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Why Programming Rituals Work
narramissic writes "Programmers may not think that their rituals are unusual, but if you swear that your code is less buggy if you recite it aloud or you prepare for coding by listening to certain music, don't be surprised if you get a couple sideways glances. In a recent ITworld article, Issac Kelly, Lead Developer at Servee.com, explains his routine and why it works: 'To me, programming is really the 'last mile' to getting something done. When I do the planning and specifications, I go on lots of walks, take lots of time with my wife, and really do as little work in front of the computer as possible. The more I plan (in my head, on paper, on a whiteboard) the less I program; and all of my rituals are to that end.' His ritual goes like this: 'Before sitting down to a coding session, he gets a big glass of water, takes everything off of his desk, and closes out all programs and e-mail, keeping open only his code editor. The office door is shut, and some sort of music is playing ('typically an instrumental only, like my 'Explosions in the Sky' pandora station,' says Kelly).'"
There's Slashdot. Even when I do everything else, Slashdot is the final work-preventer.
Fascism trolls keeping me up every night. When I starts a preachin', he HITS ME WITH HIS REICH!
1. Make a cup of coffee: Community New Orleans blend, one sugar, hazelnut creamer.
2. Read reddit.
3. Check social status sites: facebook, twitter, etc.
4. Read CNN.
5. Read email.
6. Catch up with coworkers.
7. Juggle a bit.
8. Put on headphones. Go to last.fm and hunt for a station that fits my current mood.
9. Check reddit again.
10. Go to lunch.
11. Read email.
12. Check reddit again.
13. Update to-do list.
14. Check icanhazcheezburger, etc.
15. Pick different last.fm station.
Yes, sometimes I fall asleep on the toilet when I do this.
...when I make sure to release it when most of the testing group is on vacation. Vastly cuts down on the initial bug list, let me tell you.
Duke Nukem Forever had this problem. They spent so much time saying "THIS GAME IS GOING TO BE SO AWESOME" that they never wrote any code!
Convert FLACs to a portable format with FlacSquisher
Crikey! That's just sensible work organisation. I guess if you find something that works and always do it that way you might call it a ritual. My ritual is to get in the car and go to work every morning... that way I can do, well you know... WORK!
There's even a simple proof of that: all bugs come from coding. Therefore, the less time you spend coding, the less bugs you'll produce :-).
"It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton LaVey
Actually, considering his orientation, I might have.... but I really prefer not to think about it :)
See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
Yeah, if only there was some way of tracking information without keeping at all in your head at once.
Posting this for the second time in the past week, because it's apt:
Could you grimace so I know you're working?
Convert FLACs to a portable format with FlacSquisher
How are you going to write that comment and not add the XKCD?
http://xkcd.com/323/
he gets a big glass of water, takes everything off
I stopped reading right there.
My ritual consists of watching this and then killing a goat
Actually, considering his orientation
He's Asian?
Or a group of exhibitionists.
I am trolling
This explains why Australians cannot write decent Java code, they can't find a virgin.
It's magic.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
If you have 3 things that needs to be done and committed by tomorrow, then there's going to be a tendency towards hackery. If you've got one thing that the company wants you to work on until it's finished, then you need to be more of a thinker.
I bet Duke Nukem Forever team members are all philosophers, by now...
Well...
All the amazing solutions that I've had while asleep or in delerium have always seemed really good for the 30 minutes of furious waking coding... before the "What the f**k is this garbage? It will never work..." gets shouted out.
My subconscious thinks this is hilarious.
/\/\icro/\/\uncher