Difficulty choosing gifts for loved ones and friends is a fairly common thing, but, nevertheless, there are several universal options that suit almost everyone. However, when it comes to a gift for a programmer, ordinary solutions may not work, since the profession leaves a certain imprint on the lifestyle and value system.
There is a widespread stereotype that the best gift for a programmer must be associated with computers. At the same time, people, as a rule, do not take into account the fact that the programmer already has enough computers both at work and in everyday life. In addition, in order to make a truly good gift on a computer theme, you need to be very well versed in high technologies, otherwise your gift will not bring joy.
An original birthday gift
However, if you are determined to donate a computer accessory, try to refrain from cheap platitudes like a flash drive or a USB-heated mug. A new computer mouse or keyboard may be a good option, but keep in mind that the price of professional gaming devices of this kind can be quite high: up to 5-7 thousand rubles. If you do not care about the price of the issue, it may be better to donate a new monitor or video card, but in the latter case, it is worth discussing the technical nuances with the addressee in advance.
If a programmer is keen on online games, you can give him a virtual gift, such as a tank or a spaceship. Please note that you will have to pay for it with real money.
What to give to the system administrator?
The image of programmers as people divorced from reality, of course, has certain grounds, but you should not dwell only on computers and everything connected with them. Perhaps the best gift, on the other hand, will be an “out into reality”: a picnic set, a parachute jump coupon, a ticket to a go-kart center or a paintball game.
Also, problems with style and appearance are considered a traditional "trouble" for programmers. You may well contribute to a partial solution to this problem with your gift: a stylish shirt or tie would be a good option. In addition, like any other man, the programmer can be gifted with colognes, shaving kits, classic men's accessories such as a wallet or money clip. If you want to donate a bag or backpack, choose it so that it can fit a tablet computer or a small laptop.
A good computer accessory, which will be nice to receive as a gift, will be a steering wheel with pedals for racing, or a joystick for a flight simulator.
Books are also among the suitable options, but here you need to know exactly what genre is interesting to the recipient of the gift. Perhaps it is worth donating a rare textbook on the language the programmer is working with. As a rule, there are few translated self-help tutorials, even for the most popular programming languages, on the shelves of bookstores, and they are quite expensive, so many novice programmers prefer to learn languages over the Internet. If you can find a good translated edition in paper format, the adage that “a book is the best gift” will be true more than ever.
