[Semi-OT] On the topic of build tools

harakim harakim at gmail.com
Sun Oct 31 02:14:30 UTC 2021


On Tuesday, 24 August 2021 at 07:42:36 UTC, SealabJaster wrote:
> On Monday, 23 August 2021 at 08:01:27 UTC, Abdulhaq wrote:
>> ...
>
> If only something actually useful ever came out of it though.
>
> I keep escalating the complexity of the things I want to do:
>
> "I'll write a build tool!"
>
> ->
>
> "I'll write a package manager!"
>
> ->
>
> "I'll write an assembler!"
>
> "Then a JIT, or an OS, then, then, then....."
>
> And nothing I actually write will be used or useful in any 
> meaningful way.
>
> Though tbf even when I try to write something useful it still 
> goes unused anyway.

I agree with the previous posters. I believe this is a normal 
phenomenon for good programmers, especially early in their 
careers. You're exploring the problem space and it WILL help you 
down the line.

I worked on a scheduler for the Cell Broadband Engine for about a 
year. I was not qualified at all to do it and I failed. It was 
too hard for me. There was no printing stuff out because that 
screwed up the scheduling. There was no debugging, period, 
outside of the emulators, which weren't a good enough emulation 
to rely on. Sometimes it would run for several minutes and then 
the result would be completely incorrect with no clues as to why. 
It caused me to UNDERSTAND what I was doing. It caused me to be 
able to run code in my head and think it different ways. I still 
use those skills today.

I do think when you get into modes of programming a lot, you are 
probably avoiding something else in your life. Make sure to take 
time to just not think about anything. Don't direct your brain, 
let it produce the thoughts. Some people call this meditation. It 
will help get you out of cycles of thinking and you'll be less 
anxious.

You have a part to play in this world. When you figure out what 
it is, then you can just move toward it. You'll be motivated to 
keep going even when it's tough. You'll feel like you're 
accomplishing things. You'll have direction. The world is like an 
orchestra and we all need you to play your part.

Until then, feel free to write lots of "useless" tools. It will 
help you in the end.




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