Jason Salas' WebLog

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Do you talk to your code?

Being a musician, I've learned that only after reaching the point of maturity in your own skill set in general and in particular with an instrument, do you develop a relationship that exponentially amplifies your ability to create.  Most expert players can all attest to the quasi-sexual experience one can have while playing a certain song with a certain instrument - it's been said that the great B.B. King openly cries each and every time he performs "The Thrill is Gone" on his prized Lucille.  There's a real emotional bond created between man and machine.

As a software developer, I've bonded with the syntax to which I affix myself for countless hours.  Some programmers talk to their PCs....I talk to my code.  I see the machines on which I work as vessels for the real tool...the code itself, and I get right into conversations with my beloved scripts.  I've found it helps the productive process to engage in a running narrative that serves to aide as a self-imposed quality control mechanism, if you will.  And I don't assume I'm alone. 

I find myself having a tendency to be quite vulgar when working on silly, mundane helper methods (like string manipulation routines), while I'm more loving and affectionate with ADO.NET and database communication code, and downright abusive and demeaning when it comes to XSLT.  In contrast, I'm totally submissive and "whipped" when it comes to anything JavaScript (largely because I suck at it). 

How about you?

Comments

Sam said:

The only time I say anything to my code is to swear at it. But usually I guess I'm swearing at myself for a silly mistake.
# July 23, 2004 8:41 AM

Scott Galloway said:

On occasion writing state management code can make me variously religious and outright obscene...
# July 23, 2004 9:06 AM

Tim said:

OK. You're weird.
# July 23, 2004 1:00 PM
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