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Are you obsessed by programming? 🧠🤯

Lorenzo on March 10, 2021

Hello World! My first three #healthydebate generated more than 6000 views and 130 comments! So I decided to create another one, it feels so good to...
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egilhuber profile image
erica (she/her)

It started with an obsession with programming, and morphed into an obsession with development. Sure, just writing code is fun. I love writing code. I love debugging code. I love writing out a fancy new algorithm to manipulate data.

But them side projects

Thinking of new ideas, planning them out, keeping up with new tech and fun ways to implement it. The whole thing is a blast.

And yet, I don't really code outside of work. I've been working on rectifying that. Realistically, programming for 8 hours a day at work does take some of the magic out of it. I could surely stop for a month (if it didn't have an impact on my income), but I don't think I would want to. Other small "breaks" from code I've taken in the past (credit: COVID) have left me bored and yearning for a project pretty quickly.

As for if I've dreamt of code, YES. I've dreamt of bugs that didn't get wrapped up the previous day. I've dreamt "solutions" for them, of doing the refactor of all refactors, and struggling to query the database.

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tankerguy1917 profile image
tankerguy1917

I really like doing side projects too. But, then I think up another side project, and another, and soon, I have a lot of unfinished projects that I don't even remember starting.

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konb00yay profile image
Konnor Beaulier

Same here!

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Rishiraj Purohit

But have you ever worked on a project for 2 hours and then finally deciding the name you see there is already a repo you created and code look awfully similar to what you just wrote 😅

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egilhuber profile image
erica (she/her)

Project amnesia! I email myself side project ideas to keep track of them easily, and I've definitely being going through and found duplicates (or triples!) of the same idea!

Maybe it's a sign that I should start (and finish) that project!

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ryencode profile image
Ryan Brown
  • not quite obsessed... but probably,maybe?
  • I do work as a programmer and Yes I code out of work for other projects and for fun
  • Not counting work: I code probably an additional half-hour to an hour a day average.
  • I often think about problems or solutions to problems with code outside of code hours. say an additional hour a day beyond 'coding time'
  • I've dreamed code. I've 'solved' problems in dreams and them implemented solutions in the morning. I've also had (not quite) nightmares where the code just doesn't work right (which makes sense in a dream.)

Programming is a tool to solve problems, (and/or make tools that solve problems) As a tool I use and hone every day, my brain defaults to a simple flow chart:

  • Is is conceivable this problem can me solved with code?
    • yes: think about how to solve it with code
    • no: move on :)
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lorenzoblog profile image
Lorenzo

Thanks for sharing!

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trueneu profile image
Pavel Gurkov • Edited
  • I'm not obsessed with programming in general. Obsession, as you put it, is an intrusive and permanent thought, which kinda means you don't control it, but it controls you instead. However, I may get obsessed with a particular problem until I solve it, and think of it for days whenever I have a spare moment.
  • I do code out of work, have a number of pet projects which serve some particular, different purposes.
  • On hours per day, depends on the day. Anywhere from 0 to 10 :)
  • I could stop for a month, sure. Especially if I got compensated generously for that month, as that would mean I stopped doing any work.
  • On dreams, sure, your subconsciousness will show you any kind of weird stuff dependent on what you were concentrated on during the day. When I was a little kid, I would program a programmable calculator during the day, for days in a row, and then mumble stuff about registers and assembly during the night. :)
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ironcladdev profile image
Conner Ow • Edited
  1. Yes! I am totally obsessed by coding. It's my favorite thing to do.

  2. I just build fullstack projects. I don't have a job yet. Also, I do help out some people make free sites sometimes.

  3. I code about five to seven hours a day. I wake up at around 5:30am, finish doing some stuff, and I'm usually on by 7:00 until the day ends.

  4. How many percent of the time do I think about coding? If that's the question, whenever I'm bored, I'll think about how to solve an algorithm I've been working on and sometimes, I'll solve it.

  5. If I stop for a week, then I go crazy. I have to be creating something amazing on the computer.

  6. I do dream about coding a lot. Sometimes when I can't sleep, I'll think about how to fix something I've been working on previously and then I solve it sometimes. I'm not sure, but I think a couple times, I dreamed about a problem and actually solved it.
    Sometimes, I dream about a made-up or existing problem and get really stressed not being able to solve it.
    I do dream about coding, writing to people online, etc.
    I was just made to code right out of the box.

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Lorenzo

More seriously, I'm very similar to you in that, I'm also 15 and also, I can't stop programming, even for a week.

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ironcladdev profile image
Conner Ow

Man, I didn't know that.

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lorenzoblog profile image
Lorenzo

Just a casual rock song I love

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Lorenzo

I was just made to code - New kiss song!

youtube.com/watch?v=ZhIsAZO5gl0

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Travis Simpson

I suppose I'm a bit of an outlier, and have an article written some time ago about not being obsessed with it. There are other things in life I enjoy spending time on and experiencing, and I've found this to be more true the older I get. Programming is just another tool in the toolbelt allowing me to do a few things extra, much like having power tools in the garage to build/repair things easier. I feel like it's a tad bit unhealthy to push the view of the obsessed programmer as it shines a light on this particular group, creating a problem in the workforce where unless you live, eat, breath and sleep programming, you are not hirable. I work on coding projects anywhere from 0-10+ hours a day depending on my mood, what I need to get done etc. I'd be more than happy to go a good month or so without writing a single line of code. That's more free time to focus on other endeavors. I guess I've just always hated the feeling of being "locked in" to one thing and one thing only.

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Konnor Beaulier

I certainly wouldn’t say I’m obsessed, but if there’s one thing I do more than a healthy amount is start a new project without finishing an old one! Just need to hunker down and focus on reaching an end goal. So I do code out of work, maybe for 4-6 hours a day?

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Lorenzo

And how many more hours for work?

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konb00yay profile image
Konnor Beaulier

Depends on how many meetings I have in a day 😁
But probably somewhere in the 4-5 hour range!

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tankerguy1917 profile image
tankerguy1917

I'd say sort of. I think about what I'll do and how to do it when not programming. This usually comes in the form of "Oh, that's how I need to do that", or something along those lines, after I've stopped for the day. I spend about 3-4 hours a day coding, since I have school and chores and other stuff like that. I couldn't just stop programming for a month. It's really fun and works out my brain in a way that nothing else has really been able to do. But, yeah, I'd say I'm right in between obsessed and not.

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Reaper

I find something, I think I can build it and before you know it I have my own tool plus a few more repositories that support the original tool and can be isolated, also the reason there's over 100 repositories on my github and I can hardly maintain 3 at a time.

Also, since I really suck at marketting stuff, no one knows they exist either.

I like that there's something I'm really very passionate about to the point where it controls me but then I don't see any traction from the users side so it fades away for a day or two and then we're back with another curious hit.

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Pontakorn Paesaeng
  • I am not obsessed with programming. I do like it but it's not permanent thought.
  • Of course. As long I find some fun in it. I love to try different things such as functional programming language, new area of development or side project that take not much effort. I am actually a student so this question really means if I code outside of the curriculum.
  • It varies. I think it's ranging from no coding to whole day of code.
  • I think my programming is a bit boring. I do same things over and over. Even I want to try new things, I don't see any reason or meaning of that. I hope it get better.
  • No, I cannot. It becomes a part of me. I would go insane if I stop.
  • I even get a compilation error in my dream.
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seanbei

I think everyone has the experience obsessed by programming. That's why we are here. I really enjoy the moment I lost in the code. But only when I was a student, I had the freedom to obsess in programming. In a real work environment, it's hard for me to focus one thing for a long time. Always meeting or disturbed by others. I miss that moment.

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Lorenzo

I think we students don't realize how valuable it's to be a student and have a lot of free time.

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Rishiraj Purohit

No I am not addicted
I work as a software developer and in my free time I love to create my personal projects (I call it my hobby).

I do love reading the theory books about software development like (clean code) and I am pretty sure I will not read those kind of books on any other subject (ok maybe EM waves someday)

Obsession sounds like a negative word, I'd rather call it love and just like other addicts I'll say I can stop whenever I want but I never tried it and probably won't any time soon.

There is something special when you get a new idea and want to try it out. Its like you have the power to build stuff, convert your idea into something that works.
Often times you will find me lost trying something that has no relation to my work or any projects but just to see if I can do it, for example, recording audio and saving as wav file in specific encoding in python. Not sure why I did it, it was a new shiny idea to try.

Hi I am rishiraj and I am an addict.

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Mehmed Duhovic

The sad thing is that I was obsessed with code and tech generally as a hobby until I started to work - and then I became obsessed but more as a profession, as something which is made to make me money. And I don't know yet whether that is a good thing or a bad thing.

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Pacharapol Withayasakpunt • Edited

If I don't have problems, or the problem is too difficult, I stop coding.

But I don't feel like doing anything better, anyway. Not even reading or studying matters more. Only work or emergency cases matter more.

So, I guess I am obsessed.

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A.J. Romaniello • Edited

Obsession could only begin to describe my feelings towards programming.

It all started with creating a simple HTML static website when I was 11 years old. Just the idea of being able to translate code into anything has always amazed me. Of course being 19 now I have learned much more on all things programming, data, computer science, and have only become more enthralled by this insane science.

We manipulate data ( really just electrons transferring between computers and us measuring the difference in their current ) and have been able to create vast amounts of new technologies in the past 60 years (and only 31 since the internet!).

This keeps me obsessed and dreaming about what the future holds for us as humanity and specifically programming.

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Lorenzo

Thanks for sharing!
I agree, the future will surely be a nice trip.

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nibtime

For me, programming is just a way of expressing my thoughts and mental models. It's a means of constructing reality for me.

So am I obsessed with it? Guilty, I guess 😇

Also, I don't have any concept of myself as a professional or an engineer at all. 😅

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Ingo Steinke, web developer • Edited

I am wondering again, what is meant by "programming" ...

  • coding, typing text and symbols using a keyboard,
  • thinking about what next to type on your keyboard,
  • designing technical processes using a computer, using code or low-code tools,
  • designing technical processes on paper, in a discussion, in your mind,
  • designing graphics, sounds, videos, text to be used on a computer.

While coding might seem obvious at first sight, many people seem to doubt that writing markup is programming, not to talk about using a low-code tool like WebFlow or configuring a WordPress theme.

See:
HTML is a programming language and
HTML is not a programming language and that's the best thing about it

That said, while there might be obsessive hacking sessions, like in a hackathon or when fixing a live bug, I like to design, to think and communicate at least as much as I like putting my ideas into practice by typing code into a keyboard.

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Maxime Moreau
  • Yes I'm obsessed with programming, but in a more general way I'm obsessed to solve real world issues thanks to programming. I try to chill out and remove the "bad" obsession (i.e don't sleep cauz you want to solve this f... issue! Do nothing on the weekend except programming...). Basically I work on my life/programming balance which is primordial.
  • I do code out of work. Let's say 10-20 hours a week, it depends a lot on my motivation, I tend to code less, think more and I've learned to chill out.
  • Hm, 5-7 hours a day including the out of work time.
  • For a month?! That's a long time. I did it a year ago and it was fine, but it's kinda hard. I mean, I can "easily" code less for a month but 0 lines of code it's painful.
  • I think every developer already have dreamed about programming. I already dreamed about solving bugs, crashing an entire prod (a nightmare!!)...

Don't forget to keep your health dears programmers!

Happy coding.

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lorenzoblog profile image
Lorenzo

Happy coding!

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mrwolferinc

Yes, I am very obsessed with programming; I will have a meltdown if I don't code for 2 weeks! 😖

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Heather Williams

I could easily give up coding and do anything else. It is just one aspect of my life and it happens to be the part that pays the bills. Even at work I don't just code, I end up dabbling with all sorts of other things. It helps to work with a small team in a small company since I get the freedom to do more than just code.

I enjoy coding and will sometimes end up thinking about problems long after work has ended but more often than not when I close my laptop for the day my coding stops and I do many other things to keep busy from reading, writing, baking, hiking, drawing and playing silly little games on my phone.

I don't recall any dreams about code but there have definitely been some work dreams. And if I have a particularly knotty problem then I often have a nightmare that night.

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Atulit Anand

Obsession is Sheldon Cooper

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Lorenzo

The Big Bang Theory, for the ignorant ones...

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Matvey Romanov

I`m totally obsessed :)

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Lorenzo

This is the right spirit

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Lorenzo

Post just published, you can be the first!

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mrdulin profile image
official_dulin
  1. Build things
  2. Make money
  3. Sense of accomplishment
  4. Change my perception
  5. Satisfy curiosity
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David O.C.

Yes yes yes yes!

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brandon_wallace

I am not obsessed by programming but I do enjoy it very, very much. It is a lot of fun and you can create useful applications.

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Cristhian Reinoso

I always find myself at night being in bed watching videos about Python or cyber security, bash, vim... The list goes on loool, never realized this about me. My youtube history is a mess 😅

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Lorenzo

It actually exists a youtube video about that, a case study of the browser history of a full-stack dev, I just remember that it was really messy.

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Jeferson Schiavinato

I would like to be obsesed. However I work in another area and sometimes I can not even open VsCode to study. I hope I can answer "yes" in a near future!

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Lorenzo

I'm sure you will!