usually a code monkey that does not rally care about quality of their code nor having a sane workflow (which includes searchable, accessible documentation that does not require me to use some bloated spyware like Discord) and often jumps any passing hype train without considering whether it’s actually a good fit for their needs.They’d rather use and make a bloated electron app than touch anything TUI-based, lest they burn themselves. A person who would slap 9001 dependencies for bells and whistles no one cares about instead of following UNIX Philo, suckless, YAGNI, KISS, principle of least astonishment etc. Some might claim it’s mostly applicable to people who just code to pay the bills but I object. Anyone who would make something unnecesarily choppy just because it works relatively smooth on their Mac M2 Ultra w/ 5 GB/s link can count as such.
The reason I remarked that it’s not only applicable to professional development can be summarized by extrapolating what Marcus Baker wrote in 97 things every programmer should know, chapter I AM NOT THE SLIGHTEST BIT INTERESTED IN YOUR PROGRAM. to things like contributing to a FOSS project or using it as a library. I don’t ever want to give up on something just because grepping and deduction or tutorial hell is the only feasible alternative to having to ask on Discord. It is also simply in the maintainer’s best interest to write stuff down in an openly accessible place instead of doing repetitive tech support chores.
I am surrounded by problems and have a to-do list as long as my arm. The only reason I am at your website right now is because I have heard an unlikely rumor that every one of my problems will be eliminated by your software. You’ll forgive me if I’m skeptical.
If eyeball-tracking studies are correct, I’ve already read the title and I’m scanning for blue underlined text marked Download now. As an aside, if I arrived at this page with a Linux browser from a UK IP, chances are I would like the Linux version from a European mirror, so please don’t ask. Assuming the file dialog opens straight away, I consign the thing to my download folder and carry on reading.
We all constantly perform cost-benefit analysis of everything we do. If your project drops below my threshold for even a second, I will ditch it and go on to something else. Instant gratification is best.
The first hurdle is install. Don’t think that’s much of a problem? Go to your download folder now and have a look around. Full of .tar and .zip files, right? What percentage of those have you unpacked? How many have you installed? If you are like me, only a third are doing more than acting as hard drive filler.
I may want doorstep convenience, but I don’t want you entering my house uninvited. Before typing install, I would like to know exactly where you are putting stuff. It’s my computer, and I like to keep it tidy when I can. I also want to be able to remove your program the instant I am disenchanted with it. If I suspect that’s impossible, I won’t install it in the first place. My machine is stable right now, and I want to keep it that way.
If your program is GUI based, then I want to do something simple and see a result. Wizards don’t help, because they do stuff that I don’t understand. Chances are, I want to read a file or write one. I don’t want to create projects, import directories, or tell you my email address. If all is working, on to the tutorial.
If your software is a library, then I carry on reading your web page looking for a quick start guide. I want the equivalent of “Hello world” in a five-line nobrainer with exactly the output described by your website. No big XML files or templates to fill out, just a single script. Remember, I have also downloaded your rival’s framework. You know, the one who always claims to be so much better than yours in the forums? If all is working, on to the tutorial.
There is a tutorial, isn’t there? One that talks to me in language I can understand?
And if the tutorial mentions my problem, I’ll cheer up. Now that I’m reading about the things I can do, it starts to get interesting, fun even. I’ll lean back and sip my tea—did I mention I was from the UK?—and I’ll play with your examples and learn to use your creation. If it solves my problem, I’ll send you a thank-you email. I’ll send you bug reports when it crashes, and suggestions for features, too. I’ll even tell all my friends how your software is the best, even though I never did try your rival’s. And all because you took such care over my first tentative steps.
What’s a soydev?
usually a code monkey that does not rally care about quality of their code nor having a sane workflow (which includes searchable, accessible documentation that does not require me to use some bloated spyware like Discord) and often jumps any passing hype train without considering whether it’s actually a good fit for their needs.They’d rather use and make a bloated electron app than touch anything TUI-based, lest they burn themselves. A person who would slap 9001 dependencies for bells and whistles no one cares about instead of following UNIX Philo, suckless, YAGNI, KISS, principle of least astonishment etc. Some might claim it’s mostly applicable to people who just code to pay the bills but I object. Anyone who would make something unnecesarily choppy just because it works relatively smooth on their Mac M2 Ultra w/ 5 GB/s link can count as such.
The reason I remarked that it’s not only applicable to professional development can be summarized by extrapolating what Marcus Baker wrote in 97 things every programmer should know, chapter I AM NOT THE SLIGHTEST BIT INTERESTED IN YOUR PROGRAM. to things like contributing to a FOSS project or using it as a library. I don’t ever want to give up on something just because grepping and deduction or tutorial hell is the only feasible alternative to having to ask on Discord. It is also simply in the maintainer’s best interest to write stuff down in an openly accessible place instead of doing repetitive tech support chores.
IDK either but I’m guessing it’s a play on “soyboy”, so basically just calling the devs that engage in this behavior wusses and losers.
I hate how soy has been used by bigots as an insult. Soy products are bloody delicious!
Agreed, it’s stupid as an insult.
I agree and am aware of the connotations of such terms, didn’t really mean to get associated with bigots like this.
I like it, makes sense lol
I’m imagining devs that use MS word as revision control.
I thought it was a racist slur for Asian devs…never heard the term soyboy before, but would have assumed racist slur as well.
never seen it used in such context
I mean like i said, I have never even seen it used before, in any context, so this is only my initial impression of the name.
You use “soy” as a negative appendix to something, soy is Asian in origin (I think?), which is why I perceived it initially as a racist slur.
nah, it’s more related to the soyjak meme, ie consumerist, yet smarter than thou npc