Comments on: Forced to mingle http://polymathprogrammer.com/2008/04/07/forced-to-mingle/ Math and programming with bytes of random curiosity Tue, 10 Aug 2010 02:06:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Vincent Tan http://polymathprogrammer.com/2008/04/07/forced-to-mingle/comment-page-1/#comment-1003 Vincent Tan Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:55:12 +0000 http://polymathprogrammer.com/?p=179#comment-1003 "I’m constantly finding software that doesn’t flow properly" Hi Catherine, I hope you <em>do</em> find software that works fine... I agree that we get stuck in a rut sometimes, and that's really what happened with my colleagues. We weren't prepared to socialise that evening. I guess sometimes we tech people just aren't the mingling sort... “I’m constantly finding software that doesn’t flow properly”
Hi Catherine, I hope you do find software that works fine…

I agree that we get stuck in a rut sometimes, and that’s really what happened with my colleagues. We weren’t prepared to socialise that evening. I guess sometimes we tech people just aren’t the mingling sort…

]]> By: Catherine http://polymathprogrammer.com/2008/04/07/forced-to-mingle/comment-page-1/#comment-1002 Catherine Sun, 13 Apr 2008 13:44:27 +0000 http://polymathprogrammer.com/?p=179#comment-1002 As a tech writer, I'm constantly finding software that doesn't flow properly, that forces its users to jump through too many hoops. Too many software development departments don't take useability into account at all, unfortunately - fortunately some places allow feedback from support, testers, tech writers and other in-house 'users' which can feed into improvements! For software that I use a lot though, I've realised that I don't always question why something works a certain way, even when there's room for improvement - I think we get stuck in a rut, and that's something that developers who use their own software can be guilty of, as you said. Conversely: I don't think there's anything wrong with being made to move out of your comfort zone at social events, particularly if they're for your company and the idea might be to force you to get to know other colleagues outside your own little group! But it's true that many technical people would rather just hang out with their usual crowd, in the comfort zone... As a tech writer, I’m constantly finding software that doesn’t flow properly, that forces its users to jump through too many hoops. Too many software development departments don’t take useability into account at all, unfortunately – fortunately some places allow feedback from support, testers, tech writers and other in-house ‘users’ which can feed into improvements!
For software that I use a lot though, I’ve realised that I don’t always question why something works a certain way, even when there’s room for improvement – I think we get stuck in a rut, and that’s something that developers who use their own software can be guilty of, as you said.

Conversely: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being made to move out of your comfort zone at social events, particularly if they’re for your company and the idea might be to force you to get to know other colleagues outside your own little group! But it’s true that many technical people would rather just hang out with their usual crowd, in the comfort zone…

]]> By: Vincent Tan http://polymathprogrammer.com/2008/04/07/forced-to-mingle/comment-page-1/#comment-908 Vincent Tan Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:11:28 +0000 http://polymathprogrammer.com/?p=179#comment-908 Aaron - I think it's a Singaporean thing; we're just shy with new people unless we know about it beforehand. I'm fine with talking to new people though. Been working on my social skills... :) Ben - There's a term used for using your own software. I believe it's "eating your own dog food". Sometimes, we programmers get caught up in the beauty of our code, that our user interface suffers. We forgot that the software is used by non-programmers. Like you said, tricky tricky... Aaron – I think it’s a Singaporean thing; we’re just shy with new people unless we know about it beforehand. I’m fine with talking to new people though. Been working on my social skills… :)

Ben – There’s a term used for using your own software. I believe it’s “eating your own dog food”. Sometimes, we programmers get caught up in the beauty of our code, that our user interface suffers. We forgot that the software is used by non-programmers. Like you said, tricky tricky…

]]> By: Ben Barden http://polymathprogrammer.com/2008/04/07/forced-to-mingle/comment-page-1/#comment-897 Ben Barden Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:57:26 +0000 http://polymathprogrammer.com/?p=179#comment-897 At my last job our Christmas parties often resulted in people being mixed up. It never bothered me, in fact I quite liked it. There was time to chat before the dinner, and time to chat afterwards, so it's not like we had to sit with the same people for the whole night. Table-switching didn't usually occur until the dinner was over, and by then it didn't really matter as a lot of people were already at the bar. As for uncomfortable situations with software, I try to adopt a "no nonsense" approach to create programs that are easy to use. This can be tricky with the software I build during the day as I build it for customers - I don't use it myself. On the other hand, I find it a lot easier to work on my CMS, because I use it too. At my last job our Christmas parties often resulted in people being mixed up. It never bothered me, in fact I quite liked it.

There was time to chat before the dinner, and time to chat afterwards, so it’s not like we had to sit with the same people for the whole night. Table-switching didn’t usually occur until the dinner was over, and by then it didn’t really matter as a lot of people were already at the bar.

As for uncomfortable situations with software, I try to adopt a “no nonsense” approach to create programs that are easy to use. This can be tricky with the software I build during the day as I build it for customers – I don’t use it myself. On the other hand, I find it a lot easier to work on my CMS, because I use it too.

]]> By: Aaron http://polymathprogrammer.com/2008/04/07/forced-to-mingle/comment-page-1/#comment-887 Aaron Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:58:35 +0000 http://polymathprogrammer.com/?p=179#comment-887 Granted being put at a table where you don't know anyone is uncomfortable but it's good for you. At least I think so. It's good to be taken out of your comfort zone every now and then, you never know who you might meet! Granted being put at a table where you don’t know anyone is uncomfortable but it’s good for you. At least I think so.

It’s good to be taken out of your comfort zone every now and then, you never know who you might meet!

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