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Web Development: A Crazy World

rubiken.com

41–50 of 206 posts

Re: Web Development: A Crazy World

#41
post #30

I've found that a large subset of programmers share the same trait as a large subset of photographers: they become so obsessed with tools that they lose sight of the fact that the end product is what matters at the end of the day. For example: there are many people who spend thousands on cameras and gear, and still take terrible photos. There are many developers who spend a lot of time keeping up with what they think…

"A bad carpenter blames his tools." -- Unknown

Bad tools can still severely hamper even the best of experts.

Re: Web Development: A Crazy World

#42
post #30

I've found that a large subset of programmers share the same trait as a large subset of photographers: they become so obsessed with tools that they lose sight of the fact that the end product is what matters at the end of the day. For example: there are many people who spend thousands on cameras and gear, and still take terrible photos. There are many developers who spend a lot of time keeping up with what they think…

The second sentence really tells all. " Just learned Backbone.js and only found out it’s already out of fashion." This is why critical thinking and a sight of the big picture is so important. Who cares if something is fashionable? Does Backbone help you solve your problems? Yes? then use it. No? Don't use it.

Re: Web Development: A Crazy World

#43
post #30

I've found that a large subset of programmers share the same trait as a large subset of photographers: they become so obsessed with tools that they lose sight of the fact that the end product is what matters at the end of the day. For example: there are many people who spend thousands on cameras and gear, and still take terrible photos. There are many developers who spend a lot of time keeping up with what they think…

The second sentence really tells all. " Just learned Backbone.js and only found out it’s already out of fashion ." This is why critical thinking and a sight of the big picture is so important. Who cares if something is fashionable? Does Backbone help you solve your problems? Yes? then use it. No? Don't use it.

[deleted]

Re: Web Development: A Crazy World

#44
post #8

Most of the 'mess' I see is the current state of Javascript frameworks, which are in the Cambrian explosion phase of things. I'd just use Rails as a default for most things I do these days, and if it's not a good fit, evaluate other technology.

> I'd just use Rails as a default for most things I do these days, and if it's not a good fit, evaluate other technology.

But ZOMG RAILS IS INSECURE, quick, switch to something else! [/sarcasm]. Evaluating other technology is the opening of the rabbithole.

Re: Web Development: A Crazy World

#45
post #30

I've found that a large subset of programmers share the same trait as a large subset of photographers: they become so obsessed with tools that they lose sight of the fact that the end product is what matters at the end of the day. For example: there are many people who spend thousands on cameras and gear, and still take terrible photos. There are many developers who spend a lot of time keeping up with what they think…

"Let's argue about whether Haskell or Clojure is better while somebody else ships products using PHP and duct tape."

@agentdero

https://twitter.com/agentdero/status/174965036928868352

Re: Web Development: A Crazy World

#46
This has been my experience, too. But I think it's wrong to jump to the conclusion that because going too far and having to learn too much is a bad use of time that you should just stick to one or two things. This is black-and-white thinking and I think in this case, your response should be in the context of the problems you face and the career you are building.

We do need to move along with technologies if we want to stay relevant. But you need to know what's a fashion and what's worth adding to your skillset. After leaving University I mainly knew Java but I learnt PHP and JavaScript because I wanted a web development job; later on I felt that none of the cool startups were using PHP and all of its warts had become very apparent to me so I picked up Python which seemed a lot more elegant. (However this was more a case of fashion that gave me access to higher-impact and higher-salary jobs. My actual needs to code in a general-purpose language with nice libraries isn't a worthy goal in itself.)

Currently I am working entirely in Node.JS and I don't consider myself to be drinking the Kool Aid because it made more sense to stick to one programming language and I needed long-running processes. I do have to be careful to not add too many libraries, however. There is so much activity in the JavaScript world currently.

I say you should focus on your career and wherever you see that leading you. To a certain extent programming languages and libraries will come and go (they will coalesce on principles so this is worth paying attention to), but architecture remains the same, social structures and positions remain the same, and sales remains the same. Apply yourself where you can see the maximum potential for personal growth and personal growth that doesn't slip (as it will when you have spent 20 years programming using the library X and everybody else switches to Y.)

Re: Web Development: A Crazy World

#47
It blows my mind sometimes, looking at a web page made of mostly simple text and a few images, to view the source and see page after page after page of CSS and javascript just to make something that looks only slightly better than

http://www.w3.org/History/19921103-hypertext/hypertext/WWW/T...

Re: Web Development: A Crazy World

#48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"A bad carpenter blames his tools." -- Unknown

Bad tools can still severely hamper even the best of experts.

Absolutely. In this case, though, bad tools aren't the problem. The problem is that there are too many roughly equivalent tools, and many of them are very good, but there is a lot of arguing and navel gazing about which new one is the best to use.

Re: Web Development: A Crazy World

#50
Marco Arment gave a great talk at Webstock about how he uses PHP and MySQL because they're battle-tested and he knows them inside-out. I think many of us could use a dose of Marco's pragmatism. It's worked out really well for him.
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