Alexandre Gomes

I am a Chemical Engineer by degree, web developer by passion!

Since my youth, science and architecture where my passion. In University, I was fortune enough that my best friends were studying graphical design, with them I start to appreciate and learn design. At the same time Internet was starting in Portugal, and had the chance to see the potential of this technology. By then, in a certain way, I knew that I had to be involved with this somehow. What started in 1998 as an hobby, in 2001 became a full time job as a freelancer in Portugal, Germany and The Netherlands. Returned to Portugal, after seven years abroad, as Head/Senior Front-end Developer at Bürocratik.

Questions for Alexandre Gomes:

• What did you do before becoming a developer?

  I was a researcher at Chemical Eng. Department - Coimbra University. My degree and my research field involved lots of programming, it was where I got my passion for coding.

• As a developer, where do you get your inspiration from?

  Mainly my feeds, newsletters and twitter. I subscribe a wide range of sites that go from tutorials/spec to showcases/awards, with a lot in between. In resume my main inspiration is the community. Last but not least my team, they push me to the limits and constantly challenge me to do new and better things.

• Which are your favorite studios, designers or agencies?

  My love for design started with 4AD album covers made by Vaughan Oliver at 23 Envelope and v23, and with the amazing work of David McKean. Clearleft was also an agency very important when I started to learn about Web Standards. At the present day I am a big fan of Kissmiklos and R2design in graphic design (and I always keep an eye at Pentagram!). Regarding digital agencies there are so many that I like: Hello Monday, Huge, MediaMonks, Google Creative Labs, Fantasy Interactive, ultranoir, AQuest, B-Reel, etc.

• Is your city a good place for designers?

  Coimbra is a historical city that lives for the university and its students, is neither good or bad fordesigners.

• Which technologies are you excited about in 2015?

  In my field I am always waiting for the new browser improvements (mobile and desktop), new HTML- CSS-Javascript specifications and the ways we can use them to push forward webdesign. Let’s not forget wearables, for sure they will bring lots of new challenges to the table.

  Finally, there amazing technologies that arise from particle physics, space exploration, cosmology,computer science and engineering that really excite me.

• Do you listen to music while you work? Describe your playlist.

  I almost can't work without music! I have a soft spot for Philip Glass, Michael Nyman, Max Richter, Wim Mertens, Jacasek, Portishead, Moderat, Apparat, Dead can Dance and Pixies.Right now I am listing a lot to Jon Hopkins, Son Lux, Keaton Henson, Ben Frost, Fuck Buttons and The Field.

• Have you always had a keen interest in technology since childhood? What sparked your interest?

  Yes indeed! I think it was science and mathematics that sparked my interest, and the first time Itouched a computer - an Apple II.

• What essential items are in your developer toolbox?

  Chrome DevTools, Sublime Text, Photoshop, Source Tree, CodeKit, Transmit, VirtualBox for IEvirtual machines and of course each major browser (Chrome, Firefox, IE, Opera and Safari) and every mobile device I can put my hands on.

• Where do you see the industry in 5 years?

  With the advances on hardware, software and internet speeds we will see the gap between desktop and mobile devices (phones, tablets, wearables, etc) disappearing even more, with one code working 100% equal in all platforms. I think the development will become easier, I hope!, but UX/UI design has big challenges ahead with websites that have the potential to work as the current apps. It will be very challenging for digital studios to have the know how to deliver great content in all platforms, staying relevant in this new paradigm.

• What is your favorite book?

  Please indulge me and let me choose two: Cosmos by Carl Sagan & A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.

• What is your favorite sport?

  Tennis.