I’m a coder… Not a monkey coder, handed subroutines by a project manager with inputs and outputs. 

Nope, I’m more of an engineer-artist-programmer.  I see a need and define it myself.  Then I come up with a creative way to make the solution to the need.  Then I write the code.  Then erase it and start over because it wasn’t elegant code, but I know how it has to work now.  Maybe another rewrite until it is finally a work of art.  Ugly code bothers the hell outta me.

There are keys to being a good programmer.  For me, its not letting people know what you’re doing until you’ve got something to show them.  In fact at work, I don’t think I’ve really ever had someone tell me what code I have to write.  I’m the main coder in my group of engineers right now.  Everyone pretty much knows if there is a need, then I’ll come back with something shortly.  Or even better, they won’t even know the need existed consciously until I show them something that takes care of the problem.

I’ve found 8 rules for coding from Holding a Program in One’s Head by Paul Graham.  It’s a work of genius it is. 

• Avoid distractions.
• Work in long stretches.
• Use succinct languages.
• Keep rewriting your program.
• Write re-readable code.
• Work in small groups.
• Don’t have multiple people editing the same piece of code.
• Start small.

Please visit the Paul Graham’s essay above.  Each of the 8 rules is well described as to why it is so important.  And why just about every company writing software does it wrong.  Any other programmers out there think that the rules under which the operate breaks every one of these rules?  I would never take a job as a programmer.  I’d take an engineering job or an operations job where I could do code no problem.

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