What would you do? Boss thought I copied code from Web

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8204430

by tryanother • 12 years ago

23 46 12 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

My boss recently instructed a coworker to rewrite my feature behind my back, and I found out by chance. More than a week and dozens of panic attacks later, he told me that he thought some of it was stolen because he didn't think I was capable of writing sophisticated JavaScript. I am a green dev, but I spend tons of time outside of work becoming a better developer, and primarily I have focused on JS because that is the bulk of what I do at work. I was completely baffled by this accusation and just explained to him that I spend lots of time researching and want to write the absolute best code possible. He seemed to understand, but this situation makes me extremely uncomfortable. It is insulting on multiple levels to think that I am so incompetent that I would steal. Has anyone else encountered this?

crazypyro• 12 years ago

Is your boss a dev? Did he think you straight copy/pasted from the internet? Did he even ask about the licensing?

Your boss sounds incompetent, but these answers would probably help us understand.

tryanother18• 12 years ago

Yes, he is a dev. He thought I copied/pasted. He did not ask about licensing.

He also told me that "inner JavaScript classes" are inappropriate for enterprise code. I asked him to explain what he was talking about - he meant my object constructors. He said I could not create new java (yes, java) classes in my JavaScript code. ????

MalcolmDiggs2• 12 years ago

It sounds like he barely has any idea what he's talking about...or you two are talking about totally different things. Has this happened before with him? Has he done this to anybody else?

smileysteve• 12 years ago

"inner JavaScript classes" are inappropriate for enterprise code. I asked him to explain what he was talking about - he meant my object constructors

I'd guess that he and the product do not tend to use javascript objects when writing code - which means that the code was above his (and the product's average) coding head. This also means that it wasn't the best way for you to code the project.

For a code review to pass, the reviewer should think about the minimum person working on the project and whether they would understand or make guesses when fixing it - or at least know where / when to get help.

tptacek3• 12 years ago

That does not sound like a recoverable problem.

tryanother18• 12 years ago

That's what I am afraid of. I am very uncomfortable with the culture of conniving and suspicion that seems to be rampant here.

tptacek3• 12 years ago

If I was accused of plagiarism, I'd start making plans to leave. I don't say that lightly; this might, I think, be the first time in my overlong time on HN to give that piece of advice.

orand• 12 years ago

I would leave that job as quickly as possible. Life is too short to work for a boss who is crazy.

You have the drive to learn and grow. Go to meetups, user groups, etc. and get to know others who are like-minded. You'll build the connections you need to find a better job, even if you are a junior dev. They'll see your passion and potential and hire you for that.

tryanother18• 12 years ago

Thank you so much for this. I will start going to meet ups ASAP. I have worked so hard to get into this industry (I am almost completely self taught, no tech degree) and all I want is to work with passionate people who are inspired by my passion. I want to make awesome things and be better than I was yesterday. This current job is so disheartening.

aefeuer• 12 years ago

Also, if you see startups you like, apply for jobs there. I know that sounds really basic but I'm surprised how often folks don't apply for jobs they could get (or fear they need a warm intro, etc.). Companies, esp. startups, are so hungry for engineering talent that, IMHO, it's very much a meritocracy, and you don't necessarily need relationships, etc.

notjustanymike2• 12 years ago

Welp, we're always looking for front-end devs. http://www.tapad.com/about-us/careers/openings/

tryanother18• 12 years ago

thank you for the link! if i had the experience you guys were looking for, i would absolutely go for it.

notjustanymike2• 12 years ago

Meh it's flexible. I wrote the front-end job posting and handle reviewing the resumes. If you want to post what your current resume I wouldn't hold any formatting errors and whatnot against you. It's not like you have anything to lose.

elmojenkins• 12 years ago

I'd update your resume and look around. Things could get better at your current job, however, if you are able to find something new, you should consider it..especially given your current issue.

You are right to feel annoyed by this. I would. I think anyone who put the time & effort into something would too. Hopefully your boss will figure it out one day.

tryanother18• 12 years ago

thanks, i will definitely update my resume. i moved 800 miles for this job, so there's an extra layer of frustration there, too. i don't want it to have been for nothing.

thejteam• 12 years ago

The one time I encountered this was in 9th grade. The health class teacher wasn't used to people writing good essays. I got an A on the first essay of the year, and she wrote on the paper "Good job, if you actually wrote it."

Her and I did not get along very well that year.

tryanother18• 12 years ago

ugh, i would imagine not.

rajacombinator• 12 years ago

If you're not copying from the web (with appropriate attention to licensing) you are seriously doing it wrong. Especially on an internal facing enterprise product. Sounds like your boss is a moron.

tryanother18• 12 years ago

ha - that's a good point. i hadn't thought of that.

BorisMelnik• 12 years ago

yea man that is no good. most bosses would kill to know that their staff goes home and learns on their own. run, fast, and far.

tryanother18• 12 years ago

Thank you, I will take this advice to heart.

pawn2• 12 years ago

Show of hands. Who DOESN'T copy snippets of code from the net occasionally? Anybody? Cobol programmer in the back, your hand has been noted, you can put it down now...

SamReidHughes• 12 years ago

Um... most people? Unless you're counting explicitly open source software with a compatible license.

chrisBob• 12 years ago

Do answers on StackOverflow count?

pawn2• 12 years ago

I would count that, yes. Any time you think "I need to do X" but don't know the syntax, do you hopelessly read through help docs or do you Google it and keep going?

elyrly• 12 years ago

Every programmer on some level "copies" snippets of code be it from Stackover flow, Google community, and reddit.

thinkerer• 12 years ago

Ermmm well we all learn by observing other codes out there many times and rest of it troubleshooting isnt it?

If it works, it works. Why bother re-writing it anyway? Unless its refactoring.

If its me, Ill confront him and ask him about his insecurities and if theres any issues.

But thats just me.

cafard• 12 years ago

Who is having the panic attacks, and who thinks the code is stolen? I'm guessing a) you, and b) the boss, but the antecedents aren't clear.

Using code from the web without understanding it is not a good thing. But I would think worse of somebody who (for example) spent a week reimplementing in Perl what he could have installed from CPAN. (Do I understand everything I pull down from CPAN? Umm, well, I understand how to use it.)

tryanother18• 12 years ago

yes, you're right about a) and b).

the bottom line was that he didn't understand my code, and he thought i wasn't smart enough to write it.

Fiona_Y• 12 years ago

用你的优秀让他哑口无言～

What would you do? Boss thought I copied code from Web

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