You can use code whenever you want. Programmers often joke that they’ll take 20 hours to code something that would have taken them only 20 minutes to do. Imagine the person who programmed the robot vacuum.
Does it make sense, timewise?
Personally, I’d count how often I do it, estimate how long it would take to automate or code the thing, then see if the hours programming is going worth the effort. For example, if it takes 10 minutes to do dishes and you have to do it every day that would be 3650 hours per year. Would 100s hours of programming be worth coaxing a computer to do dishes for you?
Xkcd.com made this chart to show how much time is saved by automating something. Let’s look at making an automatic cat snack dispenser. Let’s say it takes 5 seconds to open a bag of treats and give them to the cat. We’ll also say you give the cat some snacks 1 time per week. The snack dispenser would cut 5 seconds from your snack process because you don’t have to do it anymore. This chart shows that over 5 years, our cat snack dispenser would only save 2 hours. Is it worth it? That’s up to you. It probably depends on how long it would take to code the snack dispenser and how demanding your cat is.
Going back to the dishes example, after programming a computer to do dishes, it now only takes 5 minutes. So, 5 minutes have been shaved off of the time it takes to do the daily task. This would save 6 days over 5 years. Is it worth it? That’s up to you. Though, it may depend on how long it takes to code this automatic dish washing machine.
Typically, when the gain from your code is more than your loss, get to coding.
An exception to the rule
When we are learning, this may be a little different. You’re also gaining a better understanding of code every time you use code to do something. In this case, you would gain the benefit of the code and the knowledge on how to do the things you learned to build that code. So, it may very well be worth building that automatic cat snack dispenser even if it doesn’t fit my gain > loss rule. The cat would really appreciate it.
Top comments (1)
When deciding whether to use code, consider both the time saved and the learning gained from the process. This is similar to maintaining a gadget like a Dyson V10. For example, if you're frequently replacing the Dyson V10 battery, it might be more time-efficient to automate or streamline the process, just like coding. Calculating the time spent on manual tasks versus the hours it would take to code an automated solution is crucial. The XKCD comic shows how to evaluate whether the effort of coding is worth the potential time savings. If you're tackling repetitive tasks or learning something new in the process, such as how to code an automated dyson v10 battery replacement reminder system, the investment might be valuable in the long run. So, whether it's coding or replacing a battery, always weigh your time, gain, and the learning curve involved.
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