I was wondering how you guys/girls cope with productivity? Quite often I am catching myself wondering around, thinking about all sorts of stuff instead of coding. In most of cases I find myself pretty scared as I realize how complex the final result will be. To change that I try set the optimum conditions where I can really fight the complex code.
Music.
So one thing I really enjoy is listening to the proper music. I have found that when I have to do some very boring and routine coding its very productive to listen to goa, trance or psychedelic music. If I have to design the architecture of a system then the most productive is classical music, blues or jazz.
Sleep.
When things are really tough… I project the problems in a deep meditation, which usually turns out to a 3-D ultra gravity sleep :):) My most inspired ideas came to me just by waking up :)
Chocolate.
I don’t know if there is anyone else with me on this… but a bar of chocolate makes me think so sweeter :)
Chair.
I expect some of you to laugh at me on this… but if I don’t sit in a very very very good chair I don’t code. My chair costs about $300 and it’s the only one I can trust for programming hehe
piersk
01-12-2003, 10:40 AM
Actually, I prefer tea to coffee, but the same principal applies. However, the $1000 cheque wouldn't come amiss...
altexis
01-12-2003, 11:46 AM
So money isn't your first priority!
hey are you interested working for me???
piersk
01-12-2003, 05:49 PM
Erm.... yes
cgraz
01-12-2003, 06:26 PM
You forgot watching TV or going out. I find I can't sleep most of the time when I'm involved in a big PHP project; my mind can't stop trying to find solutions for things. Well although I don't get much sleep, I do figure out solutions while laying in bed at 4 in the morning, but watching TV or just going out and forgetting sometimes helps the answer just come to me when I'm not even thinking about it.
Cgraz
ecg
01-12-2003, 06:40 PM
music and exercise are my choices...
but I often find myself dreaming about the code...
Exercise (leaving the office and going swimming at lunchtime) kept me sane in my last job... I don't need the sanity check here (Yay!) but the break lets me look at my current problem in a different way...
Music helps me tune out the others in the office and provides a mood boost :-)
altexis
01-12-2003, 07:12 PM
Originally posted by piersk
Erm.... yes
cool!! :)
anyone else wishes to work for me for free tee????? hehe
Piersk apart from joking... sometime in the future I will need a contact in UK, maybe we can talk more seriously in a few months :)
<<PageFeed>>
Originally posted by cgraz
You forgot watching TV or going out.
oooops :)
Actually I just realized that I do that too. I have downloaded about 100 cds of simpsons, southpark and futurama episodes. I make breaks watching them and yes they work quite good :)
the_Igel
01-13-2003, 04:17 AM
And, besides, you missed smoking (tobacco or anything :))
As for me, I stay for tea/coffee, sometimes a cigarette, and a good deal of money. No beer, no alcohol. Chocolate can help. But NO MUSIC PLEASE!
$SuperString
01-13-2003, 10:36 AM
Well, many of the options I would find hard to try (my current work place makes it difficult). But I would think : a highly comfortable chair, that cheque, a small amount of beer (too much would make me code with strange variable name etc.). Not sure about musioc though, I done that in my old work place and found I got really anxious and tried to code at 100 miles per hour (listening to hard rock may have something to do with that though).
Quite often I get great programming solutions to project whilst asleep. Well thay seem great solutions in my dreams anyway. But the problem is, I can never remember them.... I really need to work on this. I think I may try sleeping during the day at work, so that if I get a good idea I can apply it before I forget.... big monitors come in handy sometimes (something to hide behind while sleeping).
Elizabeth
01-13-2003, 04:13 PM
Because I wear so many hats at work and I am constantly interrupted or putting out fires, I find the only way for me to really code well is in a quiet, comfortable environment with the phones and the tv off... where I can really concentrate on what I'm doing.
Although I have to say, I'm definitely intrigued by a few of the other aforementioned options... I may have to fully test them and get back to you ;)
-Elizabeth
altexis
01-13-2003, 09:05 PM
The problem with programming is that it requires a great deal of concentration. When I listen to music by the loudspeakers I often get distracted. But I have found that I don't loose not even one minute of concentration when I wear my headset. I once tried to explain this... and I suppose that my brain deals only with the music thats coming directly to my ears and cannot thing of stuff to distract my concentration...
I cannot find any other explanation. Try it yourselves. I think it will work for you too.
altexis
01-13-2003, 09:07 PM
BTW... don't take anything I say really seriously because you might end up like the guy in my avatar.
You have been warned!
MrRosary
01-17-2003, 11:52 AM
right now things are as good as they get....
Heavy dub coming out of the speakers, nice, quiet, darkish office with some large Rothko prints on the wall, huge monitors in a multiple monitor set up, powerful pc with linux on it, Aeron (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2906412022&category=14226) chair to sit on, just got back from the gym, phone off the hook and network cable disconnected so no annoying distractions.
Then I woke up.
I am getting there though... just need to convince my boss one 17" monitor isnt enough and a 3GHz pc with Linux on it and a Aeron chair will make my productivty soar. I am sure it would if no one phoned or emailed me but he dosent see it that way either. And if he paid for my gym membership that would be nice too.
MrRosary
planetsim
01-24-2003, 06:45 AM
Music is a must
Drink (Not old enough to have beer but whenever i get given one its always good)
Otherwise a Redbull or something
I try after sleeping like most i think most of the solutions then.
Or after training.
altexis
01-24-2003, 08:32 PM
I agree that training sometimes makes you feel sooo good. But I never thought of using this sense of well-being for programming. I usually call my old girlfriends, or have fun with friends.
I am also surprised that none of you voted the alcohol option. I just had a brain storm of the virtues of alcohol in programming... You see when you get yourself a little bit drunk you stop thinking about what you can NOT do. So if you are afraid of some code parts the fear goes away and you grasp the most unusual ideas.
dalecosp
01-25-2003, 10:31 AM
Originally posted by Elizabeth
Because I wear so many hats at work and I am constantly interrupted or putting out fires, I find the only way for me to really code well is in a quiet, comfortable environment with the phones and the tv off... where I can really concentrate on what I'm doing.
Although I have to say, I'm definitely intrigued by a few of the other aforementioned options... I may have to fully test them and get back to you ;)
-Elizabeth
Hear here! As a consultant, I may be wiring, writing a proposal, doing remote assistance, fixing hardware/software issues, recommending hardware/software purchase, acting as a purchasing agent, acting as a sysadmin, or writing HTML/JavaScript/PHP/MySQL. An empty office in some out-of-the-way corner of a forsaken building often has the right effect; also, I'm with $uper$tring on the chair thing.
Elizabeth, be sure and post your test results! ;)
altexis
01-25-2003, 11:07 AM
Originally posted by dalecosp
Hear here! As a consultant, I may be wiring, writing a proposal, doing remote assistance, fixing hardware/software issues, recommending hardware/software purchase, acting as a purchasing agent, acting as a sysadmin, or writing HTML/JavaScript/PHP/MySQL. ...
wow!... I always though that programmers do lots of things, like technocrats when they write code, artists when they design interfaces, architects whey they design a system, mentors when they lesson junior programmers, psychologists when they calm down mad clients, robots when they debug,.... but dalecosp you just gave me a whole new dimention of other things programmers are :p
Elizabeth
02-04-2003, 09:49 AM
Originally posted by dalecosp
Elizabeth, be sure and post your test results! ;)
OK, here they are :D:
1) a good nap - excellent results. Dreamt several solutions to logic problems.
2) deep meditation - excellent results. Reduced coding time by 15% and typos were minimal.
3) a high alcohol drink (whiskey, tequila, vodka, etc) - excellent results. Really let me think out of the box... although I don't remember much about my coding experience. I seem to recall lampshades and dancing on tables.
4) beer, or some good wine - excellent results. Made some new friends that may be able to get me new job when I get fired for drinking on the job.
5) just a coffee please - excellent results. Was able to code for 72 hours straight.
6) wild sex - excellent results! We'll just leave it at that ;)
7) jogging/swimming/any sort of exercising - excellent results. Sweat kept dripping on my printouts though.
8) receive a nice little check of $1000 - excellent results. Allowed me to code with a Mont Blanc pen instead of my usual Bic pen.
9) boost by listening to my preferable music - excellent results. Dicky Barrett (of Bosstones fame) overheard my music and decided to let me code his website.
Thanks for all the suggestions- I'll be a pro in no time :D
-Elizabeth
dalecosp
02-04-2003, 12:32 PM
Originally posted by Elizabeth
OK, here they are :D:
3) a high alcohol drink (whiskey, tequila, vodka, etc) - excellent results. Really let me think out of the box... although I don't remember much about my coding experience. I seem to recall lampshades and dancing on tables.
4) beer, or some good wine - excellent results. Made some new friends that may be able to get me new job when I get fired for drinking on the job.
Funny!! As to dancing on tables, continue reading....
5) just a coffee please - excellent results. Was able to code for 72 hours straight.
6) wild sex - excellent results! We'll just leave it at that ;)I like you and can respect that...just a thought, try having coffee before sex <?>
7) jogging/swimming/any sort of exercising - excellent results. Sweat kept dripping on my printouts though.
8) receive a nice little check of $1000 - excellent results. Allowed me to code with a Mont Blanc pen instead of my usual Bic pen.
OK, now this may be a sticking point. Printouts? Coding with a pen? I was beginning to be under the impression that the vast majority of folks here used a "terminal," I.E. a computer, keyboard, etc...albeit, if you write me a nice note with a Mont Blanc, I'll excuse *anything*, even your dusty footprints on my desk (you were wearing your shoes, right? Or did you experiment with 3,4, and 6 all at once, hm?)
9) boost by listening to my preferable music - excellent results. Dicky Barrett (of Bosstones fame) overheard my music and decided to let me code his website.
Hey, now *that* is wonderful... just as a favor, can you link the copyright notice to my home page?
Thanks for all the suggestions- I'll be a pro in no time :D
-Elizabeth
You already are!! ;)
Elizabeth
02-04-2003, 01:17 PM
Originally posted by dalecosp
I was beginning to be under the impression that the vast majority of folks here used a "terminal," I.E. a computer, keyboard, etc...
LOL.. yes, I'm sure of that, but as a visual person, I write a lot of the logic out by hand through flow charting or whatever... and when I get really stuck, I print the code out so I can make notes on it. I guess I'm not like most people; must be the blonde thing again, eh? :D
Or did you experiment with 3,4, and 6 all at once, hm?
Hey, who told you?! :D
I must confess, however, that combining the aforementioned methods increases coding quality exponentially, so it may be something that you all may want to consider. Which methods you decide to combine are completely up to you. :D
(I was really hoping to combine #3,4 & 6 with #9 and Mr. Barrett, but I think my husband might have a little problem with that.)
-Elizabeth
LukeO
02-04-2003, 01:20 PM
Lol, wild sex, what are we coming to. Just a warm coffee, a comfortable chair, and maybe a log fire are all the prerequisites I need :).
Luke
dalecosp
02-04-2003, 02:32 PM
Originally posted by Elizabeth
Hey, who told you?! :D
-Elizabeth
http://www.x10.com/products/x10_vk45a.htm
I made the mistake of installing it near the monitor. But I bought one for Dicky B., and he put his on the clipboard and sez he gets great views...maybe you should move it off the table next time? ;)
/me arrests self for harassment :D
Elizabeth
02-04-2003, 02:52 PM
I can see this topic has gone WAY OVER THE EDGE here... can someone please help get us back on track?! :D
(and why do these threads start to take an inappropriate turn as soon as I post?... hmm... is it me? :D )
-Elizabeth
altexis
02-04-2003, 09:55 PM
Originally posted by Elizabeth
3) a high alcohol drink (whiskey, tequila, vodka, etc) - excellent results. Really let me think out of the box... although I don't remember much about my coding experience. I seem to recall lampshades and dancing on tables.