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Why Programming Rituals Work

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the still-waiting-for-the-stars-to-align-to-write-my-super-code dept.

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).'"

10 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. I can completely understand... by SerpentMage · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Before I undertake any task I do absolutely nothing. For about a day I will just idle around thinking about the problem. Kicking around one solution and another.... And I keep doing this until I am happy...

    --

    "You can't make a race horse of a pig"
    "No," said Samuel, "but you can make very fast pig"
    1. Re:I can completely understand... by MyLongNickName · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You *think* before you code? WEIRDO!

      In all seriousness, when I worked for a bank, I would go outside with a legal pad and start drawing out the logic in terms of pictures. Away from the phone. Away from the co-workers.

      At lunch one time, a coworker half jokingly said I only work 3 hours a day. My manager was there and remarked "Yeah, but he gets more done in those three hours than you do all day".

      I tried to keep from smiling... however, in all seriousness, coding is 30% of programming. too many coders consider themselves programmers.

      --
      See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
    2. Re:I can completely understand... by Mr2cents · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You should seriously consider giving your manager a raise.

      --
      "It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton LaVey
    3. Re:I can completely understand... by moderatorrater · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I tried to keep from smiling... however, in all seriousness, coding is 30% of programming. too many coders consider themselves programmers.

      A lot depends on deadlines. 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. Programming's all about tradeoffs, and deciding which tradeoff happens isn't always the responsibility of the coder.

      Of course, most of the time management doesn't even realize that a tradeoff is being made. There's a breakdown in communication somewhere and most managers don't even realize that by pushing the deadline to be shorter they're asking for more work in the future and more bugs.

    4. Re:I can completely understand... by 16K+Ram+Pack · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's one reason I prefer to charge clients for the job than the hour. Because like the author, by the time I sit down to code, I've worked out precisely what I want to do. When I'm writing code in the evening, I might be reading slashdot, twitter and all that, but I'm quite frequently also buzzing code around in my head. I can almost feel the things forming, juggling around 2 different approaches and letting the brain work out which way it likes better.

      It means that when I sit down, the code is more like typing.

  2. Programming happens in the mind by Mr2cents · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The key to good software is contemplation. You can feel the social pressure at the workplace to be typing all the time, but it's wrong to give in. If they want someone who's banging on his keyboard all the time, let them hire a typist.

    --
    "It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton LaVey
  3. How is this a ritual? by Fantom42 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sure, some of what the article talks about is a ritual, but the planning process isn't a ritual at all. Its a process. One that usually works pretty well, I must add. The less time you spend coding, the better your product is usually going to be. That said, knowing when to put down the whiteboard is sometimes important too.

  4. Iteration vs planning... by blahplusplus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think the problem with planning everything too much is that you can't hold all the details in your mind at once, and sometimes your planned approach is not as good as one you come up with later given some time to stew on it (doing nothing).

    I think programming is a very iterative process because it is symbolic and non-visual (i.e. not like building something with structures that are easily and intuitively able to grasp their structural and interconnected relationsihps)

  5. Close door by ichthus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I write firmware for a living, and I WISH I had a door to close. Nothing is more annoying or infuriating on my job than when coworkers are loudly shooting the bull while I'm trying to read a datasheet and figure out register settings.

    "S.. TF.. U!"

    I can code with some noise in the room, but I need QUIET when I'm reading a tech spec. I wish I had the ability to mask external stimuli.

    --
    sig: sauer
  6. Programming is religious because... by kiwisteve · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Hell is other peoples code.