@RUTGERS.ARPA:CharlieLevy.es@Xerox.ARPA (01/30/85)
From: CharlieLevy.es@XEROX.ARPA
re: Stress and Cancer and Computer Programming
I have a theory about that. Computer programming is almost always
PROBLEM solving. Now problems are something that normal people almost
always avoid.....most of society thinks of problems as stress to be
avoided.....yet the normal program production cycle is almost always in
the PROBLEM mode. After designing and writing your program (usually the
shorter parts of the process) you're always in the state of a) your
program doesn't work and b) it's a problem to fix.
Algorithmically, it's:
1. Design
2. Write Program
3. Until "Program works" DO
3a. anxiously look for bug
3b. change code
3c. re-compile, etc
ENDLOOP;
4. When program works, immediately forget about reveling in your
success, and go on to another "problem".
Most of a typical programmer's time time is spent in step 3a, which is,
for me, a state of high anxiety, which is stress. Yes, I have had cancer
(not of the stomach). Since most of our time is spent in step 3a,
there's a lot of stress, anxiety, feelings of inadequacy. In addition,
our productivity is almost directly a function of how FAST (translate to
pressure) we work in mode 3a, so we worry about delivery times in
addition to, and at the same time, as worrying about the bugs.
I'd guess that there's an even higher correlation between programming
and stomach ulcers.
The only solution, I think, is to change our attitudes so that we think
of bugs as opportunities to have fun (and damn the schedule). I've
actually seen people who are like that. I'm not that secure, and have
considered as solutions, a) psychotherapy to change my attitude toward
problems and b) changing professions.
Yes, programming is fun, challenging, pays well, etc., etc.
Charlie Levy@RUTGERS.ARPA:GKahn.INRIA@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA (02/03/85)
From: GKahn@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
I would like to cancel my personal subsctiption to this Digest as I can
get to this info via more collective means.
Thanks for all the work.