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"Personally I cannot listen to technical podcasts while I develop software" What? I've never known anybody that could do that! Anyone that can do that meaningf

by warent 8y ago

"Personally I cannot listen to technical podcasts while I develop software" What? I've never known anybody that could do that! Anyone that can do that meaningfully must be some kind of savant.

fcbrooklyn 8y ago
I can't listen to anything with words I understand. Podcasts would be ridiculous.
- Diederich 8y ago
  Right; I'm unable to even listen to music while in deep flow, because I have a composition/conducting background, and ANY kind of music triggers analysis that is a distraction. I just listen to white noise.
  - sarreph 8y ago
    If you’re a composer/conductor then you’ve probably already tried this, but for me two types of music work well (as I’m a similarly analytical musician): - Minimalism, specifically Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians suite - Atmospheric, specifically ‘Skyrim Atmospheres’ by Jeremy Soule Both are so versatile: minimalism for journeys and coding; atmospheric for ‘creative’ periods, walking and sleeping. I do somewhat envy your ability to listen to white noise as it is infinitely replicable, but fear it a little distracting in of itself!
    - Diederich 8y ago
      I checked both of them out, and they're nice, thanks! But in both cases, it's definitely music, and as such I'm definitely distracted by it.
  - warent 8y ago
    You listen to white noise? I'm not even able to handle the sound of the oxygen in the atmosphere. I just listen to the ambient energy of a perfect vacuum.
    - Diederich 8y ago
      > the ambient energy of a perfect vacuum. I'm not sure what that sounds like.
      - feverfew 8y ago
        You can't hear in a vaccum; it doesn't sound like anything at all.
        Diederich 8y ago
        That's what I figured, it was just so floridly put that I'd check.
- mirimir 8y ago
  Yes. Love my DnB :)
CGamesPlay 8y ago
If I'm working on something that doesn't require much thought (eg the more rote parts of programming) then I can listen to an easy podcast, like a comedy or storytelling one. When I start working on something that requires thought I definitely can't listen to a podcast and I can't really imagine getting anything out of a lecture I was listening to without giving it my full attention.
Izkata 8y ago
I knew one person who could do that type of thing; he had minor split-brain syndrome.
maym86 8y ago
I can and often do but my brain just shuts out the podcast when I am concentrating and I don't hear it or can only vaguely remember the content. It becomes like music or white noise. Sometimes they end and I don't notice. I find it much better and less distracting than having background noise of an office or coffee shop and it's comparible to me listening to music. Upside is that when I'm doing things that don't require high concentration that are kinda boring and easy I get to listen to the podcast while I do it. A faily large chunk of programming is me on autopilot writing things where I know exactly what to do so a podcast isn't a big deal.

by warent 8y ago

"Personally I cannot listen to technical podcasts while I develop software" What? I've never known anybody that could do that! Anyone that can do that meaningfully must be some kind of savant.

fcbrooklyn 8y ago

I can't listen to anything with words I understand. Podcasts would be ridiculous.

Diederich 8y ago
Right; I'm unable to even listen to music while in deep flow, because I have a composition/conducting background, and ANY kind of music triggers analysis that is a distraction. I just listen to white noise.
- sarreph 8y ago
  If you’re a composer/conductor then you’ve probably already tried this, but for me two types of music work well (as I’m a similarly analytical musician): - Minimalism, specifically Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians suite - Atmospheric, specifically ‘Skyrim Atmospheres’ by Jeremy Soule Both are so versatile: minimalism for journeys and coding; atmospheric for ‘creative’ periods, walking and sleeping. I do somewhat envy your ability to listen to white noise as it is infinitely replicable, but fear it a little distracting in of itself!
  - Diederich 8y ago
    I checked both of them out, and they're nice, thanks! But in both cases, it's definitely music, and as such I'm definitely distracted by it.
- warent 8y ago
  You listen to white noise? I'm not even able to handle the sound of the oxygen in the atmosphere. I just listen to the ambient energy of a perfect vacuum.
  - Diederich 8y ago
    > the ambient energy of a perfect vacuum. I'm not sure what that sounds like.
    - feverfew 8y ago
      You can't hear in a vaccum; it doesn't sound like anything at all.
      - Diederich 8y ago
        That's what I figured, it was just so floridly put that I'd check.
mirimir 8y ago
Yes. Love my DnB :)

CGamesPlay 8y ago

If I'm working on something that doesn't require much thought (eg the more rote parts of programming) then I can listen to an easy podcast, like a comedy or storytelling one. When I start working on something that requires thought I definitely can't listen to a podcast and I can't really imagine getting anything out of a lecture I was listening to without giving it my full attention.

Izkata 8y ago

I knew one person who could do that type of thing; he had minor split-brain syndrome.

maym86 8y ago

I can and often do but my brain just shuts out the podcast when I am concentrating and I don't hear it or can only vaguely remember the content. It becomes like music or white noise. Sometimes they end and I don't notice. I find it much better and less distracting than having background noise of an office or coffee shop and it's comparible to me listening to music. Upside is that when I'm doing things that don't require high concentration that are kinda boring and easy I get to listen to the podcast while I do it. A faily large chunk of programming is me on autopilot writing things where I know exactly what to do so a podcast isn't a big deal.