Orientation Day

Instructor Information

Methods of contacting Tony Grimes, in order of general preference:

• Slack DM (see below)
• Text: 403-710-3836
• Email: tony.grimes@sait.ca

Housekeeping

• Polls:
  • Are you using Mac, PC or linux?
  • Is your phone iOS or Android? Blackberry!?!

Software Setup

You will be responsible for maintaining your development environment for each course in this program. The specific requirements will change from course to course but the following software will be required for the entire program.

Zoom for video

We will be running most meetings in Zoom for this program.

• Install Zoom
• Create Zoom Account

All participants will need to be signed in to take part in the daily streams.

Slack for messaging

Slack is the preferred messaging tool for this program and is a popular tool in industry. You should see an invite to the SAIT WBDV Slack team sometime during orientation day.

• Optional: Install Slack (web version available)
• Tutorials: Slack 101

Note: The past two cohorts of this program also have access to this Slack team but each cohort has a private channel. You're free to meet and interact with past students of this program. You may also use MS Teams if you'd like to avoid outside students (and your instructor(s)).

Tony also runs a public Discord server where you can find help from local developers:

• Pixels YYC Discord Invite

Development Browser

Regardless of which browser you prefer in your off-time, this course requires Firefox Developer for its superior (for the moment) CSS Developer Tools. Chrome can be optionally used for its Javascript Dev Tools in CPNT 262.

• Install Firefox Developer Edition

The Mozilla Developer Network (the makers of Firefox) recently launched an entire Youtube channel to teach developers how to use Firefox Developer Tools (your best friend).

Codepen

The beginning of CPNT 260 (HTML/CSS) will be coded in the browser before we move to VS Code (see below). Codepen is a "sandbox" environment that will serve as part of your portfolio when you dive into the real world.

• Create a free Codepen Account: Don't forget - your Codepen username will be seen by potential employers.

Code Editor

Most of your time in this program will be spent in your code editor. If you haven't installed one yet, VS Code is the current industry favourite:

• Install VS Code

If you've been using one you like, stick with it! Your instructors will be using VS Code.

Git

Git will be a large component of this program for managing, sharing and deploying our source code.

• Binary Installer for PC
• Binary Installer for Mac (or find an alternate method if you're feeling fancy)

For the adventurous, see this Git Reference, which will be the topic of [CPNT 201 Day 2].

GitHub

GitHub is a private corporation (now owned by Microsoft) that has built a world-leading community around Git. All sample code and projects will be hosted on GH and the program website is hosted using GH Pages.

1. Create a GitHub account if you haven't already. Don't forget: your GH username will be seen by potential employers.
2. Watch and/or Star the program repository.
3. Sign up for GitHub Classroom to get your Student Developer Pack (handy free stuff)!