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  3. Shouldn't programmers know how to fix computers?

Shouldn't programmers know how to fix computers?

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helptutorialquestion
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  • R Rajesh R Subramanian

    There's helpdesk to deal with that sort of stuff. I don't have to be elephanting around fixing a BSOD.

    "Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.

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    ZurdoDev
    wrote on last edited by
    #34

    Not at our small company.

    There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

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    • Z ZurdoDev

      No one is suggesting developers debug drivers. But how can you create a program and hand it over to a customer when you don't even know how a computer works? At least the basics. You can't run to IT every time you run into an external issue causing your code not to work.

      There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

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      Not Active
      wrote on last edited by
      #35

      So everyone on the assembly line in China knows how an iPad works?


      Failure is not an option; it's the default selection.

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      • N Not Active

        So everyone on the assembly line in China knows how an iPad works?


        Failure is not an option; it's the default selection.

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        ZurdoDev
        wrote on last edited by
        #36

        Are you comparing programmers to assembly line workers? I have worked with some unintelligent programmers before but none that were simply assembly line workers. Wouldn't that be like someone who copies and pastes code off of the internet? How could they build an entire app if that is all they knew how to do?

        There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

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        • Z ZurdoDev

          Does it drive anyone else bonkers when developers keep complaining about their windows PC blue screening? If you know how to program why can't you figure out how to fix your own computer, or at least start researching?

          There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

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          CPallini
          wrote on last edited by
          #37

          It makes no sense. Is like saying: "if you can type on the keyboard then why aren't you able to post a meaningful message at the Lounge?".

          Veni, vidi, vici.

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          • Z ZurdoDev

            Does it drive anyone else bonkers when developers keep complaining about their windows PC blue screening? If you know how to program why can't you figure out how to fix your own computer, or at least start researching?

            There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

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            S Offline
            Slacker007
            wrote on last edited by
            #38

            you ryanb31, are a boob.

            "the meat from that butcher is just the dogs danglies, absolutely amazing cuts of beef." - DaveAuld (2011)
            "No, that is just the earthly manifestation of the Great God Retardon." - Nagy Vilmos (2011) "It is the celestial scrotum of good luck!" - Nagy Vilmos (2011)

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            • Z ZurdoDev

              Does it drive anyone else bonkers when developers keep complaining about their windows PC blue screening? If you know how to program why can't you figure out how to fix your own computer, or at least start researching?

              There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

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              G Offline
              GuyThiebaut
              wrote on last edited by
              #39

              I know how to drive, however when my car breaks down I don't necessarily know the intricacies of how the electronics and mechanics of my car contributed to the breakdown... That's what I pay a mechanic to know...

              “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

              ― Christopher Hitchens

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              • J jschell

                lewax00 wrote:

                But those cases are a significantly different, the computer is your tool and you should know how to maintain your own tools.

                I know someone who drives a dump truck for a living. And he takes it to a mechanic for all maintenance. I am pretty sure electricians don't cast their own screw drivers nor build their own wire strippers. And when those tools break they go buy another one. Other than that could you provide an analogous occupation where the participants use tools and maintain those tools?

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                R Giskard Reventlov
                wrote on last edited by
                #40

                jschell wrote:

                Other than that could you provide an analogous occupation where the participants use tools and maintain those tools?

                As part of my apprenticeship we took tool making where I learnt to make screwdrivers and chisels and so on. When I started to work for real I bought all my tools (from Snap-On: beautiful kit - still have some) but would sharpen my chisels and drills, make the odd specialist tool or fix, where I could, anything else or just give it back to the Snap-On man for a new one. One of the most important aspects was keeping your tools clean and in good condition (you make a living with them) so my tool box and tools were always clean and shiny. Never, ever, ever lend tools to anyone.

                "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me

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                • R R Giskard Reventlov

                  jschell wrote:

                  Other than that could you provide an analogous occupation where the participants use tools and maintain those tools?

                  As part of my apprenticeship we took tool making where I learnt to make screwdrivers and chisels and so on. When I started to work for real I bought all my tools (from Snap-On: beautiful kit - still have some) but would sharpen my chisels and drills, make the odd specialist tool or fix, where I could, anything else or just give it back to the Snap-On man for a new one. One of the most important aspects was keeping your tools clean and in good condition (you make a living with them) so my tool box and tools were always clean and shiny. Never, ever, ever lend tools to anyone.

                  "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me

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                  loctrice
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #41

                  This is about the same as running scan disk and defrag, and writing software.

                  If it moves, compile it

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                  • S Slacker007

                    you ryanb31, are a boob.

                    "the meat from that butcher is just the dogs danglies, absolutely amazing cuts of beef." - DaveAuld (2011)
                    "No, that is just the earthly manifestation of the Great God Retardon." - Nagy Vilmos (2011) "It is the celestial scrotum of good luck!" - Nagy Vilmos (2011)

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                    Z Offline
                    ZurdoDev
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #42

                    Well, that is just rude. That is a violation of lounge policies.

                    There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

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                    • Z ZurdoDev

                      Not at our small company.

                      There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

                      R Offline
                      R Offline
                      Rajesh R Subramanian
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #43

                      That was kinda my point. You were generalising it like if everyone should be fixing their own BSODs and stuff. While I agree that someone - anyone writing code with me should know how to deal with a situation like that, I wouldn't want them to spend any time doing that. If I've a bsod on my machine, I'll continue work on my 'other' machine. And if that fails, there's the laptop. If that fails too, I'll raise a high priority helpdesk ticket (showstopper level), send an email to my manager, and go home. It may be a different story in a small company, but my opinion is that the kind of money they pay us programmers will be justified only if we spend our hours productively, doing our work. Not fixing a BSOD.

                      "Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.

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                      • G GuyThiebaut

                        I know how to drive, however when my car breaks down I don't necessarily know the intricacies of how the electronics and mechanics of my car contributed to the breakdown... That's what I pay a mechanic to know...

                        “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

                        ― Christopher Hitchens

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                        Z Offline
                        ZurdoDev
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #44

                        That is because you are a user of the car. Not what I am talking about.

                        There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

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                        • L loctrice

                          This is about the same as running scan disk and defrag, and writing software.

                          If it moves, compile it

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                          R Giskard Reventlov
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #45

                          Perhaps. :-)

                          "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me

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                          • R Rajesh R Subramanian

                            That was kinda my point. You were generalising it like if everyone should be fixing their own BSODs and stuff. While I agree that someone - anyone writing code with me should know how to deal with a situation like that, I wouldn't want them to spend any time doing that. If I've a bsod on my machine, I'll continue work on my 'other' machine. And if that fails, there's the laptop. If that fails too, I'll raise a high priority helpdesk ticket (showstopper level), send an email to my manager, and go home. It may be a different story in a small company, but my opinion is that the kind of money they pay us programmers will be justified only if we spend our hours productively, doing our work. Not fixing a BSOD.

                            "Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.

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                            ZurdoDev
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #46

                            That's fair. And as I said, shouldn't they know how to fix them? Whether they do or not, they should at least know how.

                            There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

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                            • Z ZurdoDev

                              Does it drive anyone else bonkers when developers keep complaining about their windows PC blue screening? If you know how to program why can't you figure out how to fix your own computer, or at least start researching?

                              There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

                              N Offline
                              N Offline
                              NormDroid
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #47

                              I don't think you diserved the low votes, but yes I reckon you're right.

                              Software Kinetics Wear a hard hat it's under construction
                              Metro RSS

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                              • Z ZurdoDev

                                Does it drive anyone else bonkers when developers keep complaining about their windows PC blue screening? If you know how to program why can't you figure out how to fix your own computer, or at least start researching?

                                There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

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                                Comfizzy
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #48

                                Sure! we don't mind fixing our computers but what will the technician do?

                                1 Reply Last reply
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                                • L loctrice

                                  This is about the same as running scan disk and defrag, and writing software.

                                  If it moves, compile it

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                                  lewax00
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #49

                                  And installing drivers is any different? That fixes most hardware issues. And looking up error codes from hardware is no different than looking up error codes from software.

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                                  • S Slacker007

                                    you ryanb31, are a boob.

                                    "the meat from that butcher is just the dogs danglies, absolutely amazing cuts of beef." - DaveAuld (2011)
                                    "No, that is just the earthly manifestation of the Great God Retardon." - Nagy Vilmos (2011) "It is the celestial scrotum of good luck!" - Nagy Vilmos (2011)

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                                    L Offline
                                    Lost User
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #50

                                    Boobs are superior to ryanb31 in every way.

                                    OriginalGriffO P 2 Replies Last reply
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                                    • L Lost User

                                      Boobs are superior to ryanb31 in every way.

                                      OriginalGriffO Offline
                                      OriginalGriffO Offline
                                      OriginalGriff
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #51

                                      I have to agree. I know which I would prefer to stare at for half an hour.

                                      Ideological Purity is no substitute for being able to stick your thumb down a pipe to stop the water

                                      "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                                      "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

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                                      • L lewax00

                                        And installing drivers is any different? That fixes most hardware issues. And looking up error codes from hardware is no different than looking up error codes from software.

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                                        loctrice
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #52

                                        Looking up error codes from software is quite a bit different, at least to me, as getting the correct drivers. You are also assuming that I know how to get by the blue screen. As far as I knew/know when you see the blue screen you are hosed. I also couldn't assume that most errors come from drivers, and even if I did that still wouldn't account for the one's that didn't.

                                        If it moves, compile it

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                                        • N NormDroid

                                          I don't think you diserved the low votes, but yes I reckon you're right.

                                          Software Kinetics Wear a hard hat it's under construction
                                          Metro RSS

                                          Z Offline
                                          Z Offline
                                          ZurdoDev
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #53

                                          Thanks, most of them are for personal reasons, not because of what I posted. I have many fans. Harold and Slacker are some of my biggest fans.

                                          There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

                                          N 1 Reply Last reply
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