Comments on: How to keep your programmers happy http://www.doolwind.com/blog/how-to-keep-your-programmers-happy/ Pragmatic Thoughts On Game Development Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:53:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Night Coder http://www.doolwind.com/blog/how-to-keep-your-programmers-happy/comment-page-1/#comment-69 Night Coder Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:25:48 +0000 http://www.doolwind.com/blog/?p=34#comment-69 Every Day Manager Advice , Nice Post Every Day Manager Advice , Nice Post

]]> By: Doolwind’s Game Coding Journal » Blog Archive » (Pasty) White Nerd Can’t Talk http://www.doolwind.com/blog/how-to-keep-your-programmers-happy/comment-page-1/#comment-68 Doolwind’s Game Coding Journal » Blog Archive » (Pasty) White Nerd Can’t Talk Tue, 18 Apr 2006 08:32:08 +0000 http://www.doolwind.com/blog/?p=34#comment-68 [...] I used to have this problem when I was fresh out of university in my first work place.  A lot of people in the office these days have headphones to keep themselves entertained during the 9-5 grind in an office.  This is great for keeping boredom away, however it makes it hard for someone else to strike up a conversation.  Too many people simply stand just outside a persons’ field of view waiting for them to move slightly and catching a glimpse of you, in turn giving them a heart attack.  The better option is to simply walk up to them and tap them on the shoulder.  It may annoy them a little, but maybe you should have sent an email instead. (See my article on keeping programmers happy for more info) [...] [...] I used to have this problem when I was fresh out of university in my first work place.  A lot of people in the office these days have headphones to keep themselves entertained during the 9-5 grind in an office.  This is great for keeping boredom away, however it makes it hard for someone else to strike up a conversation.  Too many people simply stand just outside a persons’ field of view waiting for them to move slightly and catching a glimpse of you, in turn giving them a heart attack.  The better option is to simply walk up to them and tap them on the shoulder.  It may annoy them a little, but maybe you should have sent an email instead. (See my article on keeping programmers happy for more info) [...]

]]> By: Juuso - Game Producer http://www.doolwind.com/blog/how-to-keep-your-programmers-happy/comment-page-1/#comment-67 Juuso - Game Producer Wed, 29 Mar 2006 10:38:56 +0000 http://www.doolwind.com/blog/?p=34#comment-67 Excellent advice. I believe the part #7: "7. Don’t let us find out that you’re charging us out at $100 and we’re seeing $20 of it." contains much wisdom. It's like... keep it public on who is getting how much. If the boss is getting 5x more salary and doing ½ of the hours compared to programmers, something is wrong. Very good list. Excellent advice.

I believe the part #7: “7. Don’t let us find out that you’re charging us out at $100 and we’re seeing $20 of it.” contains much wisdom.

It’s like… keep it public on who is getting how much. If the boss is getting 5x more salary and doing ½ of the hours compared to programmers, something is wrong.

Very good list.

]]> By: Doolwind http://www.doolwind.com/blog/how-to-keep-your-programmers-happy/comment-page-1/#comment-66 Doolwind Mon, 13 Feb 2006 05:43:22 +0000 http://www.doolwind.com/blog/?p=34#comment-66 D. Grabiec - I agree that there are a lot of overheads involved in running a software house and that it's always been that way (my dad used to experience exactly the same thing 30 odd years ago when he was a simple coder). The major problem here is that even though coders are paying for their managers yachts and trips around the world they are still their managers. The whole relationship seems to be upside down when looking at it superficially. My main point was that I understand and realise that this is how life has to be, but it still doesn't feel very good. The best option I can see for a manager is to simply come out and tell their coders how much they're being charged out at, but giving the full list of reasons why this is the case. Being upfront is usually the best option and will save a lot of hassle in the long run. D. Grabiec -
I agree that there are a lot of overheads involved in running a software house and that it’s always been that way (my dad used to experience exactly the same thing 30 odd years ago when he was a simple coder). The major problem here is that even though coders are paying for their managers yachts and trips around the world they are still their managers. The whole relationship seems to be upside down when looking at it superficially.

My main point was that I understand and realise that this is how life has to be, but it still doesn’t feel very good. The best option I can see for a manager is to simply come out and tell their coders how much they’re being charged out at, but giving the full list of reasons why this is the case. Being upfront is usually the best option and will save a lot of hassle in the long run.

]]> By: D. Grabiec http://www.doolwind.com/blog/how-to-keep-your-programmers-happy/comment-page-1/#comment-65 D. Grabiec Sun, 12 Feb 2006 13:49:02 +0000 http://www.doolwind.com/blog/?p=34#comment-65 For number 7 you really have to take in the overhead considerations of running the office. If you really don't like that then imagine how you'd feel if the only people in the company were the developers. You'd have to answer all of your phones, write boring marketing presentations, actually sell the damn product yourself. If you did all of those things you wouldn't really have time to get any actual work done. We just have to face it, that in a software company, the developer is supporting the rest of the organisation, but on the flipside it means that the rest of the company should be geared towards making your work hours more productive and easier. For number 7 you really have to take in the overhead considerations of running the office. If you really don’t like that then imagine how you’d feel if the only people in the company were the developers. You’d have to answer all of your phones, write boring marketing presentations, actually sell the damn product yourself. If you did all of those things you wouldn’t really have time to get any actual work done.

We just have to face it, that in a software company, the developer is supporting the rest of the organisation, but on the flipside it means that the rest of the company should be geared towards making your work hours more productive and easier.

]]> By: Walt http://www.doolwind.com/blog/how-to-keep-your-programmers-happy/comment-page-1/#comment-64 Walt Mon, 23 Jan 2006 23:35:00 +0000 http://www.doolwind.com/blog/?p=34#comment-64 1. Classic generation Y attitude. I love it! Keeps you on the ball! 2. Not getting people to schedule the code they're going to work on is just asking for trouble. 3. I know what PC you have mate, and it's not _that_ bad (it has twice as much RAM as my own work PC). Sure you can't play Halflife 2 at 1600x1200, but then you're not making Halflife 2. Or are you?! 4. I love this one. Asking a programmer to do QA is one of the best things you can do for a tired programmer, because it comes through as: "I don't have any work for you to do so how about you surf the net and pretend to work" 7. I know the reason for this but as an employee I still don't like the discrepancy. In my experience, charge out rates are usually 3x what a you actually get paid and that makes you feel like the boss is thanking his lucky stars that he's got you at such a steal. 9. A paper I read many years ago suggested that programmers spend 15 minutes "getting back into it" after being distracted. Personally I know that when I'm in the zone and distracted it takes me even longer because I'm so annoyed at having been 'taken out' of the zone. 10. I'm not even going to start on this. Excessive overtime is just plain stupid and is usually used by managers that have never programmed a function in their life (excepting the odd VB Macro). 1. Classic generation Y attitude. I love it! Keeps you on the ball!

2. Not getting people to schedule the code they’re going to work on is just asking for trouble.

3. I know what PC you have mate, and it’s not _that_ bad (it has twice as much RAM as my own work PC). Sure you can’t play Halflife 2 at 1600×1200, but then you’re not making Halflife 2. Or are you?!

4. I love this one. Asking a programmer to do QA is one of the best things you can do for a tired programmer, because it comes through as: “I don’t have any work for you to do so how about you surf the net and pretend to work”

7. I know the reason for this but as an employee I still don’t like the discrepancy. In my experience, charge out rates are usually 3x what a you actually get paid and that makes you feel like the boss is thanking his lucky stars that he’s got you at such a steal.

9. A paper I read many years ago suggested that programmers spend 15 minutes “getting back into it” after being distracted. Personally I know that when I’m in the zone and distracted it takes me even longer because I’m so annoyed at having been ‘taken out’ of the zone.

10. I’m not even going to start on this. Excessive overtime is just plain stupid and is usually used by managers that have never programmed a function in their life (excepting the odd VB Macro).

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