Introductions

Just like your first day in a new school, I figured the best place to start is with a formal introduction! My name is Jim Buck and I am an Architect for RDA. This blog is my platform to share things that made my life better, and I hope it can help you too!

As for a little bit of background, I began taking formal programming classes in high school in Central Pennsylvania. I received my B.S. in Computer Science from Towson University with a focus in Software Engineering. While there, I was fortunate enough to compete as a Division I swimmer and had the honor of serving as team captain for two years. Six days after graduating I started my first job at RDA as a Software Developer and I've been there ever since! These days, I spend most of my time architecting enterprise web solutions and crafting developer tools that make everyone's lives easier. I've embraced the AI wave wholeheartedly - it's become an integral part of my daily workflow, and I've been helping lead our company's adoption of these incredible new technologies. My technical toolkit has evolved over the years, but TypeScript remains my language of choice, and I love working with modern React/Next.js. I currently live in Mechanicsburg, PA with my wonderful wife and two sons!

When I'm not designing systems and mentoring teams, I like to work on open source software. Usually built with TypeScript and Node.js, my projects are all hosted on GitHub and free to use. I believe that open source software is a glimmering hope that there is good in the world and it is something that should be celebrated. Outside of coding, you'll find me on the golf course (or in my garage with the simulator I built), tinkering with my 3D printer, or coaching my sons' baseball teams.

I wouldn't be where I am today without the help of my family and all the colleagues that have taught me something along the way. I truly hope you find my ramblings helpful and fun to read, and I look forward to even more learning with my readers.