
Ask HN: What “Matters” in Programming? - alexgiorev
I was reading the following Q&amp;A:
https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.dodgycoder.net&#x2F;2012&#x2F;09&#x2F;q-with-nine-great-programmers.html<p>The second question is<p>&quot;What do you think is the most important skill every programmer should posses?&quot;<p>,to which one of the programmers answered:<p>&quot;A strong sense of value. The ability to ask yourself the question: Is it worth doing what I’m doing right now? So many programmers seem to waste oceans of time on stuff that just doesn’t matter. And not enough on the stuff that does.&quot;<p>I have no clue what he means by &quot;stuff that just doesn&#x27;t matter&quot;. I would really appreciate if someone explains what this means or gives some examples of such &quot;stuff&quot; so that I will know not to waste time doing it. Thanks!
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PaulHoule
My take.

This is a dangerous opinion, even if it is somewhat valid.

A harsh version of it is like this: the value of your work is the value it
gives to the business. If you believe that when, then you will be a "0x"
programmer if you are working on a project that fails because the business is
failing.

The consequence of that one is that you should not work for failing businesses
or businesses that will certainly fail. That is, join the IT department at
Sears and you are doomed. (A risky business which may or may not succeed is
something different.)

Another thing I've heard people say is that they want to "do the 20% of the
work which gets you 80% of the way there". Well, if you are flying across the
U.S. and stop 80% of the way there maybe you land in Las Vegas instead of Los
Angeles and you're still alive. Try that on the ocean and you die.

When it comes to a "minimum viable product" you have to get 100% of the way
there, even if you don't know exactly what that 100% of the way there is.

There is a certain kind of programmer who looks productive because they are
getting projects "80% done" and leaving somebody else to do "80% of the work".

