Old Farts Know How to Code
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So many developers my age have had plenty of chances to ditch coding and move into management, but we've stuck with coding because it's what we love to do. We'd earn more in management, but writing software is in our blood. We wouldn't stop doing it for anything.
...and more importantly, how not to code.
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So many developers my age have had plenty of chances to ditch coding and move into management, but we've stuck with coding because it's what we love to do. We'd earn more in management, but writing software is in our blood. We wouldn't stop doing it for anything.
...and more importantly, how not to code.
Some do. I knew 3 old farts at a previous job. One knew how to code (though he was really middle aged, and had no kids AFAIK), one was mediocre, and the other should not have been allowed near a computer. I suspect they didn't move into management because then they'd have to learn something new.
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Some do. I knew 3 old farts at a previous job. One knew how to code (though he was really middle aged, and had no kids AFAIK), one was mediocre, and the other should not have been allowed near a computer. I suspect they didn't move into management because then they'd have to learn something new.
Another way to spell management is "S T R E S S" - I've been programming for more than 40 years and no way would I want to deal with all of the crap that department managers have to deal with; both with the people they manage and the people they report to :sigh:
Steve _________________ I C(++) therefore I am
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Another way to spell management is "S T R E S S" - I've been programming for more than 40 years and no way would I want to deal with all of the crap that department managers have to deal with; both with the people they manage and the people they report to :sigh:
Steve _________________ I C(++) therefore I am
I imagine so. There's no way I want to get into management, especially with people like me to manage. :rolleyes: Project manage, sure. People manage, no thanks.
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So many developers my age have had plenty of chances to ditch coding and move into management, but we've stuck with coding because it's what we love to do. We'd earn more in management, but writing software is in our blood. We wouldn't stop doing it for anything.
...and more importantly, how not to code.
Speaking as an Old Fart who started programming in machine code on LEO III/6[^] I tried being a manager for a while. I gave it up as soon as I found a technical post because i)I hated it and ii)I was useless as a manager. I won't claim to be a great programmer but I did manage to write some code that worked, and I was not bad at debugging others'.
Programming is work, it isn't finger painting. Luc Pattyn
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So many developers my age have had plenty of chances to ditch coding and move into management, but we've stuck with coding because it's what we love to do. We'd earn more in management, but writing software is in our blood. We wouldn't stop doing it for anything.
...and more importantly, how not to code.
I especially liked the "how not to code". When I started (1961), the goal was to write accurate, tight (even to the point of self-modifying) code. In 1998, I had a concussion which effectively put an end to my coding; I can't concentrate the way I used to and thus the pleasure is gone. I do miss it and, quite frankly, am astonished at how today's software houses produce and release shoddy, untested, user-friendly NOT! slopware and then have the sheer gall to charge for it. Truth be told, however, we got away with a lot when users were unable to state what they really needed and regarded programmers as the ones who knew how to push the "magic" buttons. BTW, some of the machines I worked on are, in fact, in the Smithsonian.
Vic. (I still think it was more fun with punch cards, paper tape and drum memory.)
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So many developers my age have had plenty of chances to ditch coding and move into management, but we've stuck with coding because it's what we love to do. We'd earn more in management, but writing software is in our blood. We wouldn't stop doing it for anything.
...and more importantly, how not to code.
I have to agree. I did a bunch of other things, including Systems Engineering and management, and am now a contract C#/WPF/Silverlight developer.
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I especially liked the "how not to code". When I started (1961), the goal was to write accurate, tight (even to the point of self-modifying) code. In 1998, I had a concussion which effectively put an end to my coding; I can't concentrate the way I used to and thus the pleasure is gone. I do miss it and, quite frankly, am astonished at how today's software houses produce and release shoddy, untested, user-friendly NOT! slopware and then have the sheer gall to charge for it. Truth be told, however, we got away with a lot when users were unable to state what they really needed and regarded programmers as the ones who knew how to push the "magic" buttons. BTW, some of the machines I worked on are, in fact, in the Smithsonian.
Vic. (I still think it was more fun with punch cards, paper tape and drum memory.)
Punch cards were fun (I started with the too) but a bitch when you dropped a box of source deck all over the floor 1 hr. before deadline. :omg: