Honestly, I really love it. Yea, there can be insane deadlines and it can be frustrating work, but it's so satisfying overall. In my job, I get a lot of freedom to do my own things here and there, and we're getting into a major rewrite of internal systems to use Azure. Currently it's a huge amount of fun.
Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?
301–310 of 549 posts
Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?
#302Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are you aware of imposter syndrome? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome You may not be up to your job, but probably more likely it's that.
Being aware of it does nothing to remove the certainty that at some point the people you work with are going to turn around and tell you to go home and never come back. Just as soon as they realise you're worthless. The most interesting thing I've seen written was on here, pointing out a problem in the logic. "If they haven't noticed you're as stupid as you think you are, they themselves must be even stupider. Theref…
Especially as I went from "on my own" to working with a team of f*cking brilliant people, I had some serious self-doubts. We instituted a review system that includes anonymous peer reviews, and it was insightful to see what others felt I was both good at and upon what I needed to improve. Seeing what others value in me helps me realize that, while I have so much to learn, I am providing value not only to my employer but also my team.
Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?
#303Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why do so many threads always have to devolve into a bizarre condemnation of capitalism? If you don't want to code for a living, then don't code for a living. Do it for fun and make money some other way. If you're upset that you have to work to survive, well, then maybe you need to have a reality check.
It's not bizarre. There is a long historical culture of criticism of capitalism. It's just been squashed in recent decades. I am a particularly privileged individual because I have a choice of what labor I can do, and even how much to an extent. Most people don't have the choice of just switching careers because they feel like it, and even fewer have the option of even realizing that there is some sort of activity th…
> I am a particularly privileged individual because I have a choice of what labor I can do, and even how much to an extent. Most people don't have the choice of just switching careers because they feel like it, and even fewer have the option of even realizing that there is some sort of activity that would be more fulfilling than what they do to survive.
This is poisonous thinking. Programming is one of the most accessible industries on the planet that doesn't involve physical labor. If somebody has the desire, they can learn how to program and land a job for FREE.
People seem to be squarely divided into two groups in this world: those who believe life happens to them, and those who believe that they make life happen.
Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?
#304Any time I catch myself complaining about my career I do my best to jolt myself out of it. That's not to say I have nothing to complain about or that aspects of my career and my job can't be improved, but my god, is there really any other profession in the world that is as lucrative, open, and challenging as programming? There are no bullshit certifications to go through, the best tools and resources are free and ope…
I agree with this, except for the last line. Software Engineering is a great career in a lot of ways (interesting subject, smart people, flexible, relatively less bureaucratic, good pay etc) and sometimes I forget how damn good I have it compared to most folk. But at the same time there are lots of other things I enjoy and want to do in life beyond just software engineering.
I think as an industry we get a bit obsessed about wanting rockstar programmers who want to do nothing but make software. I enjoy my work, I'm grateful for it and I want to get better at it, but there are also lots of other things I want to do, so personally I'm not going to spend all my free time programming and I think that's ok.
Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?
#305I've been programming for 15 years, since I was 21. It used to be my passion, work, and hobby. Over the last 3 years I've gradually shifted from development to managing projects and product development, and recently moved to the team leader/manager.
Right now I really like the product and management side of the work, but the technical / programmer side I am very burned out on. I used to spend my free time consulting, coding, researching, and had dreams of starting my own company. Now I want to go home and relax, work with my hands out in the yard/garden.
I've been at the same company for 7 years now, we typically have enough freedom and project variation to learn new skills and keep from being bored. There are simply to many frameworks/languages to keep up with to stay relevant. I don't see myself finding another development job after this one, at least not without time off/a break. The money is great, and I've been fortunate to save well, and we live will below our means.
Honestly, I'm working on a plan to be out of the industry by the time my daughter graduates high school and I'm 45.
Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?
#306I enjoy programming but 'working as a programmer' is infuriating. There are so many interesting product ideas yet 'me-too' CRUD app recreations of previously successful incumbents products are highly desired. This is particularly true in the startup ecosystems where kids talk about 'interesting' problems and finding 'purpose' and yet are blindly following the mantras and motivational speeches of trite capitalists. I…
Do you have any advice for freelancers looking for interesting clients? I'm mostly able to find clients that either 1) want full-time employees or 2) are working on 'me-too' CRUDs (sometimes both).
Here's my advice after 7 years of freelancing: https://medium.com/@marknutter/advice-for-the-freelance-deve...
(sorry for the blogspam, I'd repost it here but it's long and I'm too lazy to paraphrase right now)
Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?
#307Any time I catch myself complaining about my career I do my best to jolt myself out of it. That's not to say I have nothing to complain about or that aspects of my career and my job can't be improved, but my god, is there really any other profession in the world that is as lucrative, open, and challenging as programming? There are no bullshit certifications to go through, the best tools and resources are free and ope…
I agree with this, except for the last line. Software Engineering is a great career in a lot of ways (interesting subject, smart people, flexible, relatively less bureaucratic, good pay etc) and sometimes I forget how damn good I have it compared to most folk. But at the same time there are lots of other things I enjoy and want to do in life beyond just software engineering. I think as an industry we get a bit obsess…
> But at the same time there are lots of other things I enjoy and want to do in life beyond just software engineering.
I absolutely agree and I learned that the hard way. I guess what I meant was my regret is that it's simply not healthy to program during every waking moment, even though I often wish I could. It's a nice problem to have and certainly better than hating your profession.
Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?
#308Been coding professionally 37 years. Started as a self taught video game developer back in the Apple II, Commodore era. I loved it at first. University had me working at a 3D graphics research lab with Mandelbrot himself, later on I was an OS developer for the 3DO and the first PlayStation. I worked on tons of high profile video games, and later transitioned to VFX for film, and worked on a ton of popular blockbuster…
> If I could do it all over again, I'd have thrown that temper tantrum at 17 and gone to animation school rather than a normal university. Is animation that different? It's also "create on demand on schedule".
I believe he means that doing the MBA had no effect. Might as well try something interesting even if ending back in the same place.
Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?
#309I've been programming for 15 years, since I was 21. It used to be my passion, work, and hobby. Over the last 3 years I've gradually shifted from development to managing projects and product development, and recently moved to the team leader/manager. Right now I really like the product and management side of the work, but the technical / programmer side I am very burned out on. I used to spend my free time consulting,…
> Now I want to go home and relax, work with my hands out in the yard/garden.
I find that stuff you've mentioned to be a great complement to working in the software field. Perhaps it's because we're exercising our creativity in new ways, where we wouldn't necessarily be able to do in a routine software job (there are only so many new challenges one faces day to day).
Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?
#310Earlier quoted context omitted.
Uhh... I have to ask: what, exactly, were you expecting? Exhilarating highs and a path to millions? It's a job. Most people don't have jobs that'll make them "rich". Be glad you aren't living paycheck to paycheck, or worse, are unemployed because the job you had was optimized away with computers. To be blunt, there's a sense of entitlement evident, here, that I have trouble grokking. You get to spend all day in a com…
A lot of the loudest voices in tech are people who appear to be rapturously happy and fulfilled working 10-12 hour days. It's easy for young people to get the message that good coders love working all the time, with the obvious corollary that if you don't feel that way, you're not a good coder. It's not an accident--spreading that idea makes it easier to buffalo people into the ruinously long hours that some parts of…
This, right here, is a brilliant comment.
The pop culture obsession with the valley tech industry, and the resulting insane expectations folks hold when entering the industry, is a disservice to us all.
I love the work I do. It's not life changing. It's not going to make me rich in money or in spirit. It's a cushy lifestyle job that gives me the time and monetary freedom to do the other things I'm passionate about.
But that doesn't align with the fantasy of the valley, or frankly, the American protestant work ethic.