5 ms·

I think you've missed their point. Those engineers are aware of the cost of context switching, and because they plan accordingly they're able to get more done t

• mikeg8 7y ago
  Awareness and planning cannot compensate for the fact that lost productivity is lost productivity.
  • throwawayjava 7y ago
    I tend to agree with you, but I'm compelled by the argument that organizing your productive time in a way that minimizes the impact of context switches will make your programs much better anyways. There might be a good reason why code developed under extreme focus also tends to be inscrutable to others.
    • splittingTimes 7y ago
      > There might be a good reason why code developed under extreme focus also tends to be inscrutable to others. Wow. I have never thought about it this way. That's quite a profound insight. Thanks.
      • techopoly 7y ago
        On the other hand, extreme focus can and should be used to make a complex algorithm simple. It all depends on the programmer's competency to begin with. If he/she doesn't care or know how to make code readable, it never will be readable despite their level of concentration. The corollary is true as well. I, as well as many others I imagine, have had to fix and maintain dumpster fires of spaghetti code developed under the standard distraction-filled modern business day. Distraction doesn't beget good code; instead, a good programmer learns how to be as productive as they can despite the dysfunction of a typical modern business.