Artist or Scientist?

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Artist or Scientist?

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Gary Varga SSC Guru Points: 82166 More actions · Answer 1

Jeff in my experience most DBAs improving stored procedures or operational scripts do so with the purpose of refinement and optimisation (performance, resource usage, etc.), however, most 3GL developers rewrite applications and services from scratch without a measurable outcome.

Gaz

-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004323 More actions · Answer 2

Gary Varga (8/19/2014)
Jeff in my experience most DBAs improving stored procedures or operational scripts do so with the purpose of refinement and optimisation (performance, resource usage, etc.), however, most 3GL developers rewrite applications and services from scratch without a measurable outcome.

Since this is an SQL Forum, I made the poor assumption that this was about Developers (front-end or database) that were spending some time on T-SQL. That, notwithstanding, I also appreciate front-enders that will take the time to reduce transmission requirements and increase performance by reducing the God-awful amount of HTML that a lot of programmers never give a second thought to.

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Gary Varga SSC Guru Points: 82166 More actions · Answer 3

Jeff Moden (8/19/2014)
Gary Varga (8/19/2014)
Jeff in my experience most DBAs improving stored procedures or operational scripts do so with the purpose of refinement and optimisation (performance, resource usage, etc.), however, most 3GL developers rewrite applications and services from scratch without a measurable outcome.
Since this is an SQL Forum, I made the poor assumption that this was about Developers (front-end or database) that were spending some time on T-SQL. That, notwithstanding, I also appreciate front-enders that will take the time to reduce transmission requirements and increase performance by reducing the God-awful amount of HTML that a lot of programmers never give a second thought to.

Trouble is that poor practices are insidious and rarely do I see someone following best practices in one area and then not it another.

HTML? I still think the development languages and frameworks are not efficient enough. Too many people cobbling too much together.

Gaz

-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

volker.osterlitz SSC Enthusiast Points: 112 More actions · Answer 4

It needs art and science to meet the budget.

The expected meticulous style of work is only done where budgets are made up: in accounting.

Your boss won't reward you for reducing his headcount and attached bonus claims. Automation isn't doing you any good in terms of a career unless you are a freelance consultant hired to do exactly that.

Gary Varga SSC Guru Points: 82166 More actions · Answer 5

volker.osterlitz (8/20/2014)
It needs art and science to meet the budget.
The expected meticulous style of work is only done where budgets are made up: in accounting.
Your boss won't reward you for reducing his headcount and attached bonus claims. Automation isn't doing you any good in terms of a career unless you are a freelance consultant hired to do exactly that.

I disagree. In today's world of higher demands on productivity automation is the only way to survive intact in some places.

If you know someone lucky(?) enough to do a job which could be replaced by a few automated scripts then feel free to warn them 😉

Gaz

-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004323 More actions · Answer 6

As Yogi Berra is quoted as saying, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it". There is absolutely no reason why you can't build "the art" into automated code. To be honest, if you aren't, then you can't claim to be a scientist just because you're automated something. You have to build in a little "AI" and, in this case, I don't mean just "Artificial Intelligence"... it has to be "Artful Intelligence", as well.

I'll also take an "Artist" over someone that automates stuff but doesn't quite do it right. A good scientist will also under stand not only the art but sometimes the "Black Arts" of something well enough to automate those.

What you really want (and truly need) is an "Artful Scientist" or a "Scientific Artist" and also knows when to be one, the other, or both. 😀

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

skeleton567 SSCertifiable Points: 5868 More actions · Answer 7

I would want to be both. The scientist to satisfy my employer and the artist to satisfy myself.

Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )

x SSC-Insane Points: 23660 More actions · Answer 8

Jeff Moden wrote:

As Yogi Berra is quoted as saying, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it". There is absolutely no reason why you can't build "the art" into automated code. To be honest, if you aren't, then you can't claim to be a scientist just because you automated something. You have to build in a little "AI" and, in this case, I don't mean just "Artificial Intelligence"... it has to be "Artful Intelligence", as well.
I'll also take an "Artist" over someone that automates stuff but doesn't quite do it right. A good scientist will also under stand not only the art but sometimes the "Black Arts" of something well enough to automate those.
What you really want (and truly need) is an "Artful Scientist" or a "Scientific Artist" and also knows when to be one, the other, or both. 😀

gotta agree with that. in fact, I just don't think automating or not makes a bit of difference on whether its art, science or both.

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004323 More actions · Answer 9

Yeah... totally agreed with that, as well, Patrick. Heh... I was trying to avoid a far bit of outrage on my part about applying such labels and so replied in terms of the article instead of the major Whiskey-Tango-Foxtot manner I was originally considering. 😀

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)