Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Resolutions for programmers (2012)

matt.might.net

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 228 posts

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#141

Post by scruple »

jacquesm wrote: post #84
CaptSpify wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Remember though: A lot of computer-engineers are good with ideas, not their hands |;)

Lots of computer engineers are good and some even great with their hands. And with the older generation that skews even further towards being good with both (after all, you needed a soldering iron + skills first if you wanted to learn how to program).

Thankfully there are still plenty of places where skills like programming and soldering intersect in the "modern era." I also feel (maybe I should say I hope) that we'll see a resurgence in this set of skills in the future as the old guard starts to retire (soon).

I was fortunate to have started my career in the embedded world. I eventually got in to the habit of bringing my laptop and prototypes with me to the lab every morning so that I could stop all of the back-and-forth walking when I needed to attach a lead to a pad, etc...

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#142

Post by xbryanx »

slaunchwise wrote: post #107
richmt wrote: post #48

On the health note, the single most beneficial thing I did for myself this year was to start lifting. 6 months ago I started committing 3 days a week to a strength training program which I've strictly followed since. Making gains in the gym has motivated me to sleep better and eat better which both have had huge effects on every aspect of my life. Not only that, but the exercise has helped a ton with anxiety I've had…

If you're new to weightlifting, this is a simple, effective entry point: http://stronglifts.com/5x5/ You use 5 compound exercises and work out 3 times per week. Recommendation is to start as light as possible.

The shovelglove is another great quick and dirty way to get into lifting:

http://www.shovelglove.com/

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#143

Post by TeMPOraL »

mysterypie wrote: post #103
richmt wrote: post #48

On the health note, the single most beneficial thing I did for myself this year was to start lifting. 6 months ago I started committing 3 days a week to a strength training program which I've strictly followed since. Making gains in the gym has motivated me to sleep better and eat better which both have had huge effects on every aspect of my life. Not only that, but the exercise has helped a ton with anxiety I've had…

> I urge everyone here to take up lifting Everyone I've spoken to got into lifting because they think it gets girls. They won't admit it directly or perhaps realize it themselves, but a series of questions leads to women: Of all types of exercise, why weights? -> So then why do you need to be toned? -> OK, then why do you need to look good in a T-shirt, or at bars, or in your profile pic? -> Because women like it. Pr…

Maybe this is a case where geek interests and casual interests converge. Some people may literally be doing for chicks. Personally, I'm about to start because a) I want to be healthier (= longer life and better life quality in old age) and stronger (= more capabilities), and b) because it's efficient. I have shit ton of things I'd love to do in little time that's left after dealing with work and other people, so I want to minimize time spent on things that I don't care about per se, but only seek their outcomes.

Oh, and c), I heard it helps with depression.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#144

Post by steinsgate »

Anilm3 wrote: post #39

Very interesting article! I like the fact that you mentioned Prolog as one of the less mainstream languages to learn. During my time at uni I found that both Haskell and Prolog really changed the way I approached different problems and gave me a high level perspective to problem solving. Some interesting resources to learn Prolog: # http://www.swi-prolog.org/ # http://people.cs.kuleuven.be/~bart.demoen/PrologProgramm…

I did some Prolog programming too for fun, and boy! it requires a complete paradigm shift in thinking! For those unfamiliar with Prolog, Prolog is very different from procedural programing languages. In procedural languages like C and Python, we assign values to variables and ask the computer to do operations on them. In logical programming langauges like Prolog and LISP, we tell the computer truth values of a list of statements, and ask the computer to check truth values of other statements using the provided list. In the past, Prolog and LISP aimed to become the go to language for Artificial Intelligence programming. Sadly, not many people use them any more.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#145

Post by innocentoldguy »

richmt wrote: post #48

On the health note, the single most beneficial thing I did for myself this year was to start lifting. 6 months ago I started committing 3 days a week to a strength training program which I've strictly followed since. Making gains in the gym has motivated me to sleep better and eat better which both have had huge effects on every aspect of my life. Not only that, but the exercise has helped a ton with anxiety I've had…

I agree with you on weight training. I would also recommend taking the time to learn to lift correctly. I see a lot of people at the gym lifting in ways that can do a lot of damage, especially to one's back and knees. I would also recommend free weights over machines, since they require more balance.

I think it is also worth looking at kettlebells and gymnastic rings. Here are some good exercises using gymnastic rings. They're a bit challenging at first, but worth the effort, I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrFB9AV3VMg

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#146

Post by turaw »

mosburger wrote: post #20

#3 Embrace the Uncomfortable - one thing I did a few years ago that might fall into this category (as an American) is start using the 24h clock. It makes working w/ remotes a lot easier because you become good at doing the +12 math and knowing which hour it represents. :)

As a fun bonus, you also get to have a daily 1337 o'clock celebration!

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#147

Post by neogodless »

cabinpark wrote: post #76
richmt wrote: post #48

On the health note, the single most beneficial thing I did for myself this year was to start lifting. 6 months ago I started committing 3 days a week to a strength training program which I've strictly followed since. Making gains in the gym has motivated me to sleep better and eat better which both have had huge effects on every aspect of my life. Not only that, but the exercise has helped a ton with anxiety I've had…

I was very lucky, growing up, to be the son of a sports medicine doctor because, from birth, healthy eating and exercise and their benefits were grilled into my brain. Unfortunately I see too many people in my job (academia) who don't exercise despite the huge potential benefits to their productivity and life. So this makes me wonder: what is it about exercise that turns people off? Is it a communication issue? Is it…

Feedback.

We immediately enjoy entertainment. We clean because we see a mess, clean it, and see a nice clean area. We enjoy food right now.

Even if enough time has gone by to see the ill effects of neglecting health, it's still only a (strained) mental connection. We give up eating junk food and we go to the gym, but we still feel lousy two days later.

The feedback from healthy habits is generally slow, so you need some kind of form of lasting motivation or, more helpful, grit.

Start with grit. Determine that you'll do something miserable for 21 days before giving up. If that thing provides positive feedback within 21 days, you might actually stick to it.

For that reason, a combination of efficient workouts (full body / chain movements with sufficient loads) as well as the necessary sleep and diet improvements can work within 21 days.

We often "pick 1" when it comes to changing habits, but this is a case where you might want to pick 3 or 4 that all work well together, and try to stick to them for 21 days. But it all starts with grit.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#148

Post by grecy »

mysterypie wrote: post #103
richmt wrote: post #48

On the health note, the single most beneficial thing I did for myself this year was to start lifting. 6 months ago I started committing 3 days a week to a strength training program which I've strictly followed since. Making gains in the gym has motivated me to sleep better and eat better which both have had huge effects on every aspect of my life. Not only that, but the exercise has helped a ton with anxiety I've had…

> I urge everyone here to take up lifting Everyone I've spoken to got into lifting because they think it gets girls. They won't admit it directly or perhaps realize it themselves, but a series of questions leads to women: Of all types of exercise, why weights? -> So then why do you need to be toned? -> OK, then why do you need to look good in a T-shirt, or at bars, or in your profile pic? -> Because women like it. Pr…

> Everyone I've spoken to got into lifting because they think it gets girls.

I think it's common for a lot of guys to start lifting for that reason, especially when they're younger. Lifting helps immensely with posture, confidence, overall happiness, energy levels, etc. etc. which does actually help "get girls", even if you don't get "jacked".

As time goes on, that becomes less important and all the other benefits shine through. The reason I've been lifting for 10 years is because of how it makes me feel - I walk out of the gym feeling a million bucks, I sleep like a rock, and my neck/back never give me trouble.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#149

Post by innocentoldguy »

henrik_w wrote: post #45
gregdoesit wrote: post #10

I would put stay healthy and invest in your health (chair, standing desk, exercise, food) as the #1 for any programmer for next year, and the years after. It's all too easy for us to forget about the long lasting effects of sitting in front of a computer that are hard to later undo.

Get ergonomic keyboard and mouse (laptops are terrible ergonomically), and get a break program to remember to take breaks. I didn't, and was fine for over ten yeares, before I started to have bad RSI problems. I managed to get well, but it took a lot of effort and time: http://henrikwarne.com/2012/02/18/how-i-beat-rsi/

I used to have to wear a brace on my right wrist and had pain in my right shoulder from typing all day. Ergonomic keyboards helped, but the two things that virtually eliminated the problem for me were switching to a rollerball or trackpad, and learning the Dvorak keyboard layout. Using a trackpad eliminated the motions that were causing pain in my shoulder, and learning Dvorak made it so my fingers didn't have to move around as much, which helped my wrists a lot.

Some other ergonomic changes that I have found helpful are to use a standing desk with a monitor arm and placing my monitor so I'm looking slightly up.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#150

Post by alfapla »

richmt wrote: post #48

On the health note, the single most beneficial thing I did for myself this year was to start lifting. 6 months ago I started committing 3 days a week to a strength training program which I've strictly followed since. Making gains in the gym has motivated me to sleep better and eat better which both have had huge effects on every aspect of my life. Not only that, but the exercise has helped a ton with anxiety I've had…

Don't want to be the negative guy, but sometimes I wonder why people would spend their physical energy on gym equipment while you may just as well learn a construction skill that leaves a tangible result and has some use in the real world - like bricklaying, plastering walls or wiring electricity.

Just my 2 cents, if you enjoy your gym all the better for you. But I also think that many people give up because they find it boring.

Post reply on HN