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  3. Do all programmers suffer from OCD?

Do all programmers suffer from OCD?

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  • L Lost User

    Excel!

    Visit http://www.notreadytogiveup.com/[^] and do something special today.

    P Offline
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    Paul Conrad
    wrote on last edited by
    #59

    Powerpoint :rolleyes:

    "The clue train passed his station without stopping." - John Simmons / outlaw programmer "Real programmers just throw a bunch of 1s and 0s at the computer to see what sticks" - Pete O'Hanlon "Not only do you continue to babble nonsense, you can't even correctly remember the nonsense you babbled just minutes ago." - Rob Graham

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    • S SilimSayo

      Me too. I have a hard time listening to other people because they seem to be saying unintelligent things. I need constant stimulation else I get bored quickly. I say things that other don't immediately understand; some people will understand what I said after a week or so. I am a control freak too. I have to check everything. Many times I'm not sure that I did something, so I do again, and again.... just to really be sure.... Not good for relationships but very good for picking up errors in code and typos in resumes.

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      Paul Conrad
      wrote on last edited by
      #60

      SilimSayo wrote:

      have a hard time listening to other people because they seem to be saying unintelligent things

      Yeah, when that happens to me, it just seems like the other people are saying blah-blah-blah like the grownups on the old Charlie Brown cartoons :rolleyes:

      "The clue train passed his station without stopping." - John Simmons / outlaw programmer "Real programmers just throw a bunch of 1s and 0s at the computer to see what sticks" - Pete O'Hanlon "Not only do you continue to babble nonsense, you can't even correctly remember the nonsense you babbled just minutes ago." - Rob Graham

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      • P Paul Brower

        Many people I know would say I suffer from some sort of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - for anyone not familiar with the term). I have never been 'diagnosed', nor have I ever sought any kind of treatment or medication, because I just consider myself to have a few behavioral quirks. An example of some of my quirks are: - I have to lock my vehicle (with remote) three times. - I check my alarm clock a few times before going to bed. - I have to get up at a certain time, be off to work at a certain time, etc, or I have a bad day. - I have to wash my hands immediately after eating at a public place. - ... you get the idea. Looking back at my life, I realized I never had 'OCD issues' before I was a programmer. Looking at other programmers around me I realize many, if not most of them, display characteristics that some would attribute to a form of OCD. Do you have OCD? Do you think it could have anything to do with writing code for so many years?

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        Le centriste
        wrote on last edited by
        #61

        Paul Brower wrote:

        I check my alarm clock a few times before going to bed.

        Is that it? I run NUnit on my alarm clock before going to bed. :~

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        • P Paul Brower

          Many people I know would say I suffer from some sort of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - for anyone not familiar with the term). I have never been 'diagnosed', nor have I ever sought any kind of treatment or medication, because I just consider myself to have a few behavioral quirks. An example of some of my quirks are: - I have to lock my vehicle (with remote) three times. - I check my alarm clock a few times before going to bed. - I have to get up at a certain time, be off to work at a certain time, etc, or I have a bad day. - I have to wash my hands immediately after eating at a public place. - ... you get the idea. Looking back at my life, I realized I never had 'OCD issues' before I was a programmer. Looking at other programmers around me I realize many, if not most of them, display characteristics that some would attribute to a form of OCD. Do you have OCD? Do you think it could have anything to do with writing code for so many years?

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          Lost User
          wrote on last edited by
          #62

          Does that count?

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          • P Paul Brower

            Many people I know would say I suffer from some sort of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - for anyone not familiar with the term). I have never been 'diagnosed', nor have I ever sought any kind of treatment or medication, because I just consider myself to have a few behavioral quirks. An example of some of my quirks are: - I have to lock my vehicle (with remote) three times. - I check my alarm clock a few times before going to bed. - I have to get up at a certain time, be off to work at a certain time, etc, or I have a bad day. - I have to wash my hands immediately after eating at a public place. - ... you get the idea. Looking back at my life, I realized I never had 'OCD issues' before I was a programmer. Looking at other programmers around me I realize many, if not most of them, display characteristics that some would attribute to a form of OCD. Do you have OCD? Do you think it could have anything to do with writing code for so many years?

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            Joe Woodbury
            wrote on last edited by
            #63

            Don't know about OCD, but several studies have found that engineers suffer from dyslexia at higher rates that society in general. This creates a real problem in our over tested high formalized education system which pushes anyone who thinks differently than education bureaucrats out of the system. (It doesn't help that education bureaucrats are amongst the dumbest people I've ever met or listened to and have a striking lack of imagination. And people wonder why schools are screwed up.)

            Anyone who thinks he has a better idea of what's good for people than people do is a swine. - P.J. O'Rourke

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            • L Le centriste

              Paul Brower wrote:

              I check my alarm clock a few times before going to bed.

              Is that it? I run NUnit on my alarm clock before going to bed. :~

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              Paul Brower
              wrote on last edited by
              #64

              :laugh:

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              • P Paul Conrad

                Powerpoint :rolleyes:

                "The clue train passed his station without stopping." - John Simmons / outlaw programmer "Real programmers just throw a bunch of 1s and 0s at the computer to see what sticks" - Pete O'Hanlon "Not only do you continue to babble nonsense, you can't even correctly remember the nonsense you babbled just minutes ago." - Rob Graham

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                El Corazon
                wrote on last edited by
                #65

                Open office. ;P ;P

                _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) John Andrew Holmes "It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others."

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                • P Paul Brower

                  Many people I know would say I suffer from some sort of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - for anyone not familiar with the term). I have never been 'diagnosed', nor have I ever sought any kind of treatment or medication, because I just consider myself to have a few behavioral quirks. An example of some of my quirks are: - I have to lock my vehicle (with remote) three times. - I check my alarm clock a few times before going to bed. - I have to get up at a certain time, be off to work at a certain time, etc, or I have a bad day. - I have to wash my hands immediately after eating at a public place. - ... you get the idea. Looking back at my life, I realized I never had 'OCD issues' before I was a programmer. Looking at other programmers around me I realize many, if not most of them, display characteristics that some would attribute to a form of OCD. Do you have OCD? Do you think it could have anything to do with writing code for so many years?

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                  El Corazon
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #66

                  Paul Brower wrote:

                  Do you have OCD? Do you think it could have anything to do with writing code for so many years?

                  I think it has something to do with the different types of programmers. There is not one stereotype for a programmer, but several. You do have the OCD programmer, and the artistic programmer. The artistic programmer forgets everything except for his own code -- sometimes his own name. That is me, the absent minded programmer. I am working on flubber code. I even put tennis shoes on my computer to help. :)

                  _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) John Andrew Holmes "It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others."

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                  • E El Corazon

                    Open office. ;P ;P

                    _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) John Andrew Holmes "It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others."

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                    P Offline
                    Paul Conrad
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #67

                    Star Office :-\

                    "The clue train passed his station without stopping." - John Simmons / outlaw programmer "Real programmers just throw a bunch of 1s and 0s at the computer to see what sticks" - Pete O'Hanlon "Not only do you continue to babble nonsense, you can't even correctly remember the nonsense you babbled just minutes ago." - Rob Graham

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                    • E El Corazon

                      Paul Brower wrote:

                      Do you have OCD? Do you think it could have anything to do with writing code for so many years?

                      I think it has something to do with the different types of programmers. There is not one stereotype for a programmer, but several. You do have the OCD programmer, and the artistic programmer. The artistic programmer forgets everything except for his own code -- sometimes his own name. That is me, the absent minded programmer. I am working on flubber code. I even put tennis shoes on my computer to help. :)

                      _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) John Andrew Holmes "It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others."

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                      MidwestLimey
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #68

                      But do you remember your name, or is that why you named yourself after a body part? ;)

                      Bar fomos edo pariyart gedeem, agreo eo dranem abal edyero eyrem kalm kareore

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                      • M MidwestLimey

                        But do you remember your name, or is that why you named yourself after a body part? ;)

                        Bar fomos edo pariyart gedeem, agreo eo dranem abal edyero eyrem kalm kareore

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                        El Corazon
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #69

                        MidwestLimey wrote:

                        But do you remember your name

                        I only worked 10 hours last night, went home early... so today I remember... ask me tomorrow. :)

                        _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) John Andrew Holmes "It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others."

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                        • E El Corazon

                          MidwestLimey wrote:

                          But do you remember your name

                          I only worked 10 hours last night, went home early... so today I remember... ask me tomorrow. :)

                          _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) John Andrew Holmes "It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others."

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                          Dan Neely
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #70

                          OK. Tomorrow? PS What exactly does that question mean to you? I'm stumped. :laugh:

                          Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall

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                          • D Dan Neely

                            OK. Tomorrow? PS What exactly does that question mean to you? I'm stumped. :laugh:

                            Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall

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                            El Corazon
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #71

                            It means.... The sun will come out tomorrow...

                            _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) John Andrew Holmes "It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others."

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                            • E El Corazon

                              It means.... The sun will come out tomorrow...

                              _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) John Andrew Holmes "It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others."

                              D Offline
                              D Offline
                              Dan Neely
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #72

                              X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X|

                              Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall

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                              • D Dan Neely

                                X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X| X|

                                Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall

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                                El Corazon
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #73

                                always be careful what you ask for. I understand the true nature of the mountains of madness. :-D

                                _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) John Andrew Holmes "It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others."

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • P Paul Brower

                                  Many people I know would say I suffer from some sort of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - for anyone not familiar with the term). I have never been 'diagnosed', nor have I ever sought any kind of treatment or medication, because I just consider myself to have a few behavioral quirks. An example of some of my quirks are: - I have to lock my vehicle (with remote) three times. - I check my alarm clock a few times before going to bed. - I have to get up at a certain time, be off to work at a certain time, etc, or I have a bad day. - I have to wash my hands immediately after eating at a public place. - ... you get the idea. Looking back at my life, I realized I never had 'OCD issues' before I was a programmer. Looking at other programmers around me I realize many, if not most of them, display characteristics that some would attribute to a form of OCD. Do you have OCD? Do you think it could have anything to do with writing code for so many years?

                                  B Offline
                                  B Offline
                                  BillWoodruff
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #74

                                  Hi Paul, I would proceed cautiously before applying a "label" like "OCD" to myself or anyone else. The presence of a few behavior patterns at the low-level of frequency of repetition you describe doesn't mean "pathology." I would encourage you to consider the "big picture" : are you feeling connected to other people vs. isolated; are you able to have nourishing friendships and relaionships vs. are you lonely or you feel your social skills have "atrophied." If you feel/think these behaviors you describe are occurring because of personal feelings of loss or depression, that's one thing; if they seem to you to be related to period of intense stress in work or social life, that's another. Diet, health, exercise, satisfaction in love and sex, satisfaction in emotional relationships, meaningful work : all, imho, factors in the "big picture." For myself I have noticed that since I became a programmer (in my late thirties [1980] after a career in socal science and psychotherapy)I have become ever more slovenly and dis-organized in my personal space :) best, Bill the Antique

                                  "The greater the social and cultural distances between people, the more magical the light that can spring from their contact." Milan Kundera in Testaments Trahis

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                                  • R Rutvik Dave

                                    Simon Stevens wrote:

                                    I am not good at sitting still. I constantly jiggle a leg, or tap a foot while sitting at my desk. I do this a lot, at a restaurant, in the pub, in meetings etc. My wife often has to remind me to stop.

                                    OK that’s common for the people with creative mind. Psychologically (I am not a Doctor, I have seen this on TV :-D ) it’s because you are thinking something else and trying to concentrate on that situation forcefully. Observe when you are watching your favorite movie, you will not jiggle your leg, because you are 100% involve on that situation. But while sitting idle you are thinking something else and trying to be in the current situation, so at that time you will jiggle your leg. :) Same with the people drawing / writing something while talking on phone. Or tapping fingers on the desk while troubleshooting the code, even the radio is off.

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                                    Simon P Stevens
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #75

                                    Ahh, interesting. Explains why I do it quite a lot at work :laugh:

                                    Simon

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