://continuations.com/post/42351391711/tech-tuesday-concurrency-locks-mutexes-semaphores). The [Conclusion to Concurrency](http://continuations.com/post/42926680127/tech-tuesday-concurrency-conclusion) explains why this is still a hard problem today. Based on reader input I then shifted Tech Tuesday to examining the specific problems of [Technology in Startups](http://continuations.com/post/44060763101/tech-tuesday-third-survey-says) starting with advice on [Choosing](http://continuations.com/post/44614602989/tech-tuesday-choosing-your-technologies-when-you-start) [Technology](http://continuations.com/post/45188115227/tech-tuesday-choosing-your-technologies-continued) and [Evolving it As You Grow](http://continuations.com/post/46333039372/tech-tuesday-evolving-your-technology-as-you-grow). That requires [Growing Your Engineering Team](http://continuations.com/post/46930668482/tech-tuesday-growing-your-engineering-organization) for which I presented some [Best Practices](http://continuations.com/post/47534663538/tech-tuesday-more-best-practices-for-growth). Key of course is that you are good at [Hiring Engineers](http://continuations.com/post/48688764891/tech-tuesday-hiring-engineers) and [Retaining](http://continuations.com/post/49256318371/tech-tuesday-retaining-engineers) them including [Remote](http://continuations.com/post/49850526887/tech-tuesday-remote-engineers) ones. From there we went on to look at a medley of problems such as [Security](http://continuations.com/post/50985829440/tech-tuesday-security-in-startups). Sadly there is no [Silver Bullet](http://continuations.com/post/51554648911/tech-tuesday-there-is-no-silver-bullet) and everyone finds themselves with some amount of [Technical Debt](http://continuations.com/post/52135591267/tech-tuesday-technical-debt). It helps to have a [Heuristic for Prioritization](http://continuations.com/post/53838170995/tech-tuesday-a-prioritization-heuristic) and for good measure here is another [Heuristic](http://continuations.com/post/54421786773/tech-tuesday-more-on-prioritization). With everything else going on make sure not to neglect your [Backup](http://continuations.com/post/54994465678/tech-tuesday-backup) and more generally your [Disaster Recovery Planning](http://continuations.com/post/55594706384/tech-tuesday-disaster-recovery-planning) along with your [Documentation](http://continuations.com/post/56262748778/tech-tuesday-documentation). Coming back briefly to examine how you should think about [Prioritization and Competition](http://continuations.com/post/57513327168/tech-tuesday-prioritization-and-competition). After covering some miscellaneous topics that are near and dear to me, such as the [Role of Experience](http://continuations.com/post/58143807411/tech-tuesday-the-role-of-experience), the importance of [Team Diversity](http://continuations.com/post/58790987257/tech-tuesday-team-diversity). You should always [Beware the Bleeding Edge](http://continuations.com/post/59482099164/tech-tuesday-beware-the-bleeding-edge) and understand the issues of [Reliability in the Cloud](http://continuations.com/post/60890677204/tech-tuesday-cloud-and-reliability). The three most recent posts then covered the most common issues faced by [Engineering Founders](http://continuations.com/post/61495979816/tech-tuesday-build-it-and-they-will-come), [Business Founders](http://continuations.com/post/62154247794/tech-tuesday-dont-fear-technology) and [Designer Founders](http://continuations.com/post/62858232356/tech-tuesday-the-trinity-of-design). So today I wish a Happy Anniversary to all the longtime readers of [Tech Tuesdays](http://continuations.com/tagged/tech_tuesday)! Also a big thank you to everyone who has helped make posts better through their comments. I am enjoying writing this and definitely want to continue – expect me to ask for input on future direction next Tuesday. --- *Originally published on [Continuations](https://continuations.com/tech-tuesday-second-anniversary-celebration-and-recap)*