Purple People
Purple People is our new blog series where we talk to the (Purple) People within Purple Crane and get to know them a bit better. They are after all the beating heart of our company and we love them dearly.…
Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Software Development (But Were Afraid To Ask…) Part 2
In our previous blog we ‘created’ a human algorithm that aggregated the most relevant questions clients ask when it comes to the initial stages of a software development project with yours truly. Now, in the second episode of this compelling box set blog blockbuster, (who knows where it will end?!) that same algorithm has got a taste for the action and wants to develop their own, bespoke application from scratch. Or do they…? Read on for what happened next……
Size is Everything in the 'New Normal'
During lockdown, when I’ve not been working for clients, homeschooling my children and working through the box set of Breaking Bad on Netflix, I’ve been speculating on what the ‘new normal’ (already worn out with that phrase!) for business will be post Covid-19 and how Purple Crane fits into this new reality.…
Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Software Development (But Were Afraid To Ask)
Rather than talk about how wonderful we are all the time, in our latest blog we thought we’d try a different tack and let you know how an ‘average’ conversation goes with a potential customer. Like a frequently asked questions and answers approach with a ‘mythical’ (but also a kind of real company) as we think it’s a good way of setting out what an early stage discussion actually looks like when someone engages with Purple Crane.…
Purple Crane - an Extension of Your Team
If you're a football fan and support anyone other than the five or six clubs who more or less stake an annual claim to the top of the Premiership, you're probably used to a 'firefighting' crew being called in to sort the problem out! In the same way that a side's fortunes can be transformed virtually overnight by a new approach to some of the most basic day-to-day routines, your business can become far more productive when you work with specialists who have specific knowledge that lies outside of your own main area.…
Purple Papers: 'So Many Languages'
We've previously talked about how programmers who speak English may have an advantage over those who don't and the fact that many programming languages are written in English. To many people it may seem the only reason to have all of these languages is simply to bamboozle everyone else (but who’d Adam and Eve that?). As developers, at meetings we are introduced to “our technical people”. I’m sure you can talk about Python, Sql and all that”, as if we’re from another planet (take your pick: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Neptune). To dispel this “myth” we thought it would be worth spending a few minutes exploring what’s going on (or maybe the battle is already lost). Why are there so many programming languages and is there any correlation with natural language?…
Office Environment Hacking - Air Quality Monitor
As part of an on-going scheme in the office, we aim to have little internal hackathons every so often to collaborate on a shared goal. This post will take you through how we got on with the first project to come out of 2020 – an office air quality monitor.…
A Walk in The Park?
Meet Gary. He thinks he’s solved the company’s data issues with a recent piece of work designed and executed by himself. Now he’s off for a walk in the park at lunchtime to celebrate smugly. But things are never that simple. There's always a dog around the corner willing to mess up your 'success' if things aren't done properly. Don’t be like Gary.…
Software Secrets - There's An Algorithm For That!
Software Secrets - The Business Application Myth-busting Blog from Purple Crane...There's an algorithm for that! Ten years ago, when the famous ad campaign for the iPhone 3g featured the tag line "There's An App For That" the phrase became such a popular meme that it ended up as an official Apple trademark granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Although it's probably still true that there's an app for almost anything, the underlying fact is that algorithms are really the ubiquitous beating heart of every modern software solution.…
Software Secrets - Made To Measure Or Off The Shelf?
Software Secrets - The Business Application Myth-busting Blog from Purple Crane... Made to measure or off the shelf? There's some debate about the language used to describe how software is made. Often, it's done in terms borrowed from the construction industry with words such as 'built', 'architecture' and 'engineer' being commonly used.…