I\u2019ve been told that software engineers are a mysterious bunch. I suspect that even my own family doesn\u2019t really understand what it is that I do every day. Too polite to probe further, they stay quiet. I feed and support my family, take vacations, and seem to enjoy a good life; people close to me reason that all must be well. Here\u2019s my take on life as a software engineer for those that are too shy to ask.<\/p>\r\n
The morning commute for people who live in the neighborhoods surrounding Noida, India is going to be pretty much the same whoever you are and wherever you work. We know traffic is snarled and difficult in the morning and that it can take up to an hour or more to get where you want to go. But the morning commute is probably as stressful as my day gets.<\/p>\r\n
Once I get to Noida Electronic City and the \u201cGraphix\u201d building, which is where Highlands is located, the day improves, in large part because the office is located on a quiet, 5-acre campus well away from the noise and chaos of Noida. For the software programmers and engineers at Highlands we have the flexibility to start the day at variable times, anywhere from 9:00 to 11:30 am, depending on how late we worked the previous day. \u00a0We are granted some discretion in how we structure our workday, a freedom that is greatly appreciated.<\/p>\r\n
A note on the building itself: A few have compared it to the high-tech office buildings of Microsoft or Google. It is one of the newest buildings in the area, with floor to ceiling windows, large open spaces, filtered air via Blue Air Systems, and other amenities that I\u2019ll discuss shortly. Highlands occupies the entire 3rd<\/sup>\u00a0floor. The programmers at Highlands have state-of-the art equipment, two to three computer monitors, and large desks for their own use. The programmer\u2019s workspace doesn\u2019t have the feel of a coding mill or factory; it\u2019s more like a low-pressure think-tank or creative space found on the campus of a university. Some people have headphones on as they work to play music to help their concentration and enjoyment.<\/p>\r\n Once I arrive at work, I review the notes I wrote at the conclusion of the previous workday. These permit me to get up to speed early on what tasks I need to tackle first. I also review the benchmarks that were set at yesterday\u2019s stand-up meeting and assess what I need to do to prepare for the day\u2019s meetings. I review and refine code until the stand-up meeting, which takes place daily around 12:30 pm.<\/p>\r\n