Do Software Developers get Emotionally Attached to their code?
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
To my own personal code, yes, and that's why I still have zip files of pascal code that I wrote in the mid-80's (that I haven't looked at since I zipped it up in the early 90's). As far as work goes, more of my code is no longer used than is currently being used, and I don't give a rat's ass.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013 -
Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
Of course it's like a baby! I can't wait for it to leave home and never get in touch again except for the odd family reunion I'd rather not go to anyway... :doh:
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
Winston Churchill, 1944
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Never argue with a fool. Onllokers may not be able to tell the difference.
Mark Twain -
To my own personal code, yes, and that's why I still have zip files of pascal code that I wrote in the mid-80's (that I haven't looked at since I zipped it up in the early 90's). As far as work goes, more of my code is no longer used than is currently being used, and I don't give a rat's ass.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
To my own personal code, yes, and that's why I still have zip files of pascal code that I wrote in the mid-80's (that I haven't looked at since I zipped it up in the early 90's). As far as work goes, more of my code is no longer used than is currently being used, and I don't give a rat's ass.
Same here, with the addition that I am very glad that some of the stuff that I was forced to work on can't be traced back to be now. I was very careful about that. And I also have a few 40 year old yellowed sheets of paper with my first machine code program. Did not really work. The graphics leave the video buffer and move right into the program code (crash and burn). Very discouraging if you have to type everything in and have no way to save it. Not even cassette tapes at first.
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
Very good question. There are a couple of extremes here and I find them related to DevOps and Ownership. 1. Mic-Drop Software I wrote the thing. I'm out! This could/would be fun in many ways. Just writing code and sending it into the world and never looking back. Just make sure the money is in the bank account. That's all that matters. Obviously, Mic-Drop Software is for two types: 1. Genius Software Architects who write bug-free software 2. Posers who sell an idea, get paid and run 2. Complete Ownership Do not touch my code. If it breaks at 3am I will fix it. If it breaks at 3am because of a change you made, YOU will fix it! Team Ownership Somewhere in the middle of these two is a TEAM of people who work together so software doesn't bother them at 3am. But it's difficult to get a team to own something together. This one is based upon trust, social work, liking coworkers, knowing coworkers are intelligent, etc.
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
My personal code stash is like my babies even though they're aged(old & obsolete) & in coma(sleeping in archive)
thatraja
Coming soon1 | Coming soon2 | Coming soon3New
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
No, not really. Sometimes I go "Wow this works!!" but that is probably it.
I'd rather be phishing!
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
I think that attachment is proportional to time spent on it. If it's a program that I whipped up in a couple of hours or a day, I really don't care. Now, if it's code that I spent months working on it, of course I get a little attached.
if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); } Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
I do but just a little. The vast majority of what I have done has been automation systems and it is interesting to find that most of them are still in operation today, making the chips that go into our computers, phones, tablets, and who knows what else. I guess that's not exactly emotional attachment. They are thoughts similar to wondering how the kids are today.
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
One of our team developer had a logger class which was wrote so many years ago and uses in every project needed. It used to open a file every time log method is called write line and close the file, another dev in my team modified the implementation for improvement purpose, and the original author didn't like that, the statement was : "I had been using this class since xx years ago and i am used to it, why have you modified it" and that dev then had to undo the changes to get it back to the original version :laugh:
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You have to learn to let it go
Caveat Emptor. "Progress doesn't come from early risers – progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." Lazarus Long
If only it would! :doh:
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
Winston Churchill, 1944
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Never argue with a fool. Onllokers may not be able to tell the difference.
Mark Twain -
You have to learn to let it go
Caveat Emptor. "Progress doesn't come from early risers – progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." Lazarus Long
is that Latin in all your code comments?
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My personal code stash is like my babies even though they're aged(old & obsolete) & in coma(sleeping in archive)
thatraja
Coming soon1 | Coming soon2 | Coming soon3New
same here :laugh:
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Attached? No chance. But judging from the responses so far I might be in the minority here. :wtf:
Everyone is born right handed. Only the strongest overcome it. Fight for left-handed rights and hand equality.
Why would you waste your precious time on writing something you don't care about?
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
Yes
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Why would you waste your precious time on writing something you don't care about?
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
Young ones maybe.
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Wondering on this? is it your baby or just the means to a livin'?
No. I never get attached to the code I write. I might be proud or apologetic about my accomplishment, but the code itself, no. Emotional attachment to the code itself usually means people start to act protective of it and create a boundary to keep others out. That kind of behavior is a red flag to me to get someone else into that code pronto. In every case I've seen where there's code that's considered off limits because it's someone's "baby", it has meant that they're doing it to hide how poor of a developer they are.
I live in Oregon, and I'm an engineer.
