Programmers Life

What is the life of a programmer?

Read Microserfs . It is a short story which cronicles the life of programers in a young Microsoft.

It was written in 1994. More than a decade has passed and the power of microprocessors has increased 64 times , but the programmers life , well, remains a programmers life.

Microserfs tracks seven days @ Microsoft. Here is my take on seven days spent in a programers life.

[ This is a fictional account. Most of the programmers actually accomplish a lot, especially when they are in a zone ]

Monday: National Holiday :
> Manager's view It is our duty to work on national holidays, just look at the dedication displayed by rest of the team
> Programmer'ss view
Everybody has gone {fill: party , date , home } .

Empty rooms are depressing , nothing on TV , lets surf net in the office.

for (day = Tuesday; day != Friday ; day = next day) {

> Manager's view

Is everybody working? Always.

> Programmer's view
work : do {
Check Email.

Coffee.

See the tasks scheduled.

Check Slashdot/digg/joel.reddit.

Check Email. Delete Spam.

Look at the code.

Lunch.

Check Email.

Read about Startups.

Tinker with code.

Check favourite blogs.

Coffee.

if (feelling dead) break;
} while(1);
if (possible) eat and sleep;

goto work;
}
Saturday: Personnel work day.
> Manager's view
Why doesn't he pick up the phone?
> Programmer's Life
Can't even switch ON the phone. Gotta pick laundry, goto bank and rest .........????
Sunday:
> Manager's view
Tommorow is Monday. Again. Maybe we will accomplish something.
>Programmer's view
Tomorrow is Monday. Again. Lets Blog , maybe can get something written.

Now go. Work.