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Ask HN: Software development after 40, how do you keep the fire?

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Re: Ask HN: Software development after 40, how do you keep the fire?

#81

Post by bgribble »

awinder wrote: post #31
bgribble wrote: post #12

I'm 47 and got my first programming job at 19. I still love it and look forward to a good number more years. I have a few guidelines/principles that seem to have worked so far: * Do meaningful work, whatever that means to you. Maybe it's picking a domain that helps people or society, or maybe it's some other criterion. Ask yourself what meaningful work is to you. * Be mindful about your craftsmanship and always work…

If you don't mind me asking -- have you found trouble with staying in programming / development into your 40s? Or do you see trouble staying in programming into the "good number of years" ahead? I'm just curious as someone in their early 30's who feels the "pull" towards management as a career longevity move. But on the flip side, I love "soft/upwards management" and being hands-on way more, and without the massive d…

I've been lucky to find companies where I could honestly say, "look, I have managed (up to CTO level) and I don't like it, I know myself well enough to know that I will just try to find excuses to write code. I want to be a technical leader, not a manager." I think most sane managers can understand that. If they can't... NEXT!

I live in NYC and in the startup scene here (in my experience) young superstars get (demand!) a lot of attention but hiring managers are always stoked to find someone with some seasoning who is not averse to working in a startup environment. I try to be very upfront that I place a high priority on my family and I will not be spending 60-hour weeks in the office. As long as expectations are set properly nobody has had a problem with that.

Re: Ask HN: Software development after 40, how do you keep the fire?

#82

Post by jokerx »

fsloth wrote: post #60
rootusrootus wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of people on HN are in SV (or another big tech hub like Seattle), and make 300K+ in total comp. It's a lot more lucrative [in general] to be a developer in the US than it is in most of the rest of the world.

Sure, but while high, that's still not "I'll buy myself a Learjet and a tropical island" level income. Anyway, the topic was career satisfaction. Without any good life strategies the happiness money brings peaks at 70k or such (basically you don't have to worry about regular life expenses). So, I would not use the total comp as a metric in this discussion.

Said parent commenter: "Without any good life strategies the happiness money brings peaks at 70k or such (basically you don't have to worry about regular life expenses)."

Please! Try having a few kids and living in a desirable metro area. I didn't stop worrying about money until my salary was twice that, and my wife works too.

So many sayings about financial happiness seem written for single people with no dependents.

Re: Ask HN: Software development after 40, how do you keep the fire?

#84

Post by okatsu »

overcast wrote: post #65
jcoffland wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eddie's jokes may no longer be PC but his old routines (Raw and Delirious) are still funny as hell. My wife and I regularly quote from them. "He didn't tell you you could take half? Well, he didn't tell you half the story....Oh hi Eddie." If you're not too uptight, watch it again and tell me it's not still funny.

My point was more he had his time, and it's gone. He hasn't lived on past that. Carlin and the likes were relevant until their death.

Carlin did comedy his whole life though. And I don't personally hear Carlin references more than I do Murphy ones. Eddie quit pretty early as you know, so I can't help but suspect his time was over voluntarily. Not long ago, he had to give a speech for the Mark Twain award and his Bill Cosby bit still had people laughing.

Re: Ask HN: Software development after 40, how do you keep the fire?

#85

Post by dmitripopov »

collyw wrote: post #34
dmitripopov wrote: post #5

I'm 39, still as excited about new ideas as 20 years ago. Or even more. It's so simple to implement new ideas nowadays, just pick a matching tool/framework and you are good. Back in 1998 you were forced to write a lot of things from scratch long before you get to your idea implementation and it was actually demotivating, at least for me.

Don't you find that most "new" ideas in tech are actually a rehash of something from 20 years ago at your age?

Sometimes. But now I can see it in perspective and some ideas came at wrong time or were horribly mistreated or implemented in the wrong way.

Re: Ask HN: Software development after 40, how do you keep the fire?

#86

Post by rootusrootus »

jokerx wrote: post #82
fsloth wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but while high, that's still not "I'll buy myself a Learjet and a tropical island" level income. Anyway, the topic was career satisfaction. Without any good life strategies the happiness money brings peaks at 70k or such (basically you don't have to worry about regular life expenses). So, I would not use the total comp as a metric in this discussion.

Said parent commenter: "Without any good life strategies the happiness money brings peaks at 70k or such (basically you don't have to worry about regular life expenses)." Please! Try having a few kids and living in a desirable metro area. I didn't stop worrying about money until my salary was twice that, and my wife works too. So many sayings about financial happiness seem written for single people with no dependents…

Agreed. I don't worry about money per se, but I am always on the lookout for a bit more. Within reason, of course. Kids are expensive, and the more I make now the more relaxed my retirement will be. 70K isn't enough to build much of a nest egg IMO.

Also, the money:happiness ratio has been investigated quite a lot, and as I recall it never really peaks, it just becomes less of a factor.

Re: Ask HN: Software development after 40, how do you keep the fire?

#87

Post by [deleted] »

jokerx wrote: post #82
fsloth wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but while high, that's still not "I'll buy myself a Learjet and a tropical island" level income. Anyway, the topic was career satisfaction. Without any good life strategies the happiness money brings peaks at 70k or such (basically you don't have to worry about regular life expenses). So, I would not use the total comp as a metric in this discussion.

Said parent commenter: "Without any good life strategies the happiness money brings peaks at 70k or such (basically you don't have to worry about regular life expenses)." Please! Try having a few kids and living in a desirable metro area. I didn't stop worrying about money until my salary was twice that, and my wife works too. So many sayings about financial happiness seem written for single people with no dependents…

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Software development after 40, how do you keep the fire?

#89

Post by codewritinfool »

Mostly I'm just rambling and drinking Bell's "The Oracle", so take this for what it is worth. Maybe not even 2 cents.

I've been coding for hire since I was 13, and I'm in my early 50's. I always loved electronics so about 20 years ago I moved into embedded. I left the rat race of the latest language / latest libraries etc. I code in straight C and maybe some assembly if the task demands it.

I feel I get better every year, and the demand and pay shows that. The only thing I've noticed is that I'm slower to anger and more willing to listen to ideas, but like you said, my BS meter is very sensitive.

About the only age-related thing I've noticed is that it takes me longer to heal when I injure something. I can't participate as easily with softball on the parking lot or even frisbee.

I'm not an expert; I truly learn something new EVERY DAY. The difference now is that I can often out-think my coworkers that are in their 20's, all from experience. About twice a year I get to work on things that have never been done before. Mostly, though, it is state machine after state machine, but to be honest, I've never found a lack of motivation with embedded.

It seems that there will always be a need for firmware down on bare metal. At least I'm banking on it, and plan to be doing this for 20 more years or so. As far as "making it big", I don't care. That was never a huge goal. I just wanted to provide for my family and retire some day.

PC app development is a different story. I was burned one too many times and cannot concentrate to write ANYTHING. Why that is (or what the difference is) I don't know.

Re: Ask HN: Software development after 40, how do you keep the fire?

#90

Post by RickJWagner »

Oh, 40 years old! Piece of cake, I thought the question was about 40 years in development.

I'm 53 this year, still love programming. I think the trick is to always be trying to move forward, and also look for ways to share your experiences with younger generations.

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