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Thread: Stupid Things Developers Do

  1. #1

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    ex-Administrator brad jones's Avatar
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    Question Stupid Things Developers Do

    Okay, I need everyone's help - or at least your feedback..... I'm working on an article, so what I need to know is:

    What are stupid things developers do?

    I'm looking for short answers that apply to multiple developers - not just one developer you happen to know. These can be coding, planning, or work related things or they can be things generalizations - as long as they are truly things that a stereotypical developer is likely to do.

    I hope (expect) some of you can provide some interesting insight on this topic!

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  2. #2
    Super Moderator Shaggy Hiker's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    Everything I could think of was only stupid if seen from a certain light. After all, what is the real objective? If the real objective is to write code, that's one thing, but if the real objective is to keep a steady paycheck, then an activity that looks stupid in the first case can make sense in the latter case. That's a cynical view, but not entirely unrealistic. There are plenty of people who have written themselves some job security by doing things that might not be otherwise considered best practices.

    I'll be interested in seeing what people supply. Every developer I know has acted in ways that appear completely correct once their personal goals are understood, even when their ultimate actions were not in the best interest of their employer.
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  3. #3
    PowerPoster Arnoutdv's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    Overcomplication..

  4. #4
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    They write crappy code that results in horrendous security vulnerabilities.

    Of course, they are probably being paid to do so by government agencies - domestic and foreign. After all, software has bugs, so every bug has plausible "deliberate" deniability.

  5. #5
    Software Carpenter dee-u's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    Not adding a comment?
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  6. #6
    PowerPoster yereverluvinuncleber's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    • Start by creating a product no-one else really wants
    • Under estimating the scope of the task ahead of them
    • Over estimating their own programming capabilities
    • Over estimating the importance of just being able to knock up a design, RAD...
    • Under estimating how long the project will take
    • Under estimating the sheer amount of bugs in the bug fixing stage
    • Under estimating how long fixing single bugs will take
    • Underestimating the ability of Microsoft to make a programming language obsolete before they've even finished their project.
    • Underestimating the ability of Microsoft to make the target operating system obsolete before they've even finished their project.
    • Underestimating the ability of Microsoft to make a useful tool/component &c &c obsolete before they've even finished their project.
    • Underestimating the frequency of backups they will need
    • Assuming copying the code to another computer is sufficient backup
    • Assuming their compiled code will just work on another computer with the same o/s and configuration
    • Assuming their compiled code will just work on another computer with a slightly later version of the o/s
    • Keep their code to themselves just because they are too embarrassed to let other devs see it
    • Assume that the best and only way of doing something is the way they have done it...
    • Underestimating the vitriol when they tell the world what language they are using
    • Underestimating the vitriol when they publish their programming queries and opinions on the language's dedicated forum
    • Perservering in the face of all adversity when logic tells you strongly - to STOP coding and do the other things that are more important.


    and my own list goes on.

    [updated]
    Last edited by yereverluvinuncleber; Feb 23rd, 2021 at 08:30 AM.

  7. #7
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    Quote Originally Posted by Arnoutdv View Post
    Overcomplication..
    So true. Like what I am doing these weeks - overcomplicated recursive copy of files from one folder to another but done in "enterprise" style: solution currently has 15 projects + references to some already existing libraries and countless number of classes

  8. #8
    PowerPoster jdc2000's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    copy and paste code from the internet without bothering to actually determine what all it does and how it does it.

  9. #9
    Super Moderator FunkyDexter's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    Eat too much pizza
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  10. #10
    Fanatic Member Delaney's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    drink too much caffeine.
    The best friend of any programmer is a search engine
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  11. #11
    Fanatic Member Delaney's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    start coding before thinking about what they have to code and especially how
    Last edited by Delaney; Feb 24th, 2021 at 09:43 AM.
    The best friend of any programmer is a search engine
    "Don't wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don't wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenges, wish for more wisdom" (J. Rohn)
    “They did not know it was impossible so they did it” (Mark Twain)

  12. #12
    PowerPoster yereverluvinuncleber's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    Quote Originally Posted by FunkyDexter View Post
    Eat too much pizza
    I've NEVER seen a developer eat pizza, ever.

  13. #13
    Super Moderator Shaggy Hiker's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    Not when coding, it makes the keyboard too greasy.
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  14. #14
    PowerPoster JuggaloBrotha's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    Quote Originally Posted by yereverluvinuncleber View Post
    I've NEVER seen a developer eat pizza, ever.
    Quote Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker View Post
    Not when coding, it makes the keyboard too greasy.
    I eat pizza while coding all the time, I just use a fork.
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  15. #15
    Software Carpenter dee-u's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    procrastination
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  16. #16
    PowerPoster yereverluvinuncleber's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    I never procrastinate, I always put it off until tomorrow.

  17. #17
    Smooth Moperator techgnome's Avatar
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    Re: Stupid Things Developers Do

    Overthink a problem.
    Over engineer the solution.

    And yet...
    under estimate the problem, and under engineer the solution.

    Also, forget to test the code properly.


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