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What gives you "the rush" in programming?

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I'm one of the few that honestly enjoys coding. (It may not seem like few on here but really we're quite a rare breed grouped here guys) I always have bugs, but usually don't mind having to take time to go through with them. I just flat out enjoy writing computer programs. Not sure why, I just do. However, I'm still a novice with only about 8 months of experience, so most of my past isn't much of anything but console programming. However, I've finally gotten to a level where I can start making a game with SFML API. Not something only a few hundred lines like Pong either. I'm actually making a version of Battleship that's taking a lot more work. It's hard yes but I don't think I've ever been this hyped over computer programming before. In short I'm having a hard time going to sleep at a decent time lately as I want to keep working whenever I can. I kind of look at this as "the rush". I'm just having a crap load of fun with this.

Anyone else get this kind of feeling from something when they code?
I totally know how you feel. I do the same thing (can't sleep, try to sleep, but my mind is racing about the program I'm working on, what's next, how can solve this problem, how can I find the bug, etc. I'll wake up in the middle of the night, and start coding.) Just make sure to at least try to get some good sleep. It's unhealthy to miss too much sleep, and your judgement can get clouded when you are tired.

The biggest rush I've had so far, while programming, was seeing the GPU performance meter spike when I first successfully compiled and ran a program utilizing the graphics card for general computing using OpenCL.

I guess the rush in general, for me, is the strongest when I compile, and am about to run, a program for the first time, since major progress has been made, and I am crossing my fingers hoping that it's going to work correctly, and then it does. The more challenging the problem, and the more prior failed attempts, and the harder I've had to work on it, the more exciting it is to see it work correctly for the first time.
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After 17 years, I don't get "the rush" anymore.
Do you program only as a hobby or for a living BHXSpecter? I understand after you have been coding that many years you wouldn't get excited as easily but surely you can still find new things to do?
In short I'm having a hard time going to sleep at a decent time lately as I want to keep working whenever I can.
I'm going through the same thing right now.

My favorite moments are when I manage to implement something I've never done before (which is kind of everything). Weeks of hard work make the moment when I see that something works really rewarding.
closed account (z05DSL3A)
As I code for a living, 'the rush' is hard to find, usually find the opposite. After a day of writing code of someone else I am less inclined to do it for myself.

I still get 'the rush' and have been known to still be up at two in the morning when I have to get up at six for work. This usually comes from the research and planning rather than the code writing. With code writing I tend to zone out and loose track of time.
I get the rush when I am in a programming contest. Man what a rush it is to try to solve 5 new problems you have never seen before in 2 hours or less. Having to wake up at weird hours of the night because Russian timezone just does not agree with yours; scarfing down peanut butter toast and hot chocolate at 3 am in the morning. Then prepare the templates for the different problems in advance so that as soon as that count down timer reaches 0, you are ready to tackle problem A and hope to finish that in 20 minutes or less.
My favorite moments are when a complex system designed by me and build by multiple teams in a year or two is put together for the first time, installed on the customer's site, fed real inputs, and it just.. works. I keep checking and rechecking every log, readout, and test scenario, and it all just works. All the people flown in from other departments, camped overnight with me in the noisy server room or spending the night logged in from home, have nothing else to do. The customer's head of operations (also camped overnight) is talking about philosophy and sports and suggesting pointless interface tweaks. I only had three or four such nights, but they make it all worth it.

Oh, yeah, competitions are great too - the annual corporate competition is comping up in a month, I better check if all my makefiles are ready.
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closed account (jwkNwA7f)
Yeah, I get like that. Although if I do it for a job over 10 years, then I probably wouldn't.
I mostly use programming for solving maths problems. There's no actually rush from the programming, but there's always a small rush when I type in my equation and see the values coming out and they are either correct, or have a definite pattern (from which I can make an adjustment to the equation to arrive at the right answer).

I also recently got into game development. That's had a few rush moments. Little things, like making a selection box for the first time or doing group unit movement. When they finally work, without any bugs, it's an awesome feeling. I found myself spending about half an hour just buying various amounts of units and moving them around the screen when I solved that one (wow, that sounds sad :p).
closed account (S6k9GNh0)
Only the result and to make life easier as a side affect. I don't often enjoy programming itself that much unless I'm putting actual research into something and come out with knowledge I didn't have before.
closed account (EwCjE3v7)
I'm the same when I go to bed without finishing my code I just can't sleep but as I'm 12 and I have to go to sleep becuz my parents say sometimes I sneak down and do it ..I just love coding ..today I received c++ primer 5th edition from amazon and I'm so happy but I can't read much as I have tests in school 2marrow
> In short I'm having a hard time going to sleep at a decent time lately
> as I want to keep working whenever I can.

I've always been, and still am, a compulsive programmer. Though I have known (very well) for several years that I get more real work done in one hour after a good break, that I could do in four hours when my mind is dulled by fatigue.

It is important not to slip into extremes - not to be the kind of compulsive programmer that Weizenbaum wrote about, long ago, when one had to go to a 'computer centre'.
http://www.sacbusiness.org/cs/hesterj/HACKER.htm

closed account (S6k9GNh0)
Actually, I'll admit that during high school, I spent several sleepless nights learning the basics of programming to achieve whatever I wanted. You keep thinking to yourself, "Just a little further", then you end up spending the next 4 hours trying to finish lol.

EDIT: Now adays, I don't do this so I can keep my job.
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computerquip wrote:
Actually, I'll admit that during high school, I spent several sleepless nights learning the basics of programming to achieve whatever I wanted. You keep thinking to yourself, "Just a little further", then you end up spending the next 4 hours trying to finish lol.

EDIT: Now adays, I don't do this so I can keep my job.



Literally the story of my life.
I find it strange that I can write new code and it won't work. I will spend almost all my free time trying to fix it and still fail. Then I give up. But the next morning, like magic, suddenly I know how to fix the problem.
closed account (jwkNwA7f)
@Manga I'm the exact same way.
Austin J wrote:
Do you program only as a hobby or for a living BHXSpecter? I understand after you have been coding that many years you wouldn't get excited as easily but surely you can still find new things to do?

No, I only do it as a hobby. God, if I did it for a living I wouldn't have lasted a year. It bores me lately and I'm sure if I did it for a living, I'd be finding a new job.
Are you bored because you think you can do anything now? Codeing for me still feels like the power of a god, to create worlds and beyond.
I get the rush when I am in a programming contest.


I agree 100%, nothing gets me more "rushed" that solving a really difficult algorithmic problem.
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