I was fine with mentoring junior developers until my manager decided pair programming was the way to go. I'm happy to help and teach, but like fuck am I going to sit at the same goddamn computer with some maroon all day. Can't even power-nap properly.

[–] mynamesnotrick@lemmy.zip 7 points 6 days ago

Full agree. Pair programming makes me unproductive and it's always just feels like one person doing it and the other person in the back saying "uh huh, yeah". Our place used it as a learning opportunity but the problem is the person I pair with haven't ever worked on my project and have no clue what's going on when I'm month deep into a feature branch.

[–] Rooster326@programming.dev 7 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

The entire reason we developed git was so nobody would ever have to pair program again.

Does he also request you write the code on paper first?

[–] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Lol I haven't coded on paper first since I started programming ... in the '70s on my friend's Commodore-20.

[–] pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip 5 points 6 days ago

Can't even power-nap properly.

Yes. Pair programming should be encouraged when appropriate, not mandated.

Naps are a part of the critical path! Lol.

[–] ToxicWaste@lemmy.cafe 4 points 6 days ago

pair programming can be really cool. if you have a complex problem, are roughly on the same level as the pair, are both motivated to do it.

that is a huge if. also the reason why it should never be mandated. suggested at most.

[–] fruitycoder@sh.itjust.works 24 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Pair programing with a mentor shouldn't be a day to day thing. Like why waste the time and put so much pressure on the trainee like that anyways?

[–] epyon22@sh.itjust.works 19 points 6 days ago

Honestly pair programming I feel works better with more similar abilities than far off. Also give em a task to let them struggle a bit in the beginning of the sprint.