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"Embrace change, and it will make you a better developer." I don't agree with this at all. I think a good coder has complete mastery of their code and tools wh

"Embrace change, and it will make you a better developer." I don't agree with this at all. I think a good coder has complete mastery of their code and tools which is only possible by putting significant time to use one thing instead of jumping one thing to the next ever so often. Imo the best way to become a better developer is not by using what others have created but trying to create libraries and frameworks yourselves to truly understand or at the very least think about the in and outs of the code to think throughly and produce a better architecture. It will open up your eye to differentiate good and bad code rather quickly.

kowdermeister 10y ago
And you are wasting huge amounts of time by rewriting stuff that's already out there tested by thousands of people. Also collaborating with others becomes much more challenging because you invendted everything. With experience I can minimize self written code and I can skip plugins and libraries, but I feel better if I can rely on something solid. It does not apply to all field of programming per se, but web developent is a perfect example.
- SixSigma 10y ago
  "Trying to build a framework to understand frameworks" is not the same as "use you own frameworks on your professional projects" I have written my own Forth, my own filesystem, my own Mvc etc. etc. and I would say they have improved my skill more than learning a new Algol derived language but I would never advocate their use in production.
  - kowdermeister 10y ago
    For learning it's a good idea to make something from scratch, way better than writing todo apps :) It can even be better than the original one. For productivity it's not the case however.
- jaequery 10y ago
  Ofcourse someone has to go to the other far end of the spectrum :) Yes, I agree rewriting everything yourself is a huge waste of time. But if you see a framework or a library and you think you can do it better, I say go for it, on your spare time that is.
manyxcxi 10y ago
I think you're on to something with the process of becoming better at development. Building the hard/arcane/boring things and understanding them leads to a much larger mental tool set. The solution for problem A could apply to shiny new thing B in a novel way, but you'd never know because A was boring and you have never done it. That being said, there's practicing your craft and getting shit done. I'm going to be VERY unhappy with a developer that is writing their own take on an MVC framework from scratch for a production project. Unless of course the situation needs it.
- jaequery 10y ago
  Yes, it is unfortunate most programmers just don't have the time. But when you do, it is a rewarding exercise.
deleted 10y ago
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pdimitar 10y ago
With respect, I think you're missing the point. Embracing change in this instance means to bare witness to how much differently people approach a problem compared to you (or the common wisdom). This is an eye-opening process that enriches your neural paths immensely. It shows you alternatives and it's making you more inquisitive in your work. IMO the premise of the article is that while this process is productive and educational, it's not something that you want to do all the time. Sooner or later you learn enough to be a world-class professional. At this point, checking what every kiddie with a keyboard and a monitor can code becomes a waste of time. There's a long way until that point however and in the meantime it's very easy for one to become complacent and thinking they know it all. In order to be professionals, we the programmers must periodically challenge our notions.

kowdermeister 10y ago

And you are wasting huge amounts of time by rewriting stuff that's already out there tested by thousands of people. Also collaborating with others becomes much more challenging because you invendted everything. With experience I can minimize self written code and I can skip plugins and libraries, but I feel better if I can rely on something solid. It does not apply to all field of programming per se, but web developent is a perfect example.

SixSigma 10y ago
"Trying to build a framework to understand frameworks" is not the same as "use you own frameworks on your professional projects" I have written my own Forth, my own filesystem, my own Mvc etc. etc. and I would say they have improved my skill more than learning a new Algol derived language but I would never advocate their use in production.
- kowdermeister 10y ago
  For learning it's a good idea to make something from scratch, way better than writing todo apps :) It can even be better than the original one. For productivity it's not the case however.
jaequery 10y ago
Ofcourse someone has to go to the other far end of the spectrum :) Yes, I agree rewriting everything yourself is a huge waste of time. But if you see a framework or a library and you think you can do it better, I say go for it, on your spare time that is.

manyxcxi 10y ago

I think you're on to something with the process of becoming better at development. Building the hard/arcane/boring things and understanding them leads to a much larger mental tool set. The solution for problem A could apply to shiny new thing B in a novel way, but you'd never know because A was boring and you have never done it. That being said, there's practicing your craft and getting shit done. I'm going to be VERY unhappy with a developer that is writing their own take on an MVC framework from scratch for a production project. Unless of course the situation needs it.

jaequery 10y ago
Yes, it is unfortunate most programmers just don't have the time. But when you do, it is a rewarding exercise.

deleted 10y ago

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pdimitar 10y ago

With respect, I think you're missing the point. Embracing change in this instance means to bare witness to how much differently people approach a problem compared to you (or the common wisdom). This is an eye-opening process that enriches your neural paths immensely. It shows you alternatives and it's making you more inquisitive in your work. IMO the premise of the article is that while this process is productive and educational, it's not something that you want to do all the time. Sooner or later you learn enough to be a world-class professional. At this point, checking what every kiddie with a keyboard and a monitor can code becomes a waste of time. There's a long way until that point however and in the meantime it's very easy for one to become complacent and thinking they know it all. In order to be professionals, we the programmers must periodically challenge our notions.