4 ms·

This is poorly titled. A '1x developer' is by definition an average developer. The page is mostly listing basic knowledge that any developer, even a very junior

This is poorly titled. A '1x developer' is by definition an average developer. The page is mostly listing basic knowledge that any developer, even a very junior one, should already have. If you aren't aware of the relative strengths and weaknesses of Java, C, and Python, you aren't a 1x developer, you're a trainee. Anyone know of any better articles truly targeted at '1x' developers? (This isn't snark, it's an invitation.)

laumars 7y ago
The 1x / 10x memes need to die in my opinion.
- MaxBarraclough 7y ago
  Agreed. 1x should be a synonym for ordinary, but as we're seeing here, its meaning had drifted to refer to especially unskilled developers.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
micael_dias 7y ago
So a frontend developer is a perpetual trainee in your opinion?
- MaxBarraclough 7y ago
  I'm talking about very basic background knowledge of general software engineering. Yes, a professional frontend developer should have at least an elementary understanding of the differences between the major programming languages. An expert frontend developer will necessarily be competent in many languages, and might be competent to, for instance, contribute code to the Qt project. I can see the value in the Project Management section of the article, as that's the sort of 'soft' topic that will be new to, say, a fresh graduate. If someone doesn't know the first thing about programming languages, though, they're a long way from the standard of a developer.
geocar 7y ago
> A '1x developer' is by definition an average developer. The page is mostly listing basic knowledge that any developer, even a very junior one, should already have I'm not sure I agree with that. Why is a "10x programmer with 3 years experience" better/worth-more than a "1x programmer with forty years experience" if the output of the latter is higher? Do I just not understand what you mean? This sounds too much like internet points or something. I have always thought a "1x" or "10x" developer referred to their output of business features. Or put simply, if all of your stories were scored equally, this is the number of stories your developer can do in some unit of time. Now, I know there are probably problems with this, but it seems mostly right, and people who I can give bigger tasks to, are usually the programmers who have done more practice/had more experience. This reminds me of something. When I was in school, one of my best friends was good at drawing. People would ask him all the time, "How did you get so good at drawing?" and he would say "Practice!" and they would say, "No no no! You must get it from your Mother because she is good at drawing! You are so Gifted!" I think it was the practice, and I think programming's the same thing: That practice makes you better. > Anyone know of any better articles truly targeted at '1x' developers? (This isn't snark, it's an invitation.) If you think you've just been so low-output for so long it's making you dissatisfied and you don't know how to study/practice anymore, getting a mentor can help you. This can really help if you've had a nontraditional career, since popular articles are (get this) for the populous, so it can really be hard to figure out what to do without going backwards if you can't look outside and see someone like you but a little further along in the direction you'd like to grow.
wdroz 7y ago
In the study that lead to the "10x developers" term. 1x developer was not the average, but the least good (because they still were able finished the task). You can't measure against the "worst" because they aren't able to provide a deliverable.
- MaxBarraclough 7y ago
  Thanks, I didn't know that. I don't think that's how the term is used these days though.

laumars 7y ago

The 1x / 10x memes need to die in my opinion.

MaxBarraclough 7y ago
Agreed. 1x should be a synonym for ordinary, but as we're seeing here, its meaning had drifted to refer to especially unskilled developers.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]

micael_dias 7y ago

So a frontend developer is a perpetual trainee in your opinion?

MaxBarraclough 7y ago
I'm talking about very basic background knowledge of general software engineering. Yes, a professional frontend developer should have at least an elementary understanding of the differences between the major programming languages. An expert frontend developer will necessarily be competent in many languages, and might be competent to, for instance, contribute code to the Qt project. I can see the value in the Project Management section of the article, as that's the sort of 'soft' topic that will be new to, say, a fresh graduate. If someone doesn't know the first thing about programming languages, though, they're a long way from the standard of a developer.

geocar 7y ago

> A '1x developer' is by definition an average developer. The page is mostly listing basic knowledge that any developer, even a very junior one, should already have I'm not sure I agree with that. Why is a "10x programmer with 3 years experience" better/worth-more than a "1x programmer with forty years experience" if the output of the latter is higher? Do I just not understand what you mean? This sounds too much like internet points or something. I have always thought a "1x" or "10x" developer referred to their output of business features. Or put simply, if all of your stories were scored equally, this is the number of stories your developer can do in some unit of time. Now, I know there are probably problems with this, but it seems mostly right, and people who I can give bigger tasks to, are usually the programmers who have done more practice/had more experience. This reminds me of something. When I was in school, one of my best friends was good at drawing. People would ask him all the time, "How did you get so good at drawing?" and he would say "Practice!" and they would say, "No no no! You must get it from your Mother because she is good at drawing! You are so Gifted!" I think it was the practice, and I think programming's the same thing: That practice makes you better. > Anyone know of any better articles truly targeted at '1x' developers? (This isn't snark, it's an invitation.) If you think you've just been so low-output for so long it's making you dissatisfied and you don't know how to study/practice anymore, getting a mentor can help you. This can really help if you've had a nontraditional career, since popular articles are (get this) for the populous, so it can really be hard to figure out what to do without going backwards if you can't look outside and see someone like you but a little further along in the direction you'd like to grow.

wdroz 7y ago

In the study that lead to the "10x developers" term. 1x developer was not the average, but the least good (because they still were able finished the task). You can't measure against the "worst" because they aren't able to provide a deliverable.

MaxBarraclough 7y ago
Thanks, I didn't know that. I don't think that's how the term is used these days though.