Maybe its just because I get along with my coworkers, but when working on something difficult we naturally collaborate and end up in an unofficial "pair programming session"
However, for short bursts (10minutes to max about 90) that are focused on a particular goal makes me feel both re-invigorated and more satisfied with the completeness of the ideas.
The re-invigoratation (for me) comes from not having to run my brain at 100% for the duration. In auto racing terms, my partner and I can take turns drafting off each other’s thoughts, increasing our mental efficiency.
When differences arise I love hearing their thoughts and finding ways to merge the best of both ideas- or completely tossing my own because theirs are better. I’ve heard it (no clue where or from whom) described as idea sex. I’m very okay with my ideas being promiscuous and having lots of better little idea babies.
I still haven’t figured out how to keep my skin from crawling watching people fumble around their UIs though...
Your skin crawling while your pair is fumbling for buttons in the IDE is likely displayed by you physically as well, maybe holding your breath or twitching your hands towards the keyboard, your pair is probably then also thinking “what are they thinking but not saying, have I just done something really stupid” which leaves everybody feeling very uncomfortable, and is unproductive. However if people are comfortable with each other and importantly, open to being shown something new, the whole situation is fixed with a simple “hey, did you know there is a shortcut for that”. Over the weeks simple interactions like that add up to mean the whole team is using all of the keyboard shortcuts. The same is true of software patterns and useful library functions, they spread like gossip in the group because everyone is excited to show the next person.
I totally understand that pair programming isn’t for everybody in fact I think it is only for a specific type of person and group. Pair programming only works in groups where each member has high levels of empathy and trust is high within the group. Everybody on this thread that turned down pair programming jobs because they thought it sounded awful were definitely right to do so. But for some it can be an extreamly productive and fun way of working and learning at the same time.
my favorite time in college was the one time I met a similarly minded guy, we cracked through problems with such a positive energy. It was like a biking race, I'd find an idea, then get stuck, he'd try something, so on and so forth.