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  3. Is Programming a creative Job?

Is Programming a creative Job?

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  • L Lost User

    My missus doesn't understand what I do. The best way I've found to explain it to her is that a programming language is like a written language. Once you know the majority of words in a language you can write a book. Some books are good and some are poor.

    R Offline
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    Rage
    wrote on last edited by
    #16

    PB 369,783 wrote:

    some are poor

    Yes, especially those in Visual Basic.

    ~RaGE();

    I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus Do not feed the troll ! - Common proverb

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    • R Rajesh Kariyavula

      Is Programming a creative Job? I have been thinking creatively, but my work doesn't need it.

      R Offline
      R Offline
      Rage
      wrote on last edited by
      #17

      I don't know how it cuts in comparison to other jobs, but people here are extremely creative when it comes to excuses why their work will be delivered late.

      ~RaGE();

      I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus Do not feed the troll ! - Common proverb

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      • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

        Depends on what your role is: if you are a codemonkey churning out code to exact specification with no design input, then no, it isn't - and creativity will be rightly stamped on. If you are higher up the food chain, then it becomes increasingly creative, and increasingly technical, until the technical element starts to wither away and you become a manager. At that point you will never do anything creative (or possibly useful) ever again.

        The universe is composed of electrons, neutrons, protons and......morons. (ThePhantomUpvoter)

        M Offline
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        Mohammed Hameed
        wrote on last edited by
        #18

        Very nice explanation!

        Previous -> Read "CLR via C#" by Jeffrey Ritcher. Current -> Exploring WCF thru Apress' "Pro WCF" by Chris Peiris and Dennis Mulder. Next -> Need to read "The Art of Computer Programming" by Donald E. Knuth.

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        • P Pete OHanlon

          Mohammed Hameed wrote:

          Programming is an art.

          True. Programming is an art; some people form wonderful evocative images with the most delicate of water colours. Other's struggle with finger painting.

          I was brought up to respect my elders. I don't respect many people nowadays.
          CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier

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          jim lahey
          wrote on last edited by
          #19

          Pete O'Hanlon wrote:

          True. Programming is an art; some people form wonderful evocative images with the most delicate of water colours. Other's struggle with finger painting.

          Others take their new found skill in creating macaroni pictures too far and try to build houses out of them which then need rebuilding with the occupants still inside. That's what it feels like anyway :D

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          • R Rajesh Kariyavula

            Is Programming a creative Job? I have been thinking creatively, but my work doesn't need it.

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            Chris Quinn
            wrote on last edited by
            #20

            Not as creative as accountancy!


            It's well known that if all the cat videos and porn disappeared from the internet there would be only one site left and it would be called whereareallthecatvideosandporn.com


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            • L Lost User

              My missus doesn't understand what I do. The best way I've found to explain it to her is that a programming language is like a written language. Once you know the majority of words in a language you can write a book. Some books are good and some are poor.

              J Offline
              J Offline
              jim lahey
              wrote on last edited by
              #21

              An ex of mine used to think I sat at a desk hammering 1s and 0s into a text editor. when I showed her some C# her reaction was "oh, it's got real words in it and stuff" it didn't last, not that I'm at all surprised or bothered.

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              • R Rajesh Kariyavula

                Is Programming a creative Job? I have been thinking creatively, but my work doesn't need it.

                H Offline
                H Offline
                Hemant Singh Rautela
                wrote on last edited by
                #22

                Hi, Everything make creative...Just need to lookup with a different senario... If you like programming then you can creative work for you. Ya In your office it may be repetitive job so that you are feeling like that. BUT Just analysis again & you can find lot of way to do this.... :) :)

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                • P Pete OHanlon

                  Mohammed Hameed wrote:

                  Programming is an art.

                  True. Programming is an art; some people form wonderful evocative images with the most delicate of water colours. Other's struggle with finger painting.

                  I was brought up to respect my elders. I don't respect many people nowadays.
                  CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier

                  G Offline
                  G Offline
                  GuyThiebaut
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #23

                  Some of us excel at the potato printing method of coding.

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

                  ― Christopher Hitchens

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                  • M Mark_Wallace

                    Bear in mind that if someone says to you "That's a very creative idea", it means that he thinks you're an idiot.

                    I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

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                    Nish Nishant
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #24

                    :laugh:

                    Regards, Nish


                    Blog: voidnish.wordpress.com The life of a Malayalee American - by Nish

                    An article I recently wrote for an event souvenir

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                    • R Rajesh Kariyavula

                      Is Programming a creative Job? I have been thinking creatively, but my work doesn't need it.

                      R Offline
                      R Offline
                      R Giskard Reventlov
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #25

                      Rajesh Kariyavula wrote:

                      Is Programming a creative Job?

                      Yes; at least it is for me as I'm the one that gets to decide what to do and how to do it. It's the part of the job I love the most, even after all these years. :-)

                      "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. Those who seek perfection will only find imperfection nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me me, in pictures

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                      • R Rajesh Kariyavula

                        Is Programming a creative Job? I have been thinking creatively, but my work doesn't need it.

                        D Offline
                        D Offline
                        Dr Walt Fair PE
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #26

                        In my experience, when someone says they are very creative, it really means they have no understanding of math and science and don't want to be bound by the laws of physics.

                        CQ de W5ALT

                        Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software

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                        • M Mohammed Hameed

                          Programming is an art. Ideas have to be creative.

                          Previous -> Read "CLR via C#" by Jeffrey Ritcher. Current -> Exploring WCF thru Apress' "Pro WCF" by Chris Peiris and Dennis Mulder. Next -> Need to read "The Art of Computer Programming" by Donald E. Knuth.

                          A Offline
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                          AspDotNetDev
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #27

                          I am reminded of a scene from "This is the End" (saw it yesterday at the theater). One of the characters says that he isn't into art, and another character goes off on a rant about different types of art (sandwiches, people at birth, and so on). Hilarious movie.

                          Thou mewling ill-breeding pignut!

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                          • R Rajesh Kariyavula

                            Is Programming a creative Job? I have been thinking creatively, but my work doesn't need it.

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                            Lost User
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #28

                            My take would be that it is as creative as, say, an architect. It's not about free-form artistry, or daubing paint at random to make something pretty. It's about the putting together of various materials to produce something that meets the requirements of the user. While one architect may just design a plain brick house, perfectly liveable but boring and not likely to win prizes, the more innovative architect may build a home out of unusual materials, with features such as low energy use, efficient water usage, glass walls with views, waterfalls and pools, whatever. The question is, does the customer get what they want at the end of the day?

                            MVVM # - I did it My Way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')

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                            • R Rajesh Kariyavula

                              Is Programming a creative Job? I have been thinking creatively, but my work doesn't need it.

                              M Offline
                              M Offline
                              Member 9167057
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #29

                              Yup, it is. Finding a solution to a non-standard problem is very creative.

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                              • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                Depends on what your role is: if you are a codemonkey churning out code to exact specification with no design input, then no, it isn't - and creativity will be rightly stamped on. If you are higher up the food chain, then it becomes increasingly creative, and increasingly technical, until the technical element starts to wither away and you become a manager. At that point you will never do anything creative (or possibly useful) ever again.

                                The universe is composed of electrons, neutrons, protons and......morons. (ThePhantomUpvoter)

                                G Offline
                                G Offline
                                grralph1
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #30

                                :thumbsup: Took the words right out of my mouth. Your post could easily be mistaken as something written by Philip Adams. Love the way you have expressed it.

                                "Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980

                                OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
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                                • G grralph1

                                  :thumbsup: Took the words right out of my mouth. Your post could easily be mistaken as something written by Philip Adams. Love the way you have expressed it.

                                  "Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980

                                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                                  OriginalGriff
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #31

                                  If you mean this Phillip Adams[^] then I've never heard of him - but I note he has a bibliography, I'll see if I can find one of his books. Thanks!

                                  The universe is composed of electrons, neutrons, protons and......morons. (ThePhantomUpvoter)

                                  "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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                                  • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                    If you mean this Phillip Adams[^] then I've never heard of him - but I note he has a bibliography, I'll see if I can find one of his books. Thanks!

                                    The universe is composed of electrons, neutrons, protons and......morons. (ThePhantomUpvoter)

                                    G Offline
                                    G Offline
                                    grralph1
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #32

                                    No I elephanted Up. Sorry OG. What I meant to say was Douglas Adams, not Philip. Hope that this makes more sense now.

                                    "Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980

                                    OriginalGriffO R 2 Replies Last reply
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                                    • G grralph1

                                      No I elephanted Up. Sorry OG. What I meant to say was Douglas Adams, not Philip. Hope that this makes more sense now.

                                      "Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980

                                      OriginalGriffO Offline
                                      OriginalGriffO Offline
                                      OriginalGriff
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #33

                                      :laugh: I would be honoured to be mentioned in the same breath as the late, great DNA!

                                      The universe is composed of electrons, neutrons, protons and......morons. (ThePhantomUpvoter)

                                      "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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                                      • R Rajesh Kariyavula

                                        Is Programming a creative Job? I have been thinking creatively, but my work doesn't need it.

                                        G Offline
                                        G Offline
                                        Gary Huck
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #34

                                        Yes.

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                                        • R Rajesh Kariyavula

                                          Is Programming a creative Job? I have been thinking creatively, but my work doesn't need it.

                                          B Offline
                                          B Offline
                                          BC3Tech
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #35

                                          from my standpoint the answer is a resounding YES. I know of more than just a few devs who have left positions due to lack of 'creative freedom'. That is: the ability to research, discover, and find new ways to solve problems they were facing in their current projects/solutions. Similarly, being able to learn new things and apply those findings to what you're working on is, in some what, being creative with new tools and discoveries. I think if you're in an area like computer science/software engineering, which changes SO rapidly, and aren't allowed to explore, learn, grow your skills as part of your job, your employer isn't focused on investing in you or helping you in your career. How much of that you're content with making up outside of work is up to you. If you can't do it at work, find a way to do it at home to satisfy that creative itch. Then do blog/site posts on what you discover so you get some publicity for your passions. CodeProject's a good place to do that :)

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