Because I'm waiting for another developer to finish his part of the code that my part of the code is supposed to talk to.
Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
21–30 of 316 posts
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#22I'm constantly bombarded with "quick" questions from coworkers about how some part of my code works (or more often why it doesn't). After several such interruptions it's harder and harder to even try to focus, maybe some kind of neurosis, fear of being interrupted once you are again in flow?
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#23[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#24I'm constantly bombarded with "quick" questions from coworkers about how some part of my code works (or more often why it doesn't). After several such interruptions it's harder and harder to even try to focus, maybe some kind of neurosis, fear of being interrupted once you are again in flow?
I just get bombarded with the likes of "Excuse me, but how do I view the code behind an SQL view?"
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#25Thinking through a very complex and delicate concept, trying to come up with the best way to solve it. It's been a few weeks.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#26Working on a project that is being wound down due to lack of sales but the remaining tasks are asinine compliance requirements imposed by the new parent company - we have been acquired recently - that are "non-negotiable" even when the project is going to be sunset soon. Management also is dragging its feet in finding a new project for me. Motivation to play along is low. Working from home as single is doing its own part. Management doesn't seem as isolated because they're in calls all day or have family.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#27I am paid to solve problems, programming is one part of that, thinking about the problem and the code is a prerequisite to programming. Sometimes one needs to step back and let things sink in rather than continuous action (programming)... while doing that you can even play games, I'll admit some activities are better than others for the purpose of de-focusing your subconscious - but sometimes you also just need a sho…
That period of time between 5 and 9 the next morning is actually there for the mental break you mentioned before. I'm not advocating a very strict separation between work and free time, but if the line between the two blurs too much (made easier by home office), your work might completely invade your free time, which isn't good either...
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#28I am paid to solve problems, programming is one part of that, thinking about the problem and the code is a prerequisite to programming. Sometimes one needs to step back and let things sink in rather than continuous action (programming)... while doing that you can even play games, I'll admit some activities are better than others for the purpose of de-focusing your subconscious - but sometimes you also just need a sho…
That period of time between 5 and 9 the next morning is actually there for the mental break you mentioned before. I'm not advocating a very strict separation between work and free time, but if the line between the two blurs too much (made easier by home office), your work might completely invade your free time, which isn't good either...
> work might completely invade your free time
Yes, I agree but also feel it's a natural risk for any cognitive work. But not every day feels very effective forcing work hours for me, it's a hard balance, one I usually ensure stays in check with some outdoor activities that are currently not allowed :/
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#29The most common reason I'm blocked from coding is that I'm still doing the analysis necessary to figure out what needs to be coded. Examples:
- I am currently not coding because I have a profile running, to figure out which part of the code I'm working on is slow before fixing it.
- Shortly after pandemic lockdowns, I was not coding because my employer had a problem, and we could only come up with two solutions to it. Both were very high-touch, in the sense that either would require hundreds of dev-hours divided across at least a dozen individual developers. I was not coding for about two weeks there because I was the one tasked with doing an inventory of all that work, so we could make an informed decision about which solution to pursue.
The other way of putting this: The job of a software engineer is not just (or often even mostly) coding.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#30I'm constantly bombarded with "quick" questions from coworkers about how some part of my code works (or more often why it doesn't). After several such interruptions it's harder and harder to even try to focus, maybe some kind of neurosis, fear of being interrupted once you are again in flow?
I just get bombarded with the likes of "Excuse me, but how do I view the code behind an SQL view?"
Ehh, mine are typically very valid, specific and informed questions. I'm blessed with very smart coworkers, but we are seriously understaffed and documentation is lacking. When you "own" very big lightly documented system, questions happen.