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Resolutions for programmers (2012)

matt.might.net

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Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#41

Post by criddell »

khgvljhkb wrote: post #32
mosburger wrote: post #20

#3 Embrace the Uncomfortable - one thing I did a few years ago that might fall into this category (as an American) is start using the 24h clock. It makes working w/ remotes a lot easier because you become good at doing the +12 math and knowing which hour it represents. :)

How wonderful would the world be if we had a base 10 clock instead of 24? Let's make a day be 86400 seconds (already a SI standard), and then you can divide that into tenths, hundreds or whatever. One thousand of a day is 84.4 seconds, which is close to a minute (which is (/ 60 (/ 24 one-day))). We have metric for measurements in space, but something as simple for day-to-day time measurement would be nice.

Sounds a little like Swatch's effort a few years ago:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swatch_Internet_Time

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#42

Post by codyb »

eggman wrote: post #36
dpweb wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Build a standing desk.. Two resolutions - a hobby (learn carpentry) and health benefits!

high stakes carpentry - build a desk and put expensive devices on it.

Maybe it's just because my pops built most of the furniture in my house, but building a desk which can support a computer and last doesn't strike me as a particular project prone to failure. A lot of us are engineers who work on much more complex problems (although it's true that you must measure twice and cut once with wood working).

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#43

Post by daigoba66 »

mosburger wrote: post #20

#3 Embrace the Uncomfortable - one thing I did a few years ago that might fall into this category (as an American) is start using the 24h clock. It makes working w/ remotes a lot easier because you become good at doing the +12 math and knowing which hour it represents. :)

I'm surprised most technical folks don't default to a 24h clock. I've been doing it since I was a teenager and had a digital wristwatch that I could set to a 24h clock.

Time just makes more sense that way. Otherwise you get weirdness like this: 12:00 AM occurs before 11:00 AM on the same day.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#44

Post by k-mcgrady »

victorp13 wrote: post #28

13. Work on volunteer projects I set this resolution for myself last year, and have been able to work on three projects via http://socialcoder.org/ - feels very fulfilling!

Thank you for posting this. Over the last year I've been thinking about switching careers as I've noticed how unimportant what I work on is and I believe I'd get much more satisfaction from doing something that helps others. Social coder looks like a great solution to this for me.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#45

Post by henrik_w »

gregdoesit wrote: post #10

I would put stay healthy and invest in your health (chair, standing desk, exercise, food) as the #1 for any programmer for next year, and the years after. It's all too easy for us to forget about the long lasting effects of sitting in front of a computer that are hard to later undo.

Get ergonomic keyboard and mouse (laptops are terrible ergonomically), and get a break program to remember to take breaks.

I didn't, and was fine for over ten yeares, before I started to have bad RSI problems. I managed to get well, but it took a lot of effort and time: http://henrikwarne.com/2012/02/18/how-i-beat-rsi/

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#46

Post by henrik_w »

T-zex wrote: post #16
gregdoesit wrote: post #10

I would put stay healthy and invest in your health (chair, standing desk, exercise, food) as the #1 for any programmer for next year, and the years after. It's all too easy for us to forget about the long lasting effects of sitting in front of a computer that are hard to later undo.

Save by not investing in standing desk.

Huh? Your health isn't worth more to you than the price of a standing desk?

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#48

Post by richmt »

On the health note, the single most beneficial thing I did for myself this year was to start lifting.

6 months ago I started committing 3 days a week to a strength training program which I've strictly followed since. Making gains in the gym has motivated me to sleep better and eat better which both have had huge effects on every aspect of my life.

Not only that, but the exercise has helped a ton with anxiety I've had throughout life and even the few gains I've made have been a huge boost in confidence.

I urge everyone here to take up lifting as a hobby and stick with it.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#49

Post by jmilloy »

pc86 wrote: post #34
dpweb wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Build a standing desk.. Two resolutions - a hobby (learn carpentry) and health benefits!

The health benefits are at best questionable.[0] [1] [2] [3] [0] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/standing-desk-sitting-da... [1] http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/article... [2] https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2014/1... [3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/stand...

Keeping in mind also that you can find fluff articles supporting nearly any position...

* First one is only about sitting/standing and mortality.

* Second one is about using standing desks wrong, and has nothing to do with whether using a standing desk correctly can improve your health.

* Third one seems to support getting a standing desk (...?)

* Fourth is a) anecdotal and b) also seems to support getting a standing desk.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#50

Post by maroonblazer »

pc86 wrote: post #34
dpweb wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Build a standing desk.. Two resolutions - a hobby (learn carpentry) and health benefits!

The health benefits are at best questionable.[0] [1] [2] [3] [0] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/standing-desk-sitting-da... [1] http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/article... [2] https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2014/1... [3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/stand...

>The health benefits are at best questionable.

Not based on any of the articles you cited.

[0] is simply a study that compares mortality rates of sitting vs standing behaviors, and is counter to a number of other studies that found the opposite.

[1] and [2] suggest that ONLY standing can be harmful, and that one should combine sitting and standing for the best outcomes.

[3] is similar to [1] and [2] but points out that poor posture while standing - not standing itself - can cause problems.

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