cursed css/how well-behaved are you?
published on:April 18, 2008 / 12:31
back to overviewBefore I start delving into the more serious web matters again, it's time for one last lightweight article. One that I've been meaning to write for a while now, and where I'm especially interested in your input. This article is based on a running gag we have here at work, so let's take a look at how we css people behave ourselves when we are writing css code.
We all know it, writing css can be a real bitch. When deadlines are nearing, last-minute changes are proposed, Firebug is acting up again and IE6 still needs to be checked, it's hard to remain calm. Frustration is never far away and the smallest thing might set you off.
Of course, everyone deals with stress in his own way, but apparently there's one obvious similarity between the people here at work when these situations arise. When browsers are acting up and the last drop has fallen one hour before, we all start cursing. Pretty loud too, and with very little shame and no signs of censorship. Even to the point where it became an actual running gag at the office. Whenever someone is agitated or curses, you can be sure someone will react with "writing css huh".
Now, it's probably not all that strange. css is a serious mess and the way browsers implement (or ignore) the css rules is pretty much impossible to comprehend when you've never worked with it before. If there's any profession that calls for a loud curse once in a while, it sure is writing css. On the other hand, it often surprises me how people can lose themselves in these bugs and hick-ups, to the point of cursing out loud in a room full of colleagues.
So I'm wondering, is this just us, or is this normal behavior for people working with css? Have you ever cursed out loud in front of others when your browser chokes on a piece of css? If not, how do you stay calm in situations where stress and css bugs meet?
Please answer honestly, but remain polite!
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17 comments in total
I probably don't have to tell you that i do curse at css (a lot). Even at my outsourced position. Don't know if the people around me appreciate it, really.
Although, to be honest, I miss cursing alongside you guys back in Antwerp...
Oh really, do we curse that much? didn't notice ;)
Well, we need to get rid of all the stress that css causes, and cursing kinda helps I guess. Maybe our boss should invest in a padded room where we can hit the walls and yell as much as we like :-D
I don't deal with CSS, but I'm a programmer as well... with some 30 other programmers around me... and I never hear anyone curse.
So it really must be you guys ;)
Though I understand there aren't so many people there where you work and the atmosphere is probably a bit more familiar than it is here.
While I try not to curse, I sure do strike down with mighty vengeance upon my desk with my fists from time to time ;)
definately cursed at css a few times in the past. All in good spirit mind!!!
Mainly curse my crap typing skills when I mis-type some CSS and wonder why it doesn't work :)
Curse? Most definitely!
The cure for me (as with anything frustrating) is to give a good go and if that doesn't work go for a short walk to clear the head.
As a solo home-based freelancer in Australia, I find cursing loudly at CSS is the perfect opportunity to keep up my Dutch. It seems to help.
IE6... i hate you.... thats the majority of my heartaches!
I have to agree with jewels IE6 is defintely my bur bear with css and the thing I curse the most :?
Hm, I don't really curse while writing CSS, I can get pretty pissed off but it only points me to find an alternative way (curse you IE6&7!). One of our php programmers curses though, so it's like "writing php huh?"! :D
Well, I'm not so bothered by IE6 (or 7) anymore as most of these problems can be fixed pretty quickly in a separate css file. But when FF, Opera or Safari are acting up, fixing things becomes a whole lot more difficult.
But good to see we're not the only ones polluting the air from time to time! And it keeps us from physically harming our machinery or fellow collegues, so I guess it's not that bad after all ;)
I don't think that it matters to me what the language is, what matters is that you have enough experience to be surprised when something pops up that you don't understand. I do agree that it is a useful way to release tension, as long as you are in the right environment!
WHAT THE F__K! Uttered audibly at IE 6 from time to time.
Cursing is par for the course when doing any last minute coding, I would have thought. It occurs most, for me, when having to deal with someone else's CSS and realising its issues are also a result of bad html coding.
We definately swear a little, but let's face it, most people do. However we try to clean up the language a bit and have a long running office joke that whenever something is going up the proverbial creek, we make loud wookie noises like Chewbacca... It's even better than swearing!
I think one has to swear out aloud, especially at CSS, it may be the only way to ward off the bad yuyu that comes natively with voodoo CSS.
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