Life as developer (on-call)

Nish Nishant

I'd be okay with being on-call for a few days a month, but if it's a 7 days a week 52 weeks an year thing, I am not sure I can take that.

Nish Nishant Consultant Software Architect Ganymede Software Solutions LLC www.ganymedesoftwaresolutions.com

Lost User

Leng Vang wrote:

What are your opinions on on-call, especially work/life balance goes?

It was a requirement at my first job, which quickly no longer applied to me. Slept through some calls, and whenever I didn't I would still have to wake up some coworker to get anything done. You'd get paid extra for it, ofcourse. There's no such thing as work without pay. That simple sentence is a kind of auto-balance system in itself :thumbsup:

Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^][](X-Clacks-Overhead: GNU Terry Pratchett)

Gary Wheeler

Only if you choose for it to be.

Software Zen: delete this;

OriginalGriff

I was on call form about two years, and hated it - you couldn't plan anything without considering what would happen when the phone rang. But ... in two whole years the only call I got was one night on the way back from a lads night out when a little drunk. From my boss who was just as inebriated and in the back of the same car... B*st*rd.

Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...

RossMW

Its really a young man's game to get some cash in the bank. As you get older, your family become more important and your life priorities change. I did it for a number of years, but as I've aged, I now have no interest in the stress or hassle and disruptions that comes with it. I find it eventually wears you down.

Tim Carmichael

I moved as a developer in manufacturing and utility environments since 1986. For the first 13 years, I was on call for the items I developed/supported, and that was 7x24x365. There was also 24x7x365 on site coverage by a separate group - they 'operators' if you will. They had a manual for each system describing common issues and how to address them. We would only be called if there was an issue they couldn't resolve. Even at that, having in depth knowledge of the system, we could resolve most of the issues without having to log in. Then.. new position - not on call for the first 7 years while I was a contractor; the last 5 years were as an employee and then I was on call for everything in the department, and that was about 1 week out of 8. In my position now, I am on call every 10 weeks. All 'calls' are handled as text messages and support can be done remotely - I take my laptop phone every night. So... on call? I like what I do for a living; I develop relationships with the rank-and-file and they appreciate the service they get.

realJSOP

Wrong.

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013

realJSOP

I don't do "on-call", I don't do more than eight hours per day unless *I* decide that I need/want to, and I don't work weekends. How do you make that happen? Write good code. It also helps if you're a bit of a prick. I once walked out of an interview when they said, "We expect you to work at least 60 hours per week." I responded, "On salary? Are you out of your f*ckin minds?", and I was out the door.

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013

Lost User

John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:

I responded, "On salary? Are you out of your f*ckin minds?", and I was out the door.

You took time to respond to them? So kind of you. As soon as that 'we expect 60 hours' was said just walking out without saying a thing would have sent the loudest message.

Sin tack ear lol Pressing the any key may be continuate

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz

:thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:

#SupportHeForShe Government can give you nothing but what it takes from somebody else. A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you've got, including your freedom.-Ezra Taft Benson You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun

Lost User

Work so that you might live, do not live to work.

Speed of sound - 1100 ft/sec Speed of light - 186,000 mi/sec Speed of stupid - instantaneous.

Nagy Vilmos

Depending on the amount of time on call. I spent four years working on site for a bank. As a company we provided 24/7 support and normally someone would be on site within 30 minutes if there was an out of hours outage. As the tech lead of the team, most calls escalated to me. Yup 24/7 support for 4 years. Even during my holidays I was on call; I took to going diving as I could keep away from the phone. I made a lot of money with that gig and only gave it up because I was getting married and there was no way on earth I could have kept it going with a wife [especially not Mrs Wife] and now with kids. There was a life, but it came after work. I partied very hard and lived a very good life, but it was a bachelor's life.

veni bibi saltavi

Rajesh R Subramanian

Looks like I'm one of the few who gets that you meant it as a joke. :)

Rajesh R Subramanian

I turned down one from a start-up in 2008 for the same reason despite the pay being very handsome. Money is one thing, but my peace of mind and my time with family is not for sale.

Marc Clifton

Leng Vang wrote:

the pay is among the best ($250-300K)

Geez, at that pay rate, I would have happily written a diagnostic flowchart script and call-forwarded my phone to a call center in India, probably could get away with paying them $15K to take the calls. ;) Marc

V.A.P.O.R.ware - Visual Assisted Programming / Organizational Representation Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

Kevin Marois

Leng Vang wrote:

the pay is among the best ($250-300K)

As a developer?... Ya right. I've been coding for 30+ years, and I'm not afraid to say that I'm dam good... and I don't make anywhere near 250K, let alone 300K I call bull$hit.

If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

Kevin Marois

being on call is one thing.... Actually getting called is another. This all depends on how often my off hours get interrupted.

If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

Kevin Marois

See my response to him. I call bullshit

If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

Leng Vang

That is kind of what I did. They sound almost the exact words. We were going to schedule a visit the their office, when I learned that they really expected 60-70 hours with on-call, I cancelled the trip.

Leng Vang

Liked your motto. :)