Comments on: Code Monkeys vs. Code Ninjas

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 07:02:33 +0000

@Nick: I don’t think it’s just a marketing differentiation — that’d be like saying that your gender is a marketing differentiation. Unless, of course, you’re not naturally part of that 20% and instead are striving to join it. The ‘code ninja’ title is just for fun, but the person behind it, in my mind, either is or is not naturally a passionate, techie/geeky, couldn’t-do-anything-else programmer.

@Sara: Thanks for swinging by, and keep it up with the great writing!

Finally, how didn’t I know of the Code Monkey song? I’m so out of it…

By: Finn

Finn — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:45:09 +0000

i find the term ninja preferable to monkey as well. given 1,000,000 years, monkeys might write shakespeare, but i doubt they could write COBOL.

You might like these t-shirts:
http://www.cafepress.com/innerlegend/5605872

be good!

By: Sara

Sara — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:37:56 +0000

Kimberly, thanks for the great review, I have gotten a lot of slack for the “code monkey” term. It was a reference to the Jonathan Coulton song… I like code ninja better though.

(I didn’t come up with the Geeks in Suits title, that was my editor).

We seem like kindred spirits, looking forward to checking out your blog.

By: Nick Campbell

Nick Campbell — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:41:36 +0000

I agree to a point. I think that these posts touch on what Jeff Atwood talks about in his post at http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001002.html. But, is it really that those of us who consider ourselves to be in that 20% are just marketing ourselves creating market differentiation? Are we trying to separate ourselves from the competition? Why is it so important to differentiate with terms rather than just differentiate through action?

Don’t get me know, if someone called me a Code Ninja I’d be stoked…ninja’s are awesome. But, I’m not sure I see the point in terms since anyone can call themselves a Code Ninja, but not perform well. This drags the terms strength down.

Then again, I do like Code Monkey by Jonathan Coulton: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4TnhemCEmc