Article on the CNN website today

CNN.com/TECH/computing/9904/15/slacker.idg/

Is this trying to set the programmers up as the "bad guys" of the new millenium? Comments?

-- Sharon (sking@drought-ridden.com), April 15, 1999

Answers

It's not unusual for this slacker to work over 60 hours per week...plus, I haven't had a full week's vacation for over 3 years. I'm not complaining...I love what I do. It's the other folks that tell that I should take a break away from the screen (giggle).

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), April 15, 1999.

Yeah, I'm a slacker, right. Come over here and ask me that when I'm still up coding at 4:00AM. I think the real problem is that many programmers just aren't that talented. They are 9-5 grunts who code because it's a paycheck, not because they love the 'art' of coding. Of course you're going to get lower quality/quantity from folks like that...

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), April 15, 1999.

Not slackers (programmers generally work well in excess of 40 hours, because they like their work), but messy. VERY, VERY, messy.

An old saying goes, "If buildings were built they way programmers write programs, the first wood-pecker to come along would destory civilization!"...

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@Anonymous99.xxx), April 15, 1999.

It takes time to do a craftsman-like job. The difference is like pine furniture from Mexico or particle board furniture from IKEA vs. an antique solid oak piece with inlays, dovetail joints, finished on the inside as well as the outside, etc. Most people aren't willing to save up to get quality furniture. Similarly with companies hiring programmers. As soon as something half-way works, they ship it -- regardless of whether it works well, could be cleaned up to be more efficient, etc. That would cost more money.

-- vbProg (vbProg@MicrosoftAndIntelSuck.com), April 15, 1999.

Note *how* productivity is measured in the article.

Example of less productive code: Do I = 1 to 20 End

Way more productive code (and I've seen exactly this): I = 1 I = 2 ...&tc

Note - poor analysis easily results in bloated(that is, more *efficient*) code.

-- Evil Roy (EvilRoy@NoSpam.com), April 15, 1999.

something lost in translation... try again:

Do I = 1 to 20; +COMMON CODE HERE+; End;

vs

I = 1; +COMMON CODE HERE+; I = 2; +COMMON CODE HERE+; ... &tc

-- Evil Roy (EvilRoy@NoSpam.com), April 15, 1999.