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The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

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Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#41

Post by begueradj »

1313ed01 wrote: post #32

When the first version came out, around the time I got my first job, it felt like everyone around me had read this book, and for a long time we were throwing around quotes from this book. Sadly after a few years it felt like the only thing that really stuck in the larger community was "Don't Repeat Yourself", which wasn't really something that at the time stood out as much more important than many of the other "rules…

That's because being strongly opinionated about anything nowadays is viewed down.

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#42

Post by FrustratedMonky »

begueradj wrote: post #41
1313ed01 wrote: post #32

When the first version came out, around the time I got my first job, it felt like everyone around me had read this book, and for a long time we were throwing around quotes from this book. Sadly after a few years it felt like the only thing that really stuck in the larger community was "Don't Repeat Yourself", which wasn't really something that at the time stood out as much more important than many of the other "rules…

That's because being strongly opinionated about anything nowadays is viewed down.

But was it actually changed? Or was it a memory of a strong opinion that upon re-read years later, wasn't that strong of an opinion?

I am curious if they did change that much, or it is just peoples memory and nostalgia playing into the impression.

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#43

Post by FrustratedMonky »

sfpotter wrote: post #7

Alternatively, consider being an idealistic programmer! - Fall in love with a single topic, regardless of how trendy. - Learn as much as you can about it. - Keep learning about it. - Learn about it some more. - Spend years of your life doing nothing but breathing and thinking about this one topic. - Let fads and fashion pass you by. - Don't settle for good enough. Try to build the best version possible. - Choose wher…

Did that, doesn't pay. Being a technology hipster is like being a master of jazz, it doesn't pay, so you sell out and play pop music.

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#44

Post by tmoertel »

android521 wrote: post #26
sfpotter wrote: post #7

Alternatively, consider being an idealistic programmer! - Fall in love with a single topic, regardless of how trendy. - Learn as much as you can about it. - Keep learning about it. - Learn about it some more. - Spend years of your life doing nothing but breathing and thinking about this one topic. - Let fads and fashion pass you by. - Don't settle for good enough. Try to build the best version possible. - Choose wher…

I have read many books. If you can only read one book about how to program in your life , I would say that it is this book: A philosophy of software design: John Ousterhout. It is 10 times better than the next best book.

This model of complexity from the book is very useful:

    complexity(system) =
      sum(complexity(part) * time_spent_in(part)
          for part in system)

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#45

Post by marcosdumay »

1313ed01 wrote: post #32

When the first version came out, around the time I got my first job, it felt like everyone around me had read this book, and for a long time we were throwing around quotes from this book. Sadly after a few years it felt like the only thing that really stuck in the larger community was "Don't Repeat Yourself", which wasn't really something that at the time stood out as much more important than many of the other "rules…

Well, cutting the IDE out may happen because IDEs improved.

AFAIK, all the hate from IDEs at the time came from the way Eclipse and the Microsoft ones work, and all the love came from the Borland ones. As Borland failed, the "correct" opinion became obvious, but it was actually only correct by accident and didn't reflect any inherent properties of the software.

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#47

Post by software_writer »

A classic book. I learn something new each time I read it.

Also, Dave Thomas, one of the authors, is looking for a job.

> So, I'm looking for a job!

> Internal or external consultant, devrel, training, team fixing, design, architecture. WFH or travel the world.

> So, if you know any company that has a Dave-shaped hole, please email me. Some more about me on my site. Links below.

> Many thanks.

> email: dave@pragdave.me

https://x.com/pragdave/status/1978142569272877078

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#49

Post by tantalic »

1313ed01 wrote: post #32

When the first version came out, around the time I got my first job, it felt like everyone around me had read this book, and for a long time we were throwing around quotes from this book. Sadly after a few years it felt like the only thing that really stuck in the larger community was "Don't Repeat Yourself", which wasn't really something that at the time stood out as much more important than many of the other "rules…

Twenty years ago, I was strongly anti IDE and pro text editor. In the last ~10 years or so text editors have gained features previously only found in IDEs and IDEs have improved their performance and brought in features from text editors. I would argue the distinction between text editors and IDEs at this point is academic.

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#50

Post by sfpotter »

FrustratedMonky wrote: post #43
sfpotter wrote: post #7

Alternatively, consider being an idealistic programmer! - Fall in love with a single topic, regardless of how trendy. - Learn as much as you can about it. - Keep learning about it. - Learn about it some more. - Spend years of your life doing nothing but breathing and thinking about this one topic. - Let fads and fashion pass you by. - Don't settle for good enough. Try to build the best version possible. - Choose wher…

Did that, doesn't pay. Being a technology hipster is like being a master of jazz, it doesn't pay, so you sell out and play pop music.

What I'm describing is actually the exact opposite of being a hipster. From the dictionary, a "hipster" is "a person who is unusually aware of and interested in new and unconventional patterns (as in jazz or fashion)".

And, for what it's worth, following my own advice (I wouldn't give it otherwise), I haven't had major problems finding work. I live a comfortable life: own a house, have a wife and a kid, with another on the way...

Actually, knowing what it's like out there for a generalist programmer, I feel maybe more recession-proof with my highly specialized skill set (knock on wood). There are fewer jobs out there for me, but when I apply to the ones that are available, people tend to be interested in talking to me.

Of course, one thing that helps that I didn't mention in my original list: aggressively network with the other people who do the same thing that you do...

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