Signs that you are a bad programmer • Hacker News Board

Re: Signs that you are a bad programmer

#131

Post by thewisedude » Thu, Oct 20, 2011, 3:56 AM UTC

mcantor wrote: post #39

I wish articles like this would namespace their assertions by telling us what they mean by "good" or "bad", so we could avoid the perennial echo chamber debate that goes like this: A: GOOD MEANS SHIPPING AND PLEASING YOUR CUSTOMERS B: NO YOU FOOL! GOOD MEANS WRITING CLEAR CODE THAT OTHER HACKERS CAN READ C: NO YOU FOOLS! GOOD IS A HAPPY MEDIUM BETWEEN BOTH OF THOSE THINGS D: DEBATE IS HARD, LET'S GO SHOPPING! God for…

Thanks dude... everybody has their own evaluation criteria in their mind (which is not disclosed) and people start calling things good or bad. Most of the debates end up being a very unscientific way of evaluating something!

Re: Signs that you are a bad programmer

#132

Post by vogonj » Thu, Oct 20, 2011, 4:00 AM UTC

Zaak wrote: post #121

Androsynth wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At the hardware level it's called the program counter, which is a register containing the address of the current operation the processor is running. After the operation is finished, it increments itself and moves to the next step in the program. Edit: just realized I didn't really answer the question, I believe what your actually talking about is a statement. I usually jump at the chance to talk about stuff from my o…

The program counter isn't the only element of that "what the program is doing now" state though. The context in which the current instruction is being executed makes a world of difference.

inclusive of that, the best term is probably "machine state" or similar.

Re: Signs that you are a bad programmer

#133

Post by madrox » Thu, Oct 20, 2011, 4:01 AM UTC

There are no bad programmers. Just bad programs.

Re: Signs that you are a bad programmer

#134

Post by Void_ » Thu, Oct 20, 2011, 5:29 AM UTC

> (OOP) Writing lots of "xxxxxManager" classes that contain all of the methods for manipulating the fields of objects that have little or no methods of their own

How about writing lots of xxxxController classes that manipulate objects that have little methods of their own.

Re: Signs that you are a bad programmer

#135

Post by gorbachev » Thu, Oct 20, 2011, 5:47 AM UTC

jakejake wrote: post #116

joe_the_user wrote: post #72

The problems described by the article are certainly real problems I've seen and seem like an indications of someone who indeed hasn't taken the time to deeply understand the programming process. But the term "bad programmer" and the general attitude of the article seems deeply mean-spirited, I would rather work with an actual "bad programmer" than with the kind of person who'd spend their time thinking up "alternativ…

In my experience just about everybody fancies themselves a great programmer and considers anybody who doesn't know (insert semi-random list of skills) to be a shitty programmer. I kinda think it's like the Roth test for obscenity. I can't really explain what makes a shitty programmer, but "I know it when I see it."

I don't know about that.

Most people I've worked with over the years have understood their limitations and would never consider themselves great, with the possible exception of half a dozen or so folks, who truly are great.

There have, of course, been exceptions, too.

Re: Signs that you are a bad programmer

#136

Post by nostrademons » Thu, Oct 20, 2011, 5:57 AM UTC

rickmb wrote: post #3

The opposite approach is much simpler. There's only one sign that you are a great programmer: Clients and fellow programmers are still happy with your work two years after you've delivered it. (Of course: "still" implies that they we're happy at delivery, which includes actually shipping working software in a timely fashion.)

That could also be a sign that you work in an industry that doesn't change very much.

Re: Signs that you are a bad programmer

#137

Post by skrebbel » Thu, Oct 20, 2011, 6:09 AM UTC

What a condescending piece of junk. It serves absolutely no other purpose than to make programmers who do grok everything mentioned feel good about themselves.

Worse yet, programmers who could actually benefit from an article like this (i.e. programmers who shouldn't be programmers) won't understand it. E.g. "(Functional) Creating multiple versions of the same algorithm to handle different types or operators, rather than passing high-level functions to a generic implementation" - a bad programmer won't understand what is meant here, so he will simply skip over it and not get the hint.

Finally, I find the notion that you can't be a good programmer if you've never really used Lisp laughable.

Re: Signs that you are a bad programmer

#138

Post by crag » Thu, Oct 20, 2011, 6:21 AM UTC

warmfuzzykitten wrote: post #126

kno wrote: post #31

oh my! I love when you recommend specific career base on specific issues. You made my day! I can't stop laughing. "Bag Lady" seriously looool

I agree with joe_the_user. I found the article snide and condescending. I suggest alternative careers for the author: - Leader of a high school clique - Movie reviewer who concentrates on who's "in" - Coiner of demeaning nicknames I wouldn't want to work with this person.

I agree too. I found it arrogant and very condescending.

But his alternative career section is humorous.

Re: Signs that you are a bad programmer

#139

Post by chegra » Thu, Oct 20, 2011, 6:27 AM UTC

It's easier to fix the technology than to fix the users. I don't think in my wildest dreams I could walk away from a program I created and say the user of said program is bad. I would find a way of fixing it. Programs should serve users, not the other way around. Likewise, Programming Languages should serve Programmers. Clearly, we aren't properly being serviced if programming makes us constantly look bad.

Re: Signs that you are a bad programmer

#140

Post by wnight » Thu, Oct 20, 2011, 6:53 AM UTC

nhangen wrote: post #124

bmj wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The other problem with this is that you never have the opportunity to improve the business, either. Often, management wants the rank and file to improve processes ("because they know them best") but it's hard to find the time for that when you're already working full time (and more) on your deliverables.

No doubt. In fact, this is exactly what happened to me today. I'm supposed to have great ideas, but when trying to implement them, told that I need to focus on paying the bills. I don't know how people manage this long-term.

By jumping ship and landing at a less-dysfunctional workplace.

If their business plan doesn't include time for improvements of the processes it's a failure. Leave now. Don't try to make up for their mistakes. They won't see it (positively), let alone reward you for it.

Do good for your old co-workers by recruiting the good ones into the more-functional company.