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Ask HN: Do you hate software engineering but love programming?

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Re: Ask HN: Do you hate software engineering but love programming?

#481
Most of the software engineering jobs have the same process you described.

But if you are into putting together new projects, possibly you might enjoy working at small consulting companies who are into building prototypes/MVPs.

But if you join a company at post MVP, you might not get what you enjoy doing.

Optionally, there will be some pure R and D jobs, which may not have the same processes that come with software engineering but you might have to read a lot of theory though.

Re: Ask HN: Do you hate software engineering but love programming?

#483
I’ve always enjoyed “programming in the small” more than “programming in the large”, especially when the latter is in a position where I am part of a huge machine shipping a huge product to a large number of users, which has been most of my career.

Re: Ask HN: Do you hate software engineering but love programming?

#484
post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Was Aristotle misogynistic? Yes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle%27s_views_on_women

The introductory paragraph makes it seem like the extent of your claim is he noticed the same behavioral trend as most psychology surveys: > Among women's differences from men were that they were, in his view, more impulsive, more compassionate, more complaining, and more deceptive. He gave the same weight to women's happiness as to men's, and in his Rhetoric stated that society could not be happy unless women were h…

You are a misogynist. This is literally the first sentence. Your post is shamefully misleading.

> Aristotle saw women as subject to men, but as higher than slaves, and lacking authority; he believed the husband should exert political rule over the wife.

Re: Ask HN: Do you hate software engineering but love programming?

#485
To be completely honest it sounds like being a trust fund baby is the right "job" for you.

It sounds like you just want to stay in your comfort zone, not do anything that your don't consider "fun", and don't want to learn anything you're not comfortable with, and don't want to think about the future or any of the rest of your company.

Re: Ask HN: Do you hate software engineering but love programming?

#486
post #95

> I have come to a realization that I don't really enjoy Software Engineering(& the processes that it comes with) but I do love programming & solving problems. I can almost guarantee that you’re just at the wrong company. Some software companies can turn even the simplest tasks into a grueling series of processes, endless meetings, and joint work across a big number of “stakeholders”. These companies will take the jo…

Not enough process can be a pain too. "Just do this for us" without specific requirements, and then the thing you've built is never good enough and needs to be continually refined anyway or it's never used. Those environments are also soul crushing, just in a different way from the ones with too much process.

You're assuming they're mutually exclusive.

I've had all of the ceremonies and no AC on plenty of tickets.

Re: Ask HN: Do you hate software engineering but love programming?

#487

I am the exact opposite. I mean, I don’t like processes and meetings, but I do like the planning and architecture part much more than I like actually writing code. Usually, if your mind is decently organized, I find that the problem is solved before writing a single line of code. If that happens, then the actual part of writing becomes dull and mechanical - the problem has already been solved. I’ve never understood p…

It’s interesting how opposite people in nominally the same profession can be.

If the problem is solved before I write code I’m not really interested in writing code. I crave problems that require experimentation, where the solution isn’t obvious.

On the other hand, it’s a reason I have trouble completing projects. Once I prove to myself it’s feasible I get bored with finishing it…

Re: Ask HN: Do you hate software engineering but love programming?

#488

I am the exact opposite. I mean, I don’t like processes and meetings, but I do like the planning and architecture part much more than I like actually writing code. Usually, if your mind is decently organized, I find that the problem is solved before writing a single line of code. If that happens, then the actual part of writing becomes dull and mechanical - the problem has already been solved. I’ve never understood p…

I’m with you. Everything gets scribbled out on paper before I touch the keyboard. And I’ve documented most of the solution before finishing half the code. It’s niche that we can find a niche at least :)

Re: Ask HN: Do you hate software engineering but love programming?

#489

I am the exact opposite. I mean, I don’t like processes and meetings, but I do like the planning and architecture part much more than I like actually writing code. Usually, if your mind is decently organized, I find that the problem is solved before writing a single line of code. If that happens, then the actual part of writing becomes dull and mechanical - the problem has already been solved. I’ve never understood p…

Hmm, I often feel lots of important details or edge cases are only discovered when you start programming. It's a reason waterfall was abandoned. Planning, prototyping and then making a more informed decision is my goto approach, instead of planning forever. Actually, I often feel the architects that think they've "fully solved the problem" are full of themselves, and just not smart enough to realize all the things th…

True, so if you’re a planning type of person, you need to have realistic expectations about your unknown unknowns. Humility helps. But the people who go straight to the keyboard to figure it out as they go can spin their wheels just as bad.
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