Ask HN: Is software engineering a big deal?

#1

Post by BornLikeThat » Fri, Mar 08, 2019, 6:07 PM UTC

Context: I graduated university two years ago and have been working as a dev since then. The work is good, management is good but I just keep feeling that it's no big a deal, anyone can do it and the stuff that matters actually does not require development (e.g. meeting with clients, climbing management ladder etc).

Would love to know what others think.

Re: Ask HN: Is software engineering a big deal?

#2

Post by ycombonator » Fri, Mar 08, 2019, 6:41 PM UTC

I think you are conflating software engineering and regular management. If your definition of success and job satisfaction is climbing up the corporate ladder you don’t need software engineering at all. You could go into sales or marketing and climb faster. Having said that software engineering matters. If it didn’t matter a lot of things we take for granted in 2019 wouldn’t exist, like this message board or the tiny ‘supercomputer’ you carry in your hand called smartphone. MRI Imaging, Fly-by-wire software, cashless transactions.. I could go on and on.

Re: Ask HN: Is software engineering a big deal?

#3

Post by juststeve » Fri, Mar 08, 2019, 8:20 PM UTC

What type of apps do you build? What languages?