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Ask HN: Developer's mind and withdrawing process

2 points by persilj ↗ HN
Is it common among developers that after some large component or maybe the whole client side of an web application has been finished (coded as planned) and there isn't much more to add to it, the mind of the developer starts some kind of "withdrawing" process? Like the mind had been given some of signal that tells it to loosen the concentration toward something. This might happen relatively quickly (like in a day or two).

Practically the effect of that could be felt, for example, when the developer starts the Eclipse and takes a look at the relatively long method list in the Outline-window. He might notice that unlike earlier, the method names don't anymore "tell" him so much. Earlier he could kind of see and feel the whole architecture of the web app, he had been building, easily. Now it actually takes some effort to understand all the nuances, quickly. However, if it is only a few days, when he last time did something with the product in question, it is probably quite easy to get into again (after short "warm-upping and activation" phase).

Or is just temporary lack of dopamine? Try also comparing this to approaching a city by a car from a distance.

Could this happen more commonly, if the developer is also the one, who is responsible to many different kind of stakeholders, so he is kind of forced to orientate differently at times?

5 comments

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mtrimpe
It sounds like you're describing a very thing every programmer experiences.

Paul Graham wrote an essay on it (http://www.paulgraham.com/head.html) which I'd suggest you give a try.

As a meta-note... these kinds of questions probably belong more in Quora or Stack Exchange than on HN.

timjahn
"As a meta-note... these kinds of questions probably belong more in Quora or Stack Exchange than on HN."

I disagree. That's obviously preference. I would find this sort of question odd on Stack Exchange (I go there specifically for technical answers to technical questions) and I don't ever use Quora.

persilj
It was a joy to read that.

I'd still like to learn more about how others experience what has been in Paul Graham's text and what I myself described. I mentioned possible lack of dopamine, but I could also add after-effects of jogging (I rarely code anything before doing such, because I think so much better after aerobic exercise).

Generally speaking, I'd like to learn why it could (sometimes) happen that mentioned "withdrawing" process starts too early and happens too quickly. It has a lot to do with different biological systems (circulatory system, endocrine system, nervous system, etc.).

georgechris
Hi Could you do an help fo us, I registered the account and submitted a link it didnt submitted since i am new.

Please can you submit a news link for me

Title : Miracle of Apple MacAppStore Link : http://moneybagapp.com/blog/miracle-of-the-mac-app-store/

Thanks so much for your time.

Regards George and Suresh

persilj
I'm beginning to see a pattern here. No matter, where I post my posts/comments, there will be 1 or more, who will include few "loaded" words to their comments and thus it will render the whole discussion as almost useless. Single words can be ultimate weapons, even when partial, if they are crafted to be irritating enough. Sadly, this seems to be the only game certain kind of people are willing to learn to play (playing with simple semantic meanings and guessing next moves of others). It is a very lame game, but does it matter to them, if it is said to them? Ofcourse not. Usually it is more subtle.

You probably have an answer ready, so go head. Say what you had already planned to say (read: say what your friends in your social circles planned that you should say).