Ask HN: Slowly Losing Interest in Software Engineering, should I be worried?

You are likely getting bored. My guess is that you are a bright person who needs to exercise their brain and isn't seeing enough opportunity in your current situation.

Gamedev keeps me occupied outside of my 9-to-5. Pick an engine: GoDot, Monogame, even Unreal or Unity. Pick a simple game to mimic or emulate, and see how far you get. Don't worry about it looking nice; focus on applying your education to it (i.e. try to encapsulate functionality, write tests, etc.). I've been working off and on with the same project for over a decade just for fun, and I find it both stimulating and challenging.

Give it a shot; at least you can blog about it and consider it a hobby entry for your resume.

Agree with the other comments saying that no experience is ever a waste. Even if you never work another day as a software engineer, that skill set and way of tackling problems will remain useful in anything you do.

One thing I'd say about finding a side project is: think about what motivates you about the work. The most fun I've had on a side-project recently was just coding a google spreadsheet macro for something that my friends and I have to do semi-regularly. Knowing who the audience for the thing was and how they would benefit from it greatly helped my motivation.

But maybe you get more motivated by solving truly difficult challenges. In that case I'm sure there are some OSS projects out there eager for contributors. It's really down to what gets you fired up.

the side project needs to solve a problem and be useful.

If you don't have an idea take the problem of writing an offer for a service like an ad campaign (ad - size - weeks running - price) in a local newspaper, people need to calculate it, word it and format it into a pdf or something to send. Program the calculation from the sqlitedb prices, rope in gpt to word it and offer a number of combinations etc. and use a library or program to create the nicely layouted pdf. It needs to get the input via a form hosted on a linux box in the local newspaper office so the windows dudes and the mac dudes can use it and nobody needs to install nothing.

report back on how it went - good luck sailor

About 15 years ago I noticed most devs w/ an online presence invariably had a side hobby they were quite passionate about - more often than not it was photography w/ thousands of photos on Flikr, esp. for those who spoke at conferences and traveled a bit.

Found some article discussing the phenomena of those engaged in knowledge work having a hobby like this, acting as a relief valve when things get too intense - whether up-skilling in knowledge or pushing through a slog of a project, or perhaps they're in a somewhat Kafkaesque situation in regards to political structures at work/academia to avoid burnout situations.

Two primary things turn me off from software engineering, which I otherwise love and have been doing for a quarter century now.

1. Building software can be more akin to painting a picture than building a house. A team of software engineers is like a group of artists at a canvas with all sorts of different preferences, brushes, techniques, etc. I don’t think we’ve efficiently solved for that in a way that’s enjoyable.

2. The pace at which you’re supposed to adapt, raise funds, build, scale, etc has a toxic feeling, probably how Wall Street money managers feel like they have to chase alpha, make certain gains per year, etc. it leads people and companies to do dumb, irrational things that frustrate and confuse.

My personal approach has been to try and separate myself from #2 as much as possible. Ignore anything anyone has to say unless I feel it in my bones they’re right. I don’t drink ycombinator’s cool-aid, or DHHs, PGs or anyone else. I listen to what people have to say and incorporate it into my OWN mental model of how software engineering has worked for me.

Also, I like to work on projects either alone or with very small focused teams where I can be expressive. That means if I’m going to take over code, I want to be able to learn something or adapt it to my standards. I prefer to work on things start to finish.

When I sit down to code, I try to push this website and everything and everyone’s’ opinions out of my mind. I picture myself in an office far removed from anything Silicon Valley, Google, or bright colors, or that strange mix of Machiavellian and Aspergers. This is my thing I get to do with it what I want. My canvas. My brushes. I’ve been doing it too long for it to be any other way now.

I think that’s how you can enjoy programming again too.