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Survey Results

Are you an optimist or a pessimist?   [Edit]

Survey period: 31 May 2004 to 6 Jun 2004

Most of our time as developers is spent concentrating on what can go wrong. Has this affected your world view? (Suggested by Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon, '02)

OptionVotes% 
I'm an optimist (everything will work out)22814.41
I'm a realist (things break, the world turns)84653.48
I'm a pessimist (it'll never work properly)694.36
I'm a panic merchant (it'll break and catch on fire)442.78
I'm an engineer (It can only break if the design was poor)39524.97



 
GeneralRealist Pin
Mordok5-Jun-04 4:03
Mordok5-Jun-04 4:03 
GeneralRe: Realist Pin
Aaron Eldreth6-Jun-04 7:01
Aaron Eldreth6-Jun-04 7:01 
GeneralRe: Realist Pin
Paul Watson7-Jun-04 20:53
sitebuilderPaul Watson7-Jun-04 20:53 
GeneralRe: Realist Pin
Mordok8-Jun-04 2:06
Mordok8-Jun-04 2:06 
GeneralOptimist?!?!? Pin
Simone Giannecchini4-Jun-04 5:18
Simone Giannecchini4-Jun-04 5:18 
GeneralRe: Optimist?!?!? Pin
Colin Angus Mackay4-Jun-04 14:24
Colin Angus Mackay4-Jun-04 14:24 
GeneralRe: Optimist?!?!? Pin
frendeliko4-Jun-04 19:23
frendeliko4-Jun-04 19:23 
GeneralRe: Optimist?!?!? Pin
Mordok5-Jun-04 4:34
Mordok5-Jun-04 4:34 
GeneralRe: Optimist?!?!? Pin
Colin Angus Mackay6-Jun-04 6:01
Colin Angus Mackay6-Jun-04 6:01 
GeneralRe: Optimist?!?!? Pin
Aaron Eldreth6-Jun-04 6:56
Aaron Eldreth6-Jun-04 6:56 
GeneralRe: Optimist?!?!? Pin
Colin Angus Mackay6-Jun-04 8:57
Colin Angus Mackay6-Jun-04 8:57 
GeneralOptimism Pin
Mike Nordell3-Jun-04 11:27
Mike Nordell3-Jun-04 11:27 
GeneralCorrect Optimist Definition Pin
mpemberton2-Jun-04 7:27
mpemberton2-Jun-04 7:27 
By definition, I consider myself an optimist. Webster says that it is one who expects a favorable outcome or who has hopeful views. This by no means state that an optimist is naive in thinking that something wrong can happen. As I program, I have hope that my program will work. I couldn't imagine a programmer (or an engineer) would put something together and have the thought "this isn't going to work". Most of us won't put time into something that we know will fail. So aren't we all a little optimistic? I agree that there are projects out there that don't make sense, and maybe the application or implementation of it is pointless (and so I would have a pessimistic view of the whole project), but whatever the case, I'm going to do my best (and have hope) that the application I write will in fact work. As far as how realism fits into all this, I think in our standard method of thinking we take the practical way of solving a problem. I don't think some management falls into that category, but for us to keep up with things, we have to be practical. Otherwise, we'd never get anything done!

My 2 cents (which doesn't amount to much). Just a guy who enjoys programming. Poke tongue | ;-P


MP
Ask me why I have Hope in the future

GeneralRe: Correct Optimist Definition Pin
Aaron Eldreth2-Jun-04 16:25
Aaron Eldreth2-Jun-04 16:25 
GeneralRe: Correct Optimist Definition Pin
mpemberton2-Jun-04 17:42
mpemberton2-Jun-04 17:42 
GeneralRe: Correct Optimist Definition Pin
Aaron Eldreth3-Jun-04 2:36
Aaron Eldreth3-Jun-04 2:36 
GeneralRe: Correct Optimist Definition Pin
User 1942896-Jun-04 5:32
User 1942896-Jun-04 5:32 
GeneralDefinitions Pin
Paul Watson1-Jun-04 21:08
sitebuilderPaul Watson1-Jun-04 21:08 
GeneralRe: Definitions Pin
Gary Wheeler2-Jun-04 3:39
Gary Wheeler2-Jun-04 3:39 
GeneralRe: Definitions Pin
Anonymous7-Jun-04 9:11
Anonymous7-Jun-04 9:11 
GeneralRe: Definitions Pin
vanderar8-Jun-04 2:43
vanderar8-Jun-04 2:43 
GeneralEngineer Pin
Alexander M.,1-Jun-04 10:23
Alexander M.,1-Jun-04 10:23 
GeneralRe: Engineer Pin
gUrM33T2-Jun-04 1:29
gUrM33T2-Jun-04 1:29 
GeneralRe: Engineer Pin
Anonymous3-Jun-04 15:13
Anonymous3-Jun-04 15:13 
GeneralRe: Engineer Pin
Anonymous4-Jun-04 4:31
Anonymous4-Jun-04 4:31 

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