6 ms·

Some big companies use a lot of internal tools for which Google/SO won't help. Also, for some niche languages or recent libraries, it can be hard to find answe

Some big companies use a lot of internal tools for which Google/SO won't help. Also, for some niche languages or recent libraries, it can be hard to find answers for very specific issues.

pcthrowaway 5y ago
If you're talking from experience, would you mind sharing a bit more about the stack you used (or still use) where you didn't regularly Google/SO? Even when using libraries I've written I frequently still find myself in situation where: A) I have questions about the programming languages or frameworks I'm using. In my case Javascript, Typescript, Svelte, React, HTML, CSS, Express, Tailwind, Bash. Even having used Javascript, HTML, and CSS for 8+ years, the core language specs and capabilities keep changing as well as the execution environments (the browser or Node) B) I run into limitations with the libraries I've written that require improvements, and google (A) as well as miscellaneous patterns while seeking to address those limitations in clean, maintainable, and intuitive ways.
- Jensson 5y ago
  > Even having used Javascript, HTML, and CSS for 8+ years, the core language specs and capabilities keep changing as well as the execution environments (the browser or Node) But you can read the language spec/notes when they release a new version, you don't go to SO for that you just read the version update when it comes and learn the new things. And if you miss something you can read the language manual/spec later, it is usually more accurate and complete than SO. > B) I run into limitations with the libraries I've written that require improvements, and google (A) as well as miscellaneous patterns while seeking to address those limitations in clean, maintainable, and intuitive ways. This shouldn't happen that much after 5 years, at least not improvements that you can find at SO. SO is good to find "hello world" examples for frameworks and function api's, but it isn't much help once you know how to set things up.
- driscoll42 5y ago
  My former employer blocked GitHub, though not Google or SO, however I barely used SO (did use Google though). It was an Oracle shop, and really there's not much Oracle documentation on SO. Some SQL stuff from time to time, but really less than you'd think. If SO had been blocked it'd have been a bit irritating, but not awful for getting work done. Still, blocking GH and using Oracle did make me want to change to a different company.

Some big companies use a lot of internal tools for which Google/SO won't help. Also, for some niche languages or recent libraries, it can be hard to find answers for very specific issues.

pcthrowaway 5y ago

If you're talking from experience, would you mind sharing a bit more about the stack you used (or still use) where you didn't regularly Google/SO? Even when using libraries I've written I frequently still find myself in situation where: A) I have questions about the programming languages or frameworks I'm using. In my case Javascript, Typescript, Svelte, React, HTML, CSS, Express, Tailwind, Bash. Even having used Javascript, HTML, and CSS for 8+ years, the core language specs and capabilities keep changing as well as the execution environments (the browser or Node) B) I run into limitations with the libraries I've written that require improvements, and google (A) as well as miscellaneous patterns while seeking to address those limitations in clean, maintainable, and intuitive ways.

Jensson 5y ago
> Even having used Javascript, HTML, and CSS for 8+ years, the core language specs and capabilities keep changing as well as the execution environments (the browser or Node) But you can read the language spec/notes when they release a new version, you don't go to SO for that you just read the version update when it comes and learn the new things. And if you miss something you can read the language manual/spec later, it is usually more accurate and complete than SO. > B) I run into limitations with the libraries I've written that require improvements, and google (A) as well as miscellaneous patterns while seeking to address those limitations in clean, maintainable, and intuitive ways. This shouldn't happen that much after 5 years, at least not improvements that you can find at SO. SO is good to find "hello world" examples for frameworks and function api's, but it isn't much help once you know how to set things up.
driscoll42 5y ago
My former employer blocked GitHub, though not Google or SO, however I barely used SO (did use Google though). It was an Oracle shop, and really there's not much Oracle documentation on SO. Some SQL stuff from time to time, but really less than you'd think. If SO had been blocked it'd have been a bit irritating, but not awful for getting work done. Still, blocking GH and using Oracle did make me want to change to a different company.