Roi Larrance Amatong, or simply Roi, is one of Cloud Employee’s new hires in September of this year. Hailing from Zamboanga City, he studied Computer Science in Western Mindanao State University. He currently works as a web developer for a Swiss software company where he’s responsible for the front-end development of a web app. We interviewed him for this month's feature developer.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am Roi Larrence Reyes Amatong, I am from the place which is known as Asia’s Latin City, the City of Zamboanga. What really keeps me motivated in everything I do are my family, my special someone, and my dream to have a successful career as an IT professional. Actually, I am just starting off my career as a developer. I am a huge NBA fan. My favorite team is Houston Rockets and my favorite player is James Harden. I do love playing basketball. I can also play the guitar.

When and how did you get started programming?

My first introduction to programming was during my 4th-year in high school and the first programming language I learned was Visual Basic 6. My very first program was a Q&A puzzle game. The first time I learned how to code was an awesome experience. It was something cool, because ever since I have this curiosity on how computer software is made and how difficult it can be to develop software. Eventually, that made me pursue computer science in college to learn even more about programming.

What is the programming language and/or framework of your choice? And why?

I’m more of a web developer, although I have experience developing desktop applications using C# and VB.NET. I also do mobile development using Java. But what really I using the most is TypeScript, a superset of JavaScript. The framework of my choice is Angular 4, which is awesome in many other ways, and the best front-end web framework for me.

Can you share some of the projects you’ve done? Which of them are you most proud of and why?

I’ve made several projects before, to name a few: a mobile-based attendance and performance monitoring system, the Eiblin Inventory System, and the ACLEM Parking Information System.

Well, all of the projects that I have developed was made possible by perseverance, intellectual capacity, and my passion for programming and that said, I am proud of all my projects. But there is one that I am really proud of, the Eiblin Inventory System because it was the very first project where I got paid for programming. I developed it when I was still at 3rd-year college. I was given the chance to apply whatever my knowledge and skills are in programming at my young age in a professional context. And it really helped me a lot.

In your work experience as a developer, what’s a frequently overlooked skill that proved surprisingly useful?

My ability in front-end development, to work on a much complex project, and to work and collaborate in a team project because I usually do a project on my own.

What projects/technologies do you enjoy working on in your spare time?

At the moment, I’m not doing any project in my spare time. I usually spend my free time reading articles about programming, checking social media updates, playing NBA on my mobile phone, playing the guitar, and darts as well.

Walk us through your day. What’s a typical day like for you as a developer?

I wake up usually by 8:30 am and then I have some coffee with pandesal. Play with the guitar a bit to set my mood at the right pace. Prepare my things before going to work. I usually go to work at 12:00 noon and finish up at 9:00 pm. Arriving home, I eat dinner, rest and recharge for tomorrow. And the routine goes on and on. 

What’s your favorite part of being a developer?

One of my favorite part as a developer is that it doesn’t stop you from learning more. It teaches you to solve problems in a systematic and most efficient way which is not just essential in software development but also in real life. It keeps you updated on the latest trends in technology.

Tech is an industry where the trends and requirements change quickly. How do you keep your skills up to date?

Reading articles about new trends in technology, especially in web technology really keeps my skills and knowledge up to date.

What made you decide to work at Cloud Employee?

Actually, I was referred by one of the company’s developers to apply. Since I was able to pass all the rounds of their hiring process, and I believe I have all the skills and knowledge that met their qualifications to develop whatever the client’s project is, I immediately grabbed the opportunity to work here. Because I know it's a good start for me to really develop my skills even more through the projects that the company would give me. It's a great opportunity for me and my future as a developer.

What’s it like working at Cloud Employee so far?

I just started last September. So far, my stay in the company is very nice. Good quality facilities and the monthly social events give people to at least have time to mingle with others.

What do you like to do in your spare time, outside of programming?

I’m fond of playing the guitar during my spare time, playing darts with my friends, and watching NBA game highlights.

Any tv shows you’d like to recommend?

I would recommend MacGyver because it shows the coolness of the IT world by presenting how IT helps in solving cases and finding culprits in crimes.  

What would be your dream developer setup, in terms of hardware and software? / What do you use to get the job done?

In terms of hardware, I am not very particular to what device I want to use, what really matters is that it must support whatever I am working on especially in software development that really requires high specifications. For communication, I usually use Skype. For development I use Visual Studio 2017, Visual Studio Code, Chrome, Visual Studio Online, SourceTree, and Git for version control.

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