Re: transition from programmer to developer

On Aug 16, 12:06 pm, "Arved Sandstrom" <asandst...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
"steven acer" <dudest...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:f2bde4d3-8802-4d40-b659-420efaaf6464@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



Hi, i know the terms might sound interchangeable but i'm basing on my
definition
or yet my understanding of each of them.
i have been working as a java programmer, it's been 2 years right
after
i graduated with a BS in computer science.my job concentrated on
implementing
logic that other people, software developers, designed and put in
place.
i'm at the point now where i consider myself a strong programmer, i
know most of the api
and i can get most of my tasks done.
what i fell is still i still lack is the ability to depict algorithms
and software designs. I don't
want to just write code or "implement" i want to have a concise view
on the whole process of development.
for example, given a problem in the real world, i'm still not able to
port that problem efficiently into
the development and software development process domains and extract a
code implementation for it,
If i read some other developer's logic or code i can understand it but
i always wonder how he got there.
I don't think like a developer yet, how do i learn to do so?
I've been reading a lot of books lately like "Engineering Software -
Applied Object Oriented Analysis and Design Using UML",
"object oriented system development" to name a few.
is it good what else would you suggest?

i don't know if i was able to clearly explain what i'm aiming
for.Anyways feel free to ask me for further clarifications
and please give your opinion and suggestions

Yes, you explained yourself clearly.

Reading a lot of books - I happen to have a very similar book - isn't a bad
start, assuming they're well chosen. Reading newsgroups is another good
thing to do. Lots and lots of Googling on design issues is also time well
spent - after a while you'll recognize what's quality commentary and what's
not.

It's not a bad idea to start a project in your own time, and conscientiously
work through all aspects of the lifecycle. Regardless of which lifecycle you
pick, spend more time than one normally might on design, both high and low
level. Also do the testing and documentation to the recommended degree, as
opposed to what you often see in the real world.

Make sure the project is challenging enough that most design choices are not
black & white. Document why you chose to do things a certain way - even
better, design things so you have maximum flexibility to do things another
way. Think like a real-world developer, and even fake it out (this requires
some schizophrenia)...give yourself some change requests late in
implementation, or even after it.

And you've said that you look at plenty of code. Why not ask yourself some
questions about it? See if you could have done things differently. You'll
see plenty of mediocre code, so don't assume that someone who has 5 or 10 or
20 years in the biz is very good at it.

Just some thoughts. In my experience people who start showing an actual
interest in development as opposed to just coding are already halfway there.

AHS

thanks for the feedback, it's good to know i'm on the right track :)
i think i will first try to finish reading on some books to get my
hands on some theory
and then i might go with your advice on starting a self created
project,
but i feel this is not going to be challenging enough as opposed to
getting a project's idea
from someone else because. like all humans, i will tend to make the
idea fit my way of thinking
even before thinking of a solution for it. But that's a great
suggestion !
Oh by the way, would you recommend any particular book to get me
easily on track.
thanks

.

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