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It Takes 6 Days to Change 1 Line of Code

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Re: It Takes 6 Days to Change 1 Line of Code

#181

Post by akavel »

DannoHung wrote: post #150
badclient wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And if your workplace environment really doesn't permit that, move on. Doing just that :) It's basically a startup with 10 of us where I am the only in house developer. I've tried many things like asking folks to Skype me instead of walking over to my desk or calling my name. I've gone to great lengths to get em to understand why skyping to get my attention is different than other ways. None of these guidelines reall…

On this subject: Whenever someone chats me in the following manner, I want to kill them. Straight up. Just fucking take an ice pick and jab it right through their skull: Other Dude: Hi. Me: Hello A minute elapses Other Dude: I'm having a problem Me: How can I help A minute elapses Other Dude: ACTUAL PROBLEM THAT THEY NEEDED HELP WITH Me: Oh, here is your resolution which took all of 15 seconds to give to you. WHAT TH…

Hm, I've just started to think, also for my personal use, that maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to try scripting some automatic 'Hello, how can I help you?' response to /^[^\w](hi|hello)[^\w]($MY_NAME)?[^\w]*$/i :)

Re: It Takes 6 Days to Change 1 Line of Code

#182

Post by masklinn »

dspillett wrote: post #176
redcircle wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is why I stopped using all chat clients.

That is why I insist on communication via chat clients when I'm busy. I'm not immediately interrupted as I would be if someone walks up or shouts out as I can ignore the little flash of the chat window on the task tray for a few minutes, sometimes tens of minutes, while I bring my train of thought to a more orderly stop. If people start with "Hi, I have a problem" and don't state what the problem is I just respond wi…

> If people start with "Hi, I have a problem" and don't state what the problem is I just respond with "drop me the details and I'll have a quick think" and get back to my work.

If people start with "Hi, I have a problem" and don't state what the problem is I close the chat window.

My work IM's status clearly states "if you have a question, ask it, don't ask if you can ask", time wasters simply get ignored.

> Some problems require a more urgent response so I'll accept a walk-up or a shout for those

Absolutely.

Re: It Takes 6 Days to Change 1 Line of Code

#183

Post by pilsetnieks »

sdfjkl wrote: post #106
badclient wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny enough I didn't get a private office but we got walls built for a private office when the sales guy joined because he was disturbing everyone . If my non developer coworkers realized how disturbing it is to be in flow writing code to have someone tap your shoulder and start discussing a totally unrelated issue to what you've been coding.

Be a grumpy bastard. Someone taps me on the shoulder, I'm grumpy the first time, I growl the second time and if there is a third time I'll shout at them. Hasn't come to the shouting yet (although one guy got pretty close, but I just glared at him last time he approached and he grasped it). Also, ask if you can work from home since your office environment is bullshit for writing code.

Re: working from home

Been there, done that. The only difference is that they call me on the phone instead of coming up to my desk.

Re: It Takes 6 Days to Change 1 Line of Code

#185

Post by jrs235 »

mahyarm wrote: post #170
jrs235 wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apparently that passive aggressiveness already exists in his work place thanks to his bosses and co-workers... but some how you all fault him and say he can't share that same love?

I was thinking more about other situations. I thought the salesman was isolated to an office because he has to talk on the phone, constantly, to customers and it was interrupting the developers. I've heard similar situations with startups and their CEOs. If I did that in my open space office, my coworkers would just get irritated and eventually I'll be talked about it by my manager.

unfortunately in environments like the one the OP mentions, the squeaky wheel is usually the one that gets the grease. So, while attached to the trailer (company) you're best to squeak loudly while you look for a better vehicle to get onboard with.

Re: It Takes 6 Days to Change 1 Line of Code

#186

Post by jrs235 »

mahyarm wrote: post #170
jrs235 wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apparently that passive aggressiveness already exists in his work place thanks to his bosses and co-workers... but some how you all fault him and say he can't share that same love?

I was thinking more about other situations. I thought the salesman was isolated to an office because he has to talk on the phone, constantly, to customers and it was interrupting the developers. I've heard similar situations with startups and their CEOs. If I did that in my open space office, my coworkers would just get irritated and eventually I'll be talked about it by my manager.

In fact, in my current work environment, when we moved offices there was a "central" open area with a view half built cube walls. Originally our telephone support were going to sit there and the Dev team was going to get placed in an enclosed shared Dev "war room". Support squeaked and the timid dev team got stuck out in the open.

Supposedly since Support is on the phone, they would interrupt everyone (everyone else int he vicinity is sales and they each have private offices) since they talk aloud on the phone. Why's this bad? Because breaking deep thought vs. some noise in the background (which still also exists because of the leakage they have on the phone in a single enclosed room) is much much more unproductive. Worse, the Sales team often forgets to shut their doors so sound leaks out into the open area or between sales calls they congregate a few at a time and have loud conversations disrupting the dev team. Worst of all is if they are in their offices, quietly doing paperwork with their doors open then decide to yell to talk to another salesperson in another office.

I often get up and shut Sales office doors, and constantly have to hush people up. My timid dev team doesn't because, well they are timid and don't want to rock the boat and add friction to inter office relationships. (I can hear, I agree. I need to encourage my dev team to speak up more, perhaps I'm sheltering them too much.)

Re: It Takes 6 Days to Change 1 Line of Code

#188

Post by darklajid »

badclient wrote: post #52

This shit happens at my job and leaves me feeling depressed and at times questioning my own skills because I know and my bosses know that on my part, I just had to make a tiny, tiny change. But when you have a dozen such experiences, I feel like something is wrong with me because when the dust settles, this was a one line code change that took me a week to push to production. It also makes my bosses question my estim…

Your problem is solved by a single word. Copy & paste the following : No. Alternative: No, sorry.

You don't look bad for declining requests. You will get your shit done. Just learn to say no. Really.

Re: It Takes 6 Days to Change 1 Line of Code

#190

Post by aangjie »

jrs235 wrote: post #113
badclient wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny enough I didn't get a private office but we got walls built for a private office when the sales guy joined because he was disturbing everyone . If my non developer coworkers realized how disturbing it is to be in flow writing code to have someone tap your shoulder and start discussing a totally unrelated issue to what you've been coding.

My place of employment is similar to yours, I've moved myself up the ladder in order to start isolating and enabling my dev team the peace and quiet they need to be most productive. What if, while you code, you think out loud, like really out loud... louder than you would talk in conversation? Perhaps if YOU bothered EVERYONE then maybe they'd put you in a private office? It's worth a try while you are looking for ot…

I sometimes am forced to do this at work. Just to get people to shut up from chit-chatting/small-talking very loudly. But then, I work in a cost-cutting, off-shored, cubicle farm.
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