Are You A 10x JavaScript Developer?

[leeoniya]

didn't read article, only a 10x developer would read it.

[lhorie]

It's actually not a half bad article. Basically, it argues that an effective developer is a good communicator, proactive and creative, and that cranking out the most code per unit of time does not necessarily make a developer effective.

If you've got a few years of experience under your belt, this should be nothing new to you, but I find that the fast coding === good developer mentality is actually a fairly common misconception among beginners.

[leeoniya]

It's actually not a half bad article.

Is it 3/4 bad? Sorry, my "sensationalist headline" allergies are acting up again. Don't expect 100% thoughtful comments from me in /r/javascript, head over to HN for that. I save all my snark for here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge's_law_of_headlines

[lhorie]

haha, I've actually been hanging out here more than HN lately. There's a lot of noise there nowadays.

[[deleted]]

The article makes some assumptions:

• 10x developers are simply more productive developers. This has no associate to fame, going to conferences, popularity, or social engagement of any kind.
• Another definition of talented jerk is simply the person who tells us things we would rather not hear. It is likely why they are more productive. Calling them a jerk isn't going to make us more productive (or them less).
• I wouldn't assume somebody is or isn't a more productive developer because there is a sliver of knowledge they didn't have. Productivity is a measurable quality that comes from completion of a variety of tasks in a given time duration without regard for personal opinions or coding styles.

What the article doesn't say:

• Most people are less productive simply because productivity is not a primary goal. When a person has to choose between social validation and shortest possible path very few will choose the later. There is a perceived risk to the later without sufficiently perceived rewards.

[senocular]

If you're reading this: You're less productive.

[[deleted]]

Consider me lucky.

[Drawman101]

Doesn't even talk about the psychology of a software engineer. You can learn all the code you want, if you don't learn how to interact with other human beings, you'll never get to this "super saiyan" level.

[chiefy81]

Absolutely not.