I think I remember something like this happening before. I'm within striking distance of being preliminarily finished with my project. And now I've had another realization about how to greatly simplify the underpinnings. Why didn't I think of this three weeks ago? Probably because I didn't understand the problem well enough at that point. I needed to work with it in order to get to this point where I can see clearly. But now what am I supposed to do? I thought I was almost done.
In some ways this is probably a trap. Sure I can keep writing it over and over again and probably always make some improvements. But the idea is to finish. And something that works right now might well be better than something that will work better when (if) it's done. Still, this was an important insight. I'm genuinely confused.
Last night I was lying in bed thinking about this and I decided I'd dedicate today, one day, to laying the foundation for the new idea. I'll keep all the old work intact, and I won't do anything to prevent myself from just switching back to where I am right now with the present code. But I'll give the new idea one day and see how far I can get. Might be just a wasted day, but it's a Sunday so that seems alright.
Not like I'm going to watch the Super Bowl or anything.
No way. What the hell am I thinking? That's the next system. I have to let that simmer for much more time. I took some notes to get those ideas out of my head, and now I'm going back in to try to finish up what I'm working on now.
Sometimes it's hard being being manager and worker. You have to remember to keep the coder in line. He always wants to start over. He's learning so much that the stuff we did even a week ago looks to him like it was written by a couple hundred monkeys banging away at random. And of course he only wants to work on his stuff. And that means the stuff he's thinking about right now.
But the manager in me is getting the cat-o'-nine-tails out.
"Working in a coal mine, going down down down..."
Oh be quiet.
the gospel according to the simpsons --
code 3f23
episode 'you only move twice'
act 2
At work, Homer's wearing his Tom Landry hat and coaching his team, but
they're quite exhausted from the work he's asking from them. From
experience, Homer knows that fatigue requires only one solution:
hammocks. He goes straight to his "boss".
Hank: Uh, hi, Homer. What can I do for you?
Homer: Sir, I need to know where I can get some business hammocks.
Hank: Hammocks? My goodness, what an idea. Why didn't I think of that?
Hammocks! Homer, there's four places. There's the Hammock Hut,
that's on third.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Hank: There's Hammocks-R-Us, that's on third too. You got
Put-Your-Butt-There?
Homer: Mm-Hmm.
Hank: That's on third. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot... Matter of fact,
they're all in the same complex; it's the hammock complex on
third.
Homer: Oh, the hammock district.
Hank: That's right.
-- "You Only Move Twice"
Hank's secretary tells him they're ready for the linkup.
Hank: Uh, Homer, one second. I gotta take care of this. Very important.
Be right back.
Homer: Fine.
[Hank's map of the world reveals a giant viewscreen, on which
appears the UN staff]
Hank: Good afternoon, gentlemen. This is Scorpio. I have the Doomsday
Device. You have 72 hours to deliver the gold or you'll face the
consequences. And to prove I'm not bluffing, watch this.
[activates a remote]
[an explosion occurs near the UN building]
Man 1: Oh, my God, the 59th Street bridge!
Man 2: Maybe it just collapsed on its own.
Man 1: We can't take that chance.
Man 2: You always say that. I want to take a chance.
Hank: Collapsed on its own? You, sh... You have 72 hours. See ya.
[to Homer] Back to the hammocks, my friend. You know, there's a
little place called Mary Ann's Hammocks. The nice thing about
that place is Mary Ann gets in the hammock with you. [laughs]
I'm just kidding.
Homer: Oh.
Hank: You know who invented the hammock, Homer?
Homer: No.
Hank: That's something for you to do. Find that out.
-- Hammocks and world domination, "You Only Move Twice"
|
In some ways this is probably a trap. Sure I can keep writing it over and over again and probably always make some improvements. But the idea is to finish. And something that works right now might well be better than something that will work better when (if) it's done. Still, this was an important insight. I'm genuinely confused.
Last night I was lying in bed thinking about this and I decided I'd dedicate today, one day, to laying the foundation for the new idea. I'll keep all the old work intact, and I won't do anything to prevent myself from just switching back to where I am right now with the present code. But I'll give the new idea one day and see how far I can get. Might be just a wasted day, but it's a Sunday so that seems alright.
Not like I'm going to watch the Super Bowl or anything.
- jim 2-03-2002 3:59 pm
No way. What the hell am I thinking? That's the next system. I have to let that simmer for much more time. I took some notes to get those ideas out of my head, and now I'm going back in to try to finish up what I'm working on now.
Sometimes it's hard being being manager and worker. You have to remember to keep the coder in line. He always wants to start over. He's learning so much that the stuff we did even a week ago looks to him like it was written by a couple hundred monkeys banging away at random. And of course he only wants to work on his stuff. And that means the stuff he's thinking about right now.
But the manager in me is getting the cat-o'-nine-tails out.
"Working in a coal mine, going down down down..."
Oh be quiet.
- jim 2-03-2002 5:20 pm
the gospel according to the simpsons --
code 3f23
episode 'you only move twice'
act 2
At work, Homer's wearing his Tom Landry hat and coaching his team, but
they're quite exhausted from the work he's asking from them. From
experience, Homer knows that fatigue requires only one solution:
hammocks. He goes straight to his "boss".
Hank: Uh, hi, Homer. What can I do for you?
Homer: Sir, I need to know where I can get some business hammocks.
Hank: Hammocks? My goodness, what an idea. Why didn't I think of that?
Hammocks! Homer, there's four places. There's the Hammock Hut,
that's on third.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Hank: There's Hammocks-R-Us, that's on third too. You got
Put-Your-Butt-There?
Homer: Mm-Hmm.
Hank: That's on third. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot... Matter of fact,
they're all in the same complex; it's the hammock complex on
third.
Homer: Oh, the hammock district.
Hank: That's right.
-- "You Only Move Twice"
Hank's secretary tells him they're ready for the linkup.
Hank: Uh, Homer, one second. I gotta take care of this. Very important.
Be right back.
Homer: Fine.
[Hank's map of the world reveals a giant viewscreen, on which
appears the UN staff]
Hank: Good afternoon, gentlemen. This is Scorpio. I have the Doomsday
Device. You have 72 hours to deliver the gold or you'll face the
consequences. And to prove I'm not bluffing, watch this.
[activates a remote]
[an explosion occurs near the UN building]
Man 1: Oh, my God, the 59th Street bridge!
Man 2: Maybe it just collapsed on its own.
Man 1: We can't take that chance.
Man 2: You always say that. I want to take a chance.
Hank: Collapsed on its own? You, sh... You have 72 hours. See ya.
[to Homer] Back to the hammocks, my friend. You know, there's a
little place called Mary Ann's Hammocks. The nice thing about
that place is Mary Ann gets in the hammock with you. [laughs]
I'm just kidding.
Homer: Oh.
Hank: You know who invented the hammock, Homer?
Homer: No.
Hank: That's something for you to do. Find that out.
-- Hammocks and world domination, "You Only Move Twice"
- dave 2-03-2002 5:48 pm