I find that fast compile turnaround helps me stay engaged with the problem. Even a 30 second delay gives me time to get distracted by one of the temptations that surround us all. The ironic result is that I sometimes actually think less about what I'm doing when I have to tolerate these delays. Ideally, when I catch myself doing this, I make myself stop and think, but sometimes I'm tired and lack the patience.
On the other hand, in a fast-turnaround environment like Lisp, I can make three stupid mistakes in about a minute, and when I realize I'm thrashing, I still have all the context in my head to figure out what I should really do.
On the other hand, in a fast-turnaround environment like Lisp, I can make three stupid mistakes in about a minute, and when I realize I'm thrashing, I still have all the context in my head to figure out what I should really do.