writing a "Why programmers work at night" book. Want to help? | Hacker News Reader

writing a "Why programmers work at night" book. Want to help?

leanpub.com

2 pointsSwizec5 comments

A quote: "A popular saying goes that Programmers are machines that turn caffeine into code."

Lifted from here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfr%C3%A9d_R%C3%A9nyi#Quotatio...

"Rényi, who was addicted to coffee, invented[7][8] the quote: "A mathematician is a device for turning coffee into theorems.""

I strongly advise you to attribute everything you can to its proper origins -- this increases the value of your writing, and your reputation as a thorough researcher. It has it all over seeming original, then later being found out.

Also, in my humble opinion, this idea merits an article, but doesn't justify a book. In a bygone age, you could write a detailed article, see it published it a monthly magazine, and have your work read by millions of avid readers. In the present, a well-placed article can win a very large audience -- likely more than a book will, given that the topic doesn't justify a book-length project.

Parenthetically, over a 40-year career in programming, I'm sure I've written 80% of my useful code under cover of darkness.

I will do my best to attribute everything, but I'm also going to be writing this in an open manner and accepting bug reports on github :)

I think the idea justifies a short book, more of a booklet almost. Something you'd want to read as an ebook, but would likely scoff at in a dead-tree version. I have a strong feeling that ebooks are to books like blogposts are to newyorker articles.

I keep pimping this link but for you it's perfect - http://the-programmers-stone.com/the-original-talks

It's several pages written over time but, it's the deepest thinking about the neuropsychology of programming I've seen. From stress, stress addiction, to the level of light (low is best). Some reading, but for someone writing a book you pretty much (imo) have to read it.

I care less about "why" than about practical techniques for managing this reality, given clients, coworkers and suits who keep an 8-5 schedule.

Yes, that's going to be a large part of the book. It's why I'm going to be doing interviews with programmers - to find out how they manage to fit in with the rest of the world.

The why part will be aimed more at people around programmers, so they can better understand that freak occupying a part of their living space and being all maladjusted and odd.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com