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This is a bunch of bollocks. I take issue with almost every one of these, but this one in particular: > "I hate programming" It's true! And there's nothing to

by debacle 14y ago

This is a bunch of bollocks. I take issue with almost every one of these, but this one in particular: > "I hate programming" It's true! And there's nothing to really be said about it. If I liked programming I wouldn't write functions or create reusable pieces of code. I believe every good engineer loathes programming, and wants to do of little of it as necessary to get the job done.

xivSolutions 14y ago
That doesn't mean a hiring manager wants to hear that, which is at least one of the points of the article. I do believe he refers to that idea, at least indirectly. Also note, just because one loves programming does not mean one enjoys repetitively writing the same code, over and over again. Note to mention the fact that duplicating code within a project (instead of creating "reusable pieces of code") creates design problems and maintainability issues. I believe most good engineers ejoy employing an elegant solution, and focusing on the problem to be solved. They don;t enjoy solving the same old problem ("Gotta write another data access layer now, before I can build the fun part of the app . . ." as an example) over and over again by writing what amounts to boilerplate code.
- debacle 14y ago
  Most good engineers will have the solution designed before they start programming, whether on paper or in their head. That's the fun part. Typing is an exercise best left for Mavis Beacon.
  - xivSolutions 14y ago
    True enough!
  - henrik_w 14y ago
    My experience is that when the problem is complex, the planned solution might still work, but there are often aspects I didn't think about that requires adapting the solution. So it's not just a matter of typing it up. I think programming to a large extent is a learning experience, and you adapt the solution as you learn more trying to solve the problem. For me at least it is a lot more iterative than simply typing the solution.
- fecak 14y ago
  Author here. I probably could have written 'I hate solving problems using technology' instead of 'I hate programming'. The point, as you noted, was that the challenge of solving problems with code never gets old. Rewriting repetitive code or just the simple task of typing certainly are not what great engineers enjoy.
  - stephengillie 14y ago
    'I hate solving problems using technology' is the opposite of an engineer.
frou_dh 14y ago
> If I liked programming I wouldn't write functions That's just reductive sniping for the sake of it. The word programming obviously implies a more abstract process than "filling up text files by typing".
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
blub 14y ago
Your mental gymnastics are ridiculous. Just evaluate that statement as a normal English sentence.
henrik_w 14y ago
I for one love programming (still, after 20 years in the profession). Some of the reasons I love it: http://henrikwarne.com/2012/06/02/why-i-love-coding/ http://henrikwarne.com/2012/06/02/why-i-love-coding/

by debacle 14y ago

xivSolutions 14y ago

That doesn't mean a hiring manager wants to hear that, which is at least one of the points of the article. I do believe he refers to that idea, at least indirectly. Also note, just because one loves programming does not mean one enjoys repetitively writing the same code, over and over again. Note to mention the fact that duplicating code within a project (instead of creating "reusable pieces of code") creates design problems and maintainability issues. I believe most good engineers ejoy employing an elegant solution, and focusing on the problem to be solved. They don;t enjoy solving the same old problem ("Gotta write another data access layer now, before I can build the fun part of the app . . ." as an example) over and over again by writing what amounts to boilerplate code.

debacle 14y ago
Most good engineers will have the solution designed before they start programming, whether on paper or in their head. That's the fun part. Typing is an exercise best left for Mavis Beacon.
- xivSolutions 14y ago
  True enough!
- henrik_w 14y ago
  My experience is that when the problem is complex, the planned solution might still work, but there are often aspects I didn't think about that requires adapting the solution. So it's not just a matter of typing it up. I think programming to a large extent is a learning experience, and you adapt the solution as you learn more trying to solve the problem. For me at least it is a lot more iterative than simply typing the solution.
fecak 14y ago
Author here. I probably could have written 'I hate solving problems using technology' instead of 'I hate programming'. The point, as you noted, was that the challenge of solving problems with code never gets old. Rewriting repetitive code or just the simple task of typing certainly are not what great engineers enjoy.
- stephengillie 14y ago
  'I hate solving problems using technology' is the opposite of an engineer.

frou_dh 14y ago

> If I liked programming I wouldn't write functions That's just reductive sniping for the sake of it. The word programming obviously implies a more abstract process than "filling up text files by typing".

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]

blub 14y ago

Your mental gymnastics are ridiculous. Just evaluate that statement as a normal English sentence.

henrik_w 14y ago

I for one love programming (still, after 20 years in the profession). Some of the reasons I love it: http://henrikwarne.com/2012/06/02/why-i-love-coding/ http://henrikwarne.com/2012/06/02/why-i-love-coding/