You've only added two lines – why did that take two days? (mrlacey.com)

Article summary

The article discusses the misconception that the value of a programmer's work is measured by the number of lines of code they write. The author argues that the time spent on a task is not directly related to the number of lines of code written, as debugging and understanding complex systems can take a significant amount of time. The author provides several reasons why a task may take longer than expected, including the need to understand the underlying functionality, investigate the root cause of an issue, and verify the fix. The article highlights the importance of considering the complexity and nuance of programming tasks when evaluating a programmer's productivity.

Main themes

• productivity metrics
• programming complexity
• management priorities
• revenue vs. cost savings
• programmer value
• industry differences

What commenters say

• Some argue that the value of a programmer's work should be measured by the value they bring to the company, not just the number of lines of code written.
• Others believe that management's focus on lines of code written is a result of a lack of understanding of the programming process.
• It is suggested that saving money or increasing efficiency can be just as valuable as generating revenue, but may not be recognized as such by management.
• There is disagreement over whether the goal of a company should be to increase revenue or decrease costs, with some arguing that decreasing costs can be more environmentally friendly and sustainable in the long run.
• Some commenters share personal anecdotes of being undervalued or penalized for saving the company money or improving efficiency, rather than generating revenue.
• Others argue that the metric of lines of code written can be useful in certain contexts, such as when working on a stable codebase with a similar team.
• There is a perceived tension between the goals of management and the goals of programmers, with management often prioritizing revenue growth over other considerations.