Ahmen, I'm currently employed in a company that is attempting a metamorphosis from failed e-retail reseller into a "social shopping" startup. The code that's been acquired is absolutely awful, however, and I'm consistently confused. Coming is as a Graduate CS + Phil I'd had no experience in Web-dev and this was reflected in a reduced income offer, which I accepted grateful in the knowledge that it's a leg on the ladder and I'd have the chance to get involved in a web enterprise project and learn a great deal. Sadly this has not been the case.

After just over 6 months I have been passed from pillar to post and received literally NO training whatsoever. Our code implementation is a spider's web Java/Stuts2/Springs/Hibernate setup that boggles the mind of both senior developers (who's combined brain power spent 3 hours trying to figure out the specifics of checkbox implementation on our architecture.... seriously - 3 hours!)

I'm really beginning to see that my limitations as a developer are more imposed by upper-middle management and the lack of interest my fellow developers seem to have in my skill set (they actually ignore me when I ask for help most the time (and it isn't because it's a rtfm issue - it's usually because they are still trying to unravel this awful code!))... I'm looking forward to a time when I can recapture that invigorating enthusiasm for collaboration and learning that came so easily at Uni.

and in regard to "that guy" in the office (some other comment post on this thread) - my favourite excuse for not being able to help is "oh, I don't know - I'd have to look at the code"

..... even though he's sat next to me! but still we're on an svn!!!.... how is that an excuse for not helping a fellow dev!? would you be able to help /without/ looking at the code!?

bah