u/just10bps

I've 5 years of experience. I've recently put on a new project which was previously a solo-dev venture. Said solo dev is a fair but senior to me - around 15 years of experience.

Very nice fellow, very hard working and smart - but I find that he's either reluctant or not confident enough to share work / more complicated tasks. FWIW, the code base is a cluster fuck. Basically modifying a small class could potentially topple a small government in a different timezone. So all changes have to be done carefully.

The issue I've been having is that we split the work / tasks, and occassionally I'll go ask him a question and the conversation is like

/*
me: "hey is doing X correct?"

him: "yes, that's right. but we need to take care of this X + A thing"

me: "ok, so A is based on blah blah right"

him: "no, we have to check this other thing B that A depends on."
him: "it's fine, carry on with your current way and let me know once you've pushed your change. i'll fix it later"
*/

i find this a bit weird, if i were in his position i'd try to explain what we need to do so the other dev can implement the right thing, instead of trying to fix his code. but i've seen this pattern a few times. dont know what's going on here... does he think i'm incompetent or what... to me it seems like he prefers to write the code himself as he has been the solo dev here for a long time

i can’t stop thinking about money. i really think it’s the only thing that’ll save me / defines my worth - eventhough deep down i know it’s not.

my superficial brain won’t stop thinking about it. i’m constantly dissatisfied with my life because i don’t think i have the money to live a better life eventhough my current life itself…. by most standards is quite comfortable.

these problems have been exacerbated by not getting good raises / bonuses and now i’m trying to change jobs but can’t stop feeling like my life has to be on hold until i can vindicate myself by getting a better paycheque.

i think partially the root cause of feeling this way is not coming from money, watching parents struggle with finances a bit, my parents reminding me how expensive it was to educate me.

money gives me so much security, when all my other insecurities start to hover knowing that i have a decent amount of money makes me feel better.

i just.... i don't know.

this is probably a meta post. i've had a long day. we had a release today, we found issues last minute. lots of last minute fixes and coordination.

what i found / have always known is keeping your calm and being good to one another is what always matters. focus on working together and figuring out how to fix the issue, as opposed to dissecting how it got there in the first place ( that can be done later ).

i found that just knowing that you have people to lean-on and someone reliable to bank on, that will help you get through it counts more than someone who will disappear in the day and come up with the magic fix. i much prefer the co-worker who will let me know every 1 or 2 hours or so how things are progressing and knowing that i have someone to work with through this. AI won't replace it, neither will a lonewolf rockstar dev.

i think an underrated aspect of our job is how often we rely on the goodwill of others to help us get through the day. friendly, supportive communication. just be good to one another. i know a lot of people just treat a job as a job and log off or forget about their job after 5p, but i think it helps to garner strong relationships when the environment isn't naturally conducive to 5p log offs. if someone has to stick around to finish the job - that's not good. i definitely don't treat my job like that - and i know it comes at my personal cost, but i'm not willing to let an organisations poor culture tarnish my personal camaraderie. i will work to find a way that no one has to stay past the regular hours, but as long as someone has to - i'll try my best to be available if they need me to be.