I’m young, inexperienced and a perfectionist • Hacker News Board

Re: I’m young, inexperienced and a perfectionist

#131

Post by jakobe » Thu, Jun 27, 2013, 8:25 PM UTC

obviouslygreen wrote: post #60

jakobe wrote: post #17

That's why I still use vanilla PHP & Postgres for web projects. I don't use any hot new technologies, I don't use frameworks, I don't do unit testing. I try to use as little client side JS as possible. Whenever possible, I use static HTML. The advantage is that I can create a working prototype in days. I can show something to the client very early, and I don't spend months to fulfill specifications the client didn't…

I hope no one looks at this as advice... I was in this position for a long time, and looking back, it's a completely unsustainable (and, in my opinion, irresponsible) method of development. Problems with PHP itself aside, rolling your own from scratch only ever works out well for projects that start small and stay small. Even if the code is sane and readable, a developer starting with a site like this will need to un…

The most important thing about a codebase is how it is designed at a large scale, its architecture. Using a framework often dictates a specific architecture, and this might lead to more manageable code bases.

But you can come up with a clear architecture without using a framework. For example, most projects I work on are well suited for a modular design. I can build them from many small, independent parts. So I write lots of PHP scripts consisting of some SQL queries on top and some presentation logic below. Introducing an ORM and separating Model/View/Controller would just add unnecessary complexity!

In my case, modularity ensures maintainability; there's no need for anyone to read all of the code before they can start working on something. Reading all of the code is only necessary if you write spaghetti code; but inexperienced developers will have no problem writing unmaintainable spaghetti code using any choice of framework!

Re: I’m young, inexperienced and a perfectionist

#132

Post by coldtea » Thu, Jun 27, 2013, 9:09 PM UTC

Sorry, but a real perfectionist wouldn't have taken a photo with his MBP screen full of smudges -- he would have wiped them first.

Re: I’m young, inexperienced and a perfectionist

#133

Post by shubb » Thu, Jun 27, 2013, 10:41 PM UTC

lampe3 wrote: post #121

shubb wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had a major problem with this back at college. I'd read articles about how to study, or focus, instead of focusing and studying. The problem, clear in hindsight, was that actually hitting the books revealed how little I knew. Which is natural when you are studying a new subject, but filled me with fear because, well, exams. It wasn't a happy time in my life. Maybe it's the same for you now. But that meant that rath…

thank you! I will try to change my mindset How do you did that? i mean how to not think negative about something?

What worked for me might not be the things that work for you.

For me the following were useful:

-I worked with a 'life coach', and I guess we did something like CBT. I'd be a bit embarrassed to tell my friends but it was very useful.

-Working at a company, as an employee, I slowly got the trust and respect of my colleagues. Not having co-workers must be one of the hardest parts of freelancing. Even if I'm not happy with my performance on a task, I know my boss knows I'm usually effective, and that does help me remember that too. Maybe if you worked in a group with other freelancers instead of alone, it would be easier?

-I got into a very good relationship. That means that my work is only part of what I care about, so if it's going badly, then it's not all of me.

More generally, if you are struggling a bit, there are probably things in your life that would legitimately cause anyone stress.

Maybe you are taking on full stack projects, but are only comfortable with (front)(back) end work. Maybe your under pressure from your family to make money. Maybe you are having trouble learning the business side of things, while coding at the same time.

Either way, if you can work out what those are, and avoid them, it'll give you more energy to deal with everything else.

Sometimes though, you need make a big change, sacrifice something. I didn't carry on in academia after the masters where I struggled, and went back to programming instead. It seemed like I was giving up on my future at the time, but it's very easy to come up with a new vision of your future. It's much harder to struggle towards one from a bad place. Could it be worth being an employee for a bit, then going back to freelancing when you are more confident? Or going back to school for a bit (there is always funding)?

Those would be pretty radical - you've built a business, and you'd lose a lot of it by putting it on pause. But in HN terms, if what you are doing isn't working for you, pivot till it does...?

Re: I’m young, inexperienced and a perfectionist

#134

Post by nickjackson » Thu, Jun 27, 2013, 10:41 PM UTC

coldtea wrote: post #132

Sorry, but a real perfectionist wouldn't have taken a photo with his MBP screen full of smudges -- he would have wiped them first.

Hahaha!

Re: I’m young, inexperienced and a perfectionist

#135

Post by peteacc » Thu, Jun 27, 2013, 10:42 PM UTC

nickjackson wrote: post #134

coldtea wrote: post #132

Sorry, but a real perfectionist wouldn't have taken a photo with his MBP screen full of smudges -- he would have wiped them first.

Hahaha!

Ha.

Re: I’m young, inexperienced and a perfectionist

#136

Post by admiralmidnight » Thu, Jun 27, 2013, 10:57 PM UTC

lancer383 wrote: post #80

delinka wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not ADHD. I do, however, love chasing rabbits right into their holes. And exploring the intricate network of passages they've made. What I mean is that as I search for a solution in the API docs, I stumble across other things that look interesting. Or bits of detail that further explain how this library is built. Or explain the dependence of this function on a specific language feature. It's fascinating. And ulti…

Are you sure? I came right into the comments and did a Command+F for "ADHD", as this is what I thought as well. Know that all types of ADHD aren't the same, and specifically that there is ADHD without the outward hyperactivity. Look up "Inattentive ADHD" - I am 30, and up until this past year I just thought that I had issues with procrastination, lack of follow-through, and was easily distracted. Does this sound like…

That sounds exactly like me, but I don't skip large sections of text. I also read and think and talk about programming a lot more than I do it. At work I don't have this problem. The work place establishes the focus, which is hard to maintain at home.

Anyhow, why should one get a diagnosis for ADD/ADHD. What difference would it make for a 20 something?

Re: I’m young, inexperienced and a perfectionist

#137

Post by lancer383 » Fri, Jun 28, 2013, 1:25 AM UTC

admiralmidnight wrote: post #136

lancer383 wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you sure? I came right into the comments and did a Command+F for "ADHD", as this is what I thought as well. Know that all types of ADHD aren't the same, and specifically that there is ADHD without the outward hyperactivity. Look up "Inattentive ADHD" - I am 30, and up until this past year I just thought that I had issues with procrastination, lack of follow-through, and was easily distracted. Does this sound like…

That sounds exactly like me, but I don't skip large sections of text. I also read and think and talk about programming a lot more than I do it. At work I don't have this problem. The work place establishes the focus, which is hard to maintain at home. Anyhow, why should one get a diagnosis for ADD/ADHD. What difference would it make for a 20 something?

At least for me, just understanding myself better has helped me cope with the difficulties I have.

Re: I’m young, inexperienced and a perfectionist

#138

Post by mk3 » Fri, Jun 28, 2013, 10:56 AM UTC

Nice write up. I think many people face the same problems me included. The problem for me is that I have never had a chance working in a team with more experienced developers. Which would teach a mindset, or bring some insights, of successful developer, which is implement the feature then return and improve as needed. Also solving so called "complex" problems brings rush of pleasure. So you start solving complex problems instead of getting the stuff done.

Re: I’m young, inexperienced and a perfectionist

#139

Post by paxtonab » Tue, Jul 02, 2013, 6:13 PM UTC

encoderer wrote: post #108

paxtonab wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the buddy who wrote the article is manic depressive... Definitely a long shot. He just seems like the stereotypical ADD teenager/college freshman who has no guidance. I feel like his experience is very similar to my early working years, especially when you are working on a project by yourself, with no one to benchmark yourself against. That being said the article comes off as way too much of a "Look at…

He didn't screw over his friends. I'm sure he feels like he did. But he didn't. Unless he was actively lying to them along the way. Which is plausible but certainly not something I would assume about somebody. He's in school. He's done the best he could with a hard problem. He shouldn't be hard on himself and IMO you shouldn't either.

Yeah I was more than a little harsh, and that was definitely uncalled for. He has taught himself an impressive amount and the third time's a charm...