4 ms·

Will show this to the wife. She has a hard time understanding why working on week-end projects by 45 minute chucks isn't effective as I need 20 minutes to get i

by ozh 13y ago

Will show this to the wife. She has a hard time understanding why working on week-end projects by 45 minute chucks isn't effective as I need 20 minutes to get in the zone and restart my thoughts where I left them

gbog 13y ago
There is one nice way to push oneself in the zone faster: just open a broken test in your test suite, it will point you to the next step. [edited to clarify]
- keyle 13y ago
  I quite often leave my code broken so that next time I open the solution I know exactly where I left off. I will often leave a comment there or throw("get X to do Y now")
  - jtheory 13y ago
    I do this as well -- once I have the complete solution to something in my head, I quickly go through the various parts of the codebase that will be affected and drop pseudo-code or even just rapid notes in each place -- which will intentionally break the compilation, so that I can use the compiler errors as a fast & direct way to pick up the threads again if I'm interrupted. For non-compiled code I'll add a dozen line breaks and a note in all-caps to make it jump out in a diff.
    - gbog 13y ago
      Great but using tests is better, because written correctly you will keep them and they will check forever that the thing is working
- rmc 13y ago
  I often leave code unchecked in at the end of the day. So the next time I can just "git diff" to see where I was working on.
  - julian37 13y ago
    Why not commit and "git log -p" the next day?
    - ozh 13y ago
      I find it easier to see in a directory all those files with a different icon meaning they've been changed since last commit
    - rmc 13y ago
      Sure, I could do that. But then I feel like I have to something commit-worthy. With my approach, I can leave syntax errors there.
- kansface 13y ago
  Not all problems are testable or have tests. Some problems require hours of exploration and careful thought.
bluedino 13y ago
Just leave for a couple hours. Between getting asked to open a jar, or get something off a shelf in the garage, or 'What do you think about...' every few minutes I could never get anything done at home with my SO around. And then you have the dog wanting to be fed, or walked, or who knows what else. Just make sure she knows to not take it personal and she's not 'bugging' you, you just can't be interrupted. You'd think you'd get a ton done when you're completely alone, but that's not the case.

by ozh 13y ago

gbog 13y ago

There is one nice way to push oneself in the zone faster: just open a broken test in your test suite, it will point you to the next step. [edited to clarify]

keyle 13y ago
I quite often leave my code broken so that next time I open the solution I know exactly where I left off. I will often leave a comment there or throw("get X to do Y now")
- jtheory 13y ago
  I do this as well -- once I have the complete solution to something in my head, I quickly go through the various parts of the codebase that will be affected and drop pseudo-code or even just rapid notes in each place -- which will intentionally break the compilation, so that I can use the compiler errors as a fast & direct way to pick up the threads again if I'm interrupted. For non-compiled code I'll add a dozen line breaks and a note in all-caps to make it jump out in a diff.
  - gbog 13y ago
    Great but using tests is better, because written correctly you will keep them and they will check forever that the thing is working
rmc 13y ago
I often leave code unchecked in at the end of the day. So the next time I can just "git diff" to see where I was working on.
- julian37 13y ago
  Why not commit and "git log -p" the next day?
  - ozh 13y ago
    I find it easier to see in a directory all those files with a different icon meaning they've been changed since last commit
  - rmc 13y ago
    Sure, I could do that. But then I feel like I have to something commit-worthy. With my approach, I can leave syntax errors there.
kansface 13y ago
Not all problems are testable or have tests. Some problems require hours of exploration and careful thought.

bluedino 13y ago

Just leave for a couple hours. Between getting asked to open a jar, or get something off a shelf in the garage, or 'What do you think about...' every few minutes I could never get anything done at home with my SO around. And then you have the dog wanting to be fed, or walked, or who knows what else. Just make sure she knows to not take it personal and she's not 'bugging' you, you just can't be interrupted. You'd think you'd get a ton done when you're completely alone, but that's not the case.