5 ms·

I have personally programmed a lot while tipsy (never drunk, I am not sure I would want to read that code in the morning) and it allows me to get over the humps

by calloc 15y ago

I have personally programmed a lot while tipsy (never drunk, I am not sure I would want to read that code in the morning) and it allows me to get over the humps of writing that utility function that needed to be written but I was putting off, it allows me to just start putting code down in vim without really worrying whether or not it is good enough... Let me quantify good enough a little better. I am a perfectionist, I tend to write my code methodically and slowly and over-think and overanalyse every last line, I refuse to write a piece of code if I don't think it is good enough. When I drink alcohol it takes away all of the above and lets me just write the damn code. Most of the time (there have been times that I've been closer to drunk than sober) the code works exactly as required and it passes code reviews without issues. It compiles, it works, and is the "perfect" code for the situation. Sure three months down the line it may need to be re-factored a little bit to add a new feature that was decided on by management, but in the mean time it has shipped. Now, please don't take my example and think that you can become a better programmer by simply going out and buying a bottle of vodka. It most likely won't work. Should you give it a try? Sure, what have you got to lose? Just don't become dependant on alcohol as a way to function in everyday life. Been there done that, and it is not pleasant at all.

droithomme 15y ago
My experience has been really similar to yours. I also was plagued by perfectionism, reworking things endlessly when I was younger. A beer makes it go away, commit to a design decision that is not necessarily ideal because it probably doesn't have to be ideal, and move forward. I find it helps me focus as it stops my mind from wandering off down infinite stacks over minor issues. Like caffeine though there's a certain precise narrow level where this happens and if you go over that level it doesn't work.
X-Istence 15y ago
This is exactly my experience. Although I can get into the same sort of state by simply being tired and being ready to go to bed. Just wanting to get something done before going to bed removes a lot of what-ifs in my decision making process.
bascule 15y ago
For me the desire towards absolute perfectionism has passed regardless of my level of intoxication, but I agree with your sentiment in general. I code best when I'm relaxed. Alcohol helps me relax.
kysol 15y ago
I too work somewhat the same way. I remember one Friday afternoon in the cab on the way home from work (which we had started drinking at lunch, and it continued until we left). So there I was in the cab, I had a "eureka!" moment, grabbed my laptop, booted up a terminal, and bashed out some code. By the time I got home, it worked, it did what we needed it to do, and I'm there joking with my manager (who was more drunk than I) on the phone telling him about the 15mins of coding drunk in the back of a cab. Coding drunk is not for everyone, it won't make you into a super-coder that can do everything magically, but if you're like some of us, where perfection limits production, being tipsy or totally drunk breaks those barriers and allows you to just do the job.
catwell 15y ago
I couldn't have put it better. Drinking a little definitely helps on a rush towards release.
justinbaker 15y ago
I myself have coded belligerently drunk once. Quite honestly, some of my best code, clean and performing correctly. I rewrote and pushed an entire rubygem I had created (sober) 3 months prior.

by calloc 15y ago

droithomme 15y ago

My experience has been really similar to yours. I also was plagued by perfectionism, reworking things endlessly when I was younger. A beer makes it go away, commit to a design decision that is not necessarily ideal because it probably doesn't have to be ideal, and move forward. I find it helps me focus as it stops my mind from wandering off down infinite stacks over minor issues. Like caffeine though there's a certain precise narrow level where this happens and if you go over that level it doesn't work.

X-Istence 15y ago

This is exactly my experience. Although I can get into the same sort of state by simply being tired and being ready to go to bed. Just wanting to get something done before going to bed removes a lot of what-ifs in my decision making process.

bascule 15y ago

For me the desire towards absolute perfectionism has passed regardless of my level of intoxication, but I agree with your sentiment in general. I code best when I'm relaxed. Alcohol helps me relax.

kysol 15y ago

I too work somewhat the same way. I remember one Friday afternoon in the cab on the way home from work (which we had started drinking at lunch, and it continued until we left). So there I was in the cab, I had a "eureka!" moment, grabbed my laptop, booted up a terminal, and bashed out some code. By the time I got home, it worked, it did what we needed it to do, and I'm there joking with my manager (who was more drunk than I) on the phone telling him about the 15mins of coding drunk in the back of a cab. Coding drunk is not for everyone, it won't make you into a super-coder that can do everything magically, but if you're like some of us, where perfection limits production, being tipsy or totally drunk breaks those barriers and allows you to just do the job.

catwell 15y ago

I couldn't have put it better. Drinking a little definitely helps on a rush towards release.

justinbaker 15y ago

I myself have coded belligerently drunk once. Quite honestly, some of my best code, clean and performing correctly. I rewrote and pushed an entire rubygem I had created (sober) 3 months prior.