I like situational pair programming, but there's no point in forcing another senior developer watch me e.g. set up a toy repo to track down a bug, when we both know what error I'm currently getting and what I'll be doing. You have to be able to pair when you need it and stop pairing when you don't.
For me, pair programming carries the implication that you're always doing it, which seems almost as bad as never doing it.
exactly. I find it vastly more productive to just be available at the drop of a hat to talk someone through an issue. once it gets to the point where we've decided on next steps, we can work on our own until one of us feels confused or something interesting comes up.
yes - lets talk frequently about the work and what makes sense
no - me watching you type and making off-the-cuff comments to keep myself busy
For me, pair programming carries the implication that you're always doing it, which seems almost as bad as never doing it.