ARGH! What a week! (Warning, kinda long)
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This week was not kind to me. Maybe some of this stuff happens to you all normally, but I'm pretty new to doing software development professionally, and I really hope it's not like this. *begin long story* I got given a half-formed component of this much larger component for one of our products. Since I'm new, I'm still learning all the ins-and-out of the project structure that everyone else seems to take for granted. So I've got this (badly IMHO) half-written project that my manager needs to me to finish up. Sure, sounds easy enough. But he wants it done quickly. I can do that. So I go on my merry way, following the spec that someone else has laid out. Too bad that the designer didn't get other higher-ups to agree to it. So the spec gets changed. Five times in five days. So each day, I change it to be use listctrl, then to a editable combobox, to a child dialog, back to drop-down listbox, so separate dialogs... each time having to plough through unfamilar code for retrieving the information. What ticked me off most of all was the code churn involved: after five days, I had basically no new code to show for it (shoulda just played freecell all day instead!). :-D So, I'm done. Or at least think I am. I go and get the team's architect to review my code. He's the only one who has the authority to approve code before being checked it (which is just silly). Too bad that he has a full schedule and get never get around to see my code for a day or two. Finally, he looks it over. Doesn't like it: wants me to do a more thorough job of separation of Data and UI. Ok, I can do that. So I do (more days pass). Need another code review. He still doesn't like a few things and there (nevermind the fact that he doesn't understand WHY i'm using a map in a certain place, he just wants me to use an array (would just make things a hell of a lot more complicated) by doesn't explain why and won't accept my reasons). :mad: FINALLY get it approved. I go then check it all in. Promptly break the build (we do them daily). Proceed to run around trying to figure out what I did wrong. Seems that the main problem was a relative path was incorrect (don't ask me how this problem never came up before I checked it in). You break the build and suddenly everyone knows your name. So they all come my cube with "you broke the build" comments. What a great feeling to have all this people you're supposed to working with telling you that you f*cked up, when you KNOW that already. Turns out that the relative path issu
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This week was not kind to me. Maybe some of this stuff happens to you all normally, but I'm pretty new to doing software development professionally, and I really hope it's not like this. *begin long story* I got given a half-formed component of this much larger component for one of our products. Since I'm new, I'm still learning all the ins-and-out of the project structure that everyone else seems to take for granted. So I've got this (badly IMHO) half-written project that my manager needs to me to finish up. Sure, sounds easy enough. But he wants it done quickly. I can do that. So I go on my merry way, following the spec that someone else has laid out. Too bad that the designer didn't get other higher-ups to agree to it. So the spec gets changed. Five times in five days. So each day, I change it to be use listctrl, then to a editable combobox, to a child dialog, back to drop-down listbox, so separate dialogs... each time having to plough through unfamilar code for retrieving the information. What ticked me off most of all was the code churn involved: after five days, I had basically no new code to show for it (shoulda just played freecell all day instead!). :-D So, I'm done. Or at least think I am. I go and get the team's architect to review my code. He's the only one who has the authority to approve code before being checked it (which is just silly). Too bad that he has a full schedule and get never get around to see my code for a day or two. Finally, he looks it over. Doesn't like it: wants me to do a more thorough job of separation of Data and UI. Ok, I can do that. So I do (more days pass). Need another code review. He still doesn't like a few things and there (nevermind the fact that he doesn't understand WHY i'm using a map in a certain place, he just wants me to use an array (would just make things a hell of a lot more complicated) by doesn't explain why and won't accept my reasons). :mad: FINALLY get it approved. I go then check it all in. Promptly break the build (we do them daily). Proceed to run around trying to figure out what I did wrong. Seems that the main problem was a relative path was incorrect (don't ask me how this problem never came up before I checked it in). You break the build and suddenly everyone knows your name. So they all come my cube with "you broke the build" comments. What a great feeling to have all this people you're supposed to working with telling you that you f*cked up, when you KNOW that already. Turns out that the relative path issu
Atlantys wrote: So... Is this a typical week for people? Hummm , let'me think, this one is difficult , scratching one more time the head, losing some more valuable hair ... and the answer is yes !!! I'm having doing this and much worser since I began to work in programming on january ,1999 ... :( Cheers,Joao Vaz And if your dream is to care for your family, to put food on the table, to provide them with an education and a good home, then maybe suffering through an endless, pointless, boring job will seem to have purpose. And you will realize how even a rock can change the world, simply by remaining obstinately stationary.-Shog9
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This week was not kind to me. Maybe some of this stuff happens to you all normally, but I'm pretty new to doing software development professionally, and I really hope it's not like this. *begin long story* I got given a half-formed component of this much larger component for one of our products. Since I'm new, I'm still learning all the ins-and-out of the project structure that everyone else seems to take for granted. So I've got this (badly IMHO) half-written project that my manager needs to me to finish up. Sure, sounds easy enough. But he wants it done quickly. I can do that. So I go on my merry way, following the spec that someone else has laid out. Too bad that the designer didn't get other higher-ups to agree to it. So the spec gets changed. Five times in five days. So each day, I change it to be use listctrl, then to a editable combobox, to a child dialog, back to drop-down listbox, so separate dialogs... each time having to plough through unfamilar code for retrieving the information. What ticked me off most of all was the code churn involved: after five days, I had basically no new code to show for it (shoulda just played freecell all day instead!). :-D So, I'm done. Or at least think I am. I go and get the team's architect to review my code. He's the only one who has the authority to approve code before being checked it (which is just silly). Too bad that he has a full schedule and get never get around to see my code for a day or two. Finally, he looks it over. Doesn't like it: wants me to do a more thorough job of separation of Data and UI. Ok, I can do that. So I do (more days pass). Need another code review. He still doesn't like a few things and there (nevermind the fact that he doesn't understand WHY i'm using a map in a certain place, he just wants me to use an array (would just make things a hell of a lot more complicated) by doesn't explain why and won't accept my reasons). :mad: FINALLY get it approved. I go then check it all in. Promptly break the build (we do them daily). Proceed to run around trying to figure out what I did wrong. Seems that the main problem was a relative path was incorrect (don't ask me how this problem never came up before I checked it in). You break the build and suddenly everyone knows your name. So they all come my cube with "you broke the build" comments. What a great feeling to have all this people you're supposed to working with telling you that you f*cked up, when you KNOW that already. Turns out that the relative path issu
Kind of - but not so bewildering. The beginning of anything sucks, but it sounds like you know what you're doing, and should do well. Soon you will know how to phrase questions to your manager, how your systems work, and WON'T be the new guy anymore :-D It can only get better. When I first started my current job I reckon I was asking - probably annoying - questions about 4 times a day. Now I have it down to about once a week. Pretty much everything else I know how to handle because I know how the firm works - and for the things I don't, I know my boss better and can ask him in a way that he digests easily, and can help me more efficiently without losing his own total thread of thought. Hang in there - you are not alone :cool:
Dave Goodman on funny error messages:
It is a definite no-no to run BITMAP as a user command. Your nose will grow, your lawn will die, your hair will fall out, and your first-born will marry an aardvark. Shame on you! -
This week was not kind to me. Maybe some of this stuff happens to you all normally, but I'm pretty new to doing software development professionally, and I really hope it's not like this. *begin long story* I got given a half-formed component of this much larger component for one of our products. Since I'm new, I'm still learning all the ins-and-out of the project structure that everyone else seems to take for granted. So I've got this (badly IMHO) half-written project that my manager needs to me to finish up. Sure, sounds easy enough. But he wants it done quickly. I can do that. So I go on my merry way, following the spec that someone else has laid out. Too bad that the designer didn't get other higher-ups to agree to it. So the spec gets changed. Five times in five days. So each day, I change it to be use listctrl, then to a editable combobox, to a child dialog, back to drop-down listbox, so separate dialogs... each time having to plough through unfamilar code for retrieving the information. What ticked me off most of all was the code churn involved: after five days, I had basically no new code to show for it (shoulda just played freecell all day instead!). :-D So, I'm done. Or at least think I am. I go and get the team's architect to review my code. He's the only one who has the authority to approve code before being checked it (which is just silly). Too bad that he has a full schedule and get never get around to see my code for a day or two. Finally, he looks it over. Doesn't like it: wants me to do a more thorough job of separation of Data and UI. Ok, I can do that. So I do (more days pass). Need another code review. He still doesn't like a few things and there (nevermind the fact that he doesn't understand WHY i'm using a map in a certain place, he just wants me to use an array (would just make things a hell of a lot more complicated) by doesn't explain why and won't accept my reasons). :mad: FINALLY get it approved. I go then check it all in. Promptly break the build (we do them daily). Proceed to run around trying to figure out what I did wrong. Seems that the main problem was a relative path was incorrect (don't ask me how this problem never came up before I checked it in). You break the build and suddenly everyone knows your name. So they all come my cube with "you broke the build" comments. What a great feeling to have all this people you're supposed to working with telling you that you f*cked up, when you KNOW that already. Turns out that the relative path issu
Sounds like an incredibly dippy process they have. 1 single person to review everyones code ? Talk about a bottle neck. A build that breaks (mysteriously) because of a relative path issue seems kinda flaky, though the daily build process is nice to see. he doesn't understand WHY i'm using a map in a certain place, he just wants me to use an array (would just make things a hell of a lot more complicated) by doesn't explain why and won't accept my reasons) Hmm, stuff like this generally seems easy enough to explain either way (in my experience, maybe I am just lucky ). Dictating is one thing, but dictating and not ensuring that folks know why the thing needs to work a certain way is just asking for trouble and resentment. I would be frustrated by this situation as well, but like you said, some of this is undoubtedly growing pains. :) Hope next week is better! ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire!
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Sounds like an incredibly dippy process they have. 1 single person to review everyones code ? Talk about a bottle neck. A build that breaks (mysteriously) because of a relative path issue seems kinda flaky, though the daily build process is nice to see. he doesn't understand WHY i'm using a map in a certain place, he just wants me to use an array (would just make things a hell of a lot more complicated) by doesn't explain why and won't accept my reasons) Hmm, stuff like this generally seems easy enough to explain either way (in my experience, maybe I am just lucky ). Dictating is one thing, but dictating and not ensuring that folks know why the thing needs to work a certain way is just asking for trouble and resentment. I would be frustrated by this situation as well, but like you said, some of this is undoubtedly growing pains. :) Hope next week is better! ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire!
Jim Crafton wrote: A build that breaks (mysteriously) because of a relative path issue seems kinda flaky It's a pretty cool idea (from what I understand of it, which, obviously, isn't much). But instead of using dsw/dsp and make files, everything stored in this XML file. Then, when you want to generate the workspace/make files, there're these python scripts to will walk to XML tree, and create the dsw, etc. for you. So it's pretty cool, especially for cross-platform work. The thing is, if you use the wrong path, then the dsw is generated incorrectly, so your source can't be found.. Or, in my case, the lib files can't be found, so the link fails. :(( Jim Crafton wrote: 1 single person to review everyones code ? Talk about a bottle neck. Only 1 person on my team (~10 people including manager, who doesn't code at all). For the other teams working on the product, everyone can review everyone else's code, but for some reason, our team has to have everything go by buddy first. :confused: I wish I had the balls to ask why, but it seems like such a "you insolent pup"-type question. :-D
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This week was not kind to me. Maybe some of this stuff happens to you all normally, but I'm pretty new to doing software development professionally, and I really hope it's not like this. *begin long story* I got given a half-formed component of this much larger component for one of our products. Since I'm new, I'm still learning all the ins-and-out of the project structure that everyone else seems to take for granted. So I've got this (badly IMHO) half-written project that my manager needs to me to finish up. Sure, sounds easy enough. But he wants it done quickly. I can do that. So I go on my merry way, following the spec that someone else has laid out. Too bad that the designer didn't get other higher-ups to agree to it. So the spec gets changed. Five times in five days. So each day, I change it to be use listctrl, then to a editable combobox, to a child dialog, back to drop-down listbox, so separate dialogs... each time having to plough through unfamilar code for retrieving the information. What ticked me off most of all was the code churn involved: after five days, I had basically no new code to show for it (shoulda just played freecell all day instead!). :-D So, I'm done. Or at least think I am. I go and get the team's architect to review my code. He's the only one who has the authority to approve code before being checked it (which is just silly). Too bad that he has a full schedule and get never get around to see my code for a day or two. Finally, he looks it over. Doesn't like it: wants me to do a more thorough job of separation of Data and UI. Ok, I can do that. So I do (more days pass). Need another code review. He still doesn't like a few things and there (nevermind the fact that he doesn't understand WHY i'm using a map in a certain place, he just wants me to use an array (would just make things a hell of a lot more complicated) by doesn't explain why and won't accept my reasons). :mad: FINALLY get it approved. I go then check it all in. Promptly break the build (we do them daily). Proceed to run around trying to figure out what I did wrong. Seems that the main problem was a relative path was incorrect (don't ask me how this problem never came up before I checked it in). You break the build and suddenly everyone knows your name. So they all come my cube with "you broke the build" comments. What a great feeling to have all this people you're supposed to working with telling you that you f*cked up, when you KNOW that already. Turns out that the relative path issu
I don't envy you. It's tough being the new guy. When I started at my current job (initially as a consultant), I was 'working for' this guy who was developing a control application for the company's new product. I was supposed to help him finish it, since he was running behind. After digging through his code for a couple of days, I couldn't figure out how he managed to get it to compile, much less run. This guy did things like
#define void int
for God's sake! He wrote macros for everything, and all data was global. I spent a couple of weeks getting more and more frustrated. Every time I added a new piece of code, it broke something in this guy's stuff. Finally, the powers-that-be decided to take this guy and put him on another part of the project, leaving me all on my lonesome. I took everything this guy had written, and the stuff I had done to go with it, archived it, and started over. The end of the story: I hired in with this company full-time twelve years ago. That application (the new one I wrote) is still being sold, even though it's an MS-DOS application and it's not been updated since 1999. The moral is, it gets better. Gary R. Wheeler
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This week was not kind to me. Maybe some of this stuff happens to you all normally, but I'm pretty new to doing software development professionally, and I really hope it's not like this. *begin long story* I got given a half-formed component of this much larger component for one of our products. Since I'm new, I'm still learning all the ins-and-out of the project structure that everyone else seems to take for granted. So I've got this (badly IMHO) half-written project that my manager needs to me to finish up. Sure, sounds easy enough. But he wants it done quickly. I can do that. So I go on my merry way, following the spec that someone else has laid out. Too bad that the designer didn't get other higher-ups to agree to it. So the spec gets changed. Five times in five days. So each day, I change it to be use listctrl, then to a editable combobox, to a child dialog, back to drop-down listbox, so separate dialogs... each time having to plough through unfamilar code for retrieving the information. What ticked me off most of all was the code churn involved: after five days, I had basically no new code to show for it (shoulda just played freecell all day instead!). :-D So, I'm done. Or at least think I am. I go and get the team's architect to review my code. He's the only one who has the authority to approve code before being checked it (which is just silly). Too bad that he has a full schedule and get never get around to see my code for a day or two. Finally, he looks it over. Doesn't like it: wants me to do a more thorough job of separation of Data and UI. Ok, I can do that. So I do (more days pass). Need another code review. He still doesn't like a few things and there (nevermind the fact that he doesn't understand WHY i'm using a map in a certain place, he just wants me to use an array (would just make things a hell of a lot more complicated) by doesn't explain why and won't accept my reasons). :mad: FINALLY get it approved. I go then check it all in. Promptly break the build (we do them daily). Proceed to run around trying to figure out what I did wrong. Seems that the main problem was a relative path was incorrect (don't ask me how this problem never came up before I checked it in). You break the build and suddenly everyone knows your name. So they all come my cube with "you broke the build" comments. What a great feeling to have all this people you're supposed to working with telling you that you f*cked up, when you KNOW that already. Turns out that the relative path issu
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This week was not kind to me. Maybe some of this stuff happens to you all normally, but I'm pretty new to doing software development professionally, and I really hope it's not like this. *begin long story* I got given a half-formed component of this much larger component for one of our products. Since I'm new, I'm still learning all the ins-and-out of the project structure that everyone else seems to take for granted. So I've got this (badly IMHO) half-written project that my manager needs to me to finish up. Sure, sounds easy enough. But he wants it done quickly. I can do that. So I go on my merry way, following the spec that someone else has laid out. Too bad that the designer didn't get other higher-ups to agree to it. So the spec gets changed. Five times in five days. So each day, I change it to be use listctrl, then to a editable combobox, to a child dialog, back to drop-down listbox, so separate dialogs... each time having to plough through unfamilar code for retrieving the information. What ticked me off most of all was the code churn involved: after five days, I had basically no new code to show for it (shoulda just played freecell all day instead!). :-D So, I'm done. Or at least think I am. I go and get the team's architect to review my code. He's the only one who has the authority to approve code before being checked it (which is just silly). Too bad that he has a full schedule and get never get around to see my code for a day or two. Finally, he looks it over. Doesn't like it: wants me to do a more thorough job of separation of Data and UI. Ok, I can do that. So I do (more days pass). Need another code review. He still doesn't like a few things and there (nevermind the fact that he doesn't understand WHY i'm using a map in a certain place, he just wants me to use an array (would just make things a hell of a lot more complicated) by doesn't explain why and won't accept my reasons). :mad: FINALLY get it approved. I go then check it all in. Promptly break the build (we do them daily). Proceed to run around trying to figure out what I did wrong. Seems that the main problem was a relative path was incorrect (don't ask me how this problem never came up before I checked it in). You break the build and suddenly everyone knows your name. So they all come my cube with "you broke the build" comments. What a great feeling to have all this people you're supposed to working with telling you that you f*cked up, when you KNOW that already. Turns out that the relative path issu
Read some of Terry Pratchetts Discworld books, you will understand them :suss: Elaine (sympathetic fluffy tigress) Would you like to meet my teddy bear ?