Finding the Programming Zone?

SlashDotDashDot asks: "As a developer for 20+ years, I've developed a fairly fine tuned way to find 'The Zone' for optimal programming - a combination of furniture arrangement (PC and chair), lighting and music. I also have a pretty good sense of what time of day is best for working on a particular set of problems. But this is what works for me. My company is growing and I'm needing to mediate working conditions between my clients and consultants. This has me wondering what others have found important for finding 'The Zone' in their programming lives. How fast can you get there? How long does it last? What do you do that helps keep that state? What are the major interrupters?" We also touched on this issue in a similar article, last year. However, many of you may have ways of attaining "the zone" that don't depend on any of the factors listed above. If you have a method that works for you, please share. It may work for others.

Comments

Prima Donnas

[Anonymous Coward]

I think you guys are a bunch of prima donnas, asking for beverages, music, windows, creative work schedules.

If there was a glut of programmers, you'd be happy to have a plastic chair.

Lets face it, a large number of programmers out there have 4 year degrees from marginal universities commanding a lot more then they should because market forces be what they are.

Work for a living for godsakes, don't live for working.

I don't diminish what you do, I diminish the demands that you make considering in most cases IT is a strategic investment and not a top line revenue generator.

Look out the goddamn window and worry about paying your rent/mortgage, car payment, credit cards and dinner for your significant other.

Jeez.
(annoyed company owner)

AC

Re:Excuse me?

[Cenam]

you can do alot of powerful stuff in vb, and when compiled it can be made to work as fast as a well written c program or faster, its just that not very many people have the attention span to learn vb so in depth..