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Russia's New Official Holiday — Programmer's Day

Posted by Soulskill on from the feel-free-to-take-sunday-off dept.

Glyn Moody writes "Russia's president, Dmitry Medvedev, has decreed a new holiday for his country: Programmer's Day. Appropriately enough, it will be celebrated on the 256th day of the year: September 13th (September 12th for a leap year). Do programmers deserve their own holiday ahead of other professions? Should the rest of the world follow suit?"

40 of 306 comments (clear)

  1. Yes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Because without programmers we'd still be hurling stones and whacking each other over the head with bone clubs.

    1. Re:Yes. by Nazlfrag · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Programmers are teachers, scientists, mathematicians and artists all in one. In that I've never met a programmer unwilling to share their insight and knowledge, hypothesize, construct a proof or make something cool appear on the screen.

    2. Re:Yes. by igny · · Score: 5, Interesting

      There are teachers', doctors' mathematicians' days in Russia. I am not sure about other but perhaps they exist too. A relevant story.

      A Russian grandpa is asked how often he drinks vodka. He replies "Not very often, only when it is a holiday or after a sauna. For example what holiday is it today?" It appeared that no one could recall any holiday today. The grandpa ponders "Hmm sounds like a good day to go to a sauna"

      --
      In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. - Yogi Berra
  2. It is usually celebrated by... by John+Guilt · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...setting up a bot-net to send 20 phishing e-cards each to everyone _not_ a programmer.

    1. Re:It is usually celebrated by... by Darkness404 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yeah, and we all know that Tetris didn't do anything other than create an entire new market for games and changed the face of gaming by introducing portable gaming as a real means of gaming. Without Tetris we wouldn't have the DS or PSP.

      --
      Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
    2. Re:It is usually celebrated by... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yeah, but it looks like they have a plenty of _real_ programmers. It's quite striking that MIT didn't win the ACM competition in at least 10 years:

      # 2009 - Saint Petersburg University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, Russia
      # 2008 - Saint Petersburg University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, Russia
      # 2007 - University of Warsaw, Poland
      # 2006 - Saratov State University, Russia
      # 2005 - Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
      # 2004 - Saint Petersburg University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, Russia
      # 2003 - University of Warsaw, Poland
      # 2002 - Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
      # 2001 - St. Petersburg State University, Russia
      # 2000 - St. Petersburg State University, Russia
      # 1999 - University of Waterloo, Canada
      # 1998 - Charles University, Czech Republic

    3. Re:It is usually celebrated by... by Daniel+Dvorkin · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Whoever modded parent "troll" is a jackass. Tetris really was a profoundly important game; given its popularity and the market it spawned, it's probably up there with, say, Visicalc and Mosaic on the list of (so to speak) game-changing software -- programs that weren't just commercially successful, but created a market for a whole new type of computing. Given that today's cell phone games -- many of which are very Tetris-like -- use more processing power than what was generally available on the desktop when Tetris was first introduced, dismissing its importance because it was "just a game" is a mistake.

      --
      The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
    4. Re:It is usually celebrated by... by nametaken · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Ah Russia, Poland and China... where software is free.

    5. Re:It is usually celebrated by... by nacturation · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Nice correlation. Now about that causation...

      --
      Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
  3. In Soviet Russia, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Programming Celebrates You!

  4. Humm .. by PIBM · · Score: 4, Funny

    I would have had it on the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 8th, 16th, 32th, 64th, 128th and 256th day of the year, if I was to choose ;)

    1. Re:Humm .. by selven · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yeah, the GP definitely has a 0th day posting vulnerability.

    2. Re:Humm .. by imtheguru · · Score: 3, Informative

      Good thing you skipped the 0th day.

      2^0 = 1

      --
      Yet Socrates himself is particularly missed.
      A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed.
    3. Re:Humm .. by imtheguru · · Score: 4, Funny

      32th?

      Yes, Thirty-tooth.

      Influenced by the dental profession.

      --
      Yet Socrates himself is particularly missed.
      A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed.
    4. Re:Humm .. by HyperQuantum · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Good thing you skipped the 0th day.

      2^0 = 1

      Actually, programmers usually start counting from zero. So the 0th day would be January 1st.

      --
      I am not really here right now.
    5. Re:Humm .. by Tumbleweed · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Good thing you skipped the 0th day. I'd be expect the conversations with the folks in HR would be less than productive.

      Is there ever any other kind of conversation with the folks in HR?

    6. Re:Humm .. by kubrick · · Score: 3, Funny

      At 2:30?

      --
      deus does not exist but if he does
  5. In honor of Programmer's Day by presidenteloco · · Score: 3, Funny

    All programmers in Russia are permitted to work only a single 8 hour shift
    today instead of the usual 16 hour shift !

    --

    Where are we going and why are we in a handbasket?
    1. Re:In honor of Programmer's Day by CRCulver · · Score: 5, Informative

      It's ironic you make that joke, since one of the first reforms the Bolsheviks made during the October Revolution was reducing the working day to 8 hours.

    2. Re:In honor of Programmer's Day by Daniel+Dvorkin · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think you have no idea how horrible things in Russia actually were before the Revolution. "Earn something for a full days work," bwahahaha. Yes, in retrospect Communism was a terrible mistake. But it didn't happen in a vacuum -- there was a reason people were willing to fight against the existing system.

      --
      The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
    3. Re:In honor of Programmer's Day by ivucica · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Communism is not perfect, and I like free market economy. But some things need to be said "NO" to.

      You: "I want to work for 10 hours!"

      Boss: "Oh, everyone! He can work for 10 hours, that means you can work for 10 hours!"

      or:

      Boss: "Look, that Other Company makes employees work 12 hours a day! That means we can do that too!"

      Worker: "But, that's not fair..."

      Boss: "Law doesn't agree!"

      Some things need to be mandated through legislation. Is maximum work hours something to be mandated? I don't know, it depends on situation. If bosses don't abuse their power, then sure, sometimes I'd love to be able to work extended hours. But if you live in 19th century and you're a coal miner or a factory worker...

      Would you allow child labor?

    4. Re:In honor of Programmer's Day by jorghis · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The worker doesnt have to go along with whatever the boss wants. It is a free country. If my boss said that he was going to pay me half of what I make now and ask me to work 16 hours a day I would quit. Sure bosses will try to get as much as they can, but that doesnt mean the workers have to go along with it. Other companies have to compete for workers. That is part of what makes the economy viable.

      I am not a total free market ideologue, I do agree that some things need to be regulated. (particularly risk taking in the financial sector) But generally speaking I believe that workers and employers should be able to come to their own agreements with regards to compensation relative to amount of work done.

    5. Re:In honor of Programmer's Day by Hurricane78 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Well, it's not all black and white here. The idea was to eliminate worker extortion. A concept you might know from not being able to quit when the working condition / pay ration becomes unbearable.
      Their attempt obviously failed. But the spirit was undoubtedly a good one. (As it usually is.)

      Their main faults were to think that "everyone is equal", while some still were "more equal" than others. Thereby again creating the old hierarchy, or "boss paradise".
      (Originally, those "more equal" were just there to manage the transition, and then dissolve. Which for reasons of basic human behavior never happened.)
      We must accept, that humans first think of themselves. Even when we give, we do so, because it feels good to us, and because we follow our goals. If your goal is to make someone else big, and that makes you happy, you still do it for yourself. So this does not mean it is bad. And as for being egoistic, being the opposite of altruistic sacrifice, I can just quote someone I do not like very much, but who is right:
      “It stands to reason that where there's sacrifice, there’s someone collecting sacrificial offerings. Where there’s service, there's someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice, speaks of slaves and masters. And intends to be the master.” — Ayn Rand

      So my solution (yes, I thought about this quite a bit) is very simple: In such a new "company", everyone can work for multiple people and let multiple people work for him. So it's not a hierarchy anymore, but a free graph. Which means that not only a boss can prefer one of his employees, but an employee can prefer one of his bosses. Or in proper non-biased terms: A service provider and a money provider, or two service providers, (two money providers would be strange, but thinkable), have equal freedoms. If one of your "bosses" offers a crappy deal, you can say no, and take a better one. Just as he can take a better one than you. You don't have to have any long-term contracts (although you can). You can simply work on a project basis.
      This would not have been possible, two decades ago. But with computers being ubiquitous, the whole contract-, "self-employment"- and tax management, can be automated. Even as a service.
      I'd try that. Even if just to see the flaws, and fix them.

      --
      Any sufficiently advanced intelligence is indistinguishable from stupidity.
    6. Re:In honor of Programmer's Day by Cyberax · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Maybe you should learn some Soviet history?

      Criminal punishments for skipped workdays were in effect from 1940 to 1946 - essentially during the WWII.

      Later, there were punishments for 'social parasitism' if you were unemployed for more than 4 consecutive months (not counting vacations, medical leaves, full-time education, etc.). And the Soviet government guaranteed employment for everyone.

      So stop telling fictional horror stories. There were enough real horror stories about the Soviet regime.

  6. Wetware Not Software by mindbrane · · Score: 4, Insightful
    In Russia the programmers program you!

    I think, in what is fast becoming a fascist state of one part gangsterism and one part corporatism, the programmers they're talking about aren't the programmers you're thinking about.

    --
    ideopath @ play
  7. Probably not ahead of scientists/math./engineers by rolfwind · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Do programmers deserve their own holiday ahead of other professions?

    Probably not ahead of scientists/mathematicians/enginneers. But still, pretty cool.

    And can't but think it will be yet another forgotten day - secretary's day, siblings day, etc. All exist, all forgotten. Every day is proclaimed something and the novelty wore off or never caught on. Probably the only novel thing would be to have a "regular" day where nothing is officially remembered/celebrated/commerated/pissed_on/whatever.

  8. answer by nomadic · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Do programmers deserve their own holiday ahead of other professions?

    No.

    Should the rest of the world follow suit?

    No.

  9. Re:Seems odd... by Anonymous+Cowar · · Score: 4, Funny

    because surgeons or police officers are less likely to create a website on a whim to promote a holiday.

  10. Oldest Profession by Mr.+Flibble · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but the "worlds oldest profession" probably needs its own holiday too.

    It is a holiday that has been a long time in coming.

    --
    Try to hack my 31337 firewall!
    1. Re:Oldest Profession by jonbryce · · Score: 4, Funny

      Isn't that the 14th of February?

  11. Re:At least... by sayfawa · · Score: 5, Informative

    I really wish I could laugh at your ignorance. Patriot Day started well before Obama came along.

    --
    Free the Quark 3 from asymptotic confinement! Bring your charm! Don't get down! All colours and flavours welcome!
  12. Re:At least... by Boronx · · Score: 5, Interesting

    By calling it "national service" day, rather than "terrorists kicked our ass and now we have to act like idiots" day, we take the day back in some small way.

    --
    Play Command HQ online
  13. hold your horses by slonik · · Score: 5, Informative

    In Russia a "professional holiday" is NOT a real holiday and it is NOT a day off. It is a mere sign of appreciation for a certain professional activity. You might hear nice words about your buddies on TV and Radio and you have one more reason to have some drinks that day. Most of "important" professions in Russia have their professional days -- from teachers, doctors all way to police and steel-mill workers. It is no surprise whatsoever that IT workers (aka programmers) get their professional day too.

  14. Frontpage? by AmigaHeretic · · Score: 3, Funny

    So you're saying I should remove "Frontpage" as a programming language from my resume?

  15. Re:At least... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I really wish I could laugh at your ignorance. Patriot Day started well before Obama came along.

    YOU LIE!!!!

  16. Re:At least... by ProfM · · Score: 3, Informative

    I really wish I could laugh at your ignorance.

    What the OP is talking about is Obama's Speech at the Pentagon. Watch at about 4:00 minutes in, and listen to what the President is saying ... "On this first National Day of Service and Remembrance, we can summon once more that ordinary goodness of America to serve our communities ..."

  17. Re:At least... by akadruid · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I thought we were drumming up support for another try....

    --
    "Those who cast the votes decide nothing; those who count the votes decide everything." (attrib. Joseph Stalin)
  18. Programming IS The Oldest Profession by Chemisor · · Score: 5, Funny

    "God performed surgery when he removed Adam's rib, so my profession is indeed the oldest" said the doctor. "But before that God performed feats of engineering to create the Earth from void and chaos, so my profession must be the oldest" countered the engineer. The programmer looked at them contemptuously and replied: "gee, where do you think void and chaos came from?"

  19. Russia already has most of these. by ghjm · · Score: 3, Informative

    Why is the parent rated troll?

    You're looking at this from the US perspective. In Russia, most of your list already exists:

    Teachers Day: October 5
    Medial Workers Day: Third Sunday of June
    Social Workers Day: Second Sunday of June
    Russian Science Day: February 8
    Firemen's Day: April 30

    In addition, Russia has commemorative days for public prosecutors, printed media, mass media, students, men, women, youth, mothers, tourists, elderly people, salesmen and service workers, police, geologists, cosmonauts, chemical industry workers, librarians, border guards, light industry workers, inventors, fishermen, postal workers, metallurgists, children's books, Slavic literature and culture, railroad workers, aviators, construction workers, miners, oil and gas workers, forestry workers, machinists and equipment workers, farmers, customs workers, automotive workers, security service workers, rescuers, power engineering specialists, and every concievable type of military workers.

    Adding a Programmer's Day to this list is not particularly jarring or surprising.

    -Graham

  20. Re:At least... by im_thatoneguy · · Score: 3, Informative

    Armed, combat trained and battle tested right wing leaning organization = Patriotic citizens!!
    Left leaning college students delivering food to seniors and reading to school kids = Paramilitary revolutionary force!!! OH NOEZ!