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Let's just, for a moment, entertain this radical notion that many sysadmins are actually programmers that just don't want to do software development as a profes

by CrLf 13y ago

Let's just, for a moment, entertain this radical notion that many sysadmins are actually programmers that just don't want to do software development as a profession. I know that, for most people here, this is very strange: who would choose to avoid the exciting world of programming having the skills to do so? But indeed, it happens. For someone that likes to solve problems, 95% of software development is mind-boggingly boring. It's mostly looking at the same codebase day-in and day-out, while having to deal with shifting requirements. All of this to end up with some application that you mostly wouldn't use yourself. This, if you're lucky that your project doesn't get cancelled before it sees the light of day, or it doesn't get delayed so much that you get so bored that you move on before seeing it to completion. And the consultancy... Parachuting into projects at clients and being extracted by helicopter when "it's done" (which is usually when it meets minimum requirements to receive payment, not when it is at all in a state to be proud of). Really, 95% of software development isn't glamorous stuff at NASA or the next big social network(1). Systems administration, provided you are self-motivated, can actually code your way out of a hole, and are willing to deal with the occasional user, provides plenty of space to solve problems with programming. With programming, not IDE and framework juggling. Sure, it can be boring at times and can be stressful at others, and you have 95% chance of being in the exact same environment where you wouldn't like to be coding in. But at least you have more autonomy and can actually solve problems. I'm a programmer by training and a systems administrator by profession. I would most likely rather be programming than taking care of systems and databases, but only if I found something in those remaining 5% that I would actually enjoy doing. Otherwise, it would just burn me out from programming altogether, and I like programming... (1) Actually, developing the next big social network is probably as boring as everything else I said. Who in hell wants another social network?

j45 13y ago
Well said. Programming is solving problems with (hopefully) thinking and problem solving skills that improve every time you do something. Differentiating between coding/engineering/programming/scripting is all a moot point where it counts -- creating value and solving problems. No matter how perfectly you do or don't architect something, it will have a failing point, just like the limits of hardware when you buy them. There are some very general thinks you can do to be kind to your future self architecturally, but just as many you can do to hurt yourself. I think edw519 said it best, clever architecture can be far more important than clever code.
popee 13y ago
Maybe it's better to know avg programming and avg administration and use both skills to do something really interesting? Advantages: use existing codebase, fill holes with own code and set up infrastructure for a project. With a smile :-) Disadvantages: mastering specific areas, but this could be personal preference because having more then one person collaborating on the same thing can be real painful. It all depends.

by CrLf 13y ago

j45 13y ago

Well said. Programming is solving problems with (hopefully) thinking and problem solving skills that improve every time you do something. Differentiating between coding/engineering/programming/scripting is all a moot point where it counts -- creating value and solving problems. No matter how perfectly you do or don't architect something, it will have a failing point, just like the limits of hardware when you buy them. There are some very general thinks you can do to be kind to your future self architecturally, but just as many you can do to hurt yourself. I think edw519 said it best, clever architecture can be far more important than clever code.

popee 13y ago

Maybe it's better to know avg programming and avg administration and use both skills to do something really interesting? Advantages: use existing codebase, fill holes with own code and set up infrastructure for a project. With a smile :-) Disadvantages: mastering specific areas, but this could be personal preference because having more then one person collaborating on the same thing can be real painful. It all depends.