Nic is Computan’s Operations Manager. His job is a little hard to explain. If Computan made burgers, his job would be to ensure that the burgers we make taste as good as possible and are made as efficiently as possible. He wakes up every day trying to ensure that the company functions optimally every day. In this installment of Behind The Coding, Nic takes us through the uniqueness of Argentine culture, his favorite historical figures, and why he wore women’s clothing.
Hi Nic! How are you?
Hi Sajeel, I am good, thanks.
Let’s get started! What are the last three things you Googled?
Appointment for US Embassy in Buenos Aires
Ok, what was that for? Are you planning a trip soon?
Yes! I have plans to attend INBOUND22. I attended INBOUND19 in-person and virtual events in 2020 and 2021. I am looking forward to it.
It is a great event for sure. What else have you been Googling?
I Googled strollers
Pretty obvious reasons.
Haha, yes, I would say so. My wife and I are expecting our first child soon, and we are getting ready for that.
Are you ready for it?
Definitely, we are really excited.
That is really nice Nic. What is the third thing you have Googled?
Nice white shirts
Ok, that’s not as heavy as strollers or embassy visits! Why are you looking for nice white shirts?
I have a few suits, but my white shirt isn’t as white as it should be! It belonged to my grandfather, so obviously, I have some sentimental attachment to it.
Of course! So why the change now?
Well, it was looking a little faded in comparison to the others. The shirt fits perfectly! It is evergreen. Even then though, I still need a new one.
That’s nice that you can wear your grandfather’s old shirt.
Yeah, I like the style! I even wore my mom’s clothes for a bit.
Really? Like what?
Yeah, I wore her jeans for a while! It was the most random of things. They fit me perfectly. I probably wore them for 30 years; they had holes in them, so, unfortunately, I had to throw them away.
I am having a hard time picturing you in women’s jeans.
Hahaha….jeans are jeans. Plus, I feel the clothing of previous generations was built to last more.
That’s what people of our certain age (like us) say about clothes, music, movies….pretty much everything.
It’s true. But we also have our preferences and can be set in our ways. I do like to shop for the long term even if it costs a little more at the onset that’s ok.
When was the last time you worked after hours to solve a hard problem?
Yesterday! I was assigning tickets to the teams. We were short-staffed, so I had to stay late. Usually, I do that before dinner.
And what time is dinner?
Dinner for us is usually at 11!
11? That is very late.
Yeah. We are late eaters. So I was assigning tickets after dinner.
Do you always eat at 11?
Yup. Parties go to the sunrise, dinners are later than what you do.
Most definitely! Who are three people you'd like to have dinner with at the same time, and why?
This is a great question. First-person would be the musician David Bowie.
David Bowie? Why?
I’m sort of a fan. But he’s just a brilliant guy and an eccentric character.
That’s definitely true.
He has so much potential and could have done anything apart from music. I’m a fan of space and a sucker for astrophysics, just like him.
Who else?
Alexander The Great
Ok, why Alexander III of Macedon?
Well, he led an exciting life and changed history. Plus, he was one of the disciples of Aristotle. He had this curiosity about everything. Especially strategy and politics. I am also keen on different parts of the world, cultures, and societal norms.
He’s one of the most influential leaders in world history. One more.
Only one? What kind of dinner is that?
Do you want more than 1?
Is it possible?
It’s your dinner! If you have the budget for it, then by all means
Ok, thanks. The third person I would like to add is Philip the Fourth.
Which one is he? I am a little rusty on my 14th-century French royals
Hahaha! Philip the Fourth is Philip the Beautiful.
Got it! Why Philip the Beautiful?
Honestly, I am not sure. One thing is for sure he seems like a really arrogant guy. But his big accomplishment was eradicating the Knights Templar. I would love to learn how he did it.
That’s not true. The Knights Templar fought in the Crusades. Way before his time.
That may be what you think, but that’s not accurate.
How so?
Most of the Knights Templar were not combat members, and their orders didn’t disappear after the Crusades. Surviving members became pioneers of early finance. Philip the Beautiful owed them a lot of money and was able to get rid of them all and get his ‘debt’ forgiven.
I didn’t know that!
It’s all true. But he wouldn’t be my final dinner guest.
Who would that be?
Winston Churchill.
Ok. Why Winston Churchill?
He was a very decent politician. He had a unique experience in that he served in World War 1 and led the British in World War 2. He could share a lot of stories and accounts from both of these world-altering events.
This would be an exciting dinner.
Yes, I think so too. If only we could make it happen somehow.
Agreed! When was the last time you cried tears of laughter?
Probably not long ago. Like most people, I enjoy pulling up classic humor on YouTube. Spanish humor that is. Tears roll down pretty quickly from all the laughing!
Even though you are not a developer per se, what do you love about coding?
I know the basics of HTML/CSS. It is fun, and when I do it, I enjoy it. I love that anything is possible with coding. A few friends have created a virtual world where things are sold, which is really neat. All done with coding. The work we do at Computan every day, like integrations and websites that we didn’t think were possible, somehow get implemented. Again, all through coding. Rockets take people to space and land them back on Earth. All through coding. Anything is possible.
Where were you when you first saw a laptop/desktop?
I was at my parents' house. Dad used to own a Commodore. I was 5 or 6. He ran it on DOS and couldn’t understand what was going on. I learned the DOS commands as I got older and learned to navigate to files and play games.
DOS! You are one of the team's old-timers! What is something your teammates don't know about you?
That I’m going to have a child soon! Many of the guys don’t know that I’m not a developer. They don’t know I can juggle pretty well or play guitar. I self-taught myself a few songs on the piano and the drums. I know how to sail.
Wait, you know how to sail?
Yes! I learned to sail when I was 12 or 13. Competed in Regattas against grown-ups.
That is very interesting.
Yes…and being an Argentine, I have celebrated many summers in January!
