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1. Why do I program, and what attracted me in the first place?
At school I was into languages, history and music, never knew what I wanted to become. After school, my mom made me study Law. I loved Law, but couldn't see myself as a lawyer, and didn't know there was such a thing as research, so I threw in the towel.
I got a job as an admin clerk at a medical aid, and had to work on a thin client running a DOS program. After 3 years I resigned to sell shoes, but lost that job. With my first job's pension money, I did a secretarial course, and heard some of the other students talk about programming. I was intrigued, and swapped one of my modules to do QBasic. Upshot: I only got a "Computer Literacy" certificate but I was hooked on programming. I could tell the computer what to do!! It was heady stuff.
I program because I love to solve problems. I love to break a problem down into its smallest components, and then frame it in a way a computer can execute logically. I love the feeling of accomplishment when my code runs without problems, the instant gratification of creating something that works. And I love creating beautiful interfaces.
2. Do I see any problems or future problems arise in the programmer subculture?
1. We think we're pretty special because we can do this thing. This arrogance makes us resistant to correcting.
2. Being managed by people who don't understand what we do and how we need to work to be productive at it, trying to squeeze more code of stones.
3. Rise of the Bro-grammer, linked to a view of "you're a woman, what do you know?" (Mind you, not just brogrammers, either).
4. Considering all code as throw-away, and therefore not deserving of careful thought, devaluing the craftsman coder. Surely this is what a POC is, but regarding all code like that is causing problems already for the poor coders who have to maintain the POC that went into production.
5. Process over people, which is what Agile and Scrum are becoming. People differ, we don't all work in the same way.
My 2c, I'll go chain myself to the kitchen zink again  
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Ri_ wrote: 3. Rise of the Bro-grammer, linked to a view of "you're a woman, what do you know?"
Back in the age of dinosaurs, it seemed much closer to a 50/50 sex ratio, both in programming classes and the workforce. It's amazing that the arrival of the personal computer did so much to freeze women out- one of those bizarre unintended-consequences things.
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Question 1.) Why do you program, and what attracted you to programming in the first place?
I started programming cause I liked to create things... Right brained, but with a degree in Engineering, Left brained, I also loved to solve problems. So programming made sense on both fronts I could solve problems using software solutions.
Question 2.) Do you see any problems or future problems that could arise within the programmer subculture?
Yes, we could become our own worst enemy. Once computers can program themselves, we will wish we never created them...
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Question 1.) Why do you program, and what attracted you to programming in the first place?
Programming is very entertaining and it helps us to insulate our selves from the Muggels.
Question 2.) Do you see any problems or future problems that could arise within the programmer subculture?
More and more software development is being ruled by unskilled persons who can't understand why they have to scroll to read three thousand line document, and could I fix that and also make it 18 point type, it would make it easer to read.
Also diversity at the cost of skill; hiring people just to fill quotas. Most of us taught ourselves to code. Self teaching does not create barriers to anyone. I was the tutor for the programming classes I took while I was taking them. Programming requires talent and the will to be up at two AM figuring that how to code something no one else has been able to do.
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for the same reason John Dillinger robbed banks.
and to meet women.
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1(Why): To solve problems / puzzles. To make the computer DO something neat/new.
I remember my father on the phone dealing with an "OC7" - either "print the dump, I'm coming in" or some change that would make it run. I was prolly 12/13.
With ADD are two aspects: working on multiple things, hyper-focus.
2(Danger): H1B hiring to please the C-class and shareholders.
The nth level programming that is at a disconnect from real understanding of what data are / information mean.
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Scott Thelemann wrote: Question 1.) Why do you program, and what attracted you to programming in the first place?
Question 2.) Do you see any problems or future problems that could arise within the programmer subculture?
- Wanted to create games and it led to elsewhere. It also satisfies my creative urges along with my need to make.
- AI taking over the task of programming. Why is it that in Star Trek they have robots and nanobots making life easier so that no one has to work if they don't want to and yet we don't actually see that happening in the early stages?
I'm not a programmer but I play one at the office
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1. I bought a computer for my kids and started experimenting. It was so much fun that I just had to program. That was back in 1984 and I'm still at it (C#, Winforms). But I'm a much better designer than a coder. I code out of necessity.
2. Not sure what "programmer subculture" means but IMO many programmers do not have any real talent for their profession. They learned by rote (memorization) and their code and designs show it. They have to work much harder than I do because for me it's still a lot of fun.
BTW, it was very difficult for me to learn how to program. But when I got over the first hump it all came together. So I would encourage everyone in your class to at least get over the first hump and then see if they enjoy it. Not many things worse than having to do something you're not good at and don't enjoy everyday for 40 years.
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Why do you program: I like to create stuff.
What attracted you to programming in the first place? Games… Games… Games…
Current/future problems: I feel we need to stop comparing ourselves to others and start defining our own culture. We are not engineers! We have different problems and do different things for different reasons.
- great coders make code look easy
- When humans are doing things computers could be doing instead, the computers get together late at night and laugh at us. - ¿Neal Ford?
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According to Meyers-Briggs, I am an ISTP personality type. Programmers have likely strong analytical and problem solving personality types. It's all about the personality that keeps people involved in programming, because it's all about solving puzzles. You have to like solving puzzles.
There is definitely no real subculture about programmers/programming unless you are focusing on "hackers" and "hacking", otherwise, IMHO most people who have been coding professionally for over 10 years are pretty normal people. Some can appear to have some sort of personality disorder but it's likely they are shy and reserved and are just like everyone else -- only somewhat smarter than average.
The only future problem that I can think of is the "dumbing down" or attempt to simplify or automate the code creation process first through "boot camps" and then through software that automates the creation process for "dummies" so that anybody who can fog a mirror can select items from a UI and butta-bing-butta-boom! software is created.
Boot camps only have enough time to teach language syntax. Writing code involves much more than syntax and is more complicated than what can be taught in 4, 8, 12, or even 16 weeks. At least the software I maintain. We don't even have newbs or interns working with us.
I think you should focus your paper on the personality type and less on the notion of the subculture.
What other occupations do software engineers have in common with...
Electricians, electronics technicians, mechanics of all kinds, plumbers, millwrights, and even carpenters and steam fitters. Why? because they all involve troubleshooting and solving problems.
Capish?
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Scott Thelemann wrote: Question 1.) Why do you program, and what attracted you to programming in the first place?
To be honest, the ability to CONTROL something to a very finite level was intriguing. I got hooked in 10th grade. It made no sense at first, and then the light went on. Then I learned about the first optimizations of code. Making things really really fast by doing them differently. WOW.
So, I had this world I could operate in, and be totally creative. Make something from nothing. Solve problems for teachers (Like using 30 terminals as printers with one command and printing 30 copies of a test at once).
Everything could be made faster, easier, and better. WITHOUT SPENDING A Dime.
(At the same time, I liked electronics, but an accident with a soldering item cost me $10 in parts I could barely afford, and decided hardware was HARD. LOL)
Scott Thelemann wrote: Question 2.) Do you see any problems or future problems that could arise within the programmer subculture?
So, the challenge with programming is that it is mostly a solitary thing. Yes, we work on groups, and have loud conversations. But it is mano a mano with the code and the compiler. Or interpreter or browser or jvm these days.
The challenge is that it is PRETTY HARD to be REALLY GOOD. And that we are better at it when we are younger. As I approach 50, I am lagging. It takes me days to solve things I could have solved in minutes or hours when I was a teen. I would say my CPU Cycles are easily 30% reduced. I am more efficient managing other coders.
And that begets the next challenge. If you can't do it forever, what is your career plan.
Finally, the software developers are ALWAYS the end getting squeezed. For some reasons, if a sales person can close 1 Million in sales/year. NOBODY would ask them to close 1 Million a month, for 24 months straight, and consider missing by 1 dollar an abject failure.
But we have probably all seen projects where management expectations are that developers will work at unheard of productivity for 2-3 years because that is the time they have to complete it, and that is all the budget they are going to get. Because we create something from our heads, people believe it is easy (especially if we make it look easy). Or because managers who can "envision it" in 2 hrs think that it shouldn't take much more than that to create it (LOL, ask the Wright Brothers).
That, and few females... Luckily I can afford all the caffeine, bacon and Hawaiian pizza I desire.
HTH,
Kirk Out!
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Question 1.) Why do you program, and what attracted you to programming in the first place?
I think two things conspired together to push me toward programming. The first thing being that I read a lot of fantasy and Sci-Fi growing up. Probably a lot of the reason for that was the second thing - I grew up in a small town, that is perpetually behind on technology. The school had computers, but only for Oregon Trail, and Operation Frog. The only computer instruction was Keyboarding, where you learned how to touch type (I assume this class was a hold over from mechanical typewriters). So, computers existed, but students weren't really taught how to do anything truly computer specific, and teachers ended up asking a few of the brighter students for help when the computer behaved in unexpected ways. Mix that all together, and what I came to at the time is this: Code is arcane. Programs may as well be magic spells to the technically challenged, and that makes programmers our wizards and sorcerers. Honestly, given the opportunity to be Gandalf, who wouldn't at least give it some serious consideration?
Question 2.) Do you see any problems or future problems that could arise within the programmer subculture?
Specifically within the subculture? That's difficult to say. There's some tribalism that can be problematic at times. "I use this programming language, it's awesome, and by extension, that makes me awesome." "You use that language? On purpose? Oh, that language is terrible, and you should feel bad." However, I can also render that conversation for a lot of subjects, from game consoles, to car brands, to political parties.
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Question 1.) Why do you program, and what attracted you to programming in the first place?
I grew up playing every Sierra game... King's Quest, Space Quest, Hero's Quest, etc, plus the old Gold Box SSI games (and so many more). I found a hex editor for DOS and figured out how to hex-edit my saves, and eventually item tables in certain games. This fascinated me and so I started trying to figure out what kind of stuff would be going on behind the scenes (long before the internet became available where I grew up). I knew I wanted to make games since my early teenage years. Went to college for Comp.Sci, finished my degree, and finally got into the industry. It's been an interesting ride ever since! It's a fascinating career since every project you work on is completely different. There's always something you've never seen before, including newer / better / more efficient approaches to tackling various tasks. You're always constantly learning and exploring.
Question 2.) Do you see any problems or future problems that could arise within the programmer subculture?
Computing power is so strong and advances exponentially, and the software needed to handle the new tech must be equally advanced. The more the field advances, the more involved the software needs to get, so it starts to cost a lot more to make. Eventually when our computers are at the equivalent of a human brain (look up the Singularity Event) and start inventing newer computers, there's no way to know what will happen next.
This guy tends to have an interesting take on what's coming down the pipe.
Robotic Nation, by Marshall Brain[^]
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Why? I love the challenge. The challenge of fixing some obscure bug that nobody else can find or the fact of turning someone's requirements into a fully fledged system that people want to use.
What attracted me? Started out at university, I was helping my girlfriend with an assignment and found I could understand the concepts and write programs. Transferred to the Science degree the next year.
Problems? Well were do I start.
- How about the growth in the number of people who have read a book or two, written a MS Access macro and now believe they can produce a complete enterprise wide system and then wonder why they have problems. They then come to the professional to fix up their disaster.
- The perception, especially in the corporate world, that a small change is easy to make and cannot understand why is take 4 weeks to be implemented when the IT group have to follow the corporate change management processes which they didn't do for their adhoc MS Access system.
- The evolving languages and where recruiters and companies want some who has the essential skills of ASP.NET, MVC, C#, WPF, MVVM, HTML 5, JavaScript, Bootstrap, WEbAPI and SQL AND then wonders why they can't find someone.
- And then there is the ageism. How come the recruiters and businesses do not believe that someone over 50 could know or program in the latest languages and technologies. We've only been programming for 30+ years, learning and using multiple languages, flowing with and following changing technologies and methodologies. Yet we get overlooked and they hire a 20 year old whose only just learned to program in one specific language and who has no idea of how to analyse the problem at hand or to even suggest an alternative solution as they have no experience.
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Programming isn't something you are attracted to, it's something that sucks you in. It's like addiction, you start out of curiosity and get your first fix. Then the second. Then you're done.
The main problem I see isn't in the "programming subculture" but in the fact the ones you asked are still considered questions worth asking.
A
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1) I had a specific 'real' world problem to solve, so I wrote a D&D character generator in BASIC on the ZX Spectrum. Realized I really liked it an eventually went to college to learn to program professionally.
2) The disproportionate number of men to women within programming is not helping the outward appearance of programming culture. i.e. too 'geeky' or 'nerdy'. Secondly, the willingness to accept inexperienced , unqualified merit, over experienced and qualified professionalism.
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Question 1.) Why do you program, and what attracted you to programming in the first place
I began programming in the late 70's because I way fascinated by the fact that I, an individual, could exhibit such power to control a sophisticated machine like a computer, and through a few instructions have it do my bidding. It was exhilarating and fun. I'm not an artist, but I still like be creative and to see what I can create. I like to solve problems, and see the faces of those grateful people who's problems I solved.
Question 2.) Do you see any problems or future problems that could arise within the programmer subculture?
The biggest problem is that to stay relevant you need to allays be learning the next platform or paradigm. This business moves faster than than any other industry. The language of the day will change by the time you get proficient at it. That trend will accelerate in the coming years. Software is also going to start writing itself in the very near future, which may not bode well for pure coders. My recommendation for new people to this industry: Learn general business skills, the kind that you can take to any organization to compliment you coding skills. Learn accounting/finance, writing, public speaking, business math and and analysis. Get your BS in computer science but get an MBA in business administration. More than pure coders, companies increasingly want people who can cross the room and talk to their users in a language they can understand. You need to be conversant with the latest software paradigm and talk business also. Bottom line is you need to have or develop a passion for this industry. If you don't have that passion your not going to have the energy to invest the extra effort to stay ahead of the pack. Find you passion. What do you do when your not being paid. Find a way to work that passion into a paying career and you shoot ahead of the pack.
Good Luck
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The last photo I took had over a million pixels and cost me nothing! 
Get me coffee and no one gets hurt!
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No, no. Don't tell me. If you're not a developer you get two!
I am not a number. I am a ... no, wait!
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So Google sent me a 'unique discount code', that gives me 25% off of the prize...I went to Google Store to see how much it is with shipment... and 'The Google Store isn't available here yet.'...
Skipper: We'll fix it.
Alex: Fix it? How you gonna fix this?
Skipper: Grit, spit and a whole lotta duct tape.
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Don't forced updates mean that win 10 is a roofie?
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Only if it puts you to sleep first.
Decrease the belief in God, and you increase the numbers of those who wish to play at being God by being “society’s supervisors,” who deny the existence of divine standards, but are very serious about imposing their own standards on society.-Neal A. Maxwell
You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun
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... or it's the OS equivalent of rape
veni bibi saltavi
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Mark_Wallace wrote: forced updates
Forced updates mean that my upgrade from Win7 will be Linux.
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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