Dilemma of a modern day developer
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What is the bloody point of commenting when everyone is a fool?
I was thinking about this very thing when I was reminded that a younger member of my team said that anyone over 54 is incapable of learning new things. So whether or not I'm a good developer, seeing that I'm an old developer now, it's irrelevant - I'm destined to become soylent green.
Tate Antrim All around nice guy!
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Am I a good developer ? This question bugs me at times. On one hand I am always able to provide solution to business problems using what I know or by learning something new to resolve problem. On the other hand I don’t know all the latest and greatest frameworks and tools out there. I have been doing development for more than 7 years now. In those 7 years I have worked on so many different tools, technologies and libraries to solve business problems. I have .NET as my main technology stack but I did development on Java, SQL, Integration tools, Salesforce, PLC and few other technologies. One thing is consistent in all those projects is business generally don’t care about underlying technology stack as long as it serves their requirement. As a developer you make conscious decision on what to offer to your client as a solution. You cannot ask a small shop to go on and invest arm and a leg on some product just because you are comfortable working with it and on opposite side there are big organizations which can afford to buy or build products using latest and greatest technologies. As a developer you understand that latest is not always the best. Why would you implement a solution using some new JavaScript framework or any other latest fad that takes more time and effort and eventually becomes a maintenance nightmare? Just because Google and Facebook uses Python I must use it ? As a developer you are not only required to know programming languages but also different server platforms, deployment tools, source control tools, CI / CD platforms, testing frameworks etc. A developer’s job is a demanding job. In today’s market there is ever growing expectation from developer to be proficient in whatever technology is hot at that time and there are quite a few at any given point in time. Not only you need to know that technology inside out you are expected to know any other tools, libraries and frameworks build around it. It makes you question are you really a good developer even if you don’t know latest technologies or tools ? You don’t know those technologies because up until now you did not have a need to use it in whatever application you are building. Just because AngulrJS sounds cool and everyone is using it I must use it ? One thing I have felt is if you don’t use today’s latest fad you are perceived to be old school and at times will not get a chance to even be considered for a new role. Do you ever wonder are you a good developer or not ?
I can count on one hand how many great developers I have worked with in my long career of 44 years (42 in the corporate environments). I have lost count as to how many people I have worked with who thought they were great developers but in my view weren't. One such developer actually came over to my cubicle one day and stood there for around 20 minutes telling me how great he was as a trading developer. Though I have been considered during my career to be a "super programmer", I just saw myself as someone who was very good at getting a job done with professional quality (or at least as much as my technical management would allow). Many developers today seem to feel that they are good if they know all about DevOps and Agile, have worked in such environments, and have gained a knowledge of all the latest tools. The problem is that all of this does not make a great developer or even a good one. I have worked with such people and have found them to be mostly meh... Yes, they could put an application together and quote the latest technical jargon. And they could one-up themselves quite well. However, could they get a professional quality job completed with coding that was very easy to read and understand. No. One fellow I worked with who claimed to be highly knowledgeable couldn't understand one of my application's code-bases when it was left to him when I went on vacation. My source-code was in fact very straight-forward and eschewed all the latest techniques in OOP programming. The application simply didn't call for it. Unfortunately, this poor guy couldn't understand the code without it being completely object-oriented including inheritance (which is a time-bomb simply waiting to go off if it is not implemented properly). None of us are really great developers since quality code can come in many different varieties, all of which fulfills the requirements it was designed against. This is not a competition, though many make it appear to be. What makes you "good" is if you can get a variety of tasks done with professional quality within a reasonable time period. DevOps, Agile, and the latest tools, practically all of which merely reinvent existing wheels that already work quite well, are nothing but distractions. Besides, no one can keep up with all of this hype that is being promoted all over the industry. I don't use ASP.NET MVC, JavaScript frameworks, fancy CSS, WPF MVVM, or database ORMs. All of it is just doing the same things that were already defined with earlier technolog
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I was thinking about this very thing when I was reminded that a younger member of my team said that anyone over 54 is incapable of learning new things. So whether or not I'm a good developer, seeing that I'm an old developer now, it's irrelevant - I'm destined to become soylent green.
Tate Antrim All around nice guy!
Tate Antrim wrote:
I was thinking about this very thing when I was reminded that a younger member of my team said that anyone over 54 is incapable of learning new things. So whether or not I'm a good developer, seeing that I'm an old developer now, it's irrelevant - I'm destined to become soylent green.
Glad you didn't listen to the young smart-ass. Glad I didn't either. I'm about to turn 59 myself, I haven't figured out how to stop learning yet. ;-)
If you think hiring a professional is expensive wait until you hire an amateur! - Red Adair.
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I can count on one hand how many great developers I have worked with in my long career of 44 years (42 in the corporate environments). I have lost count as to how many people I have worked with who thought they were great developers but in my view weren't. One such developer actually came over to my cubicle one day and stood there for around 20 minutes telling me how great he was as a trading developer. Though I have been considered during my career to be a "super programmer", I just saw myself as someone who was very good at getting a job done with professional quality (or at least as much as my technical management would allow). Many developers today seem to feel that they are good if they know all about DevOps and Agile, have worked in such environments, and have gained a knowledge of all the latest tools. The problem is that all of this does not make a great developer or even a good one. I have worked with such people and have found them to be mostly meh... Yes, they could put an application together and quote the latest technical jargon. And they could one-up themselves quite well. However, could they get a professional quality job completed with coding that was very easy to read and understand. No. One fellow I worked with who claimed to be highly knowledgeable couldn't understand one of my application's code-bases when it was left to him when I went on vacation. My source-code was in fact very straight-forward and eschewed all the latest techniques in OOP programming. The application simply didn't call for it. Unfortunately, this poor guy couldn't understand the code without it being completely object-oriented including inheritance (which is a time-bomb simply waiting to go off if it is not implemented properly). None of us are really great developers since quality code can come in many different varieties, all of which fulfills the requirements it was designed against. This is not a competition, though many make it appear to be. What makes you "good" is if you can get a variety of tasks done with professional quality within a reasonable time period. DevOps, Agile, and the latest tools, practically all of which merely reinvent existing wheels that already work quite well, are nothing but distractions. Besides, no one can keep up with all of this hype that is being promoted all over the industry. I don't use ASP.NET MVC, JavaScript frameworks, fancy CSS, WPF MVVM, or database ORMs. All of it is just doing the same things that were already defined with earlier technolog
Excellent post, Steve. My thoughts exactly. I've been at this for 40 years, myself.
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Excellent post, Steve. My thoughts exactly. I've been at this for 40 years, myself.
Thank you for your appreciation of my comments. Its good to see that there are still plenty of people who think they way I do towards all the latest product hype... :)
Steve Naidamast Sr. Software Engineer Black Falcon Software, Inc. blackfalconsoftware@outlook.com
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Am I a good developer ? This question bugs me at times. On one hand I am always able to provide solution to business problems using what I know or by learning something new to resolve problem. On the other hand I don’t know all the latest and greatest frameworks and tools out there. I have been doing development for more than 7 years now. In those 7 years I have worked on so many different tools, technologies and libraries to solve business problems. I have .NET as my main technology stack but I did development on Java, SQL, Integration tools, Salesforce, PLC and few other technologies. One thing is consistent in all those projects is business generally don’t care about underlying technology stack as long as it serves their requirement. As a developer you make conscious decision on what to offer to your client as a solution. You cannot ask a small shop to go on and invest arm and a leg on some product just because you are comfortable working with it and on opposite side there are big organizations which can afford to buy or build products using latest and greatest technologies. As a developer you understand that latest is not always the best. Why would you implement a solution using some new JavaScript framework or any other latest fad that takes more time and effort and eventually becomes a maintenance nightmare? Just because Google and Facebook uses Python I must use it ? As a developer you are not only required to know programming languages but also different server platforms, deployment tools, source control tools, CI / CD platforms, testing frameworks etc. A developer’s job is a demanding job. In today’s market there is ever growing expectation from developer to be proficient in whatever technology is hot at that time and there are quite a few at any given point in time. Not only you need to know that technology inside out you are expected to know any other tools, libraries and frameworks build around it. It makes you question are you really a good developer even if you don’t know latest technologies or tools ? You don’t know those technologies because up until now you did not have a need to use it in whatever application you are building. Just because AngulrJS sounds cool and everyone is using it I must use it ? One thing I have felt is if you don’t use today’s latest fad you are perceived to be old school and at times will not get a chance to even be considered for a new role. Do you ever wonder are you a good developer or not ?
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Am I a good developer ? This question bugs me at times. On one hand I am always able to provide solution to business problems using what I know or by learning something new to resolve problem. On the other hand I don’t know all the latest and greatest frameworks and tools out there. I have been doing development for more than 7 years now. In those 7 years I have worked on so many different tools, technologies and libraries to solve business problems. I have .NET as my main technology stack but I did development on Java, SQL, Integration tools, Salesforce, PLC and few other technologies. One thing is consistent in all those projects is business generally don’t care about underlying technology stack as long as it serves their requirement. As a developer you make conscious decision on what to offer to your client as a solution. You cannot ask a small shop to go on and invest arm and a leg on some product just because you are comfortable working with it and on opposite side there are big organizations which can afford to buy or build products using latest and greatest technologies. As a developer you understand that latest is not always the best. Why would you implement a solution using some new JavaScript framework or any other latest fad that takes more time and effort and eventually becomes a maintenance nightmare? Just because Google and Facebook uses Python I must use it ? As a developer you are not only required to know programming languages but also different server platforms, deployment tools, source control tools, CI / CD platforms, testing frameworks etc. A developer’s job is a demanding job. In today’s market there is ever growing expectation from developer to be proficient in whatever technology is hot at that time and there are quite a few at any given point in time. Not only you need to know that technology inside out you are expected to know any other tools, libraries and frameworks build around it. It makes you question are you really a good developer even if you don’t know latest technologies or tools ? You don’t know those technologies because up until now you did not have a need to use it in whatever application you are building. Just because AngulrJS sounds cool and everyone is using it I must use it ? One thing I have felt is if you don’t use today’s latest fad you are perceived to be old school and at times will not get a chance to even be considered for a new role. Do you ever wonder are you a good developer or not ?
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Am I a good developer ? This question bugs me at times. On one hand I am always able to provide solution to business problems using what I know or by learning something new to resolve problem. On the other hand I don’t know all the latest and greatest frameworks and tools out there. I have been doing development for more than 7 years now. In those 7 years I have worked on so many different tools, technologies and libraries to solve business problems. I have .NET as my main technology stack but I did development on Java, SQL, Integration tools, Salesforce, PLC and few other technologies. One thing is consistent in all those projects is business generally don’t care about underlying technology stack as long as it serves their requirement. As a developer you make conscious decision on what to offer to your client as a solution. You cannot ask a small shop to go on and invest arm and a leg on some product just because you are comfortable working with it and on opposite side there are big organizations which can afford to buy or build products using latest and greatest technologies. As a developer you understand that latest is not always the best. Why would you implement a solution using some new JavaScript framework or any other latest fad that takes more time and effort and eventually becomes a maintenance nightmare? Just because Google and Facebook uses Python I must use it ? As a developer you are not only required to know programming languages but also different server platforms, deployment tools, source control tools, CI / CD platforms, testing frameworks etc. A developer’s job is a demanding job. In today’s market there is ever growing expectation from developer to be proficient in whatever technology is hot at that time and there are quite a few at any given point in time. Not only you need to know that technology inside out you are expected to know any other tools, libraries and frameworks build around it. It makes you question are you really a good developer even if you don’t know latest technologies or tools ? You don’t know those technologies because up until now you did not have a need to use it in whatever application you are building. Just because AngulrJS sounds cool and everyone is using it I must use it ? One thing I have felt is if you don’t use today’s latest fad you are perceived to be old school and at times will not get a chance to even be considered for a new role. Do you ever wonder are you a good developer or not ?
If you're delivering good quality software solutions to business problems in a timely and budget friendly manner, then you are probably a good developer. That said - how do you become a great developer? First - develop your communication skills, both written and verbal. If you can't articulate your questions about the problems at hand, in a manner non-peers (or even peers in software development, for that matter) can understand, you're going to have a tough time delivering solutions. Furthermore, people will question your ability to deliver those solutions, if you can't speak about them in an intelligent and clear manner. So cultivate and nurture your speaking and writing skills. Also, for both, a bit of advice: Think before you speak. Pause, think about your answer or question, then communicate it. Don't just blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind as quickly as possible - some people won't understand it, and in many cases, it will be the wrong thing to say. Second - develop your skills in understanding the business you are creating solutions for. If you don't understand the business, how will you know if the solution is correct for the problem? Furthermore, how will you know if the solution fits the problem at all, or whether there is a more holistic solution at hand - if you don't understand how the parts of the business fit together. Remember, sometimes the best solution to a problem involves the least amount of code. Also, more code means more stuff to break. Always look to simplify the problems and solutions. Third - simple code is better code. It may not be sexy, it may not show "the world" your coding prowess, but it will be maintainable - both by future you, and other programmers who come after you leave. Strive to make your solutions as simple, and to the point as possible. Your goal should be writing less code. Your goal should also be to refactor old code to use less code (assuming you understand why the old code does what it does - which may or may not always be clear - don't ever remove or change code unless you know exactly what it was originally doing). Fourth - don't get hung up frameworks or technologies. If you want to stay marketable, stay flexible: Strive to understand the common principles that underlie those frameworks and technologies. In many cases, most of them are reinventing the wheel - sometimes because of the famous "not invented here" syndrome. Don't succumb to the allure of that syndrome, either (at least with an employer - do what you want on your own time): In
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Am I a good developer ? This question bugs me at times. On one hand I am always able to provide solution to business problems using what I know or by learning something new to resolve problem. On the other hand I don’t know all the latest and greatest frameworks and tools out there. I have been doing development for more than 7 years now. In those 7 years I have worked on so many different tools, technologies and libraries to solve business problems. I have .NET as my main technology stack but I did development on Java, SQL, Integration tools, Salesforce, PLC and few other technologies. One thing is consistent in all those projects is business generally don’t care about underlying technology stack as long as it serves their requirement. As a developer you make conscious decision on what to offer to your client as a solution. You cannot ask a small shop to go on and invest arm and a leg on some product just because you are comfortable working with it and on opposite side there are big organizations which can afford to buy or build products using latest and greatest technologies. As a developer you understand that latest is not always the best. Why would you implement a solution using some new JavaScript framework or any other latest fad that takes more time and effort and eventually becomes a maintenance nightmare? Just because Google and Facebook uses Python I must use it ? As a developer you are not only required to know programming languages but also different server platforms, deployment tools, source control tools, CI / CD platforms, testing frameworks etc. A developer’s job is a demanding job. In today’s market there is ever growing expectation from developer to be proficient in whatever technology is hot at that time and there are quite a few at any given point in time. Not only you need to know that technology inside out you are expected to know any other tools, libraries and frameworks build around it. It makes you question are you really a good developer even if you don’t know latest technologies or tools ? You don’t know those technologies because up until now you did not have a need to use it in whatever application you are building. Just because AngulrJS sounds cool and everyone is using it I must use it ? One thing I have felt is if you don’t use today’s latest fad you are perceived to be old school and at times will not get a chance to even be considered for a new role. Do you ever wonder are you a good developer or not ?
I had thought about this question for myself a few years back. I, specifically, like the answer by Jon Mckee. Looking at the technology landscape 15 years back and now, there has been so much of change and the way it has evolved. Its practically impossible for any developer to keep up with a lot of these new technologies. And, unfortunately, a lot of companies that use these technologies are run by people who know how to do business & make money very well, but not really much about these technologies. Hence, comes the trend of picking up the popular technology in the market and using it for their requirement. Its a really complex world to be wondering about these things or summarize them in a paragraph for that matter. My two cents is that one should be really focusing on things that really matter like basics, algorithms, design patterns, cryptography, understanding framework's underlying code. I think a lot of developers out there today learn technology without understanding the underlying concepts & intricacies. For example, there is lot of market for AngularJS, but it is built on JavaScript and how many out there actually bother about understanding it? Its might be easier and quicker to code in Angular but incomplete knowledge will introduce a lot of bugs and problem in the deliverable at later point of time. Developers are being judged based on a race between what is needed and how quickly it can be delivered. The moment one tends to learn these technologies for the sake of keeping up with the race, the developer in them is on the way to a dead end. New technologies and frameworks are going to evolve and get released faster than ever.
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Am I a good developer ? This question bugs me at times. On one hand I am always able to provide solution to business problems using what I know or by learning something new to resolve problem. On the other hand I don’t know all the latest and greatest frameworks and tools out there. I have been doing development for more than 7 years now. In those 7 years I have worked on so many different tools, technologies and libraries to solve business problems. I have .NET as my main technology stack but I did development on Java, SQL, Integration tools, Salesforce, PLC and few other technologies. One thing is consistent in all those projects is business generally don’t care about underlying technology stack as long as it serves their requirement. As a developer you make conscious decision on what to offer to your client as a solution. You cannot ask a small shop to go on and invest arm and a leg on some product just because you are comfortable working with it and on opposite side there are big organizations which can afford to buy or build products using latest and greatest technologies. As a developer you understand that latest is not always the best. Why would you implement a solution using some new JavaScript framework or any other latest fad that takes more time and effort and eventually becomes a maintenance nightmare? Just because Google and Facebook uses Python I must use it ? As a developer you are not only required to know programming languages but also different server platforms, deployment tools, source control tools, CI / CD platforms, testing frameworks etc. A developer’s job is a demanding job. In today’s market there is ever growing expectation from developer to be proficient in whatever technology is hot at that time and there are quite a few at any given point in time. Not only you need to know that technology inside out you are expected to know any other tools, libraries and frameworks build around it. It makes you question are you really a good developer even if you don’t know latest technologies or tools ? You don’t know those technologies because up until now you did not have a need to use it in whatever application you are building. Just because AngulrJS sounds cool and everyone is using it I must use it ? One thing I have felt is if you don’t use today’s latest fad you are perceived to be old school and at times will not get a chance to even be considered for a new role. Do you ever wonder are you a good developer or not ?
Simple: According to the Dunning Kruger effect ( Dunning–Kruger effect - Wikipedia[^] ) if you question your depth of knowledge, you are more likely to be good at something. People who don't know enough to know what they don't know - are usually overconfident. :) Conversely - talented people tend to question themselves more - because they know they don't know it all.