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Getting Further As A Programmer
URL: http://java.net/pub/pq/186
At 3:27 AM on Dec 3, 2007, Geertjan wrote:
Fresh Jobs for Developers Post a job opportunity
It is unclear what "Doing something other than programming" means . Does it mean "soft skills training" (i.e., "project management course" and "time management course" and "speaking in public course")? That's what I figure, but I could be wrong. Maye it means that 34.1% of respondents don't really want to be programmers at all.
But, the low stats for tools and new languages is interesting. I'd argue that becoming familiar with a Profiler (and a Debugger) would make a big difference in a programmer's career. (How can good, reliable code not be a good thing in your advancement?) But, I agree with the "Doing more substantial work with what I already know" response. Just plugging away at one's coding, trying, failing, and learning, is, in my mind, the surest way to get further in one's career as a programmer.
But, the question is, HOW can one end up "doing more substantial work with what I already know"? What's the barrier to that happening. If that's the main thing standing between a programmer and career advancement, it would be good to know what the obstacles are and how to overcome those.
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Re: Getting Further As A Programmer
"doing more substantial work with what I already know" for me as well.I've been inventing new technologies, new and unique ways of doing things offering new possibilities, and I intend to find the appropriate company where I can proceed my substantial efforts.
So, ultimately, are you in the right place?
Re: Getting Further As A Programmer
What are those new and unique ways of doing things that you've been inventing? Maybe the appropriate company will find you right here if you say what you're up to.Re: Getting Further As A Programmer
I will go with you "Doing more substantial work with what I already know" but keeping yourself updated is also necessary.himanshu
Re: Getting Further As A Programmer
omg, loldo php programmers also read that website? 17 votes on learning new language, i heard that ruby on rails guys makes twice as much as j2ee ;D of cause if your boss is ruby zelot it might help to learn that thing.
i think that first 1 and 3 answers are just for people that dont know much and are new to java/j2ee. Answer 2 is hard to answer, because its always good to put more technologies on resume, but do bosses really care if i know for example EJB3 if i never used in any official project? some of them dont, so its really hard to say if learning new API can help, the last thing i want to do is learning new thing (like ruby, yes i did learn it for some reason) and never use it and forget it.
4 i think is bad answer, because im tired of programming whole week and on weekends i like to write something much more interesting
5 is the right answer, the most money in our business is not in programming, i remember project menager that did nothing all day, but joke with people and i can bet he makes more than i do. It can be hard to crossover, but if you get a chance i think you should.
If you are a girl than answer 6 is for you
p.s. you said that learning Profiler or Debugger is good idea, i think you are wrong, on job interviews i was ONCE asked about debugger, so from what i know that thing is useless (the bosses that hire programmers knows best, right? after so many interviews i felt that being programmer has nothing to do with programming, but just knowlege of APIs)
Re: Getting Further As A Programmer
I think your mistaking "career" for "personal development". Personally I'd sure like to explore new tools, libraries and languages, but I don't see that furthering my career at the moment. Breaking apart this monolith product with TDD and DI or moving even further into requirements and pre-studies, however, would easily increase my "work value" and land me a better paycheck/position.I'd say 4 or 5 for my career, but 2 or 3 personally (I'm quite happy with Java).
Re: Getting Further As A Programmer
Just a point on your assumption regarding "34.1% of respondents don't really want to be programmers at all"...Depending on the company you are working for, and how you define "your career" (money vs. fun), then I would assume that the high number might in fact mean that a lot of programmers assume that they need to get into other business areas (i.e management) to move up the corporate ladder.
I don't think it necessarily means that they don't like to program, but that development alone doesn't seem like a valued career opportunity in the business world of today.
Re: Getting Further As A Programmer
I get stuck when people ask me that every time. I've been busy on the side creating something that represents a new novel innovative way of programming, organizing, and networking information. With it, I'm implementing a new type of user interface. It might have an impact on the way people would create programming languages. I'd love to spill it all out, but then I'd give too much away, and lose my edge. Keeping it secret keeps it safe.But as time goes by, I keep changing it, and time keeps on ticking. I'm sitting on something very valuable, but it never seems to be ready. Too many interruptions and I can't spend 100% of my time on it.
How would you proceed? Open source it and just give it away, in the hopes that someone picks it up and wants to develop it further with your help?
Or develop it further yourself, and then offer it to a company? Would you have someone sign an NDA, then do a show and tell, and hope for the best? But how do I know that people will live up to the NDA. If an engineer sees it, they might get really interested in creating something similar on their own. Of course, if I have enough there, then it'd make more sense to take me in, as opposed to trying to duplicate it. But how can I trust the engineers that might be present at the demo. I don't know them from a hole in the ground, and I don't think an NDA keeps it safe.
Demo something superficial and have them make an offer? Can't be much of an offer, if it doesn't show all.
Or demo something to many companies in a short time, and make doing business now a time advantage. Applying for a patent (I think there is at least one major core component patentable, perhaps two)? Expensive lawyers. A good copyright lawyer I dealt with a few years ago costed $350 an hour (and that's Canadian dollars
This has been a really big problem for me. How to proceed.
I could open up a couple of components, and wet the appetite, I guess, but I'm reluctant to.
Re: Getting Further As A Programmer
>How would you proceed? Open source>it and just give it away, in the hopes
>that someone picks it up and wants to develop it further
>with your help?
That would certainly be my approach. Yes, the problem is you don't know the people you end up working with from a hole in the ground. But aren't holes in the ground the same places where treasures come from?
Seriously, every option you list has disadvantages. I guess you need to evaluate which one has the least disadvantages... Open source is not necessarily the only solution, I would say that if you can do everything yourself, then that's maybe the best way to go. Open sourcing makes sense when you reckon people will be making the kind of contributions you can't (because of lack of skill or insight or time) make yourself. Just my 2c.