3 ms·

I've been a developer for about three years now but before that I worked in food service for about eight years. One habit I've had to break is the constant look

I've been a developer for about three years now but before that I worked in food service for about eight years. One habit I've had to break is the constant looking for something to do attitude that you absolutely need to keep an orderly kitchen. The pool of tasks to complete doesn't replenish in software like it does in food service. When you've suitably completed a task and the next task lacks the definition needed to be completed, just read a blog or go on a walk while the other people working with you do their thing to get you in a position to complete the next task.

hinkley 7y ago
I like to read release notes for libraries we use or clean up the Wiki. Nobody wants me starting code at 3:00 on a Friday. But I can still clean up text just fine.
pm215 7y ago
That's an interesting take, because my experience has generally been that there's an inexhaustible pool of tasks -- bugs that could be fixed, minor but nice-to-have features, little refactorings and code cleanups, closing stale bug reports -- in any largish codebase. Mostly these don't get done because major feature work or fixing bugs users complain about takes priority, but I've pretty much never found myself on a Friday afternoon thinking "no, there is nothing at all I could do for the moment".
- Jaygles 7y ago
  I guess it depends on a team's or even just a single dev's priorities. Does something need to be perfect to be considered complete? I like to stay on top of bugs but things like little refactorings or code cleanups I've been avoiding more until it's directly affecting what I'm trying to do. I used to refactor and try and improve every file I needed to work in, but more and more I've been trying to make as little changes as possible in order to complete my goals. Leaving the code just a bit cleaner in each commit.
- taneq 7y ago
  Yes but they're all different tasks. You don't have to solve that duplicate-user-input bug every day before 5pm.

hinkley 7y ago

I like to read release notes for libraries we use or clean up the Wiki. Nobody wants me starting code at 3:00 on a Friday. But I can still clean up text just fine.

pm215 7y ago

That's an interesting take, because my experience has generally been that there's an inexhaustible pool of tasks -- bugs that could be fixed, minor but nice-to-have features, little refactorings and code cleanups, closing stale bug reports -- in any largish codebase. Mostly these don't get done because major feature work or fixing bugs users complain about takes priority, but I've pretty much never found myself on a Friday afternoon thinking "no, there is nothing at all I could do for the moment".

Jaygles 7y ago
I guess it depends on a team's or even just a single dev's priorities. Does something need to be perfect to be considered complete? I like to stay on top of bugs but things like little refactorings or code cleanups I've been avoiding more until it's directly affecting what I'm trying to do. I used to refactor and try and improve every file I needed to work in, but more and more I've been trying to make as little changes as possible in order to complete my goals. Leaving the code just a bit cleaner in each commit.
taneq 7y ago
Yes but they're all different tasks. You don't have to solve that duplicate-user-input bug every day before 5pm.