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I know a few developers there. If they're good enough, they still work there and get a very high salary... The problem is not that great developers are expensi

by runT1ME 16y ago

I know a few developers there. If they're good enough, they still work there and get a very high salary... The problem is not that great developers are expensive, it's that they're expensive and very rare.

invalidOrTaken 16y ago
I've heard this before and it makes basic sense. So here's my question: what do I do to become a "great" developer? Are we talking "any specialty beyond PHP?" Hadoop knowhow? Advanced statistical algorithm knowledge? Database theory? Or is the bar absurdly low, and if we can just find a !@#$% developer who can code fizzbuzz and isn't an idiot is the thought process?
- illumin8 16y ago
  To be honest, most people that are great developers didn't just turn middle-aged, think "I want to be a great developer," and spend a few years becoming one. Most of these developers have been hacking since they were literally single-digit age. Read Notch's AMA on Reddit (creator of Minecraft) - he was only 9 when he started hacking and he's 31 years old now. So, if you're asking how do I become a great developer now, it's probably too late.
  - invalidOrTaken 16y ago
    Ok, but something doesn't jive here. When people complain that it's hard to retain/find talent, are they seriously complaining about how hard it is to find developers who've been hacking since single-digit age?
    - sireat 16y ago
      They may not say it, but if they want the very best they will have to look for someone whose brain has developed in the hacking(in a general sense, thus leaving a lot of leeway) direction since early age. It is all about the unconscious mastery. I'll use the chess analogy, it is very hard to be a top class player, if every time you ponder the position you have to think about how the horsey moves.
    - bugsy 16y ago
      No, when companies "complain that it's hard to retain/find talent" they mean that they are paying far below market rate, have poor working conditions, don't pay relocation or interview expenses, have poor benefits, are in a god forsaken location, and believe they are entitled to top talent for bargain basement rates. There is no such thing as a company paying true market rate, with acceptable working conditions and terms, who cannot find talent. The problem is there are many companies that are in denial about the realities of the competitive market. All this silly nonsense about only hiring people who started programming at age 8 is just a distraction to avoid contending with the real issues here.

by runT1ME 16y ago

invalidOrTaken 16y ago

I've heard this before and it makes basic sense. So here's my question: what do I do to become a "great" developer? Are we talking "any specialty beyond PHP?" Hadoop knowhow? Advanced statistical algorithm knowledge? Database theory? Or is the bar absurdly low, and if we can just find a !@#$% developer who can code fizzbuzz and isn't an idiot is the thought process?

illumin8 16y ago
To be honest, most people that are great developers didn't just turn middle-aged, think "I want to be a great developer," and spend a few years becoming one. Most of these developers have been hacking since they were literally single-digit age. Read Notch's AMA on Reddit (creator of Minecraft) - he was only 9 when he started hacking and he's 31 years old now. So, if you're asking how do I become a great developer now, it's probably too late.
- invalidOrTaken 16y ago
  Ok, but something doesn't jive here. When people complain that it's hard to retain/find talent, are they seriously complaining about how hard it is to find developers who've been hacking since single-digit age?
  - sireat 16y ago
    They may not say it, but if they want the very best they will have to look for someone whose brain has developed in the hacking(in a general sense, thus leaving a lot of leeway) direction since early age. It is all about the unconscious mastery. I'll use the chess analogy, it is very hard to be a top class player, if every time you ponder the position you have to think about how the horsey moves.
  - bugsy 16y ago
    No, when companies "complain that it's hard to retain/find talent" they mean that they are paying far below market rate, have poor working conditions, don't pay relocation or interview expenses, have poor benefits, are in a god forsaken location, and believe they are entitled to top talent for bargain basement rates. There is no such thing as a company paying true market rate, with acceptable working conditions and terms, who cannot find talent. The problem is there are many companies that are in denial about the realities of the competitive market. All this silly nonsense about only hiring people who started programming at age 8 is just a distraction to avoid contending with the real issues here.