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Ask HN: How to re-kindle my interest in computer science?

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Re: Ask HN: How to re-kindle my interest in computer science?

#31

Post by collyw »

valty wrote: post #7

Everywhere you look people are complaining about _software complexity_. Why do things take so long to implement? Why are they so hard to change? There is obviously a large problem with the way we do software engineering, and we are still figuring it out. The longer you spend in software, you realize that the "accepted way to do things" changes all the time. You just have to look at the things you couldn't imagine not…

> There is obviously a large problem with the way we do software engineering, and we are still figuring it out.

> The longer you spend in software, you realize that the "accepted way to do things" changes all the time.

Why though?

We had it figured out reasonably well around 2010-215 in my opinion. Then we got more fads, NoSQL, frontend frameworks, cloud infrastucture, GraphQl in place of REST. These aren't required in the majority of places where I have seen them used, a standard old school lamp stack would do fine.

Everything is more complex, takes longer and solves imaginary problems that most companies don't actually have in my experience. Sure there are a few that will need that scale, but no one aims to keep things simple any more.

Re: Ask HN: How to re-kindle my interest in computer science?

#33

Post by PaulHoule »

collyw wrote: post #32
PaulHoule wrote: post #2

Look for some area where academic CS is ahead of typical practice, such as compilers and parsers, and start a side project.

Your suggestion to what sounds like burnout is to do even more coding in your spare time?

His problem is not being burnt out by coding but being burnt out by "architecture"/

Re: Ask HN: How to re-kindle my interest in computer science?

#34

Post by fud101 »

kromem wrote: post #22

If there was one psych principle I wish everyone was aware of (and almost no one is) it's the over-justification effect. From childhood onwards, when you introduce an extrinsic motivator for something that was intrinsically motivated, it basically 'overwrites' it. Like to read? If you get an ice cream party for reading, while you won't read that much more than before, after the incentive gets taken back away you'll s…

this was profound. how do i find the joy if i'm getting paid for it and that isn't a motivator by itself?

Re: Ask HN: How to re-kindle my interest in computer science?

#35

Post by theGnuMe »

>I've forgotten so much and when I compare myself to those who seem to be able to talk circles around me when it comes to these topics I feel even more discouraged especially when I feel like I should know these things already.

Sounds like there is a fear of rejection or failure at the root of it. I get that, for me it manifests as anxiety. It is the same anxiety that plagued me in math classes.

You can ask yourself what evidence you have that you are bad at architecture? You say your boss is happy with your performance. So the evidence you present isn't consistent with your world view. The fact that you understand that you don't know everything doesn't mean you aren't qualified, it actually makes you more likely to be an expert. This is the known unknowns vs the unknown unknowns vs the unknowable.

Burnout is a side effect of all this. Extreme stress would be the manifestation of true overload.

You state that you want to become a better lead.. what does that mean exactly? What concrete steps can you take?

So take my example of having a fear of math and math exams, so called performance anxiety, how would you advise me?

Re: Ask HN: How to re-kindle my interest in computer science?

#36

Post by dakiol »

nicbou wrote: post #28

My passion for software development returned when I stopped doing it for money for 40 hours per week. Now I just use it in support of a different task: helping immigrants settle in Germany. I build little widgets to explain things. I created a static site generator. I write linters for the content and git commit hooks. But no more tickets, no more stand-ups, no more sprints. I write software like a retired chef bakes…

How do you pay your bills?

Re: Ask HN: How to re-kindle my interest in computer science?

#37

Post by AA-BA-94-2A-56 »

collyw wrote: post #31
valty wrote: post #7

Everywhere you look people are complaining about _software complexity_. Why do things take so long to implement? Why are they so hard to change? There is obviously a large problem with the way we do software engineering, and we are still figuring it out. The longer you spend in software, you realize that the "accepted way to do things" changes all the time. You just have to look at the things you couldn't imagine not…

> There is obviously a large problem with the way we do software engineering, and we are still figuring it out. > The longer you spend in software, you realize that the "accepted way to do things" changes all the time. Why though? We had it figured out reasonably well around 2010-215 in my opinion. Then we got more fads, NoSQL, frontend frameworks, cloud infrastucture, GraphQl in place of REST. These aren't required…

A lot of newer technologies solve problems that only very large companies face— mostly to do with scaling multiple systems and synchronising their state.

It’s in these companys’ best interest to recommend these technologies to all developers and companies, because it increases their pool of available hiring talent.

That’s how you get startups writing from the ground up, a micro-service backed SPA with layers of abstraction for the data to pass through; when honestly, a SSR monolith backed by MySQL would be better for them.

Re: Ask HN: How to re-kindle my interest in computer science?

#38

Post by dc_ist »

Ran into a similar issue. Lost my passion for software development. Thought it would help to learn a new language or framework. I was wrong. What did work for me was getting completely out of my comfort zone. For me that is reverse engineering particularly in the Windows space along with kernel level programming. https://www.microsoftpressstore.com/store/windows-internals-...

Re: Ask HN: How to re-kindle my interest in computer science?

#39

Post by nicbou »

dakiol wrote: post #36
nicbou wrote: post #28

My passion for software development returned when I stopped doing it for money for 40 hours per week. Now I just use it in support of a different task: helping immigrants settle in Germany. I build little widgets to explain things. I created a static site generator. I write linters for the content and git commit hooks. But no more tickets, no more stand-ups, no more sprints. I write software like a retired chef bakes…

How do you pay your bills?

By helping immigrants settle in Germany

Re: Ask HN: How to re-kindle my interest in computer science?

#40

Post by valty »

AA-BA-94-2A-56 wrote: post #37
collyw wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There is obviously a large problem with the way we do software engineering, and we are still figuring it out. > The longer you spend in software, you realize that the "accepted way to do things" changes all the time. Why though? We had it figured out reasonably well around 2010-215 in my opinion. Then we got more fads, NoSQL, frontend frameworks, cloud infrastucture, GraphQl in place of REST. These aren't required…

A lot of newer technologies solve problems that only very large companies face— mostly to do with scaling multiple systems and synchronising their state. It’s in these companys’ best interest to recommend these technologies to all developers and companies, because it increases their pool of available hiring talent. That’s how you get startups writing from the ground up, a micro-service backed SPA with layers of abstr…

GraphQL is a great example. Try stepping through all the first and third party code involved in serving up a simple list of records from an SQL database. Mounds of useless abstraction and boilerplate. YAGNI. But the same could be said for SQL databases...
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