Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by joslin01 3994 days ago
To expand on what you said below, imagine someone hires you to code up a simple API. You get started, but then decide you just don't like your job so you write 50% tests and hand it back to the client. Let's say the 50% of other tests weren't needed because your code actually ran perfect. "Here" you coldly tell him and walk off. Was it fair that you did a poor job for the client because you didn't like the work? Did you not technically complete the job, but in a shoddy, unprofessional fashion?

This is the equivalent of a cleaner -> programmer acting "immorally" (true morality is nevertheless found outside the realm of work).

1 comments

> Did you not technically complete the job, but in a shoddy, unprofessional fashion?

I don't see how that's immoral. You either completed a job to spec or you didn't. API works but you didn't complete the tests? You didn't do what you were paid for. No morality comes into play.

haha ok. Now what about comments in the source code? Should that be specified too? What about SRP inside the code-base? Should that be specified? Come on, we all know when we're pissing off and doing our best. I'm not say we need to do an absolutely amazing job for every person that gives us money, but me personally, I like to think of myself as professionally upstanding because I want to make my employer's dollars count by doing the best I can.
> I'm not say we need to do an absolutely amazing job for every person that gives us money, but me personally, I like to think of myself as professionally upstanding because I want to make my employer's dollars count by doing the best I can.

Maybe its because I've been doing this for 14 years, but I produce to the spec. Of course, I'll make recommendations during the scoping process, but what I produce matches what I've agreed to with a client or employer; no more, no less. My time is far too valuable to me to provide anything additional than to what I've committed to. If you want to give your time away for free because you think you professionally upstanding, more power to you.