3 ms·

While I think programmers for whom programming is a "passion" (and often have lots of side projects and involvement in programming generally outside their work)

While I think programmers for whom programming is a "passion" (and often have lots of side projects and involvement in programming generally outside their work) can be among the best, I've also met tons of excellent programmers who approached it mostly as a profession and weren't really involved much outside of that. I've also met some really awful programmers who were "passionate" about it as a hobby. Passion outside of work is neither necessary nor sufficient. [I, personally, am of the "passion" sort. I find that this attribute can be both an (obvious) help but oddly, also sometimes a hindrance, as I can get too personally involved in things, and sometimes that clouds my judgment.]

slurgfest 14y ago
What made the passionate programmers awful?
- snogglethorpe 14y ago
  No one particular thing... the only point is that passion isn't enough to make you a good programmer (or good anything I suppose).
- damoncali 14y ago
  Lack of focus and addiction to mastery the new and shiny can really hamper a passionate programmer's ability to produce.
- kamaal 14y ago
  Because for many people, they are confused between their least area of incompetence and passion. This happens with 99.99% of the people, truly passionate people are exceedingly rare.
jmspring 14y ago
Passion doesn't need to be about programming. Passion and curiosity can be targeted at other areas. The one type of candidate that I will almost always turn down when interviewing is the one that can't answer the simple question of "Tell me a story about something you enjoy and why. It could be a project you worked on, an outside hobby, anything." We all have our different strengths and interests, but the people I've found that I work with the best can talk about something they enjoy. As for myself, I've spent many years working in the industry. Sometimes I take on side projects just to noodle around, sometimes I take on consulting projects to learn something new (or help out a friend). Given my drothers, I lean towards non-programming pursuits these days -- cooking, gardening, mountain biking. In their own way, all stimulating and, at the same time, allow my mind to relax away from the computer.
- snogglethorpe 14y ago
  > Passion doesn't need to be about programming. Passion and curiosity can be targeted at other areas. Of course. However I think this particular thread is about programmers who are passionate about programming, and how that relates to their ability as programmers... :] [AFAICT, passion in general is good for mental health, and I'd even wager it's correlated with intelligence. It's indeed a good thing to have, but passion in general won't have quite the same effect on one's profession as passion about that thing in particular will have...]
MakeUsersWant 14y ago
<it>programmers for whom programming is a "passion"</it> Beware of turning your passionate hobby into your job. It will become a chore. Also, you won't have a hobby anymore that keeps you from burning out. (Source: Personal experience. I am an academic.)
- snogglethorpe 14y ago
  > Beware of turning your passionate hobby into your job. It will become a chore YMMV... :] This often doesn't seem to happen with programming, perhaps simply because it's a fairly broad field.

slurgfest 14y ago

What made the passionate programmers awful?

snogglethorpe 14y ago
No one particular thing... the only point is that passion isn't enough to make you a good programmer (or good anything I suppose).
damoncali 14y ago
Lack of focus and addiction to mastery the new and shiny can really hamper a passionate programmer's ability to produce.
kamaal 14y ago
Because for many people, they are confused between their least area of incompetence and passion. This happens with 99.99% of the people, truly passionate people are exceedingly rare.

jmspring 14y ago

Passion doesn't need to be about programming. Passion and curiosity can be targeted at other areas. The one type of candidate that I will almost always turn down when interviewing is the one that can't answer the simple question of "Tell me a story about something you enjoy and why. It could be a project you worked on, an outside hobby, anything." We all have our different strengths and interests, but the people I've found that I work with the best can talk about something they enjoy. As for myself, I've spent many years working in the industry. Sometimes I take on side projects just to noodle around, sometimes I take on consulting projects to learn something new (or help out a friend). Given my drothers, I lean towards non-programming pursuits these days -- cooking, gardening, mountain biking. In their own way, all stimulating and, at the same time, allow my mind to relax away from the computer.

snogglethorpe 14y ago
> Passion doesn't need to be about programming. Passion and curiosity can be targeted at other areas. Of course. However I think this particular thread is about programmers who are passionate about programming, and how that relates to their ability as programmers... :] [AFAICT, passion in general is good for mental health, and I'd even wager it's correlated with intelligence. It's indeed a good thing to have, but passion in general won't have quite the same effect on one's profession as passion about that thing in particular will have...]

MakeUsersWant 14y ago

<it>programmers for whom programming is a "passion"</it> Beware of turning your passionate hobby into your job. It will become a chore. Also, you won't have a hobby anymore that keeps you from burning out. (Source: Personal experience. I am an academic.)

snogglethorpe 14y ago
> Beware of turning your passionate hobby into your job. It will become a chore YMMV... :] This often doesn't seem to happen with programming, perhaps simply because it's a fairly broad field.