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My principal activity this past month has been something I call systems maintenance. At least thats how I label the time I spend on this particular topic in my work log. It consists of installing new hardware and software, then learning enough about it so I can incorporate it into my daily routine. I dont like to do this sort of thing, which is why I confine most systems maintenance to one or two binges a year. The rest of the time, boxes of new stuff sit around unopened for long stretches, driving my family mildly nutty.

What precipitated this particular binge was the acquisition of several new computers, all running Windows95. That completely alters how I network computers in my home, how I shovel e-mail about, and darned near everything else connected with sitting in front of an SVGA display. There are lots of new interfaces to get working. At the same time, I cut over from using Borlands C++ compiler to the latest offering from Microsoft. You can imagine how off balance Ive been.

Even though I dont like systems maintenance, I have to admit that Im pretty good at it. Im the same way about debugging. Getting stuck triggers all sorts of conditioned reflexes. I rant and rave, wallowing in despair. Then I take a deep breath and go back to work. Sooner or later, the gadget starts to make sense, or the source of the bug looms into view. The outcome is generally good, but the process is painful.

Id probably be a lot more productive if I learned to control some of those reflexes. Most of the time I waste can be traced directly to lousy decisions made while in a blue funk. More wasted time can be attributed to procrastination if I didnt put such work off so long, it probably wouldnt turn into such a major production each time. I guess Im fortunate that writing code is mostly fun. Otherwise, I couldnt afford all those new computers.

Each of us has our likes and dislikes, which are not necessarily aligned exactly with our strengths and weaknesses. As professionals, we have an obligation to keep improving. (The obligation is to ourselves at least as much as to our employers or clients.) What Ive learned this past month is that improvement takes many forms besides the acquisition of new knowledge. Sometimes, you make progress just learning how to get your mind right.

P.J. Plauger
Senior Editor