Josh, I think you're asking an interesting question here, but the way it's framed is likely to set off the ire of developers. For example, I meet a lot of the criteria that would be deemed "going beyond my job" by your description. I took your survey, and I was rated a "Rockstar". I found that kind of funny. I'm a project manager who happens to know how to program adequately, but definitely not a rockstar. My company's senior developer has never contributed to a single open source project, doesn't spend a lot of time learning new language, and doesn't do forums/Q&A, but he can code circles around me. My code is embarrassing enough on its own, but next to his, I look much more like a peasant than a rockstar.
So, therein lies your problem, I think. You're asking interesting questions, but what you thought might be fun ended up hurting feelings. For my part, it wouldn't really matter where I ended up, because I'm realistic about my programming skills. For someone who holds their own skill in high regard (justifiably, even), even tongue-in-cheek suggestions that they're a mere plebe can be insulting. Developers also tend to be very rational, analytic people. You're asking a very complex question here. There are multiple factors being measured, and so a lot of people will feel that you're treating the question without a lot of respect because of the simplistic approach to collecting data. It's likely that any conclusion you'll reach with this poll will be deeply flawed. A rational, analytic person isn't going to find it very entertaining. I say all this in earnest. I don't mean to be harsh or uninviting. This is my honest impression, and I didn't take any offense. I find the topic very interesting and I hope you will follow through to a result. On Friday, June 14, 2013 5:43:01 AM UTC-4, Josh Fox wrote: > > Neal, thanks for taking the poll. > > The silly terminology was all tongue-in-cheek , and yes, I tried hard > to keep it short-and-sweet. > > As for the ridiculous term "IT peasant" (I think I made that up): I > actually think that quite a few top developers *don't* do the "extras." > > They focus on doing their jobs well, learn new skills and meet colleagues > in the context of their jobs. But the relative proportion of each type is > an interesting question that I'm trying to learn more about. > > Josh > On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 12:30 PM, Neal Clark > <[email protected]<javascript:> > > wrote: > >> I took your idiotic, reductive, manager-fashion-word survey. I'm an "IT >> Peasant," apparently. >> >> I guess I should publish more open source code. I should apparently >> obsess over it, so as to gain the interest in know-nothings. >> >> for those who haven't taken the survey, the questionnaire places all >> of us into 1 of 3 categories: >> >> 1. "Ninja Rockstar" >> 2. "Rockstar" >> 3. "IT Peasont" >> >> (vomit, on all three counts) >> >> >> >> On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 2:08 AM, Josh Fox <**[email protected]** >> ="mailto:[email protected]";>> wrote: >> >>> *> As a nice follow up, when you article is up can you ping the thread >>> again?* >>> >>> Yup, I'll do that. >>> >>> Josh >>> >>> Writer: *Business >>> Insider<http://blog.fiveyearitch.com/p/three-articles-fiveyearitch-business.html> >>> /Brazen Careerist <http://blog.brazencareerist.com/author/joshfox/>* >>> Founder, *FiveYearItch.com <http://fiveyearitch.com/>* >>> >>> On Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 7:59 PM, Zach g <[email protected] >>> <javascript:>>wrote: >>> >>>> As a nice follow up, when you article is up can you ping the thread >>>> again? Would love to read the results. >>>> >>>> On Jun 13, 2013, at 3:00 AM, Josh Fox >>>> <[email protected]<javascript:>> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> Hi all, >>>> >>>> For an article I'm writing (for Brazen Careerist/Business Insider), I'd >>>> like to ask: >>>> >>>> Do you do the ninja thing -- pardon the gawdawful expression* ☺* ? >>>> >>>> How common is it really to commit open-source code, rack up >>>> StackOverflow karma, and continually learn new technologies? Or do people >>>> just "do their jobs"? >>>> >>>> I'm guessing that a small proportion of active bloggers gives us an >>>> exaggerated sense of these things; or maybe it really is common. >>>> >>>> I put together a *quick three-question >>>> poll*<http://blog.fiveyearitch.com/p/for-article-for-brazen.html>. >>>> I made it to be fun to answer, and when you do it, you can see where you >>>> stand. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> >>>> Josh >>>> >>>> Writer: *Business >>>> Insider<http://blog.fiveyearitch.com/p/three-articles-fiveyearitch-business.html> >>>> /Brazen Careerist <http://blog.brazencareerist.com/author/joshfox/>* >>>> Founder, *FiveYearItch.com <http://fiveyearitch.com/>* >>>> >>>> -- >>> -- >>> SD Ruby mailing list >>> [email protected] <javascript:> >>> http://groups.google.com/group/sdruby >>> --- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "SD Ruby" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected] <javascript:>. >>> >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >> -- >> SD Ruby mailing list >> [email protected] <javascript:> >> http://groups.google.com/group/sdruby >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "SD Ruby" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected] <javascript:>. >> >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >> >> >> > > > -- -- SD Ruby mailing list [email protected] http://groups.google.com/group/sdruby --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SD Ruby" group. 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