Ask HN: Any rich programmers that don't have to work but coding for fun? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Any rich programmers that don't have to work but coding for fun?

#21

Post by maxxxxx » Tue, Jan 16, 2018, 11:04 PM UTC

4k wrote: post #17

A friend's friend. Working in Amazon for 15-16 years (still not manager). His stock would easily make him a millionaire. He puts minimal effort just enough not to get fired, doesn't care about promotions, works 6-7 hour days and has a good life. My friend asked him why doesn't he quit? He said this job gives him something to do.

I have never been in that situation so maybe I can't judge. But it makes me sad that people when given freedom to do whatever they want to do, need some corporation to tell them what to do. Again, maybe I would be the same if I was in that situation.

Re: Ask HN: Any rich programmers that don't have to work but coding for fun?

#22

Post by rozenbor » Tue, Jan 16, 2018, 11:44 PM UTC

My friend worked as a teacher of computer science to a guy who is a local bank owner(over 30mil$ fortune) retired at his 70th and studying software development as a hobby. He payed not much btw

Re: Ask HN: Any rich programmers that don't have to work but coding for fun?

#23

Post by rozenbor » Tue, Jan 16, 2018, 11:46 PM UTC

OneDayMaybe wrote: post #19

Throwaway for this. I'm virtually there, although not quite: I will inherit ~$1M cash, arguably within the next 1-3 years. I never thought too much about it and did what I thought would interest me anyway; I thought I had to get a sense of what a modern capitalist society really is. I ended up starting a somewhat successful career in CS (I’m in my late 20s), did the 9-5 thing for a few years… but I got to the point w…

Typical programmer in Valley will make much more then $1M in cash, so it's not enough to not care about money

Re: Ask HN: Any rich programmers that don't have to work but coding for fun?

#24

Post by chris11 » Wed, Jan 17, 2018, 12:05 AM UTC

SirLJ wrote: post #10

In a team lead role for a big telco, (build my wealth trough stock trading robots, can retire anytime) and every year cannot get myself to leave and retire early... Too much fun, interesting projects and great team to lead (also working from home helps a lot)... Maybe next year :-)

I"m curious, whats the amount you are investing, what's the profit, and what's the risk? I've always been a little bit suspicious of day trading as a way of making money considering the type of ads I see, the fact that I'm an unsophisticated investing unable to access the advantages professionals have (like fast trade execution and much cheaper trading costs), and that slippage means I won't be able to set a hard limit on how much I am willing to risk. How do you deal with those things?

Re: Ask HN: Any rich programmers that don't have to work but coding for fun?

#25

Post by everdev » Wed, Jan 17, 2018, 1:51 AM UTC

Yes, and it's far more enjoyable now but it's harder too.

With clients I had deadlines that forced decisions. With only artificial motivators I've found it too easy to follow my passion rather than launching something.

But, I do get to explore what I want to now.

Re: Ask HN: Any rich programmers that don't have to work but coding for fun?

#26

Post by brucephillips » Wed, Jan 17, 2018, 1:52 AM UTC

everdev wrote: post #25

Yes, and it's far more enjoyable now but it's harder too. With clients I had deadlines that forced decisions. With only artificial motivators I've found it too easy to follow my passion rather than launching something. But, I do get to explore what I want to now.

Can I ask how you made your money?

Re: Ask HN: Any rich programmers that don't have to work but coding for fun?

#27

Post by bbcbasic » Wed, Jan 17, 2018, 2:21 AM UTC

rozenbor wrote: post #23

OneDayMaybe wrote: post #19

Throwaway for this. I'm virtually there, although not quite: I will inherit ~$1M cash, arguably within the next 1-3 years. I never thought too much about it and did what I thought would interest me anyway; I thought I had to get a sense of what a modern capitalist society really is. I ended up starting a somewhat successful career in CS (I’m in my late 20s), did the 9-5 thing for a few years… but I got to the point w…

Typical programmer in Valley will make much more then $1M in cash, so it's not enough to not care about money

Good job the valley is not an inescapable prison conplex then.

Re: Ask HN: Any rich programmers that don't have to work but coding for fun?

#28

Post by bbcbasic » Wed, Jan 17, 2018, 2:22 AM UTC

Not rich but aiming to pay off mortgage in next 2 years and with kids in school we can live off one salary

Re: Ask HN: Any rich programmers that don't have to work but coding for fun?

#29

Post by everdev » Wed, Jan 17, 2018, 2:22 AM UTC

brucephillips wrote: post #26

everdev wrote: post #25

Yes, and it's far more enjoyable now but it's harder too. With clients I had deadlines that forced decisions. With only artificial motivators I've found it too easy to follow my passion rather than launching something. But, I do get to explore what I want to now.

Can I ask how you made your money?

I ran a website design company in Silicon Valley.

Re: Ask HN: Any rich programmers that don't have to work but coding for fun?

#30

Post by acct1771 » Wed, Jan 17, 2018, 2:54 AM UTC

mindcrash wrote: post #11

Notch. Made a shit ton of money selling Mojang/Minecraft to Microsoft. Now basically spends his life partying, playing games and coding games for fun. Oh, and shitposting on Twitter. Ofcourse.

He does a bit better than shitposting sometimes.