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In 8 months at Microsoft, I learned these things

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Re: In 8 months at Microsoft, I learned these things

#81
post #56
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Working past 6 should be considered absurd unless you start at 10 or 11.. There's a world out there for you to enjoy, and many people fought hard for workers rights so we don't have kill ourselves over work.

Not if you love what you're doing.

Sorry if I've offended, I didn't phrase that very well. I didn't mean you have to work late if you like your job. I meant it's a trade-off, and sometimes working late and giving up other things is worth it.

Re: In 8 months at Microsoft, I learned these things

#82
Each time is different. You really should take this down or wait to change teams after a year and a bit or leave. It sounds like there is serious disconnect between your expectations and the company culture and what you have written does not reflect too well on the Azure team.

Re: In 8 months at Microsoft, I learned these things

#83
Obviously, these things exist a long a continuum. For example, at Google, people do tend to write design docs, maybe because writing and sharing them are so easy with Google Docs and Google Sites. We also write lots of "Getting Started" docs, so a new team member can check out code and know how to get his project up and running quickly. How to commit and test changes. How production works. Privacy, Security, Logging, and Monitoring related docs.

Source Code documentation seems better than most companies I've worked at, and Code Reviews are not skipped. The source control system won't allow you (without overrides) to commit without review and approval for most projects.

We also don't like committing hacks just to get something to work. It is generally understood that a //TODO -- will clean up later, or promise to do so will almost never actually be cleaned up later. Rushing creates technical debt. Not saying it doesn't happen, but the degree to which people commit something they know to be wrong just for expediency is low.

This certainly affects agility. All of the burdens of docs, reviews, testing, et al do slow down iteration, but I've also been slowed down by hacky code at other companies. It's a trade off.

Personal projects are a way to let off steam and feel agile again. There you can bypass reviews, tests, docs, and just hack hack hack.

Re: In 8 months at Microsoft, I learned these things

#86
post #36
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I spent two summers interning as a Program Manager at Microsoft (Xbox and Office), and his statements are nearly 100% accurate: - Literally any piece of documentation was always 1+ years out of date. Setting up a dev environment could take days when it should have only taken hours. - A lot of my coworkers were over 35. Starkly different from my experience later at Google. Working past 6 was considered absurd, and a l…

Although things were done differently than they are done in Silicon Valley, the difference is not necessarily bad, perhaps more eye-opening. This is how MOST computer science majors spend their careers. Not mastering MongoDB, collaborating on Google Spreadsheets, or posting things to HN, but using Windows XP, Visual Studio, and Microsoft Word 2003 on a 2008 Lenovo laptop. And MS is perfectly happy taking their money.…

This is a very accurate statement. Only developers with several years of battle-tested, crunch-time experience know the dangers and headaches of trying to fix something that was implemented because it was 'new' and 'cool'. Sometimes new stuff is awesome. Most of the time, it's just new.

Re: In 8 months at Microsoft, I learned these things

#87

I wish I could say things were better on the academic end of scientific computing. Expect no documentation in corporations. --> Expect no documentation in research code. It is not what you do, it is what you sell. --> It is not what you do, it is what you publish. Not everybody is passionate for engineering. --> It is not what you do, it is what you publish. 2-3 hours of coding a day is great. --> It is not what you…

To be fair, the job of the academia is to do research. Coding is just a means to an end. If on the other hand, you're distributing your code or it's intended as an ongoing project, then good comments and architecture are important (Disclaimer: I'm a PhD student).

Re: In 8 months at Microsoft, I learned these things

#89
I really hope that this is a sarcastic post? If not, this article is an absolute fking disgrace.

First of all this is not how all large companies work. This is how bad companies, with poor leadership, bad process, and a complete lack of understanding work. And no, the answer isn't to be stuck so deep in process that you cannot move! The answer, like most things, is a considered, fitting and appropriate balance.

Secondly this attitude stinks. There is no way on Earth I would employ you to work for me. Is it any wonder that the software industry has such a lackluster reputation? An industry full of cowboys and CPs (copy and pasters) like yourself. If you really think like this then you should be looking to change your profession. Yes things need to ship, and no we can't develop forever, but without continuous improvement where do we end up? I am sick of hearing the 'people have lives you know' excuse for utter laziness. If you feel like this then you picked the wrong (rapidly changing) industry to work in. Too bad, so sad. Quit whinging and get a job you can leave behind at the end of the day e.g. shelf stacker.

Re: In 8 months at Microsoft, I learned these things

#90
post #32

Publishing something that HR/PR can consider slander under your real name while being junior developer is not a recipe for stable employment. These guys tend to freak out over minor stuff like that. Lets hope it does not have negative consequences. Otherwise familiar - these companies are like supertankers - move slowly and few people are empowered to make meaningful decisions and contributions. Worked for a few year…

I spent two summers interning as a Program Manager at Microsoft (Xbox and Office), and his statements are nearly 100% accurate: - Literally any piece of documentation was always 1+ years out of date. Setting up a dev environment could take days when it should have only taken hours. - A lot of my coworkers were over 35. Starkly different from my experience later at Google. Working past 6 was considered absurd, and a l…

Well, honestly, working past 6 all the time should be considered absurd (assuming you are arriving at work between 7 and 8).

I understand the benefit of hard work but I see too much youth wasted on free labor given to corporations.

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