thank you, this is the best advice about side projects i have ever read, I'm going to practice this from today!
Write Code Every Day
191–200 of 221 posts
Re: Write Code Every Day
#192I totally agree with this. About a month ago I created a site that puts up a new programming or logic puzzle every day Monday-Friday. The exercises usually take no more than 30min and the community has been steadily growing. If you're interested you can check it out at http://problemotd.com/
Something similar can be found at Project Euler, http://projecteuler.net/ or at Codewars, http://www.codewars.com/, although those have a stricter format than your examples. For example, the challenges at Project Euler all have a single number as answer. Some problems can thus be solved via mathematics, but for most a program -- you may pick the language -- is most efficient.
Re: Write Code Every Day
#193I am a total convert to the "don't break the chain" idea. I started writing a book on game programming[1] about four years ago. At the time, I was working at EA, miserable, and highly motivated to have the book done so it could help pad my resume. I got a book deal (O'Reilly) then, when that fell through, another (Apress). I had a real writing schedule, and a very supportive wife, and I would work on it for hours at…
I've been learning game dev recently, i'm a web dev by professions so it's acting as a nice refreshing change to code at night. It's been difficult to find quality resources for someone who is an experienced programmer but unfamiliar with the principles of game development. I had stumbled across your site numerous times, noted the quality of the work and finally bookmarked it few weeks back.
In case you're ever lacking motivation, just think that the work has been invaluable to someone like me coming to game dev for the first time. It's a truly excellent resource and i will surely buy the book when it's released. I'm signing up for the mailing list now.
Thanks again for your hard work
EDIT: I even just noticed that I even had the site open already, right at the back of my massive stack of open tabs :)
Re: Write Code Every Day
#194Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah, probably. Also I didn't think it through either. I extract the goodies from whatever I'm learning, and never finish the project I'm learning from. My attention shifts as soon as the project stops being interesting & new, and becomes "work" to finish up.
You gotta think of your project as you think of a woman you are in love with, otherwise, there's no sex. I think there is a lot in common between love, advancing in a project and even picking a movie to watch - they all involve a kind of 'sexual' openness towards the subject.
i know it's usually frowned upon to make jokes on HN, but it's amusing that this comment seems be sexualising everything and your user name is an anagram of "viagras"
Re: Write Code Every Day
#195Really? I'm so surprised to see so many "Awesome! Go for it" answers to this. While I admire the dedication and focus it takes to stay up to such routine, I am certainly concerned by the quality of life and the narrow mindedness of enforcing upon oneself to code on a daily basis. What about days off? Going out friends / family for a weekend or holidays? One would suggest to bring your laptop so you can stick to it? T…
Mhh, read the article a bit more carefully. Specifically:
Minimum viable code. I was forced to write code for no less than 30 minutes a day.
30 minutes a day? That's not exactly a huge quality of life problem or a work addiction. That's keeping a useful skill up to par, the same way I'd expect a good musician to practice every day.
Besides, when you're a serial procrastinator, tactics like these can help you break out of that rut.
Re: Write Code Every Day
#196Earlier quoted context omitted.
Very good discipline in the article, and very good discipline in your plan too. If you don't mind me asking - what's the point in writing a book about an area that you used to work in, but didn't want to going forward? (I assume you moved out of gaming if the domain was fading)
I'm not keen on working in games professionally right now (though I wouldn't rule it out forever), but I'm still quite into game programming. I don't spend much time doing it these days though, since most of my limited free time lately is either on writing or programming languages. But I'm still really passionate about the subject material (games and software architecture) and I think the book could be written, and I…
Thanks for sharing. Yes - games are a much more interesting subject matter than accounting records. :-)
I think it's a worthy endeavor no matter how it ends for you. You're contributing to the broader base of knowledge in the world, and clarifying your own thoughts in the process. Even if there isn't tangible immediate benefit to you, it's still a good thing to do.
Re: Write Code Every Day
#197Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have the exact same problem, I love learning new stuff, thinking about new projects, mentally designing code and UIs... but I do much less of actual coding done than I would want to. One reason is that once the novelty of the project wears of, it becomes a boring routine work.
maybe if you keep your projects in the "really small" size bin you can actually finish them before the boredom sets in. and the positive feedback loop might even prop you up to see a bit bigger projects through.
Yes, that's about the only way I finish projects. I try to make very short-term milestones.
Re: Write Code Every Day
#198Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is brilliant. Thanks! Are there any other similar apps out there?
You can use RescueTime to automatically track how you're doing against goals you can configure like "spend at least 1 hour in Sublime Text"
Also https://wakatime.com
Re: Write Code Every Day
#199Is your side project really this important to you? It's your source of identity and self-worth? I say: take three months off from even touching a text editor and practice guitar every day. I think my system leads to happier, healthier human beings.
I have to take a break from playing guitar every day in order to make myself code. Different strokes.
Re: Write Code Every Day
#200I love coding, but the idea of doing it every day would make me hate it so quickly. I love learning new technologies when I want too, or fiddling with a concept, but I want it to be because I want to do it and not because I feel obligated too. I've put myself in that situation before and all it did was bum me out and push me close to a burnout situation, it works for some people sure but people should be doing things because they enjoy it.
Don't write code every day, do something you want to everyday.