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  3. Is Programming a creative Job?

Is Programming a creative Job?

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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)

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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.

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          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.

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            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

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              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
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                  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.

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                    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.

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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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                        L Offline
                        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)

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                            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)

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                                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.

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                                    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.

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                                      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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                                      • 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

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                                        Renzo Ciafardone
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #36

                                        Funny enough it sounds like it could have come from a Scott Adams´s Dilbert strip too. Are all this Adams folks related? ;P

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                                        • R Rajesh Kariyavula

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

                                          S Offline
                                          S Offline
                                          StatementTerminator
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #37

                                          Programming is construction work, that's what it really is. We're the carpenters and welders of the software industry. Does that involve creativity? Sure, sometimes a lot, so does plumbing (trust me, I've seen some creative plumbing).

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