Drawing of a code monkey by Jawbone Len based on Jonathan Coulton's song Code Monkey. Jonathan Coulton (born December 1, 1970) is an American Singer-songwriter, famous for his songs containing themes of Geek culture

The term code monkey generally refers to a computer programmer or other person who writes computer code for a living. A programmer is someone who writes Computer software. The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist In Computer science, source code (commonly just source or code) is any sequence of statements or declarations written in some Human-readable More specifically, it refers to a person only capable of grinding out code, but unable to perform the more intellectually complex tasks of software architecture, analysis, and design. The software architecture of a program or computing system is the structure or structures of the system, which comprise software components the externally visible properties In this sense, the term is considered to be mildly insulting, and is often applied to the most junior people on a programming team. "Code monkey" may also refer to a self-deprecating way of denying responsibility for a management decision, or of complaining about having to live with such decisions (e. g. "Don't ask me why we need to write a compiler in COBOL, I'm just a code monkey. A compiler is a Computer program (or set of programs that translates text written in a computer language (the source language) into another COBOL (ˈkoʊbɒl is one of the oldest programming languages still in active use "). ^[1]

Etymology & usage

The origin of the term "code monkey" is undetermined. Historically, the modifier 'monkey' has been used to link various vocations with the medium of that profession. A "grease monkey", for example, is understood to mean a low-level or non-professional automobile mechanic, while "tape monkey" has been used to refer to low-level audio engineers and computer machine room workers; in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a "powder monkey" was an extremely low-level sailor, often as young as 10 years of age, who kept cannoneers supplied with gun-powder, shot, and tamping material. "Web monkey," as in the web developer's site Webmonkey, may be a more specific derivation of "code monkey. " The term is generally a pejorative implying limited skills, responsibility or ambition and may stem from the implication that the job in question is a menial one that could be performed by a trained monkey. A monkey is any member of either the New World monkeys or Old World monkeys two of the three groupings of Simian Primates the third group being Alternatively, the term can refer to the notion that a programmer simply bangs on a keyboard and produces results, without understanding what they are doing. Therefore, a code monkey may be one of the many types of software programmers working as part of a larger group. The software games developer called The Code Monkeys, which has been in business for more than twenty years claims to hold a trademark to the name.

Self-deprecating use

Code monkey also refers to subordinate programmers who are required to produce large amounts of code. The type of code produced by those to whom this term is applied is usually simple and uninteresting. It is often used in a derogatory sense, but there are those who willingly apply this term to themselves—generally when they feel that their skills are being underutilized, and the work they do is suitable for a programmer with less skill or experience than their own. This is typified by the “I’m just a code monkey” usage referenced in the Jargon File. The Jargon File is a Glossary of hacker Slang. The original Jargon File was a collection of hacker slang from technical cultures such as the MIT AI

Ironic self-deprecation by programmers who prefer to distance themselves from pointy-haired boss culture means that the term may in fact be one of approbation and in-group identification. The Pointy-Haired Boss (often abbreviated to just PHB) is Dilbert 's boss in the Dilbert comic strip In other words, sometimes the meaning can be completely reversed; it all depends on the tone and context.

Mainstream use

Jonathan Coulton’s song "Code Monkey", which became a hit on Slashdot and received mention in The New York Times, describes the frustrations of a junior programmer’s life. Jonathan Coulton (born December 1, 1970) is an American Singer-songwriter, famous for his songs containing themes of Geek culture Slashdot, often abbreviated as /, is a technology-related news Website owned by SourceForge Inc ^[2][3] Coulton's song has appeared in television commercials, and it is the theme song for the G4 television network show Code Monkeys. G4 is an American cable and satellite Television channel originally geared toward male viewers aged 12&ndash34 devoted to the world of For the phrase on which this program's title is based see Code monkey. ^[4]

The interface for Meebo, an in-browser instant messaging program, can be setup to use many different languages, both real and funny, made-up ones. Meebo is an Ajax -based in-browser Instant messaging program which supports multiple IM services including Yahoo! Messenger,. One of these is referred to as "Code Monkey".

See also

• Mechanization
• Programmer
• Real programmer

References

This article is based in part on the Jargon File, which is in the public domain. Mechanization or mechanisation ( BE) is providing human operators with machinery to assist them with the physical requirements of work A programmer is someone who writes Computer software. The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist The term Real Programmer is a term used by computer programmers to describe the archetypical 'hardcore' programmer The Jargon File is a Glossary of hacker Slang. The original Jargon File was a collection of hacker slang from technical cultures such as the MIT AI