97% of my time is spent debugging(other people’s code), profiling, reading code, working on automation etc.
The larger system you work on, the larger fraction is spent on non-coding. I happen to work on a source base of ~14 million LoC.
Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
131–140 of 316 posts
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#132What does "coding" exactly mean here?
If we include the whiteboarding and sketches, I'm coding all the time! If we're talking about literally inputting code, well it's because it's very difficult to solve hard problems without some sort of planning first.
Also, administration of issue trackers, etc. Meetings. Helping a coworker. Writing documentation. Waiting on a response from a 3rd party vendor, etc.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#133Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#134Because my compiles take to long - just noticed this. My compile takes a minute or so, so I flick to hacker news, reddit etc while waiting, then what was I doing...
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#135[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#136Because Coding is not Working. Coding is not Planning. Coding is not Being Efficient. Coding is not Accomplishing Goals. Coding is not Saving Money. Coding is not Gaining Customers. I am getting paid to get things done in a good manner. If I wanted to have a house built for me, I would not expect to pay somebody and immediately have them start laying bricks without them looking at the land, taking soil samples, sketc…
If you look at the referenced website, you'll see you're taking the question pretty seriously. To the comic author: I think your work is funny, keep it up!
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#137Because Coding is not Working. Coding is not Planning. Coding is not Being Efficient. Coding is not Accomplishing Goals. Coding is not Saving Money. Coding is not Gaining Customers. I am getting paid to get things done in a good manner. If I wanted to have a house built for me, I would not expect to pay somebody and immediately have them start laying bricks without them looking at the land, taking soil samples, sketc…
Indeed. It's like asking "why aren't you nailing pieces of wood together?" or "why aren't you moving your right bicep?".
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#138When you do contracting, you outline a maximum number of hours you can charge. It's usually You don't usually get overtime or benefits, so working more than ~120% time sets a bad precedent. (It's good to do right by your clients, and people appreciate not being specifically billed for small things) Setting aside time to not-work is a good hedge against getting over-committed, especially since individual contracts can…
> When you do contracting, you outline a maximum number of hours you can charge. It's usually Is this really the norm? I was under the impression that charging 30+ hours can easily happen. Especially if the contract is for longer term and it's practically a mini-employment.
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Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#139If I write code when I feel physically unwell or tired, I have to undo it later.
If I wander HN in the same mental fugue state, I often find things that save me effort later.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't you coding?
#140I'm way too tired.