Blogging has become for me a lot like coding. I have to blog just like I have to code. I have no choice. I have to get things out. When I have something cool to say, the feedback really helps my ego. When I’m melancholy the feedback also helps me know that others have suffered just like me. It’s really a way for me to connect with others. It’s really weird to sa that I have friends some fairly close who I have never met. (For instance Eric Wise who I just saw was on Instant Messenger right now… although we’re not that close, but we know each other better than some people I have physically met)… anyway, on to the reason I’m blogging.
So I’m finally reading Coding Slave… If you are debating about reading it and were afraid of “the sex” like I was (these things concern a moralist like myself), I can tell you a few things about it that may allay your fears… I found none of “the sex” all that sensual; there’s no passion. In fact I think Bob purposefully does that. It’s very mechanical and artificial. Bob says that it’s code. I found it kind of an oddity. You’ll have to read to see what I’m talking about.
Many of Bob’s characters are typologies; they are us. In fact the systems architect, Albert, is someone I work with. On the surface he is all about the money (but dig in a bit and you’ll find a huge heart).
I just finished chapter 25 and looked into a mirror… I have been reading my wife excerpts from the book… I’ll need to read the entire chapter to her. I also need to apologize. I referred to one of my co-workers as Rafael… he’s not, but I am. Rafael is a character who doesn’t have the education in programming, but he loves to do it… he has a natural aptitude to do it, and he strives to be better at it; this is because of some of his early failings. He comes from very humble beginnings (his parents are blue collar workers and he is trying to rise above that). All of this you can find out from the DNR episode. By Chapter 25 the concept of being a Coding Slave has been defined, an Ajita is trying to do something about it (read to find out what). Chapter 25 describes a malady of mine… I can’t get the code out of my head at times… especially when a particular bug is killing me… I know my wife hates it (if she realizes that is). I’m a slave to code in these instances. Maybe Ajita’s method may help her bring me back to earth (and no it is not sex).
[Ok, enough philosophical stuff… next post will be something more technical]