About

Tech Clinic

Background

As a computer science student, I found a lot of the material poorly optimised. The concepts themselves were not difficult, merely obfuscated, and the lack of joined up thinking between modules made for unnecessary inefficiencies. Many of my colleagues resorted to YouTube, and the common Software memes are all about how the educational system is not what is teaching programmers, but rather (specifically) Indian YouTubers…the unsung heroes of the tech world!

Having learned a lot in both education, and professional life, I wanted to create something to help others learn – Tech Clinic’s main goal is to produce educational content to aid people interested in pursuing Computer Science, whether you’re interested in Software Development, Cloud Technologies, Web Development, Networking, or even just general IT. In essence, taking everything I’ve learned from the education system (and industry), and retooling it in a way that makes sense. Much as software/design is iterative, so too is education – layering up knowledge, and that’s the goal; an accessible entry-point to the world of tech.

This is a work in progress, and a pure passion project. The end-goal is to have full series hosted on YouTube running through various topics, as well as project files to follow along with, backed up with text-based articles allowing for easier searching. It is my hope that your time of endless googling for answers ends, and that I can point you in the right direction.

Tech in the Modern World

E-Waste is on the rise, and it is not lost on me that I’m in an industry contributing heavily. Something I am extremely passionate about is repurposing old tech, avoiding it ending up in the abominable scrap heap – giving a new lease of life, and improving your life in the process. Getting the most out of your devices is economic, and environmental, and best of all it doesn’t have to impede your capability. Guides on how to get the most out of older tech, software that can be used on ageing hardware, and tips for optimisation – all with the same goal. Technology may be a ways out from being green, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t take a greener approach in the interim.

Tech Clinic is committed to looking at the long term impacts, and as such promoting re-use (where possible).

Tech Reviews

New things are exciting, you don’t have to tell us! Most people in the tech space will admit to eagerly awaiting news of the latest and greatest GPU’s (even if they cannot be purchased without both major financial sacrifice, and contributing to the scalper economy), and Tech Clinic are no different. The latest processors, the newest computers, and the latest phones…there is a reason so much content is produced around these items; people want them. Besides, sometimes new cannot be avoided, and in which case you want to make sure that what you’re getting is built to last, fits your budget, and will do the job.

It is a saturated space, filled with endless sponsored content muddying the waters, and largely frivolous. Tech Clinic aims to be different; rather than looking solely at the latest and greatest, budget is factored in at every step of the way. Not everyone (us included) have a spare €5,000 lying around for a new computer.

The goal of Tech Clinic’s reviews is to provide accurate information, clear context with which the review is based, and building a platform that you can trust. Focusing on understanding your requirements, analysing what’s out there (factoring budget in at every step), and looking into the future – these are the grounds in which our reviews are based. This is a passion-project – it is not about “free shit” or “sponsorships”. Everything is bought with purpose, analysed and scrutinised, and presented here for your pleasure (and hopefully, utility).

The “Tech” behind the Clinic

My name is Kev (that’s a lie – it’s actually Kevin, but no one calls me that), and I’m a graduate from TU Dublin in DevOps & Cloud Computing. I took the circuitous route through the education system. Having spent my late teens and early twenties teaching Parkour/Free Running, developing countless class plans and curricula, I could see things I would love to change whilst going through the University system. Large institutions are bound by strict regulation, and with limited funding, these discrepancies are not only understandable, but expected. However, that doesn’t mean that it should stay like that – Tech Clinic was created specifically to reduce the barrier to access, and make it easier to understand.

The goal is knowledge, not certification. It is a key difference, and important to remember.

Based in the countryside in Ireland, my primary area of interest is in Software Development. Currently working in web development, I have years of experience in industry, and aim to bring the practicalities of the real world into this material.