Don Denoncourt is clear about what he wants to accomplish professionally. Crystal clear.
"Just let me code," he pleads, slowly stressing each word. "All I want to do is program," he emphasizes wistfully, describing the satisfaction he feels when he produces well-written applications that are easy to maintain and enhance.
He's not complaining, though, about how he spends his time. By day, Denoncourt works as a WebSphere consultant for CAS Severn, Inc. By weekend, he relaxes in his recliner writing articles showcasing his expertise in server-side Web development and also reviewing pieces by other authors in his role as a technical editor for iSeries NEWS magazine.
What captivates Denoncourt the most about working in the industry is staying on top of the leading technology and cultivating best practices. "I'm interested in anything that makes me a better and more marketable developer," he adds.
A business major in college, Denoncourt dropped out and eventually emerged as a fitness instructor, a field biologist, and even a prison guard. He says he was intrigued by TIME magazine's choice at that time of the computer as its "Person of the Year" and decided to pursue a computer information systems degree. "It fascinated me that people could guarantee success for themselves simply by being good at what they did," he explains. "I developed an insatiable desire to learn to become a technology expert."
His journey began in blue-collar York, Pennsylvania, south of Harrisburg and near Gettysburg. By the time he reached Texas, in the 90s, he had spent the 80s coding RPG and Cobol and was ready to settle in as a systems programmer for ASNA and to add C++ and Java to his repertoire of languages. Denoncourt and his family now make their home in Richmond, Virginia, a white-collar area he characterizes as having a reasonable cost of living and enviable schools. His twin 20-year-old sons attend college in the state, and his 23-year-old son is a research assistant at a legal firm. Eventually he and his wife would like to return to the Northeast.
"In the meantime" promises to be busy for Denoncourt. Although he dreamed of becoming a martial arts instructor when he grew up and indeed operated his own school in York on a part-time basis, he now teaches classes for user groups and gives speeches and conducts seminars throughout the country at gatherings such as the annual iSeries DevCon. For several years he served as the Java subject matter expert for COMMON. "I do get around," he notes. He has written more than 200 articles published in a variety of magazines and is the author of Java Application Strategies for the iSeries and iSeries and AS/400 Java at Work.
Denoncourt says he enjoys writing high-level pieces that prove useful to his career. "With new technologies, I like to write about things in depth to gain a better understanding of the material," he explains. "Being out there in the trenches, I know there are a lot of things iSeries developers do incorrectly, and I guess I like to preach to them." He advises beginning iSeries NEWS authors to "keep it simple, keep it basic," and answer the question "How is this going to help me get my next project done."
As a tech editor, he says he strives to find articles that are a proper fit for the magazine's readership. "What I try to do is verify the correctness and make sure the technology is appropriate," he explains.
His own programming techniques revolve around comprehending the design of different utilities. "Understanding how things work is my secret," Denoncourt says. "The more things change, the more they stay the same. The more you learn, the more you will be able to see how things work together and the better you will be able to craft quality applications."
Denoncourt rebuffs speculation that the iSeries constitutes "old" technology. "It has the best database and architecture structure," he asserts. "It's not an RPG machine — it's a modern system. The iSeries is a premium solution."
Although he dropped the idea of becoming a professional martial arts instructor, Denoncourt still practices the sport for exercise. He also lifts weights and boxes with his 220-pound, football-loving sons, joking that he "taught them too well." Also an avid cyclist, Denoncourt takes advantage of the generally mild climate in his region. For quiet fun, he loves to read. "I often end up with the tech stuff, though," he confesses. He says he has no odd dreams such as "becoming a helicopter pilot" and that writing a novel interests him but would just be too much work.
So until his son's college expenses are paid off, Denoncourt says he's content to immerse himself in writing new code for some time to come.
"Just leave me to it," he begs.
Vicki Hamende is acquisitions editor for iSeries NEWS. To read more of her profiles of iSeries NEWS tech editors, click here.