Code sober, get things done drunk

Code sober, get things done drunk
alexmuir.com

Let me quantify good enough a little better. I am a perfectionist, I tend to write my code methodically and slowly and over-think and overanalyse every last line, I refuse to write a piece of code if I don't think it is good enough.

When I drink alcohol it takes away all of the above and lets me just write the damn code. Most of the time (there have been times that I've been closer to drunk than sober) the code works exactly as required and it passes code reviews without issues. It compiles, it works, and is the "perfect" code for the situation. Sure three months down the line it may need to be re-factored a little bit to add a new feature that was decided on by management, but in the mean time it has shipped.

Now, please don't take my example and think that you can become a better programmer by simply going out and buying a bottle of vodka. It most likely won't work. Should you give it a try? Sure, what have you got to lose? Just don't become dependant on alcohol as a way to function in everyday life. Been there done that, and it is not pleasant at all.

I find that after a beer or two I'm much more likely to stay motivated to work on the same project, rather than procrastinating or switching to something else. Keep in mind that the line between there and being drunk can be surprisingly thin.

(Homebrewing and working from home are a great combination to find yourself drinking when you shouldn't be)

If you write 20 lines of BS code, it does not really matter. Thanks to your VCS you revert and finito. On the hand, one wrong email can haunt you, because it affects people. There is no undo.