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Your identity ≠ Your code

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1–10 of 39 posts

Re: Your identity ≠ Your code

#2
I agree, and I think this is probably a response to the recent post that stated GitHub can be your resume.

However, one thing I've learned in recent tech interviews, and I'm a senior developer, is that if you don't provide good code in those interviews, you will fail those interviews. Therefore, regardless of the method you use to hack, you better be prepped for writing some solutions to well known problems quickly and easily if you want a job.

Re: Your identity ≠ Your code

#3
On the other hand, your code is definitely a part of your identity, and projects that are awesome got that way because people poured themselves into their work. For me, only the pieces I'm passionate about become part of my identity.

Re: Your identity ≠ Your code

#4
The good part: You get more compelled to improve your programming skills and style. The bad part: Lot of procrastination and fear of rejection.

I think that just loving the process of developing and solving problems is a better approach.

Re: Your identity ≠ Your code

#5
post #3

On the other hand, your code is definitely a part of your identity, and projects that are awesome got that way because people poured themselves into their work. For me, only the pieces I'm passionate about become part of my identity.

Yeah, and in terms of getting a job, I think it's well-accepted that your code reflects how good you are as a developer...

Re: Your identity ≠ Your code

#6
Everybody else is a brainwashed imbecil. I wrote a kernel and compiler.

The genius academics fall for useless faggot languages because those languages tickle their faggot bone. Is it really better to alphabetize your soup cans or is hashing okay? Is ever stricter typechecking better et nauseam?

Linus programs in C. Peter Gadwa banned ASM macros. Wise experienced programmers know not every feature is good to use. I banned preprocessor #define functions in LoseThos -- didn't make them.

A 10,000 line program is fine with global variables. If you disagree you are a brainwashed faggot who cannot reason for yourself.

Namespaces on a program of 10,000 lines? Is more namespaces better, et nausea?

I used to think C++ operators were cool. They only make sense fo linear algebra and complex numbers, though.

I loath the STL. See my sort demo to be blown away. It will shock you. http://www.losethos.com/LTHtml/Demo/MultiCore/RadixSort.html By not using a library I got a factor of 5 speed-up.

Code reuse is very rare. Don't make tiny source files. Put all header entries in one file.

Re: Your identity ≠ Your code

#7
post #3

On the other hand, your code is definitely a part of your identity, and projects that are awesome got that way because people poured themselves into their work. For me, only the pieces I'm passionate about become part of my identity.

Yeah, and in terms of getting a job, I think it's well-accepted that your code reflects how good you are as a developer...

That's true, but my job isn't my identity either.

Re: Your identity ≠ Your code

#9
The easiest way to open yourself up to accepting criticism is to realize you are not the smartest person in the room, so to speak. It is never about being the smartest person because at some point even the smartest person will be replaced. I've learned to accept criticism by realizing that it's not about where I am now but where I am going. As long as I can look back on code I've written in the past and think to myself that I could do better now then I feel I'm headed in the right direction. Criticism then becomes a tool to keep me on course and I am grateful to receive it.

(But only if it comes from someone genuine of course... ignoramus' are an unfortunate reality we all have to learn to cope with).

It can be hard to learn to accept criticism of our code. So much emphasis is put on being the smartest or the brightest person. All too often I hear people at start-ups and companies say things like, "We only hire the best people." (To which I smile and wish them luck). A lot of effort is put into evaluating code in order to determine the worth of a programmer so I hardly find it surprising that it is common to conflate code with intelligence (or random computer science trivia for that matter).

I really appreciate articles like this. I think people should be a little more bold and creative when they sit down to write a program. It doesn't hurt to be impractical once in a while. Or absurd, witty, or whimsical. It should be something to be enjoyed, studied, and improved over time.

All that being said there is room for improvement in how we deliver criticism as well. A few less pejoratives would be helpful. As well as having something constructive to say. It's not always about ranking people according to some ideal standard.

Re: Your identity ≠ Your code

#10

The easiest way to open yourself up to accepting criticism is to realize you are not the smartest person in the room, so to speak. It is never about being the smartest person because at some point even the smartest person will be replaced. I've learned to accept criticism by realizing that it's not about where I am now but where I am going. As long as I can look back on code I've written in the past and think to myse…

Giving graceful criticism is as hard as gracefully accepting criticism. That's what I liked about this article -- decoupling the person from the code on both sides of the equation. My favorite line is "Criticize the code, not the developer".
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