Zugg Software :: View topic

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 4:44 pm

I have updated the "Check for New Version" so that everyone will get the message to upgrade to v2.33 now. Hopefully all of the critical issues are fixed in this version.

Now I'm going back to work on the mapper. If you don't see me posting as much for the next week or so, that means that I'm deep into Delphi programming.

Btw, I am doing the new mapper in a very modular way with conditional compilation so that I can still compile CMUD using the existing mapper. This will allow me to still update CMUD if any critical problems are found even while I'm in the middle of the mapper rewrite.

However, since releasing new CMUD versions is very distracting and gets me "out of the zone" of programming for the mapper, then I'm not going to release new CMUD versions every week like I've been doing for the past several months. If all goes well, then you won't see anything until the new 3.0 beta with the beginning of the new mapper in a month or so.

So, I hope I didn't spoil everyone with these weekly releases Wink

Wizard Joined: 14 Oct 2000 Posts: 1368

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 5:44 pm

Getting "into the zone" is more of an art than a science. I can't ever force it to happen. Good nutrition and a good night's sleep help with the foundation. It's also easier if I exercise a bit as a break between doing email/support in the morning and coding in the afternoon. Doing support and coding seems to take different parts of my brain, so it's very important when I'm in the programming zone *not* to read email or forums...that will instantly break the spell.

It helps to have a really good idea what I'm going to be working on for the day. Like having a list of steps to accomplish. Otherwise my mind will start to wander trying to think about what to do next. So pre-planning and pre-design helps, but I all I need is a general set of goals...my designs are not fully laid-out step-by-step or anything like that. Nothing like what real software companies tend to create for design "documents". For me it's just a task list.

Taking a break is tricky. If I get stuck with something, then taking a short break can help a lot. Often I can figure out what got me stuck with a short break. But other times a break can take me out of the zone and make it hard to get back to where I was. Interruptions are the worse. I close the office doors and I don't answer the phone and Chiara doesn't ask me anything until I come out of the office. But I probably don't sit for more than 4-5 hours at a stretch.

For neck/back pain, it's critical to have a really good chair and a very ergonomic work environment. I've got a very expensive chair (Steelcase Leap) that I've had for many years and it has been well worth the cost and has saved me a lot of pain. I have put effort into getting my desk set up with the keyboard and monitors and the right height, and have wrist pads for the keyboard and mouse. My new computer glasses are adjusted for the exact distance that my monitors are away from my eyes so that I don't subconsciously lean forward or backwards causing neck strain.

Best way to relieve neck/back pain for me is to get a massage. We have a massage therapist that we have known for many years now, and I go to see her every month or two. More often if I'm having any specific problems. This isn't a "luxury" if you are doing a lot of coding or computer work. It's really a medical necessity. I used to have much worse problems with neck, back, and wrist pain before I started going on a more regular basis. Fortunately, our massage therapist is very good at fixing these problems. These are not "relaxing" or "spa" massages...they come close to a chiropractor visit sometimes. She really knows what she is doing, so it's important to find someone good.

The hardest part is forcing myself to ignore the forums. Obviously I'm not programming right now...I'm still doing my morning support stuff. But reading posts or email instantly takes me out of the programming zone, and sometimes it can be hard to get back in. I take a lot of stuff more personally than I should, so anything that gets me a little upset makes it hard to get back. I also get easily distracted with stuff, so if someone reports a bug in some other part of the code, then part of me gets distracted and starts thinking about how I might fix that bug. That kind of stuff is great for when I'm debugging, but not when I have a lot of coding to do for a new project.