quote:Original post by Estor
I can not work like this, every time someone looks at my back or my hands when i''m doing something, i always, i say alway mess up

We''re watching you, Estor

I have done pair-programming at university, as everybody i guess, and it really sucked. I was in the opposite position (doing the code while somebody was observing), and i really felt i was the only one working. The only one to deserve a good mark, basically..

Professionnally i haven''t done pair-programming (and would object at doing so), but i have done tons of "pair-debugging", and that''s really wonderful. Because when debugging you generally have to type very little, it works very well, and the bugs were effectively found twice as fast.

Y.

quote:Original post by Anonymous Poster

quote:Original post by Estor
I can not work like this, every time someone looks at my back or my hands when i''m doing something, i always, i say alway mess up

We''re watching you, Estor

Down in front AP, I can''t see...

The initial development takes only around 20% of the total development time. The theory is that if you have 2 pair of eyes during the coding then you can radically reduce the bugs so you end up with a net efficiency gain. I have seen it work and when it does it works very well. I have also seen it fail. Egos/arrogance, incompatible skill levels, differing styles etc will break it.

quote:Original post by antareus
I do not see the benefits of pair programming.

So?

quote:
You have one person programming and the other just watches.

That''s not pair programming.

quote:
Now it may seem all hunky-dory in the ivory towers that XP was concocted in

XP is not an academic invention.

quote:
I fall asleep frequently when I''m not programming.

What does that have to do with pair programming? Perhaps you have narcolepsy.

quote:
It is a waste of a person.

That''s your opinion. It certainly doesn''t appear to be based on any rational thought or decent practical experience, particularly as...

quote:
I''m an intern

So don''t go out into the real-world with your opinionated attitude that pair programming cannot be of any benefit.

quote:
Because I''m expected to yield the computer to the ''real'' programmer and then I just watch as they have crap like 5 classes in one source file, methods that need refactoring badly, inconsistant naming conventions, and to be asked for advice that they don''t take anyway.

That''s not pair programming either.

I get the impression that people understand pair programming as being:

''put two people together to program''

This much can be worked out by anyone with a vague grasp of the english language. However, there is actually a whole methodology behind Pair Programming.

Here are plenty of links:
ObjectMentor.Articles

PairProgramming
TestDrivenDevelopment.BabySteps

I told this in a previous pair programming topic but I might as well say the same thing again since I see so many negative comments about PP here. I did PP with my friend and it worked perfectly. Communication was good, both were open to new ideas and we were roughly on equal skill level. We didn''t really encounter many bugs at run-time since most of them were noticed by either one while coding (usually by the one who wasn''t coding, since he had a different ''feel'' to the code). We also changed seats every 1-2 hours. If one had coded or observed too long it wouldn''t have felt equal. And being equal and respecting the other fellow is necessary for successful PP, IMO. (This starts sounding like a dating for dummies guide but, after all, a great deal of PP is human interaction and most human interaction is similar)

I noticed that it isn''t very beneficial to try to pressure on a minor point too much. Often I felt that some things could''ve been done slightly differently ("in my way" but not essentially better so I just kept my mouth shut and commented on more useful stuff instead. He did the same. The result was that we didn''t end up fighting about things that are arguable (matters of taste), but made only the changes that mattered and were generally considered good.

But I suppose pair programming isn''t for everyone. If you have a huge ego or are bad in dealing with other people, it won''t work regardless of your pair. And then it also needs a good pairing, people who are roughly equal in skill level and that respect each other. Respect is perhaps the single most essential thing to have, with both sides.