That was a question put to me today. Well not exactly that, but a version of it.
I got thinking.
Do I code simply because its ‘something to do’? Nah. Not really. There’s plenty of other stuff I could do. Locally, I could do more and earn more, surely.
So it’s not “something to do”.
Maybe it’s because I love a good challenge? Yeh.
I’m generally a problem solver. I love finding solutions to problems. When in the right state of mind, I like to find a solution to something complex.
I love data mining as well. It’s fun playing with data. I like to match columns and rows of data, and work on ways to automate data matching.
And the echo to that statement, I can hear an echo from my partner saying “You sure do!”.
So, that describes me to some extent. I’m a problem solver. I like to find problems, and solve them.
I can sit on an issue for hours upon hours and have fun reaching a solution that meets all requirements to solving a problem.
And I think thats a quality that is somewhat required to do what I do. Solve problems.
I’m not completely lazy in solving problems that I might get enjoyment out of solving. It’s something that I find fun, I enjoy, and probably the reason I do code.
I code to solve problems. I code to create, and implement problem solving stategies.
The downside to it? First there must be a problem to solve to get my attention. Otherwise I don’t generally take much interest in what I am doing.
I find the most fun in solving a complex issue, or implementing something that solves a problem for someone else. Most of what I do is web based, and not a lot centers on PC based issues, but I do not say that, without first realising the numerous amounts of software and PC issues that I also solve.
I solve dial up issues for people with dial up modems occassionally.
I troubleshoot broadband connection issues for broadband connections occasionally.
I solve issues with Linux for a few people I know.
I solve problems with Excel related VB code. I solve PHP issues. I solve ASP issues. I solve Windows issues.
There’s a few requirements to solving a problem, for example, depending on the extent of the issue, or the complexity of it, I might want to see it in front of me to solve it. It could be that it’s unfamiliar and in seeing the problem, I would be best placed to solve it.
Or, it could be asking a question on a forum, sure I’ll read it. If its not descriptive enough, or provokes enough thought in my mind about an issue to spark a solution, I probably can’t solve an issue.
I’m curious, what other industries would use a problem solver?
There’s plenty out there, I’m sure, such as Police Officers and Lawyers, and Fire crew, and well, to a much lesser extent, our government (they still do solve SOME problems, right?).
But on a serious note, there’s something driving me to code over being a police officer, lawyer, fireman, or politician.
It must be something specific about coding that drives me to enjoy solving problems! The answer to that isn’t immediately known, and I can’t seem to consider why I enjoy solving problems, with PCs. Maybe that’s just my specialty, when you consider that I enjoy solving problems, and I have HEAPS of experience with computers.
Anyway, my point is, I enjoy solving problems, and I enjoy working with data, so out of everything I could do on a PC, the best is working with code and data to solve a problem.
Enjoy!