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What are examples of programmers disregarding aesthetics for productivity?

3 points by rodarmor ↗ HN
I really enjoy it when I see programmers with a deranged disregard for aesthetics in the name of efficiency or productivity. Some of my favorited examples from my own experience:

- An extremely productive, like, 100x senior engineer I know works on a stock Ubuntu box with the default desktop wallpaper and an un-customized IntelliJ IDE and when he opens an IDE window he doesn't even full screen or center it. Just blasting code in an un-centered 68% width IDE.

- The smartest person I know (like, easily) uses the tcsh shell, the nvi editor, and the twm or ratpoision window manager, all ancient, unmaintained tools. I think they were the state of the art when he started using Unix and he never bothered switching.

- I saw a very clever bitcoin developer just set `contenteditable="true"` on an HTML element and use it as a text editor, I think because he already had the window open.

- Another developer I know with insane quality standards just names things "foo" when he can't think of a name for things, to the point where we worked on a project together for a month in a repo called "foo" until we came up with a name.

What are some good examples you've witnessed?

5 comments

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alexmolas
I don't think that using ancient and unmaintained tools is a sign of productivity. Of course, it's not always needed to use the latest tool, but I believe that the real sign of productivity is knowing which tool to use for each thing. Otherwise you can fell in the classical "when you are a hammer everything is a nail".
mamoriamohit
Wow, I read these examples, and I feel like I am not productive at all, haha.

If I have to count examples, I'd also like to count stuff that is not happening on the computer, but around it. Example, the desk.

I know a very clever developer who rarely dusts off his desk. Plugs his headphones, opens up the laptop, and gets going.

I know a very smart chap who carries a water bottle everywhere he goes, and uses it to keep hydrated, but he doesn't wash it. Just keeps refilling it multiple times a day. No wash at all.

nonrandomstring
For work I use dwm (a fully suckless setup) with some custom hacking to add a few features on the top bar. Generally I hate "window managers", which seem pointless and slow down my computer and my workflow. If you're reaching for a mouse you're doing it wrong.

(On my fun computer I use KDE for music sequencers and suchlike, like a normal sensible person)

jleyank
You can fight your tools or fight your problem. Tools that get out of your way and are multi platform are things that should be appreciated.
rsynnott
> works on a stock Ubuntu box with the default desktop wallpaper and an un-customized IntelliJ IDE and when he opens an IDE window he doesn't even full screen or center it. Just blasting code in an un-centered 68% width IDE.

That's what a windowing system is _for_. On a modern largish (say, 27") monitor, you probably don't _want_ it full-screen; for most people that's going to be less comfortable to use than a narrower version with other stuff in the missing space.

> Another developer I know with insane quality standards just names things "foo" when he can't think of a name for things

You can get away with this if you're working on your own, but it's horrible practice if you're working with people.