Welcome to My Blog: A Friendly First Post

Intro

Hello! Whether you found this post via LinkedIn, Hashnode, or another online platform, welcome. I'm Hleb, and I've been considering starting my own tech blog for quite some time. In this post, I'll introduce myself, explain my motivation for launching this blog, outline my future plans and expectations, and share some insights on why having a personal blog can be beneficial and how to maximize its potential.

Who am I and what do I do?

My name is Hleb, and I am a .NET Software Engineer with over 2.5 years of experience. At the time of writing this post, I am about to turn 22. Less than a year ago, I graduated from university with a bachelor's degree, and now I dedicate all my free time to learning new topics in programming and beyond. I try not to limit myself to just .NET. I also study and work with databases, a bit of frontend, as well as DevOps and other interesting topics.

How did I end up here and why do I need my own blog?

Well, during my studies, I had many other hobbies and activities, and it was hard for me to find free time to run something like my own blog. I really wanted to start sharing my thoughts and ideas on some platform, and finally, here I am :)

The preparation to start this blog was very long and stressful. I spent a lot of time thinking about which platform to use, the format, and what I could offer to those who would follow my blog.

What is my motivation, and what can I offer my readers?

I've noticed for a long time that I remember things better and understand information more deeply when I explain it to someone else. I think about the topic, study the materials, and then share them with others. During my studies, I had to give presentations to small groups, talking about IT and technical topics. Recently, I've started doing this for a much more experienced audience, sharing my views and discussing various topics while learning from other developers.

I don't hold any high positions, I'm not an architect, and I don't have my own team of developers reporting to me. But I believe that by talking about complex topics from my perspective, in my own words, I can help someone see difficult subjects in a simple way and motivate them to delve deeper into various topics, approaches, and programming techniques.

What do I think is the issue with many content creators on LinkedIn and elsewhere, and why do I think AI is responsible?

As I periodically browse through my LinkedIn feed, I often encounter numerous technical content creators. These individuals frequently share snippets and pieces of code, presenting them in a strictly structured format. However, these posts often lack a clear problem description or any introductory information that would provide context. This missing information makes it difficult for someone to simply check the content in their own application or even attempt to implement it. For example, as a beginner developer, I find this type of content not only challenging to comprehend but also somewhat pointless.

I believe that the rise of AI is partly to blame for this trend. Why do I think so? During my school years, I was an avid consumer of LinkedIn content, and back then, I didn't witness the overwhelming surge of content creators that I see today. This change has become particularly noticeable following the official release of AI tools like ChatGPT. These tools don't just assist but often replace human effort, streamlining the blogging process. As a result, in just a few years, we have seen a shift where content creation has become fully optimized. This optimization has led to a scenario where many creators are now able to monetize their content, targeting those who consume this type of information.

Is this a bad thing? Not at all. However, I notice there's a lot of similar content out there. When you read technical posts, you often feel like you've seen them before, just from a different author. Surprising, right? I hope I'm not the only one seeing the similarities in the work of many technical experts and gurus.

What do I expect from my blog?

I created this blog not to show or prove to anyone how to run a blog. I'm far from an expert on this topic, especially since I'm just starting and have a lot to learn. I'm creating it to be a treasure trove of information where I can return, reread certain topics, and organize my knowledge. I also plan to use the information written on this blog for making future presentations and discussing them in person. In the future, once there are enough posts on this blog, I will categorize them into series like .NET, Frontend, SQL, and so on, including a separate section with my thoughts on various topics, so I can look back and reminisce about how things were then and how they are now.

I plan to make technically focused posts every week (on Mondays), where I will talk about various topics I learn from personal experience, books, and what I use in my work.

What are my plans for the future?

In the future, I plan to start my own YouTube channel. However, this won't happen in a year or even two. I have many ideas that no one has ever done before, and I doubt anyone ever will on YouTube. However, I need to reach the point where I can start making videos. For now, I'll start with the blog and see how it goes from there.

In conclusion: Why is it important to have your own blog in the 21st century?

Everyone's got ideas they keep to themselves. We've all got something to say and share, but for some reason, a lot of people don't. Not enough time? No interest? Maybe. I think everyone can and should try to share what they know, share their vision, and connect with like-minded folks through different activities, including using media to boost their personal brand. Who knows, maybe you'll be the one to inspire someone else to dive into self-improvement and learning. Isn't that what it's all about?

"A blog is like a garden. The more you nurture it, the more it grows and flourishes, offering knowledge and insights to all who visit."