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The most senior engineer I’ve met had a refreshing attitude that clicked with me. “It’s just typing. Typey typey type.” I take that to mean, no matter the cod

The most senior engineer I’ve met had a refreshing attitude that clicked with me. “It’s just typing. Typey typey type.” I take that to mean, no matter the code base, no matter the questionable choices made historically and that will be made in the future, the job doesn’t change. Figure out the requirements, grind until they’re met. Who cares what the stack is and how many layers of libraries there are? If that becomes a problem we will fix it.

abeppu 5y ago
But how much typing, how much staring at screens, how many meetings are needed to reach your actual goals? I care about the choices bc the wrong ones create problems which require more typing, or typing at night. "The job doesn't change" except the amount of time and effort required to do something useful can change.
- nkingsy 5y ago
  Sure, but that’s not my problem as a new hire. I just assume any new codebase will be horribly sticky and hope I can smooth it out a little. Humans calibrate so quickly. With my latest job, I spent the first month thinking I was coding my way through a nostril-deep vat of honey and getting nothing done, but my boss was impressed with my productivity. Now it’s just normal and I feel productive again though the pace hasn’t changed. Startups go faster, big companies go slower. I’d much rather get paid well and navigate intractable tech debt with zero pressure to work extra hours than move quickly and get side eyes for stopping at 5.
- dragonwriter 5y ago
  > how many meetings are needed to reach your actual goals? Basically zero, other than requirements gathering meetings with customers, the number of which are required is independent of tech stack. Other meetings will probably happen due to process choices made by your org, but they mostly don’t (1) depend on tech stack, or (2) contribute to reaching the actual goals, except insofar as they are necessary to clear arbitrary impediments also created by organizational process decisions. > I care about the choices bc the wrong ones create problems which require more typing, or typing at night. Unreasonable working hour demands are not a product of tech stack choices, they are a product of management disrespect for staff. You cannot avoid them by choosing the right tech stack.
tonyedgecombe 5y ago
>Who cares what the stack is and how many layers of libraries there are? Exactly. Can I get on with this person who will be my boss and these other people who I will sit next to for eight hours a day? Do I prefer JavaScript or Python? One of those questions is much more important than the other.

abeppu 5y ago

But how much typing, how much staring at screens, how many meetings are needed to reach your actual goals? I care about the choices bc the wrong ones create problems which require more typing, or typing at night. "The job doesn't change" except the amount of time and effort required to do something useful can change.

nkingsy 5y ago
Sure, but that’s not my problem as a new hire. I just assume any new codebase will be horribly sticky and hope I can smooth it out a little. Humans calibrate so quickly. With my latest job, I spent the first month thinking I was coding my way through a nostril-deep vat of honey and getting nothing done, but my boss was impressed with my productivity. Now it’s just normal and I feel productive again though the pace hasn’t changed. Startups go faster, big companies go slower. I’d much rather get paid well and navigate intractable tech debt with zero pressure to work extra hours than move quickly and get side eyes for stopping at 5.
dragonwriter 5y ago
> how many meetings are needed to reach your actual goals? Basically zero, other than requirements gathering meetings with customers, the number of which are required is independent of tech stack. Other meetings will probably happen due to process choices made by your org, but they mostly don’t (1) depend on tech stack, or (2) contribute to reaching the actual goals, except insofar as they are necessary to clear arbitrary impediments also created by organizational process decisions. > I care about the choices bc the wrong ones create problems which require more typing, or typing at night. Unreasonable working hour demands are not a product of tech stack choices, they are a product of management disrespect for staff. You cannot avoid them by choosing the right tech stack.

tonyedgecombe 5y ago

>Who cares what the stack is and how many layers of libraries there are? Exactly. Can I get on with this person who will be my boss and these other people who I will sit next to for eight hours a day? Do I prefer JavaScript or Python? One of those questions is much more important than the other.