In celebration of Engineers Week 2023, we're getting to know some of our very own engineers. In this Q&A, we shine the spotlight on Shaun Kruger, Principal DevOps Engineer at Edgio.
When I was a kid I remember getting introduced to our old IBM XT that my dad had. When I was 11 I was introduced to MS Flight Simulator 5.0 and became curious about how things worked on a low level. When I was 15 I tried out Turbo C 1.0 to make a program that solved triangles given basic inputs. When I turned 16 a neighbor helped me get into this Linux thing I had been hearing about and I installed Debian 2.0 Hamm.
I learned a lot from my dad growing up and it felt like a big milestone when there was a day that he had some Linux questions for me instead of it always being me asking him questions. I decided to become an engineer because my curiosity eventually led to a skill level that allowed me to help other people with their technology problems.
I would say that attention to detail and being able to learn are two extremely important qualities, but the most important quality of all for an engineer is patience. Patience with our tools, our users, and ourselves. If we don’t practice developing patience it will eventually cause problems.
The best part about being an engineer is when I finally get to the bottom of a problem by finding a model for understanding it that can be expressed to others so everyone can understand what was wrong and why it isn’t going to be a problem anymore.
I am most excited about our opportunity to unwind from some of the legacy decisions that served us well in our earlier years but that aren’t aging as well as we would like them to. The standard that I judge our progress by is whether what we’re doing can allow us to do more with less time and I’m hopeful we’re making the right decisions.
Things aren’t going to work the first time.
Generic facilities can be a sexy trap, make sure you’ve solved similar problems 3 different times before you make it generic.
Sometimes realizing you need to walk away for a few minutes can save you hours of debugging (a rubber duck might also help).
In November of 2020 I bought an airplane and flew it home from Indiana. I enjoy flying when I can and last year I was able to do a fun trip to St. George with my two daughters, on the way home we got to fly over Zion National Park.
Engineers Week 2023 runs from February 19 to 25. This year’s theme — Creating the Future — recognizes how engineers play a vital role in innovating solutions to global challenges that impact future generations. By working together to develop new technologies, products and opportunities, engineers create new possibilities that make the world a better place. This Engineers Week we hope that you’ll take a moment to recognize and celebrate the work of engineers and engage students in engineering. DiscoverE, the organization behind Engineers Week, has free resources you can use to inspire future innovators, such as hands-on engineering activities and lesson plans, information about engineering education, and pathways to a technical careers. Visit DiscoverE.org and get the help you need to focus on the “E” in STEM.
Get the information you need. When you’re ready, chat with us, get an assessment or start your free trial.
In celebration of Engineers Week 2023, we're getting to know some of our very own engineers. In this Q&A, we shine the spotlight on Shaun Kruger, Principal DevOps Engineer at Edgio.
When I was a kid I remember getting introduced to our old IBM XT that my dad had. When I was 11 I was introduced to MS Flight Simulator 5.0 and became curious about how things worked on a low level. When I was 15 I tried out Turbo C 1.0 to make a program that solved triangles given basic inputs. When I turned 16 a neighbor helped me get into this Linux thing I had been hearing about and I installed Debian 2.0 Hamm.
I learned a lot from my dad growing up and it felt like a big milestone when there was a day that he had some Linux questions for me instead of it always being me asking him questions. I decided to become an engineer because my curiosity eventually led to a skill level that allowed me to help other people with their technology problems.
I would say that attention to detail and being able to learn are two extremely important qualities, but the most important quality of all for an engineer is patience. Patience with our tools, our users, and ourselves. If we don’t practice developing patience it will eventually cause problems.
The best part about being an engineer is when I finally get to the bottom of a problem by finding a model for understanding it that can be expressed to others so everyone can understand what was wrong and why it isn’t going to be a problem anymore.
I am most excited about our opportunity to unwind from some of the legacy decisions that served us well in our earlier years but that aren’t aging as well as we would like them to. The standard that I judge our progress by is whether what we’re doing can allow us to do more with less time and I’m hopeful we’re making the right decisions.
Things aren’t going to work the first time.
Generic facilities can be a sexy trap, make sure you’ve solved similar problems 3 different times before you make it generic.
Sometimes realizing you need to walk away for a few minutes can save you hours of debugging (a rubber duck might also help).
In November of 2020 I bought an airplane and flew it home from Indiana. I enjoy flying when I can and last year I was able to do a fun trip to St. George with my two daughters, on the way home we got to fly over Zion National Park.
Engineers Week 2023 runs from February 19 to 25. This year’s theme — Creating the Future — recognizes how engineers play a vital role in innovating solutions to global challenges that impact future generations. By working together to develop new technologies, products and opportunities, engineers create new possibilities that make the world a better place. This Engineers Week we hope that you’ll take a moment to recognize and celebrate the work of engineers and engage students in engineering. DiscoverE, the organization behind Engineers Week, has free resources you can use to inspire future innovators, such as hands-on engineering activities and lesson plans, information about engineering education, and pathways to a technical careers. Visit DiscoverE.org and get the help you need to focus on the “E” in STEM.
Get the information you need. When you’re ready, chat with us, get an assessment or start your free trial.