> Wow, I wouldn't expect that. In my opinion, an experienced programmer should be able to start contributing something within weeks. If they can't, then "can" t

> Wow, I wouldn't expect that. In my opinion, an experienced programmer should be able to start contributing something within weeks. If they can't, then "can" them. > Think about open source projects: nobody takes 6-12 months to "get up to speed" before contributing to a project. That would be ridiculous. I'm trying to be generous, and to say that the people under discussion in the comment are past the 6-12 mo timeframe to avoid needing to fend off "but maybe they just need more time/experience/etc." But I also do think 6 mo is about the "productive" point. This doesn't contradict "start contributing something within weeks" — you should contribute something within your first week, ideally, if the company has their stuff together. But it's 6 mo, IMO, until one has got a good grasp on the architecture, and more importantly, the theory of the system at hand, and can make their own salient decisions about how to grow it that are going to fit well into the existing theory of it. But again, I'm just putting it out that that we're well past the "initial onboarding" phase of an employee, and tried to pad the amount to avoid commentary.