Real Time

I don't understand how software companies schedule jobs at all. Anything a programmer knows how to do, she automates. By definition, the remaining work involves flailing desperately across a sea of poor documentation and broken dreams, wearing the cement shoes of our own ignorance.

This summer I did a short contract, for which I had to track my time. Here's a log excerpt for a typical 5 minute task:

8:00 - try easy straightforward thing that will definitely work in less than 5 minutes
8:03 - wtf
8:04 - google
8:18 - try stack overflow solution that worked for 687 other people
8:20 - WTF
8:26 - reboot server
8:31 - google
8:38 - reinstall python
8:53 - read documentation of all software involved in easy straightforward thing
10:18 - reinstall grub
11:27 - read source code of all software involved in easy straightforward thing
16:87 - WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME 16:87 ISN'T EVEN A REAL TIME
1:32 - try easy thing that I tried at 8:00
1:33 - it worked.  W.  Tf.
1:34 - sooo... how many hours should I bill for this?