And that was over-confidence after a good start. Abandoned letter finding and went straight into word guessing on the second try. My last guess was lucky as there were still several possibilities. Wordle 1,211 6/6 🟧🟧🟧⬜⬜ 🟧🟧🟧⬜⬜ 🟧🟧🟧⬜⬜ 🟧🟧🟧⬜⬜ 🟧🟧🟧⬜⬜ 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

The spec I just received sounds like it came from your guy. In a nutshell, it was: - Remove hard coded Customer Type from routines A and B. - Hard code Customer Type in routine C. There was literally, no explanation as to why/what the problem was - and not one example. The coding took about 15 minutes. I then asked him for pointers on how to test - and this is what I got back: "The Customer Type is incorrectly set to 'X' which results in the wrong value in the transaction". :confused:

Sander Rossel wrote:

Of course there are also many companies who shudder in fear of the idea that a developer and a user are in direct contact with each other.

and sometimes they're right! :-D

I've been in software development a long, long time. And I've always believed that the Analyst Programmer role was the best option, when it comes to getting things done. I should qualify that: - an Analyst Programmer needs to have a good understanding of both the business and the technology/systems - by "best", I mean most efficient. This was borne out a couple of jobs back, when the software development team I was working in, consisted of experienced developers - and Analysts who had less understanding of the business, (than the developers), and no understanding of the technology/systems. Invariably, on receipt of a spec, developers would need to: identify actual requirements by talking to users; correct half-baked ideas that weren't in line with the technolgy; and devise their own testing. Analysts were actually making the whole job more difficult. Most - if not all - of the senior developers would have provided a quicker/better solution if they had done the analysis and spec work themselves. Yeah. Analyst Programmers. Don't get me wrong. There are developers who shouldn't be let near a spec... or a user... and, in some cases, a keyboard. But they are the exception. But there is one "blind spot" that a developer needs to overcome before taking on any sort of analysis role. Fast forward to today. I'm currently doing a few small jobs for a big company that has a small development team... and a "Solutions Architect". The Solutions Architect has been with the company for many years; started there as a programmer; has an in-depth understanding of both the business and the technology; and produces all the specs. But... His mind-set is 100% that of a developer He has that "blind spot". And it's right there in his job title. What I want from a spec is a clear explanation of the problem - ideally with examples, that can provide the basis for testing. Want I don't want from a spec is just a solution. It's an easy trap to fall into. Developers tend to be fixers/solvers of problems - i.e. solution providers. If you can't explain the problem - the "why we need to do this" - you shouldn't be producing specs. Remember... this just MHO. :)

I thought this might be a bit boring, but it was genuinely fascinating. I'm not a Beethoven, (or Mozart) fan but can still appreciate their talent - whether it be natural or by virtue of hard work. Thank you for the insight.

Yep! Quora is horrible - and the original post was exactly the sort of thing you get on there. Basically, clickbait. Apart from the link to the article, there was nothing. I'm guessing it was an attempt to get some hits on the article. If it was a genuine attempt to discuss the merits of calculus, the original poster made zero effort. Opinion - none. Background to article - none. Summary - none. Just stick in the link and send us all off to read it. And - maybe - if the article had had some value, I wouldn't be so :wtf: But it didn't. :sigh:

Short answer: YES. The long answer, (from the long article you linked to) is DUNNO. OK... that's not a long answer either. The real long answer, is: the article is really about whether including calculus in a Computer Science degree is: a) a good idea b) necessary c) putting students off taking CS degrees. (a) and (B) weren't really answered and (c) was: yeah. it is putting people off CS So my conclusions are: - this question would have been more suitable to Quora than Code Project - the article linked to, was very long and mainly pointless - cats are better than dogs - just as relevant as all the other %$&*. :laugh:

Before I got to be a Computer Programmer, I spent four years as a Mechanical Engineer. I've never understood why "engineer" got thrown into the mix. I was happy with "programmer". And fine with "Software Developer". But no... "engineer" is a bit of a stretch. :confused: I'm with your dad on this.

I'm a plotter/planner - not a 'pantser'. Although that's not going exactly as I expected either. I had it all mapped out - down to the chapter level. And actually wrote the final chapter - so knew exactly where I was headed. And then... A few weeks back, someone asked: "How's the book going?" I replied: "Two more chapters to go." Since then, I've written four more chapters, (and revised some of the earlier ones), and I still have two more chapters to go! :confused: Again, very much like software development. :)

... well that's the "plan". I'm technically, between contracts - but, more realistically, probably at the end of the road of a forty year career in software development. So of course, I thought... I'll write a novel - a fiction novel, in fact. Doesn't everyone? Well it's not all fun and games trying to be an author. I started on a new chapter... five lines in and I'm thinking: 1. Does that look right? 2. Is this how it should start? 3. What happens next. 4. Is this really a chapter? Just like programming, I guess! :)

If you had to pick a song that described you, what would it be? I'll kick things off with mine: I can't help about the shape I'm in I can't sing, I ain't pretty and my legs are thin But don't ask me what I think of you I might not give the answer that you want me to Oh well This describes me so well... I probably think this sone is about me... don't I. :-D

For me the most important piece of equipment is a really good office chair. Don't skimp on that. Beyond that I'm minimalist. No printer - why would I want to print stuff, when I can see it on my monitor. No fancy power stuff - just a 6-way extension lead. And my desk is 24" x 48". That minimalist approach, means I can easily move between my summer and winter offices. In the summer, I use a large, west-facing, unused dining room, which overlooks my back garden. The concrete floor means that it is always cool - even on the hottest of summer days. In the winter I move up to a tiny bedroom - which means I can keep warm without breaking the bank.

Many, many years ago, I worked for a Computer Supplies company - who at that time, were predominantly mail order. I'm sure many of you received one of their catalogues. Emblazoned across the front cover of one of their monthly catalogues, (sent out to nearly 500,000 recipients), was: "Get 10 for the price of 11" Yes, it was a mistake - but we actually got quite a few people placing orders! :confused:

It's been pretty much flat out work for me for the last 18 months - which is why I've not been on CP very often. But my contract is up and I'm planning on chilling for a few weeks. So side projects have taken a back seat, but when I have the time, and energy, I can usually find some DIY stuff to keep me busy. But my "guilty pleasure" is US politics. Yeah, I know politics is a taboo subject on here - so I'll try to stay non-partisan. First of all, I should declare: I'm not an American and I don't live in the US - so I have no vested interest. But, ever since a reality TV show host got made President, I've been "rubber-knecking" like someone who can't take their eyes of a nasty accident! :-D There's plenty wrong with politics here in the UK, but our friends across the pond, take it to a whole new level. :omg:

Now, that's a nice solution: Wordle 899 3/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟧🟧🟧⬜ 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

Pleasing to the eye? Wordle 899 3/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟧🟧🟧⬜ 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

Wordle 823 5/6 🟧⬜🟧🟧🟧 🟧⬜🟧🟧🟧 🟧⬜🟧🟧🟧 🟧⬜🟧🟧🟧 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 Yep. Me too. Annoying!

Phew! It looks like we all had the same problem. Wordle 733 6/6 ⬜🟧🟦🟦🟦 ⬜🟧🟧🟧🟧 ⬜🟧🟧🟧🟧 ⬜🟧🟧🟧🟧 ⬜🟧🟧🟧🟧 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

Some of the most "artistic" developers I've worked with cannot comprehend the results of their "red paint." Yep! Nailed it. :thumbsup:

Yeah, I've come across my fair share of developers, who you might consider to be artists - if you think abstract squiggles are art! And in amongst those squiggles, are some lovely, (artistic?) booby-traps, that the rest of us have to watch out for. In my experience, the developers with genuine practical abilities are the ones that develop code I would be most happy to pick up. I would take someone who can build a house over someone with a degree in Art, every time. Good developers are artisans, not artists.

Wordle 670 2/6 ⬜🟦🟦🟦⬜ 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 I know what you mean. I wasn't expecting my 2nd try to be bang on.