Question for all developers in here...

[Descartes]

Not to be a snob, but I'd like to get the opinions of those that have worked on many projects, largescale or otherwise.

Ever just get to a point where no amount of thought will elicit a solution? Normally, the answer just comes to me rather quickly. Sometimes I'll get up, take a walk, and the answer will hit me. I've always felt confident that no matter what, I'll have a lucid solution after a little thought.

Well, recently, I was dealing w/ an issue that no matter what I did, it just wasn't hitting me. It wasn't a problem, twas an architectural decision. For the life of me I couldn't get my head around it.

I did come up w/ an answer, but it looks like I might have to refactor quite a bit of it due to performance issues w/ other components in the system.

Can any of you empathize? For a while I had lost confidence in myself...

 

[GumbyInLA]

Hey Frost,

You're not alone.

Sometimes the answers are not as easy to get. I've been there too.

Don't loose your confidence. I've found that keeping with it and thinking about different ideas will allow best solution to come forward eventually.

And, sometimes the comprimises in a system mean that the best solution just can be implimented.

Do your best, it sounds like you care alot about what your doing and people always appreciate that.

dave.

 

[BoberFett]

Been there.

What I've found though is that there's always a solution. Sometimes the solution is so bad that it makes the transition from "solution" into "hack" and that's the point at which you decide whether or not it's worth redesigning large portions of the project just to avoid using the hack. I've been known to use a hack from time to time, when I feel the cost of redesigning was too great, especially if the hack is mostly innocuous. I have on a couple of occasions had to go back to the drawing board though. :frown:

 

[cyclistca]

Yep been there. I've had a few projects were it took me a while to come up with the solution. I've even had a few times where I've had to go back to the client and tell them it just was not possible to complete their request. I'm luck in that I write corporate reports for a living and always have several projects ongoing at any one time. If I get stuck on one project I can just go on and work on one of the other ones.

What I find interesting is the place where I some times come up with my best solutions. I find that I do some of my best thinking well I'm getting ready for work in the morning.