What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type? • Hacker News Board

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#81

Post by Igelau » Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 5:18 PM UTC

jonathanyc wrote: post #58

rntz wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the author is trying to exploit doctors to get clicks. I think they're expressing genuine anger and frustration with the healthcare systems they've encountered and the dismissal they've experienced from doctors in those systems.

A doctor telling you they don’t know what the root cause of your problem is is not dismissal, unless all of the author’s doctors are acting in bad faith. I was sad to hear that because of my bone structure in my wrists I will have to be very careful when typing for the rest of my life in order to avoid the pain coming back. I didn’t swear at my doctor when he told me that.

It wasn't just that, but the doctor was also closing down all of her options, eliminating pain management, and ignoring all her medical records and telling her she's delusional.

I'd say it's bad faith to so boldly screw someone over like that when you know they physically can't punch your face in for it.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#82

Post by TheSpiceIsLife » Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 5:19 PM UTC

raidicy wrote: post #74

I have a very similar issue. I tried to use Vocola and it worked for a while but then i kept straining my voice. I recently had to quit school because I've strained my voice and hands too many times to count. But its not just my hands anymore. Anything that involves any amount of real effort for more than a few minutes usually ends up injuring a muscle group. Has anyone successfully come back from something like this…

What, if any, strength building activities do you do that target any area of your body?

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#83

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 5:20 PM UTC

stevekemp wrote: post #41

tcoff91 wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try doing some rock climbing either outdoors or at the rock gym. Fixed my hand pain real quick.

In my case too much bouldering caused forearm pain that lasted for two years. Didn't stop me from typing, but it did have a significant impact on my daily life :/

[deleted]

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#84

Post by jroro93jdj » Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 5:21 PM UTC

csallen wrote: post #25

This story resonates. A few years back I was dealing with mild pain while coding. I stupidly ignored it for months as it got significantly worse, to the point where it became impossible to type for extended periods. I tried lots of things. My doctor did a nerve conduction study, which apparently ruled out carpal tunnel syndrome, but he wasn't much help beyond that. He gave me some straps that I slept in and wore arou…

Re: dragonfly

Surely a bespoke and custom solution is do-able with ML anymore?

At least for me, I’m down to Python, and Go as my daily driver languages. I lean heavily into reusable code and can solve a lot of problems with imports from git sources (everyone all on about DRY and write less code, right?)

Feels like a reasonably constrained problem set to organize a few sequences of voice commands around.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#85

Post by Benjamin_Dobell » Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 5:22 PM UTC

tcoff91 wrote: post #28

csallen wrote: post #25

This story resonates. A few years back I was dealing with mild pain while coding. I stupidly ignored it for months as it got significantly worse, to the point where it became impossible to type for extended periods. I tried lots of things. My doctor did a nerve conduction study, which apparently ruled out carpal tunnel syndrome, but he wasn't much help beyond that. He gave me some straps that I slept in and wore arou…

Try doing some rock climbing either outdoors or at the rock gym. Fixed my hand pain real quick.

As someone whose had RSI for about 6 years and managed it well enough for work; bouldering would be literally impossible for me.

Microsoft split keyboard, footrest and proper chair with adjustable armrests allow me to work with minimal pain, and I work long/after hours frequently. Prior to sorting out that setup I took a month of work because I was in so much pain, which returned as soon as I returned to work (without the ergo setup).

Playing games, playing guitar (sadly) or using tools like screwdrivers for even a short period of time does not end well for me. I absolutely still do each of these in moderation, and I would love to go rock climbing! It's just highly unlikely to be enjoyable after the first few minutes.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#86

Post by mwiethoff » Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 5:23 PM UTC

raidicy wrote: post #74

I have a very similar issue. I tried to use Vocola and it worked for a while but then i kept straining my voice. I recently had to quit school because I've strained my voice and hands too many times to count. But its not just my hands anymore. Anything that involves any amount of real effort for more than a few minutes usually ends up injuring a muscle group. Has anyone successfully come back from something like this…

I was in a similar boat a few years ago. I had to leave my job a because of an RSI—it was devastating to lose both my career and my passion to this injury. My solution was to switch to coding by voice, and I've been doing that full-time for the past year. I did notice some voice strain at the start, but it went away after I started speaking more naturally (i.e., pretending I'm talking to a person and not a computer).

I'm working on a new voice coding app—developing it entirely by voice—that I hope can help people in this situation: https://serenade.ai. I'd be happy to chat more with you; my email is matt@serenade.ai.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#87

Post by stickfigure » Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 5:24 PM UTC

jonathanyc wrote: post #58

rntz wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the author is trying to exploit doctors to get clicks. I think they're expressing genuine anger and frustration with the healthcare systems they've encountered and the dismissal they've experienced from doctors in those systems.

A doctor telling you they don’t know what the root cause of your problem is is not dismissal, unless all of the author’s doctors are acting in bad faith. I was sad to hear that because of my bone structure in my wrists I will have to be very careful when typing for the rest of my life in order to avoid the pain coming back. I didn’t swear at my doctor when he told me that.

The author swore at the doctor who said "it's all in your head". Which, frankly, seems like a pretty reasonable response.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#88

Post by gimp » Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 5:25 PM UTC

raidicy wrote: post #74

I have a very similar issue. I tried to use Vocola and it worked for a while but then i kept straining my voice. I recently had to quit school because I've strained my voice and hands too many times to count. But its not just my hands anymore. Anything that involves any amount of real effort for more than a few minutes usually ends up injuring a muscle group. Has anyone successfully come back from something like this…

Suffice it to say you're not alone.

I'm not anywhere near 100%. But I'm finally on my way there, after many years of negative or zero progress.

Above all else, fight to maintain hope that your situation can improve.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#89

Post by TheSpiceIsLife » Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 5:29 PM UTC

armada651 wrote: post #35

tarsinge wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Psychosomatic diseases are a real thing though. You can have real physical symptoms. Last year my muscles started to « shake », with lots of skipped heartbeats (extrasystoles). After all the checks the doctors said the classic « it’s stress ». Well then I took a real break and embarked on multi month road trip on another continent. The symptoms disappeared nearly overnight. I think I experienced a burnout but it mani…

Regardless of whether you think the advice from the GP is sound or not, the best way to get a doctor to listen to you is to listen to (and follow) their advice first. Cursing at them out of frustration only makes your situation worse.

That has the possibility of working out disastrously if the doctors first recommendation is surgery, when physical therapy (rest + strengthening) ought to have been the first prescription.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#90

Post by marcinzm » Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 5:30 PM UTC

tedunangst wrote: post #43

m12k wrote: post #10

That story of how the doctors just dismissed her pain as delusion is terrifying. Doctors are supposed to be people of science, but one of the very fundamentals of science is to acknowledge that you don't know everything, that your current knowledge is just a theory that can be improved upon. I find there's a tendency among doctors to think they know every possible disease, and if someone comes along with one that doe…

Would it be better if the doctors told patients the condition is idiopathic?

In this case yes because then the patient could seek further experts who might be able to identify a cause. By labeling it psychosomatic you are forcing a path of treatment even if it's not the right path.