Dispelling myths about the autistic programmer • Hacker News Board

Re: Dispelling myths about the autistic programmer

#161

Post by bjourne » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 9:27 PM UTC

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #128

bjourne wrote: post #24

With all the discrimination and bullying going around, I think it is good that someone has something nice to say about autistic programmers. Like Ian Murdock who founded Debian and recently committed suicide had Asperger's Syndrome. Despite obvious impressive technical skills, life probably wasn't easy for him. Most companies favor hiring average programmers that fit the mold over "weird people" even if they are amaz…

> Most companies favor hiring average programmers that fit the mold over "weird people" even if they are amazing at their work. If Microsoft is doing the opposite and targets autistic programmers, then good for them! I see no reason to complain about that. Recognizing the strengths of autistic coders is great. Doing it specifically and explicitly because you think they're easier to abuse is a big problem. I have a fr…

Why do you think Microsoft is abusing autistic programmers? It is not everyone that thinks working hard and long hours is abuse. At least not if they are compensated fairly for their time.

Re: Dispelling myths about the autistic programmer

#162

Post by dang » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 9:35 PM UTC

55acdda48ab5 wrote: post #110

salgernon wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I think". "I believe". "Seemingly deliberate". And yet a statement: Autism results from brain and metabolic damage. Do you think this, believe it, or just think it seems true? Do you have an autistic relative or one that has been diagnosed as aspergers, bipolar or schizophrenic? What skin do you have in this discussion? Your post seems to ask for an interpretation by "truthyness", but your facts are not in evidence.

I can remove the qualifiers if you prefer. I have reams of facts rooted in physiology but this isn't the forum for that. You sound like a serious sperg. I like the term and find it useful, but I won't pretend for a second it's medical.

We've banned this account for breaking the HN guidelines.

Please stop making new accounts to break the HN guidelines with.

Re: Dispelling myths about the autistic programmer

#163

Post by PhasmaFelis » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 9:59 PM UTC

solotronics wrote: post #156

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Sperg" is a derogatory term for people with Aspergers. Jackmott clearly means well, but it's odd to use it in this context.

I self identify as a sperg lord. The term is hilarious to me at least (wait.. not realizing something is offensive is a sign of Aspergers?)

There's several things I self-identify as that I wouldn't want a stranger calling me.

Re: Dispelling myths about the autistic programmer

#164

Post by fridsun » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 10:11 AM UTC

klipt wrote: post #138

bjourne wrote: post #24

With all the discrimination and bullying going around, I think it is good that someone has something nice to say about autistic programmers. Like Ian Murdock who founded Debian and recently committed suicide had Asperger's Syndrome. Despite obvious impressive technical skills, life probably wasn't easy for him. Most companies favor hiring average programmers that fit the mold over "weird people" even if they are amaz…

> I can say that almost all rapists are men. Obviously a tangent, but this strongly depends on how you define rape. Recent CDC studies find that a huge number of men report being "made to penetrate" women against their will. Most normal people would classify this (sex against your will) as rape, but the CDC only classified it as "sexual assault". Unsurprisingly, if you define men being forced to have sex with women a…

I always thought sexual assault IS rape. How are they different?

Re: Dispelling myths about the autistic programmer

#165

Post by EliRivers » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 3:43 PM UTC

wbl wrote: post #83

EliRivers wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trade-offs. The negatives of autism are pretty clear; what are the advantages?

I actually like flapping my hands, nerding out about things, and being me. I wouldn't want to be someone different, even if that different person had an easier time buying pants, and wouldn't have gotten bullied as much in elementary school. Oh, and I read at rates beyond what is commonly cited as the physical limit, after teaching myself to read before kindergarden. Some people with very real impairments are against…

I can understand why one would enjoy the release of hand-flapping if one needs it, but I can't really class it as a benefit of being autistic.

Likewise others things that you enjoy; other people enjoy other things. Having preferences isn't some kind of benefit of autism.

Re: Dispelling myths about the autistic programmer

#166

Post by teddyc » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 3:55 PM UTC

Tobold wrote: post #145

lucio wrote: post #5

What's the myth that's being "dispelled"? I see the "Alex St. John's infamous PowerPoint" image, pasted in the article, as more valuable than the entire article. St John is harsh an direct, and seems to contain more objective true than the entire article. Maybe another trait related to high-IQ+autism is a profound disregard for political correctness. Is St.John diagnosed with autism? Maybe the part of the brain dedic…

The funny thing is, all of my friends with autism are fiercely political. If you asked me, I'd probably say people with autism were MORE political than those without. Of course, none of my friends with autism work in software.

The concept of "fairness" is a big deal to people on the spectrum. I could see that leading to strongly held political ideologies.

Re: Dispelling myths about the autistic programmer

#167

Post by klipt » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 6:11 PM UTC

fridsun wrote: post #164

klipt wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can say that almost all rapists are men. Obviously a tangent, but this strongly depends on how you define rape. Recent CDC studies find that a huge number of men report being "made to penetrate" women against their will. Most normal people would classify this (sex against your will) as rape, but the CDC only classified it as "sexual assault". Unsurprisingly, if you define men being forced to have sex with women a…

I always thought sexual assault IS rape. How are they different?

Sexual assault also covers things like someone groping someone else's backside or chest in public without permission. Most people wouldn't consider those rape.

Re: Dispelling myths about the autistic programmer

#168

Post by nikdaheratik » Tue, Jul 12, 2016, 2:02 AM UTC

Found a link to this paper yesterday on the topic and it's very interesting: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2016.00.... Not close to the final word on Autism, but it does a good job of showing how both the causes, and the way the syndrome plays out in individuals, are much more complicated than media portrayals.

Re: Dispelling myths about the autistic programmer

#169

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jul 12, 2016, 2:57 AM UTC

duaneb wrote: post #157

mads wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Someone named "Monte Davidoff" seems to have helped them.

I was referring to the original Microsoft basic, not basic itself. I can understand the confusion.

[deleted]

Re: Dispelling myths about the autistic programmer

#170

Post by mads » Wed, Jul 13, 2016, 3:43 PM UTC

serge2k wrote: post #79

mads wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, he could read a spec and I read this before. Dont get me wrong. I have a lot of respect for both Joel and Bill Gates. I just dont see this particular incident as anything special. Bill Gates didn't actually do anything except annotate the spec and throw some ideas out there.

> I have a lot of respect for both Joel and Bill Gates. Except you question his technical ability, ignore/excuse evidence of said ability, and call him a narcissist.

Yeah well, sorry about that.