Your boss asks one of your collegues to modify your code
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How would you react after your boss has asked one of your coworkers to modify your code behind your back, for example to add a new function or optimize some algorithm, etc., and you discover that your coworker has broken some of your application's functionality or introduced some bugs?
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How would you react after your boss has asked one of your coworkers to modify your code behind your back, for example to add a new function or optimize some algorithm, etc., and you discover that your coworker has broken some of your application's functionality or introduced some bugs?
Quite simple. If you documented your system, and the other developer broke it even with access to your documentation and comments, then help sort it out, and maybe recommend to your boss that either yourself works on the code or changes to the system get reviewed by you.
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Sure it is certainly the company's code. But simply stating it boldly like that doesn't help, especially if one has been working on this piece of code during several years. It is normal and I think, it is even good, that I have some attachment to that code, simply because of the fact that I would be in the position of giving an advice about how to go. At least, I could have been informed or asked how to implement the changes, it would certainly not have resulted in the code regression and performance hit. I definitely don't think that is is simply a need for some reward. It has also to do with respecting someone else's work, or wishing for better communication, or simply trying to be more efficient as a team.
I don't think you're being unreasonable, but, at the same time, it's only work -- you only do it so that you can take care of much more important things, and and you'll do a lot of it before you can afford to retire. It was that the guy who worked on it introduced bugs that worried me. That means that there might not have been enough knowledge sharing, which can have disastrous repercussions if you're on holiday, you're laid up with flu, or you take another job. Maybe you should suggest sitting together with one or two of your colleagues, to walk them through the product, so they can fight any fires that spark up when you're not present. You never know, they might even come up with one or two ideas that hadn't occurred to you.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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How would you react after your boss has asked one of your coworkers to modify your code behind your back, for example to add a new function or optimize some algorithm, etc., and you discover that your coworker has broken some of your application's functionality or introduced some bugs?
Just had a client get upset with me because I haven't got a system running and improved from where it was "before" when it worked... It worked before some other developer changed database structures, fields, tables, broke queries and worse.. broke the very call to my application - which would have alerted us to database errors and the like. I have been giving it my all but now it seems to be all data related... solution thus far has been a "link table" provided to me by the same developer to "show me" where the fields and things have been moved to. Well... I coded to spec... and each record is dying for different reasons.. reasons that just don't make sense and have me second guessing code that ran flawless before (under the hood code I wrote, call, test regularly and trust...) Point is - version control and other comment shere are pretty much all spot on when they say its not your code... if you're an employee - chance are they are right. If they are a consultant; it depends on the contract/agreements etc. By default, a coder's code is a coder's code .. unless there is something in writing to the contrary which any consultant worth their salt wouldn't flinch at signing anymore than any employee does when getting a new software development job. Experience tells me that pissing matches always just make everyone miserable... so.. usually things need to be solved early on by management... if they see this.. usually one of the two at the P-Party gets the axe... the kind employers/clients will give you some options first to save face and leave gracefully or kiss-n-makeup with agreement to compromise and work together like professionals... etc etc... fail.. you will be terminated. LOL... that's how I see it... because I've seen these kinds of "tensions" play out over similiar issues in real cubical Dilbert land... honestly.. that's the MAIN reason I got tired of professionally consulting onsite for the big boys... cubical hell is dog-eat-dog.. which wouldn't even be that bad if the folks that were like that were actually genuses or something.. they're not.. so you end up seeing at times what appears to be "casual" dog fights and monkey-like politics... screaming for the banana hanging on the rope at anyone's expense.. That's why I'm an Entrepreneur (partially..at least that is one reason I really like it ... :) ) ..that said... ...another thought is comments in code; source control; etc. Polite ... POLITE comments that state fact, not emotion... fix..initials... what was wrong.. did I say FACTS ON
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How would you react after your boss has asked one of your coworkers to modify your code behind your back, for example to add a new function or optimize some algorithm, etc., and you discover that your coworker has broken some of your application's functionality or introduced some bugs?
Marc, I wouldn't mind if somebody has changed my code without notifying me. I don't see any need for my boss (or my collegues) to notify me if changes/ fixes or whatever in some certain areas as necessary for whatever reason, as I do not usally communicate each and every bug fix and improvement of code unless the changes have a certain size and possibly effect the work of the others. Just relax. Only the fact that somebody changes your code doesn't mean anything for you. It's teamwork, isn't it, and the code is not read only to any of the others. Most often it is a good idea to get in the position of the others and try to understand what they thought. What changes were it? In which time? Have you been busy with "more important" things? Then you don't get in the state that you think they doing "something behind your back", simply because you may know what was intended. Holger
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Henry Minute wrote:
LIQUID NITROGEN!
Someone once explained what this meant, but I have forgot :laugh: What does it mean?
See if you can crack this: fb29a481781fe9b3fb8de57cda45fbef
The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
My understanding is that it originates from this[^] thread. If you look at Chris's response, it would seem that his wishes came true.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
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I would take my boss out to the back field and put a bullet through his head. Seriously, I would be upset because my boss doesn't know anything about our line of work and I would be upset with my coworker for not consulting with me first.
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My understanding is that it originates from this[^] thread. If you look at Chris's response, it would seem that his wishes came true.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
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I don't think you're being unreasonable, but, at the same time, it's only work -- you only do it so that you can take care of much more important things, and and you'll do a lot of it before you can afford to retire. It was that the guy who worked on it introduced bugs that worried me. That means that there might not have been enough knowledge sharing, which can have disastrous repercussions if you're on holiday, you're laid up with flu, or you take another job. Maybe you should suggest sitting together with one or two of your colleagues, to walk them through the product, so they can fight any fires that spark up when you're not present. You never know, they might even come up with one or two ideas that hadn't occurred to you.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
Yeah agree with all of that. I much prefer working in a team on projects, all with individual specific tasks but working towards a single goal. You get to view each others code, learn all the different areas and generally share knowledge. Different coders will approach a problem in various ways, always good to learn something new or suggest a better way to do something. When I first started in development, I didn't mind the 'knowledge hoarding' and phone calls when I was on holiday \ ill. Can't stand it now, I like to know there's adequate cover and anyone can pick up my work & instantly understand my intentions. I still hate writing documentation though! Can't someone else do it for me
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How would you react after your boss has asked one of your coworkers to modify your code behind your back, for example to add a new function or optimize some algorithm, etc., and you discover that your coworker has broken some of your application's functionality or introduced some bugs?
I am your boss, and I have read this post. Do you think I am stupid and can't find the "Code Project" and read? See me in my office when you come in and we will discuss this. Oh, and please bring a large empty cardboard box along with you. -Boss
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Marc, I wouldn't mind if somebody has changed my code without notifying me. I don't see any need for my boss (or my collegues) to notify me if changes/ fixes or whatever in some certain areas as necessary for whatever reason, as I do not usally communicate each and every bug fix and improvement of code unless the changes have a certain size and possibly effect the work of the others. Just relax. Only the fact that somebody changes your code doesn't mean anything for you. It's teamwork, isn't it, and the code is not read only to any of the others. Most often it is a good idea to get in the position of the others and try to understand what they thought. What changes were it? In which time? Have you been busy with "more important" things? Then you don't get in the state that you think they doing "something behind your back", simply because you may know what was intended. Holger
Hello Holger ; Yes, you are right after all, I may take this situation too personally, and there is, in all objectivity, no reason for me to (over)react anyway. I guess, it always would feel frustrating to see that a coworker, who I well appreciate and respect by the way, has spend a substantial amount of energy just to be wasted, as the implementation he found didn't efficiently solve the problem. Together, we had to spend almost a whole day afterwards to solve the thing. But I am still angry with my boss. I feel like we need to communicate more but he is busy all the time.
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I am your boss, and I have read this post. Do you think I am stupid and can't find the "Code Project" and read? See me in my office when you come in and we will discuss this. Oh, and please bring a large empty cardboard box along with you. -Boss
Please, don't fire me ! (and post using your real name, hahaha) ! I am going somehow anyway to point this forum thread to my boss (when he will find the time to read it...), as there are many very interesting responses (if not all). I want to thank you all for your words. I had a hard time, but your answers helped me.
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Yeah agree with all of that. I much prefer working in a team on projects, all with individual specific tasks but working towards a single goal. You get to view each others code, learn all the different areas and generally share knowledge. Different coders will approach a problem in various ways, always good to learn something new or suggest a better way to do something. When I first started in development, I didn't mind the 'knowledge hoarding' and phone calls when I was on holiday \ ill. Can't stand it now, I like to know there's adequate cover and anyone can pick up my work & instantly understand my intentions. I still hate writing documentation though! Can't someone else do it for me
Dylan Morley wrote:
I still hate writing documentation though! Can't someone else do it for me
Try to get your lot to move over to Scrum. Then add "document everything" to a sprint that coincides with your holiday. If anyone complains, tell them it's a new direction in knowledge-sharing -- they document your code, and you review their documentation and provide feedback on it.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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How would you react after your boss has asked one of your coworkers to modify your code behind your back, for example to add a new function or optimize some algorithm, etc., and you discover that your coworker has broken some of your application's functionality or introduced some bugs?
Break out the laser-blasters and aim in the general direction of said boss :)
Steve Naidamast Black Falcon Software, Inc. blackfalconsoftware@ix.netcom.com
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How would you react after your boss has asked one of your coworkers to modify your code behind your back, for example to add a new function or optimize some algorithm, etc., and you discover that your coworker has broken some of your application's functionality or introduced some bugs?
I would think I had written code that was less than ideal. All code ownership is theft. All code should be written for the eys of a future maintainer not the author. All designs should be open and extendable, by anyone with a reasonable skill level. The boss owns the code sho he can do with it what he will. The collegue, assuming a reasonable level of skill and care, should have been able to change you code without error. If not then your code is too fragile and you are at fault. People who think they are code gurus and are overly protective of their code are generally counter productive and should be replaced.
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Hello Holger ; Yes, you are right after all, I may take this situation too personally, and there is, in all objectivity, no reason for me to (over)react anyway. I guess, it always would feel frustrating to see that a coworker, who I well appreciate and respect by the way, has spend a substantial amount of energy just to be wasted, as the implementation he found didn't efficiently solve the problem. Together, we had to spend almost a whole day afterwards to solve the thing. But I am still angry with my boss. I feel like we need to communicate more but he is busy all the time.
Mark, communication can always be better :-). I am from Germany, my chef is from slovakia. When I first have taken the hurdle to only talk English - that's not that hard, but the native language is always the first choice when i want to express myself clearly - he's has some ... blindness? for usability, abstraction and really managing people. I always try to do my very best - so one hand he can see that I am reliable and able to solve the weirdest things, on the other hand because of the trust I earn for my work - I am able to criticize at least even him. That works pretty well - even if I sometimes wish I would work as a freelancer. :-) Holger
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How would you react after your boss has asked one of your coworkers to modify your code behind your back, for example to add a new function or optimize some algorithm, etc., and you discover that your coworker has broken some of your application's functionality or introduced some bugs?
I'm going to go along with what the others have said about it not being your code, but add a couple of points I dno't think were mentioned. It depends on the type of errors which were introduced, the type of work that needed to be done, and the alleged skill level of the other programmer. If the errors were minor, simple things we've all done, then there's no need to do anything other than mention to the other developer. "Hey John, I was looking at your code and noticed...." If the errors are show-stoppers, but the other dev is a new(er) person, go to them and use it as a learning experience. Keep in mind what you perceive as an "error" might be a different way of thinking about the problem and might lead to a stronger solution at which neither of you would have arrived independently. The learning experience might be yours. If they're pretty significant errors and the other dev is a more senior-level person, then it might be the time to go to the boss. If it's truly a matter of incompetence, that needs to be raised so the firing can begin.
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How would you react after your boss has asked one of your coworkers to modify your code behind your back, for example to add a new function or optimize some algorithm, etc., and you discover that your coworker has broken some of your application's functionality or introduced some bugs?
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When I write code on company time, that code belongs to the company I work for, not to me. My boss can have others work on "my" code as he pleases. I introduce bugs sometimes, so I imagine I'd be rather forgiving of those introduced by others (though I might make fun of it in the Hall of Shame ;) ).
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How would you react after your boss has asked one of your coworkers to modify your code behind your back, for example to add a new function or optimize some algorithm, etc., and you discover that your coworker has broken some of your application's functionality or introduced some bugs?
Marc Greiner at home wrote:
your boss has asked one of your coworkers to modify your code behind your back
There's the problem right there -- not with your boss, with you. That code isn't yours and never was. There is no such thing as "behind your back" because any member of your team should be allowed to modify any piece of code in the entire project as needed, that's why its called a "team".
Marc Greiner at home wrote:
you discover that your coworker has broken some of your application's functionality or introduced some bugs
Oh, the horror.. somebody isn't as good a programmer as you are or didn't spend the time to understand the code as well as you did. They broke stuff and introduced bugs. Annoying, but that's life, get over it.
patbob