Lukas Prokop

Developer+Aikidōka

I am Lukas Prokop. I am a passionate software developer. I am currently employed at KNAPP AG as software developer, but I am also self-employed. I have a bunch of hobbies like Aikidō.

I have grown up at times when developers stopped creating their own websites. I liked the idea back then and still support it.

Civil profile §

Digital profile 1 §

nickname	meisterluk
context	any, esp. software development
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Digital profile 2 §

Digital profile 3 §

nickname	tajpulo
nickname source	Esperanto: typing person
context	typesetting
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Things, I enjoy[ed] in my life §

Curriculum Vitae §

Filter by: education work club leisure

About my focus and goals §

Started in 2006, I tried to learn HTML & CSS by studying the source code of my brother's website. In addition I learned PHP in december to support the webmaster team of our school communication platform. This way I learned about databases (MySQL in particular), clientside Javascript and software in general. As a result, I had lots of project ideas and spent my whole leisure on various ideas based on this web platform.

I found interest in algorithmic problems. So I learned about math, data structures and other computer science related stuff. I recognized that learning a different programming language might help me in understanding further programming concepts: I decided to learn python. Python really made me love a programming language to the bottom of my heart. API design and alike can be done so beautifully in python. python also opened my eyes to other programming paradigms such as functional programming.

In July 2009 my time at school ended with my Matura and I was sure about studying computer science. However, in Austria we have to go either to the army for half a year or attend a civilian service for 9 months. For me, the second was the better option and I became an emergency assistant with 1 month of training. Beside the work, I continued my interest in software and finished some old projects. However, time was limited since my work was pretty stressful. Between civilian service and my studies I did different small jobs and volunteered at the Red Cross (continuing my time as emergency assistant). At this point, computer science was not really the thing I spent most time on.

When beginning my studies, I was able to regain focus on my field of interest. I can totally see that university is not something all programmers enjoy, however for me, it was a challenging time and I tend to grow with challenges. Simply put, I learned a lot of technical concepts and their properties, which helped me to survive in a field of short knowledge expiration time. In the final years, I focused on IT security and algorithm theory.

My CS time at university ended in 2016 and one month later I was in Japan. As mathematics exchange student, I was chosen to spend 1 year at Kobe university. Even though I spent one year with mathematics already in Austria and I was registered as math student, I completely focused on the Japanese writing system and the Japanese language. Studying mathematics without Japanese skill was kind of impossible, thus I moved my focus on linguistics. One year of intense learning was fun and refreshing.

Back in Austria, I considered founding my own company as the best way to continue. However due to bureaucracy, I also ended up registering myself as student again. And I really began to see the beauty in mathematics. I have to admit that my mathematical skills are really just average, but persistence and hard work made me continue. As I spent half the time on my company and half the time in math classes, I somehow managed to enjoy two beautiful sides of life: programming and math.

And what is my goal? I believe becoming a good programmer can be achieved by studying technical concepts, analyzing underlying structures and practicing good design. My goal is to write software of high quality, I am confident with. At the end of the day, I want to write good typesetting software and understand thoughts and writings by Don Knuth. My typho project is one implementation to improve the current state of the art of this field

Thank you §

Some people made my life especially beautiful. I prefer not to put names here without their consent, so I describe their role:

My supporting parents, my supporting brother[s], organizer of "Treffpunkt Mathematik" (ToM), my inspiring CS teacher in high school, all the people making the Python project possible, many awesome colleagues I got to know at university, many inspiring teachers at university, two seniors at university inspiring me to pursue a degree in math, many welcoming friends I met in university Aikidō class, friends and teachers in the Aikidō club, cool Japanese friends in Kōbe, the person I spent 3.5 years with, inspiring teachers in Japan, many people showing good working ethics in the FLOSS community, the one and only Don Knuth, as well as my loving koramikino.

… and this list is non-exhaustive. Many others are not mentioned. Actually the majority might not be visible to me (or do you know who assembled your favorite device, you use everyday?). I just think it is worth making some tribute in this—sometimes despiteful—world.