The Metaprogrammer • Hacker News Board

Re: The Metaprogrammer

#31

Post by sagischwarz » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 10:37 AM UTC

This effect is observable not only in the programming community, but in many others. Best example would be photography, where people spend much more time discussing their equipment and the newest lenses instead of going out and actually take pictures.

I had to experience this for myself when searching for new hobbies. With most of them, I spent most time with the meta, e.g., which fountain pen to use for my writing or what the best ball bearings for my skateboard are.

I think in comes down to "I want to be a writer, but I don't want to write. I want to be a photographer, but I don't want to take pictures. I want to be a skateboarder, but I don't actually want to skate." Why I want to be something but not actually practice the trade is another question (prestige, self-identification?). I wonder if others have experienced the same.

Re: The Metaprogrammer

#32

Post by kayoone » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 10:39 AM UTC

MichaelBurge wrote: post #20

taurath wrote: post #5

Ah the never ending lament about programmers asking for nice things. Sorry, $4k in capital costs for someone you're paying well into 6 figures for to make your business exist isn't that bad. A fast pc is necessary depending on what you're doing - making knowledge workers more comfortable effects their output.

> for someone you're paying well into 6 figures for My first programming job was $32k/year out of college(this was in 2011).

even then, as you are probably not employed for only 1 year (in which case the perks could be transferred to someone else) the costs for a good setup are negligible compared to the total mount spent on a developer.

Re: The Metaprogrammer

#33

Post by DanielBMarkham » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 10:41 AM UTC

"...he would only ever consider someone to be a good programmer if they had a twitch livestream about programming..."

I don't do twitch. Come back to me in ten years if it's still around, maybe I'll have time for it.

But I make videos of my programming and add commentary as I go. I doubt anybody watches it, but I found it most enjoyable -- makes me think and vocalize each thing that I'm doing. Plus it gives me a good excuse to talk to myself.

Re: The Metaprogrammer

#34

Post by V-2 » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 10:47 AM UTC

"If they don't have the shiniest Apple MacBook then they can't work. Never mind that their job involves typing letters into a text file, something you could have done on CP/M back in '78"

I don't want an Apple at all, but I do want a beefy machine because my job doesn't only involve typing text you see - for instance I also need to build the result of all that typing, and if it takes ages, guess what, the time I waste waiting for it to complete is not worth whatever money they cleverly save by supplying me a "CP/M from '78"

"To insult a new hire by providing only a single 4:3 monitor? I can't work like this."

I can work like this, but I prefer two monitors. How much does a monitor cost anyway? Having two displays is much more convenient.

I can program sitting on a kitchen chair, but I prefer an ergonomic office chair, because I spend a large part of my life at work and I see no reason why it should feel uncomfortable.

Oh, how pampered I am!

"- You were lucky to have a LAKE! There were a hundred and sixty of us living in a small shoebox in the middle of the road.

- Cardboard box?

- Aye.

- You were lucky. We lived for three months in a brown paper bag in a septic tank."

etc.

Re: The Metaprogrammer

#35

Post by douche » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 10:57 AM UTC

sguav wrote: post #29

> Gotta have that 40" monitor, it's essential, can't work without it And I was thinking I ought to be content with my 27"

Eh, you just need four of them, so you have (effectively) a 54" monitor...

Re: The Metaprogrammer

#36

Post by TurboHaskal » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 11:00 AM UTC

So I should be guilty for asking for a silent working atmosphere, a decent laptop and perhaps a second screen while the execs get the latest iteration of the iPhone every year. Right.

Re: The Metaprogrammer

#37

Post by berntb » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 11:02 AM UTC

dasmoth wrote: post #26

berntb wrote: post #7

Come on now, we real metaprogramming wimps carry our own keyboards with us and don't even bother to complain about the one provided. :-) Otoh, as an Emacs user my mouse costs about as much as one of the black espressos I exclusively drink for coffee. :-) Edit: This made me feel like the wimp I am. Time to stop the singer songwriters on my headphones and play some black metal. (And go to the gym for deadlifts or squat…

With a real, live, META key?

I don't think I've even seen that key since I was a student... "Das Keyboard" have that? Should order.

(Just got the best feel I could find in the stores. I paid 70 Euros, maybe not cheap but fram from extreme. I only play a snob on internet. :-) )

Re: The Metaprogrammer

#38

Post by chrisweekly » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 11:10 AM UTC

DanielBMarkham wrote: post #33

"...he would only ever consider someone to be a good programmer if they had a twitch livestream about programming..." I don't do twitch. Come back to me in ten years if it's still around, maybe I'll have time for it. But I make videos of my programming and add commentary as I go. I doubt anybody watches it, but I found it most enjoyable -- makes me think and vocalize each thing that I'm doing. Plus it gives me a good…

Got links to share?

Re: The Metaprogrammer

#39

Post by livarot » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 11:13 AM UTC

sagischwarz wrote: post #31

This effect is observable not only in the programming community, but in many others. Best example would be photography, where people spend much more time discussing their equipment and the newest lenses instead of going out and actually take pictures. I had to experience this for myself when searching for new hobbies. With most of them, I spent most time with the meta, e.g., which fountain pen to use for my writing o…

Audiophiles - probably the most prominent example of them all.

Re: The Metaprogrammer

#40

Post by gaius » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 11:13 AM UTC

This is funny because no-one bats an eyelid at an "executive" demanding a corner office, an expense account, a company Mercedes, to fly first class... But God forbid a humble worker should beg for scraps.