CodingHorror : How To Become a Better Programmer by Not Programming

One thing lead to another. In my previous post, I talked about a paradox of programmers not being able to program - just like plumbers not being able to plumb. Ahem !

A paradigm-shift is how to become a better programmer by not programming. Coding Horror told us that there's a vast divide between those who can program and those who cannot. But the dirty little secret of the software development industry is that this is also true even for people who can program: there's a vast divide between good developers and mediocre developers. A mediocre developer can program his or her heart out for four years, but that won't magically transform them into a good developer. And the good developers always seem to have a natural knack for the stuff from the very beginning. The older I get, the more I believe that the only way to become a better programmer is by not programming. You have to come up for air, put down the compiler for a moment, and take stock of what you're really doing. Code is important, but it's a small part of the overall process.