JayOnSoftware

“A great lathe operator commands several times the wage of an average lathe operator, but a great writer of software code is worth 10,000 times the price of an average software writer.” – Bill Gates

“90% of the code is written by 10% of the programmers.” – Robert C. Martin

Hi, welcome to JayOnSoftware. My name is Jay Janarthanan and I’ve been programming for about 20 years. I started this blog so I can share a bit of what I’ve learned over these two decades. It’s also a spot to put cools stuff I find as I work on projects of all stripes.

Don't Panic! This isn’t a geek blog, so I won’t tweak your head by waxing poetic on algorithmic equations or expounding the value of C#. I am interested in focusing mental and physical energies in order to become a super-productive software developer. This blog is for anyone involved in software, from the developers who write code to the team managers who whip coders into shape, from the CEO who hires the developers to the venture capitalist who funds them.

Why did I start this blog?

2011 was a transformative year. I turned 40. My two greatest influences passed away: my dad and Steve Jobs. I started reassessing my life, asking what could really fulfill me. After a week spent soul searching at a mediation retreat, I; concluded that I wanted to share my experience with other software developers and help them improve their lives.; Like my father said: "Teach a man to fish and you feed him for his entire life time."

Productive Software Developers

Golf has Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus the programming world has its own list of superstars. Check out this post on Quora for a full list of rock stars selected by other developers. These are the guys running the start-ups and working in lead spots at Google and Facebook.; You see, anybody can tee up and swing, but only a few hit it on the green every time. In my personal experience, the top 10% of developers can write more code then all the other 90% combined.; How? The greats—golfer and developer alike—shine by maximizing their mental and physical capabilities.

Great software developers, like great golfers, aren't born. They are refined through hard work and dedication. Not even a Harvard computer science degree will mean coding gold without a bit of dedication.; A technically competent developer optimizes productive potential by making mind/body connections. Here's how.

Mind Power

The best coders go into a flow mode as they write code. It takes a clear mind and complete concentration on the project. Over the past 3 years, I have found my way to coding Zen through a combination of life style changes. Don't laugh; it's true! There are a few Jedi exercises: meditation, yoga, and nutrition.; I have also learned a few interpersonal tricks for dealing with office politics, people, and time management.; It starts with a healthy physique, and builds to an exquisite mind.

On average, I spend about 4 hours a day coding and find that I am lot more productive than developers who work 8 to 12 hours a day.

My goal is to teach people what I’ve learned. It may seem hokey at first, but I’ve found that anything that makes me a better coder is worth paying attention to, and I hope you feel the same.

Continues learning

SvÄdhyÄya is a Sanskrit term that says a person must study the Vedas and other sacred books continually to stay sharpened and ready to work.;; It's one of the eight tenets of a yogi system of belief. 5000 years ago–before blogs, podcasts or GitHub;– these Vedas were the only source of information. Now, we have a lot more resources. But the central idea is the same: it is critically important, especially for someone like a software developer, to keep learning.

I have worked with C# for ten years, and through a lot of trial and error, I have honed a good system of software development using the Microsoft stack. In my experience, 95% of software developers don't utilize most of the functions provided in a given tool set. A company can spend $10,000 on a Visual Studio Ultimate license, but the developer may be using just 5% of its functionality! Imagine how much potential is lost. Developers need to training beyond programming language or API. They need learn about IDE, debugging, productivity tools, and anything that can help them avoid reinventing the wheel.

The Next Step

I spend a lot of time researching developer productivity.; I pour through piles of books, blogs, podcasts, conferences and forum posts every week to keep up to date with what's hot.; Most of us don't have the time to follow the endless stream of latest and greatest information. That’s the reason I have created this free weekly newsletter, featuring Top Ten lists of key information each week. Subscribing can help you save time, enrich your day, and keep you informed.

You can read more about me on my bio page. Please feel free contact me with questions, concerns, advice or just to say hi.

Jay Janarthanan
A software yogi with a Zen lifestyle and an obsession with developer productivity