Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Have you ever thought of leaving programming for something else?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

381–390 of 570 posts

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever thought of leaving programming for something else?

#381

Post by Chris2048 »

flushandforget wrote: post #326
barbs wrote: post #299

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in an eerily similar situation. Been doing software development for about 5 years (though at different places, doing primarily Android development), am just over 6 weeks at a new job and I'm beginning to feel that software development's just not for me anymore. I don't feel passionate about most aspects of it - constantly playing catchup with the latest frameworks, the development/management methodologies/process…

I'm a freelance programmer without much self-worth, and currently no work. Given the right environment, people and projects (for me), I know I'd be happier and wealthier, and may even thrive. Rather than the abandonment that I've felt on many freelance gigs. With age, I find it increasingly difficult to sit in front of a computer for long stretches of time (more than 4 hours). I've been in a rut, where I've barely ea…

Could you pick up a project, say on coursera, and move into a slightly different field? ML, cv etc?

London appears to have a lot of jobs atm...

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever thought of leaving programming for something else?

#382

Post by SyneRyder »

facepalm wrote: post #215
SyneRyder wrote: post #68

I'm mostly happy with programming, but I often think I'd like to try working in a coffee shop, especially a Starbucks. I spend so much time in cafes as a customer, and I really appreciate the difference that a barista's smile or greeting can make to my day. I'm curious to experience that from the other side for a while. I also read books about retail businesses & brands & Starbucks & customer experience for enjoyment…

I've often thought about that, too, but it seems unaffordable. The pay for baristas seems too low to sustain family life. Am I wrong?

Probably depends where you live. I imagine it would be tough, especially for a one-income family. In Australia however the minimum wage is $17.70/hour, or $22.12/hr minimum if you're a casual worker, so I assume baristas here earn at least that much.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever thought of leaving programming for something else?

#383

Post by terminalcommand »

amelius wrote: post #242
cyberferret wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's an Asperger profession; smart but artless. Sorry, but I would have to disagree with you on this. I've been programming now for over 35 years, and really cannot see myself doing anything else. I find I can channel my creativity into programming in many ways, and writing a good piece of code gives me the same satisfaction as writing or recording apiece of music. Yes, I am a musician too, and while they are very…

But at least those jobs don't have the stigma of being (in the words above) Asperger professions. This makes it difficult to share your problems with other people, and of course, also because people in general would, I suppose, find the problems that musicians or theatre writers have more interesting, and more approachable than the problems of a software developer. Also, this makes that a musician can be a "musician"…

As a law student, I experience this a lot. Computers and programming were/are my only passion and obsession. My life is dedicated to computers, but professionally I have to be a lawyer.

I just had an interview at an IT Law Firm, and made a fool of myself. That's why I completely agree that, we as "people who are good at computers" need to keep seperate identities.

Because if you go full Aspergers, you make yourself vulnerable. Once people realize you're "different", you get the "poor boy treatment" and that hurts.

PS: I am still trying to get over the interview, sorry if I don't make any sense.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever thought of leaving programming for something else?

#384

Post by bsenftner »

clentaminator wrote: post #256

I think about leaving programming every day. I love programming, but I'm not sure I enjoy software development as a career. I enjoy coding and understanding how computer systems work, but I don't care for the constant changes in tools and techniques in certain domains of development. I'd rather practise with and improve my existing knowledge of a subject, instead of constantly playing catch-up with someone else's too…

Look for older development companies, where the developer staff is all over 40. The work tends to be in C/C++, you'll find none of the modern programming fashions (Agile, whatnot...) and they expect you to be a mature adult capable of self managing. They don't care how one works, as long as you own your work, can fix if issues or bugs are found, and can generally operate as a respectful peer to the other developers. The work you'll be given will be significant, you won't be able to slack off, but if you're an individual that appreciates honest, hard work that includes machine learning, advanced math and stats, 3D and GPU programming, plus responsibility for the entire UI, software documentation, and support of your development - its a dream situation. But ya gotta be capable of deep self directed research plus the entire development cycle yourself, as these older development companies tend to have deep libraries of past projects you'll need to learn for the core of whatever they task you to create.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever thought of leaving programming for something else?

#385

Post by fastcars »

Clubber wrote: post #348
m0nty wrote: post #338

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> without having to play the development workflow game with the daily standups and so on? It never used to be like this. I think management has reacted to the traits they perceive in programmers - get distracted too easily, work on things that don't need doing, take too long, cannot provide work-time estimates, etc - by putting in place this micro-managing approach: "only do it if it's on the kanban and tell us each…

I believe Agile (at least as thought of by management) is designed to make programmers interchangeable. If programmers are interchangeable, they are easily replaceable. We just started doing "by the book" Agile with daily stand ups. Now that you mention it, it does feel like I'm being micro managed. Put in your time every day so we can email everyone the burn down chart. Lets add some more pressure to the job if you…

It is probably also about managers protecting their positions and removing power from those below them.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever thought of leaving programming for something else?

#387

Post by manoj_venkat92 »

I love programming and am also part of a start-up developing a cutting-edge computer vision tech.

I have learnt a lot of concepts by learning programming that can be applied to many real world problems as well.

I desperately want to work in Renewable energy sector like Solar, Wind.

And the best part, my idol, Elon Musky Musk has applied the concepts that we programmers deal with in day-to-day life to producing machines that produce machines that are currently some of the best solutions to the problems like Global Warming, Energy storage & Electric cars manufacturing etc.

This part really gives me kicks. Even though, I think about leaving programming may be in 10 years(I'm currently 24), but the concepts I learnt are going to come in super-handy what ever Engineering things I'd like to do.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever thought of leaving programming for something else?

#389

Post by aiokos »

Writing, honestly. I get absorbed into stringing words into entire worlds, complete with flowery descriptions and characters of my choosing. I find that I can write anywhere, be it on laptop or paper, so it affords me more movement than programming.

It's not that I want something more creative than programming, I consider programming to be equal parts art and skill. I want something more flexible, not tied to a company that requires me to work in ways that I don't find productive (looking at you stand ups). However, for now I'll be following the money and writing on the side, although it does get draining to split most of my day's effort into two creative professions.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever thought of leaving programming for something else?

#390

Post by exabrial »

Quite often! But it pays well and my co-workers aren't terrible. Most efficient way to have job security and make a good bit of $.

Id always be inventing -something- though, recently I got into designing and building high voltage distortion prone vacuum tube hybrid solid-state instrument signal drivers: aka guitar amplifiers :) analog electronics is a lost art!

Post reply on HN