For some while I have been engaged in the activity variously called maintenance programming, entwickling, fettling and continuous integration. My current title is Senior Development Engineer in Test.
I have been trying to think of a better name for the role. What I do is take working code and try to improve it. It can be improved along a number of axes: made more reliable, faster and more comprehensible. All of these activities should not alter the correct functioning of the code, whilst the environment in which the code operates changes and the functionality it offers also changes.
There are other fields in which there is a similar role, the grease monkey who oils the bearings, the horticulturist who trains and prunes fruit trees, the sports physiotherapist who designs and oversees training regimes but I have settled on the metaphor of the groom who feeds, waters and exercises horses.
A groom requires a deep knowledge of and empathy with the horse and ensures the it is well turned out, in top condition and fit for work.
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