Agile web development in Ruby on Rails

I am a freelance web developer specialising in the planning and creation of web applications based on Ruby on Rails.

My portfolio includes the whole web stack from frontend programming and styling all the way down to the server setup, while having focused on backend an databases in recent projects.

If your project won't fit a prefab solution and you wish to create something special or simply need to adapt an idea or business process to your own specific requirements, then I might be just the one you are looking for.

If you are an internet startup looking for technical support, you can most likely skip further reading and move right on to contact.

Am I the right person for your project?

• Please checkout my references to get a feeling of the work I have done and whether this might be a good base for your specific task.
• Look at my profile in order to find out who I am and whether I might fit into your work environment.
• Go to hire me for further details regarding working conditions
• Pleased with what you saw? Then contact me!

Profile download:

references

profile

My name is Gordon Friebe and I am 36 years old. I grew up in Berlin, Germany. Having been away every now and then I always enjoy coming back to this wonderful city and am still living here today. Since getting a degree in Applied Computer Science at the FhTW Berlin I have been working in the field of internet programming and since over 6 years preferably with Ruby on Rails.

What I do

• Planning and creation of individual web applications with Ruby on Rails
• Handling and optimizing databases and queries
• Technical realization of web designs
• Browserbased frontend programming with Javascript (coffeescript)
• Interface development for providing and using web services
• Server setup and maintainance for small to middle sized applications
• Fluent communication in German and English

What I don't do

I am not a web designer! but I like playing with frontend technologies and enjoy giving a good design its functional basis. I consider myself creative on a technical level when it comes to finding solutions to make an individual approach work. Visually designing things from scratch is not one of my better qualities and neither is the usage of the tools involved.

I have worked quite a bit with content managemens systmes in the past, but I have no particular interest in doing so in the future. There is a good amount of ready to use, often free, web apps including CMS out there that might suit your needs just right. If you are looking for someone who sets this up and adjusts it to your needs, I am not the one.

You need to setup a multiserver/user/backup environment prepared for high traffic and reliabilty? I know steps involved and have an idea of the technologies used, but not from first hand live experience. I can get things running, but I am not the ideal candidate to create and maintain a state of the art installation and neither do I want to be.

You need someone who is able to do a very broad range of rather low level technical work because you are a multimedia or advertisment company? Not me.

How I work

In general I work rather prototypically and therefore get to results quickly at the cost of thoroughness. To evolve the existing in iterative steps into a thorough outcome has proven to be more successful than thinking through the whole task in detail in advance. Fastidious working people require me to stay controlled and patient but in regard to a positive outcome they have proven to be good team workers in the past.

I like to work in teams and value a healthy exchange of thoughts and knowledge, but I prefer programming alone and am not a great fan of pair programming. Exceptions have proven the rule though.

Being in the office with collegues is great and my preferred way of working, but having the flexibility to temporarily work from different locations every now and then is an appreciated plus.

I take my responsibilities very seriously and don't differentiate between work day or weekend or day and night if things need to be done. At the same time I know that I work most efficiently in the long run, when I keep my daily working hours at a reasonable amount. I need a night that consists of more than eating and sleeping.

I am punctual.

Once I started working on a specific problem I don't like to interrupt until I see some reasonable results. I am not a great multitasker when the single task requires much concentration.

What technologies I use

Specific ways of working are subject to change of course but the following techniques have proven to be valuable during the last projects:

• Git as common code repository
• Scrum and Pivotal tracker as the tool to manage the course of action
• I value tests, don't like writing them, but do it anyway, preferably with rspec, sometimes test driven, sometimes not
• I work with Ubuntu and I use the full blown Java development environment Rubymine to get the job done. I respect you VIM-guys but I just got used to the comfort of sitting in an armchair instead of a wooden bench I guess.
• for CSS I use SASS, for html haml and for Javascript Coffeescript
• sound proof headphones preferably with electronic music inside

What I expect

• adequate time to finish tasks in good quality
• the understanding that an effort estimation is just an estimation
• a respectable interaction with each other especially at times of pressure or failure
• flexibility when it comes to working times and work locations
• a smile on my face when I see regular payments on my account
• to value the working time itself and a healthy working climate, without solely focusing on one target after the other

What I am interested in

I am a passionate runner and quickly feel unsatisfied when I don't get my regular morning exercise and the pleasure of my very own time of the day.

I am interested to experience how other people on our planet live and what they think. What it is that makes them happy under very different circumstances and what can be learned from this. For this reason I have been traveling a lot, preferably with the motorcycle. Some impressions can be found here.

I am interested in what is important, what remains, what creates the good feeling at the end of a day, month or year.

Who I am

I

• don't seek to be in the focus of attention and am rather quit and thoughtful then outgoing
• try to free myself from prejudice and keep on objectively judging the old and the new
• think increasingly green and critical towards consumerism
• don't eat animals
• value quality and the reduction to the essential

What I want

I make decisions regarding to what feels right in a given situation to be able to adjust to changing conditions and interests. I usually dont't set grand long running goals, especially not material ones. I neither pursue a career for the career's sake nor the creation of wealth for the sake of status and comfort, but wouldn't reject either when happening along a path chosen for other reasons.

These are determined by the wish to be able to stay productive and motivated in any age and to always being able to find a good balance between duty and pleasure and idealy combining both.

contact

Gordon Friebe via

Email	gfriebe@primecoder.de
Phone	+49 171 140 2022 +97 50 8752385
Skype	der_migo
Directly here	The Message including a CC to you was successfully sent Messge sending failed. Please use a different way of contacting me. Please wait. The message is being sent
Or here	Xing LinkedIn

playground

impress

Gordon Friebe (freelance software developer)
Rigaer Strasse 14
10247 Berlin
Telephone: +49 171 140 20 22

E-Mail: gfriebe@primecoder.de
Internet: www.primecoder.de

Umsatzsteuer (German VAT) identification number in accordance with § 27 a Umsatzsteuergesetz: DE 31/294/61177

Responsible for the content of this site in accordance with § 10 Paragraph 3 MDStV: Gordon Friebe (address as above)

Liability disclaimer: Despite careful checks, I accept no liability for the content of any external links. The operators of the sites linked to and from this site are solely liable for their contents.

Hire me

Thanks for your interest in hiring me. This page provides answers to some typical questions being asked regarding working conditions and cooperation.

Working conditions

I am used to work on a contract basis while contract and project binding may well lean towards an employment like commitment. I often get asked whether I would consider working on an employment basis. Well, yes I would, given a time of good teamwork has passed, the situation asks for a more permanent solution and both parties are interested in a long term relationship.

I usually work on a daily rate that is subject to change determind by factors such as location or context. I will adjust my daily costs according to what the agreeable standard in the market is, so dont expect me to be cheap nor am I overly expensive.

If you are in Berlin (where I am most of the time) I prefer working in your office. If you are somewhere else I prefer working remotely unless there is an arguable reason why it makes sense not to do so.
However if location and work conditions are exceptionally attractive, I will consider working abroad as well.

I like to work on my own laptop under Linux since it is time consuming to get to an equally productive state by setting up a new computer and I remain fully operational when at home.

Working with company shares

Im am always open to the idea of partly disclaiming monthly pay in favor for company shares. I am also open to the idea of fulfilling a vital role in a newly founding startup on similar terms. If the business idea is promising, the context appealing and you are convincingly competent, I will surely like to give it a thought.

Please contact me

In case you haven't done so, please check out references and profile to find out more about my past time involvements and me.
If you think I am a potantial candiate for your task ahead, please contact me.
I am looking forward to hearing from you!