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  3. Is Programming a creative Job?

Is Programming a creative Job?

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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.

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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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              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.

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                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

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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

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                    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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                      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

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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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                        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.

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                                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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                                • R Rajesh Kariyavula

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

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                                  ClockMeister
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #38

                                  Rajesh Kariyavula wrote:

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

                                  I've been at this for 37+ years and this is the only comparison (artist) that my wife has consistently made of the type of work I do.

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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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                                    RafagaX
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #39

                                    Sure it is, the best programmers/developers are highly creative people.

                                    CEO at: - Rafaga Systems - Para Facturas - Modern Components for the moment...

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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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                                      patbob
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #40

                                      "Programming" has many parts. Designing is pure creative work. Writing code, not so much, more bean counter.. dot all the t's cross all the i's, sort of work. Debugging is detective work -- figure out what's going on from the clues, follow up on them by probing deeper inside the system (with a debugger) to reveal more clues, prioritize them, sometimes decide which ones are important and which to ignore. Debugging can also sometimes be scientific -- hypothesize on what the bug might be, design and run an experiment (code modification) to reveal if that is the bug, analyze results, although you could also consider it detective work -- stress the system to see if more clues to what's broken inside are revealed. I wish the lawyers would realize that SW engineers share a lot of the same thought processes as detectives, they'd never let us on juries :)

                                      We can program with only 1's, but if all you've got are zeros, you've got nothing.

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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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                                        BrainiacV
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #41

                                        OriginalGriff wrote:

                                        if you are a codemonkey churning out code to exact specification with no design input, then no, it isn't

                                        According to my Former Bitch Supervisor From HellTM you are wrong! It is up to you to be creative in producing code that conforms to the impossible specifications. Wait, did I type that last part out loud? I wish I remembered her exact words, but I wasn't yet hip to corporatese babbling. I used to save her e-mails that were mostly corporate weaselwords than actual information. But her point was that we were to creatively find ways to deliver code on their ever compressing time schedules and to be satisfied by doing that. Your reward for hard work was going to be harder work.

                                        Psychosis at 10 Film at 11 Those who do not remember the past, are doomed to repeat it. Those who do not remember the past, cannot build upon it.

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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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                                          Mike Marynowski
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #42

                                          I think an element of creativity goes into all code. Good code looks like art, put together beautifully and expressed clearly. Some people I've worked with lack this creative touch, and I find that it is something people kinda just have or don't...mostly because it's often very hard to teach or explain why a piece of code is beautiful. I think there is also an element of language proficiency that plays into how beautiful code looks. Having vocabulary and the skill to use it well helps you name methods/properties/variables more succinctly and accurately. It might not seem like a big deal, but small things like “size” vs “length” or “RemoveMatchedIfNotNull()” vs “FilterActiveResults()” end up making a big difference in how beautifully the code reads. I find this plays the most important role in library and framework design teams. I can tell when an API has been designed by someone with an eye for beautiful code who really thought about designing the optimal interface, versus someone who is just worried about banging out stuff that works. I bet some of the people reading this post will know exactly what I mean while others will think I’m nuts and babbling out of my ass. Based on my experience, that’s a good way to know which category you fit into ;)

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