Do you guys get tired of programming?

[Stiganator]

For the past 6 weeks, I have had 4 programming assignments due each week. The topics range from cardiac imaging localization simulations to multi dimensional mechanical properties optimizations. I end up staying up very late every night. I am freaking exhausted!

What do you guys do to keep the ball rolling when you're burnt out on slinging code?

 

[degibson]

Originally posted by: Stiganator
For the past 6 weeks, I have had 4 programming assignments due each week. The topics range from cardiac imaging localization simulations to multi dimensional mechanical properties optimizations. I end up staying up very late every night. I am freaking exhausted!

Yuck.

What do you guys do to keep the ball rolling when you're burnt out on slinging code?

I stop coding.

 

[trexpesto]

Usually, something outdoors. Fresh air, reconnect with the real world.

Something that can take all your focus, like rock climbing is great. Some people get the same thing in competitive sports, or even running. Shooting a few baskets.

When it's real bad, I used to eat too much, so the exercise was needed badly anyhow. Just don't overdo it.

 

[Journer]

i usually stop and watch tv, have a beer or 5, or get a little drunk before i start coding. makes everything move smoother. wheres that graph that shows superhuman coding ability at BAC of X.xx?

 

[degibson]

Originally posted by: Journer
i usually stop and watch tv, have a beer or 5, or get a little drunk before i start coding. makes everything move smoother. wheres that graph that shows superhuman coding ability at BAC of X.xx?

http://xkcd.com/323/

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: Stiganator
For the past 6 weeks, I have had 4 programming assignments due each week. The topics range from cardiac imaging localization simulations to multi dimensional mechanical properties optimizations. I end up staying up very late every night. I am freaking exhausted!

What do you guys do to keep the ball rolling when you're burnt out on slinging code?

Tackle a couple days of documentation & test design.

 

[KB]

If you have to stay late every night you are either a slow developer and may want to look into something else or you are being overworked and might want to find a another place to work.

I run a couple miles a day so it makes me forget all about coding for a hour.

 

[Markbnj]

Originally posted by: KB
If you have to stay late every night you are either a slow developer and may want to look into something else or you are being overworked and might want to find a another place to work.

I run a couple miles a day so it makes me forget all about coding for a hour.

Yeah, same, but I bike like 10-15 miles five days a week. Really helps to sweep the brain clear of clutter.

 

[Crusty]

I'll never get tired of writing code, but I certainly do need to take breaks every so often. Usually just a short walk outside, or if I'm at work I'll walk to the corner store and get a drink and/or a snack. Now that it's finally starting to feel like Fall here in Austin it's really pleasant outside, I worked out on my balcony at work for most of the day today

 

[Sadaiyappan]

Is that optimizing and simulating stuff your doing pretty normal stuff for a programmer? It sounds really complicated (don't even know what it means myself and I am a Computer Science student). If you don't mind can I ask what kind of experience you have and where you went to school and what you studied?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Coding something useless (aka every single school assignment ever) gets boring very fast. To help motivate yourself code something useful for your own personal gain. It's way more fun then.

I tend to take this the extra level though.... even the inventory program I wrote.


Running cpp inventory please wait...
Warning: Do not stop this process or it may corrupt files.


======================================
Inventory and header tagging completed

Files: 3809
Folders: 540
Lines of code: 417505
Previous lines of code: 417505
Lines added: 0
======================================

Press return to exit


That's one of my major projects (game server - started off with existing program, enhanced it a lot).

Though now that I'm out of school and working full time I have more spare time on my hands for stuff like this.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel

Warning: Do not stop this process or it may corrupt files.

Yikes

 

[Red Squirrel]

One of the other devs did that, whoops! If it's in the middle of writing a file and you stop it, then it's time to retrieve a backup of that file.

 

[Crusty]

Copy the current file to a backup file, replace the current file with the new file, verify contents and then erase the backup file(assuming you have regular backups). If something fails at any one of those steps you'll be able to recover by rolling back all of your changes.