iamacp.com – I Am A Computer Programmer
All about the daily work issues of a Java/J2EE Computer Programmer

I’ve always had a passion for computers and technology. The thrill of getting my hands on a new gadget or piece of software and learning how to use it has always been way too fun. I remember when I got my 1st computer almost 15 years ago now and being at awe of all the things I could do with it. I could get work done (not fun for a kid), play games and get on the internet (not really a cool thing in the early 90′s).

It took me a better part of a few years as a computer programmer where I could code comfortably with minimal hassle. No profession is without is flaws and my job is no exception. No matter what hassles I encounter I truly am born to code.

Today was just a very boring day at work. It started off as the typical boring non payday Friday morning. I got in to work chatted with a few workers and for the next several hours just worked on a few minor bug fixes. Sometimes the simplest bug fixes to make can be the hardest to spot. You really have to have to be able to be a proficient debugger to be a half way decent programmer. I don’t know how many times when I’ve tried to fix a bug and on the 100th attempt (I kid you not.) I’d finally fix the bug .

There are many secrets I have learned to surviving a programming job over the past few years. The most important is the ability to relax under any situation. I don’t care if people tell you that stress helps you code better. That’s pure nonsense. The more relax you are the more you’re brain is better able to function. I personally listen to music on my iPod as a way to reduce tension.

It does no good to get nervous if you encounter a bug that you have trouble fixing. Whenever I have gotten nervous or stressed in the past it has hurt my productivity. Sometimes all you need to do is go home and forget about the problem over the weekend or overnight. When you come back later on to work on the problem you will be better able to think about the task from another angle.

The other issues that you have ignore are other things going in your life. As a Java developer I have learned sometimes just to not give a dam and relax even block out all distractions temporarily.