Comments on: Eat, Sleep and Drink Software Development: Finding The Zone http://blog.uncommons.org/2008/05/05/eat-sleep-and-drink-software-development-the-zone/ Rants and opinion interspersed with awe-inspiring tales of heoric software engineering endeavours. Tue, 17 Aug 2010 03:04:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Some Developer http://blog.uncommons.org/2008/05/05/eat-sleep-and-drink-software-development-the-zone/comment-page-1/#comment-2150 Some Developer Mon, 04 Aug 2008 02:13:32 +0000 http://blog.uncommons.org/?p=76#comment-2150 Thanks for writing that up. Couldn't agree more. Know exactly what you're saying. It will take me a while to get off caffeine, though. Every time I try, I get a terrible headache, lot of yawning/sleepiness... end up being a failure! Any tips? I'm a vegetarian (a no-meat-fish-eggs guy so I know my choices will be limited :-) ) /SD Thanks for writing that up. Couldn’t agree more. Know exactly what you’re saying.

It will take me a while to get off caffeine, though. Every time I try, I get a terrible headache, lot of yawning/sleepiness… end up being a failure! Any tips? I’m a vegetarian (a no-meat-fish-eggs guy so I know my choices will be limited :-) )

/SD

]]> By: Blake Watters http://blog.uncommons.org/2008/05/05/eat-sleep-and-drink-software-development-the-zone/comment-page-1/#comment-2127 Blake Watters Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:28:59 +0000 http://blog.uncommons.org/?p=76#comment-2127 I completely agree. I also find that time away from my machine and regular, intensive exercise is a requirement for me to perform at my highest levels. I also think that diet is often neglected. I find I can outperform the sugar addicts more sustainably because my alertness and time in the zone is much more even. Bloodsugar being jerked to and fro will leave you tired and you will spend far less time at optimal performance. @Kenny Hoxworth - For the Google example I think these perks are much more about retaining talent than encouraging coding benders. They wouldn't give everyone 20% time if they wanted you working every waking moment on end products. I completely agree. I also find that time away from my machine and regular, intensive exercise is a requirement for me to perform at my highest levels. I also think that diet is often neglected. I find I can outperform the sugar addicts more sustainably because my alertness and time in the zone is much more even. Bloodsugar being jerked to and fro will leave you tired and you will spend far less time at optimal performance.

@Kenny Hoxworth – For the Google example I think these perks are much more about retaining talent than encouraging coding benders. They wouldn’t give everyone 20% time if they wanted you working every waking moment on end products.

]]> By: Jason http://blog.uncommons.org/2008/05/05/eat-sleep-and-drink-software-development-the-zone/comment-page-1/#comment-2125 Jason Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:24:53 +0000 http://blog.uncommons.org/?p=76#comment-2125 Couldn't disagree more. Google's motivation behind the free snacks is to keep employees at their office - this is a well documented fact. Sounds like someone has a motivation problem... Couldn’t disagree more. Google’s motivation behind the free snacks is to keep employees at their office – this is a well documented fact. Sounds like someone has a motivation problem…

]]> By: Anon http://blog.uncommons.org/2008/05/05/eat-sleep-and-drink-software-development-the-zone/comment-page-1/#comment-2118 Anon Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:59:53 +0000 http://blog.uncommons.org/?p=76#comment-2118 Can a discussion about addiction not involve crack abuse? It's a sick problem in society, and except for heroin and cocaine addiction, nothing comes close in severity. Cocaine addiction is a more socially accepted twin of crack addiction. Coffee is not. Also, I've found that the only side effect of drinking coffee happens if I drink some after 5pm. Every morning, I have about two mugs of strong black coffee, and that doesn't so much wake me up as it does sharpen my abilities and spark creativity. If I do find myself drinking coffee too late (working on a side project after work) then I'll just smoke a modest bit of marijuana before I want to go to sleep (a small bowl). In about 20 minutes I can easily go to sleep in spite of the caffeine, and I wake up feeling great. That happens about once every other week, I'd say, as I usually don't drink coffee after 11am. Can a discussion about addiction not involve crack abuse? It’s a sick problem in society, and except for heroin and cocaine addiction, nothing comes close in severity. Cocaine addiction is a more socially accepted twin of crack addiction. Coffee is not.

Also, I’ve found that the only side effect of drinking coffee happens if I drink some after 5pm. Every morning, I have about two mugs of strong black coffee, and that doesn’t so much wake me up as it does sharpen my abilities and spark creativity. If I do find myself drinking coffee too late (working on a side project after work) then I’ll just smoke a modest bit of marijuana before I want to go to sleep (a small bowl). In about 20 minutes I can easily go to sleep in spite of the caffeine, and I wake up feeling great. That happens about once every other week, I’d say, as I usually don’t drink coffee after 11am.

]]> By: Kenny Hoxworth http://blog.uncommons.org/2008/05/05/eat-sleep-and-drink-software-development-the-zone/comment-page-1/#comment-2115 Kenny Hoxworth Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:24:32 +0000 http://blog.uncommons.org/?p=76#comment-2115 Part of Google's motivation behind providing free meals, snacks, laundromat service, massages, and a ton of other life services is to give the workers less incentive to leave the campus. This motivation seems to contradict the main point of your article. Part of Google’s motivation behind providing free meals, snacks, laundromat service, massages, and a ton of other life services is to give the workers less incentive to leave the campus. This motivation seems to contradict the main point of your article.

]]>