Motivation Over Experience

Java/J2EE/JEE are relatively simple technologies, which can be learned in view weeks or even days. The amount of time which is needed to understand the concepts behind Java and JEE is not only dependent on the background knowledge and experience, but is also dependent on the developer's motivation. Meanwhile I think that the "bio" centric approach is not very efficient and even dangerous. There are developers out there, who are only interested in their bios, and not the technology or projects.

I already worked with C-/VB developers, who were excited about Java and became productive in view days with "training on the job". They read internet articles, magazines,  books, tried out in their leisure different technologies and ENJOYED the learning process. The skill to learn new technology is much more important, than the already existing experience. The IT-world changes very fast, so that the experience in certain technology becomes worthless after some years, sometimes months.

I also know already experienced Java developers (with perfect bios), who never become productive in the distributed SOA/JEE/etc. world...

My assumption: "There are only 2 types of people in the world: Those who love coding/technology, and those who don't" :-)

Comments:

That's true! And I'm glad that our professor always teach us how to learn. And not just how to code C, C++, Java or what ever. They always say, "You don't need to know every particular case, but if you need it some day you have to know where you can find information about it!"

It's amazing how many coders stay on the level from today (or from yesterday) and don't want to learn anymore. If coders are not willing to learn anymore they get stuck... and will be fired at some day.

The questions are:

"Why are those Those poeple who don't love coding/technology working as coders?"

and

"Will real coders even code if they just get food instead of money for coding!"

OK second one is a joke but I think this hits the point cause real coders are motivated.

Cheers... (back to coding and learning ;-))

Posted by sascha on July 17, 2006 at 12:06 PM CEST #

Sascha,

we often forget, how exciting our work really is. Your question: "Will real coders even code if they just get food instead of money for coding!" is hard to answer. I wouldn't work in commercial projects for food, but I would code (not WORK) or learn somethink exciting in my leisure :-)
regards,

adam

Posted by Adam Bien on July 17, 2006 at 12:14 PM CEST #

"Java/J2EE/JEE are relatively simple technologies" - well, as some "experts" say, it is overly complex, so that no one can get productive with it.

Thx that you disagree; Normally a developer needs only a small part of the stack to fulfill a concrete task. A true developer just needs a bit time to learn them as you lined it out.

For architects it is a bit different, they either have to devote more time on experimenting or use different sources, anyway: An architects work goes beyond the technical issues, (s)he needs not to be top-notch bit-fiddler in any area.

Posted by Carsten on July 17, 2006 at 12:58 PM CEST #

@Adam

hmmm... so you will learn for food? ;-)

Posted by sascha on July 17, 2006 at 01:17 PM CEST #

Carsten,

"well, as some experts say, it is overly complex, so that no one can get productive with it."
Perhaps: but if you look at the different JEE technologies - it is nothing else, than an abstraction of already existing technologies and products, which cannot be ignored. Is it possible to replace or simplify JMS, JDBC, JTA, JCA? From my point of view e.g. JMS is much simpler, than direct working directly with "MQ client for Java".
EJB 3.0 are great but EJB 2.0 were only usable :-).

I think there is another problem: JEE was overused or even misused for applications, without the needs for the integration of sophisticated backendsystems, MOM or special requirements for transactions.

Regardless which technology you are using, you have first to understand concepts like transactions, distribution, caching which can become really complex. After this task, JEE will become surprisingly easy...

I disagre with you on this point:

"Normally a developer needs only a small part of the stack to fulfill a concrete task."

Why not to learn/know more, as required? Developers are not stupid...

Thanks for your comment!

Posted by Adam Bien on July 17, 2006 at 01:18 PM CEST #

The pragmatic programmer says in tip number 8:

Invest Regularly in Your Knowledge Portfolio. Make learning a habit.

Posted by sascha on July 18, 2006 at 11:36 AM CEST #

That's so true, motivation tops almost everything else.

Recently I was interviewing someone, and I wanted to ask them this question "would you like to be a programmer when you are 70 ?" :-)

Posted by Parag Shah on January 11, 2009 at 06:19 PM CET #

"The skill to learn new technology is much more important, than the already existing experience." - Thats really, really true! To learn how to learn is one of the topics which should be teached much more in the school and in universities. I often met people/developers which think they have also finished learning when the finished university. :(

Posted by sascha frevel on July 11, 2009 at 12:33 PM CEST #

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