

Ask HN: Programmers - from Good to Great. How do you make it? - bjoe_lewis

After working on numerous projects, with a bit less of actual theoretical knowledge how will make your way from being a good programmer, to a great one?
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toolslive
I think you become great by accident, as a side effect of solving difficult
problems with great tenaciousness and energy.

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jamesbritt
It helps to hang around with people smarter/more skilled than you.

One risk with doing things in isolation is hitting a local maxima. That is,
getting really good using an approach that will only get you so far before
super-human effort is required. For example, mastering VB 6.

It really helps when there are others who have gone ahead and made assorted
mistakes to tell you when you may be following a poor path.

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wikwocket
Absolutely this. Being around people smarter and more experienced than you
will result in you constantly learning, trying to keep up, expanding your
world view and understanding, and being reminded that there are things beyond
your ken.

If you want to become better, but do not find yourself periodically challenged
(or at least stretched a little), look for additional opportunities to do so.

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mflindell
The first thing to think about is most "great" programmers wouldn't call
themselves so, they always feel like they can get better.

I feel that I'm good but nowhere near great, I have a comfortable job in a
Sydney based startup and the times where I make the biggest leaps in skill is
while I'm chatting to more senior devs in our office. They always have
something to talk about and give me something to strive towards.

Hope that helps, if even in the slightest.

