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Where do all the old programmers go?

infoworld.com

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Re: Where do all the old programmers go?

#13
post #2

An article that contains a bunch of anedotes to refute another article that contains a bunch of anecdotes. Hmm... I want to see the data of where they go and determine from that.

Yes - the article is not very good but I couldn't find anything decent (didn't search long though). Put this up mostly interested in what actual people might have to say.

Data point - in my 40s (doing DevOps atm). Truth is in my company (one of the big ones) I do not see a lot of older folks doing technical work (I might be the oldest in a team of about 40 people). So I'm wondering - where is everyone (and why am I not there too)?

Re: Where do all the old programmers go?

#15
post #12
post #9

Data point: I just turned 50, and I am happily coding away as a developer. Couldn't be happier - I still love to code.

Glad to hear - do you take special care of your wrists? I'm 32 and with some problems already...

Yes, I do! I actually had pretty bad RSI almost 11 years ago (not in my wrists, but in my arms), which have made me use a break program, a split keyboard and a pen-mouse. These changes, especially the break program (using MacBreakZ now) have cured my RSI.

More details here: https://henrikwarne.com/2012/02/18/how-i-beat-rsi/

Re: Where do all the old programmers go?

#17
They become architects / development managers / product managers / pre-sales engineers / professional services consultants / founders of startups / project managers / security advisors / dev ops managers / tech recruiters / biz dev managers / even sales...

Re: Where do all the old programmers go?

#18
At about 40, it does start to get more difficult to get hired. And by 50, it is all but hopeless.

And the salary offered begins to go down at 40 too. Sharply after 44 or so.

Where I am now, at 51, I have had to learn to get by on what I was making as a SysAdmin 20 mumble years ago. But at least I have a job. Before getting my current job I was having to learn to get by without a place to live too.

Re: Where do all the old programmers go?

#19
post #12
post #9

Data point: I just turned 50, and I am happily coding away as a developer. Couldn't be happier - I still love to code.

Glad to hear - do you take special care of your wrists? I'm 32 and with some problems already...

After starting to feel twinges in my wrist I switched to an Alphagrip[0] keyboard so that I wouldn't be tempted to rest my wrists on the desk or a pad. Haven't felt that twinge since... Alphagrips might be hard to find now, but definitely explore alternative keyboards.

[0]: http://www.alphagrips.com/

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