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

25 years of coding, and I'm just beginning

dev.to

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 213 posts

Re: 25 years of coding, and I'm just beginning

#31

Post by jacquesm »

bch wrote: post #29
whateveracct wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Uh huh and who are these artisans multiplying value (not just selling but literally adding value) of software systems by 14x?

I think PG said[0] it well: Suppose you own a beat-up old car. Instead of sitting on your butt next summer, you could spend the time restoring your car to pristine condition. In doing so you create wealth. The world is-- and you specifically are-- one pristine old car the richer. And not just in some metaphorical way. If you sell your car, you'll get more for it. In restoring your old car you have made yourself riche…

I'm guessing Paul Graham has never restored a beat up car to pristine condition. Your pristine condition car that will fetch you less than the new parts you put in when you sell it at what the market will pay for it. Restoring beat up cars to new state is a losing game unless someone pays you to do the work, except for some rare collectibles, which I am assuming are not your personal beat up car. And even then chances are just about even that you'll end up losing money on it. It's fun to do, you'll learn lots but please do not think you will make money this way, especially not if you put any value on your time.

Re: 25 years of coding, and I'm just beginning

#32

Post by twblalock »

whateveracct wrote: post #22
friedman23 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lumber jack cuts down a tree and sells the wood for $500 to a high end furniture maker. This furniture maker then produces an armoire that he sells to a rich person for $7000. Was that lumber jack exploited because he only made $500 from the wood?

Uh huh and who are these artisans multiplying value (not just selling but literally adding value) of software systems by 14x?

> Uh huh and who are these artisans multiplying value (not just selling but literally adding value) of software systems by 14x?

Selling is adding value. If you make something great and nobody uses it, how is that different than never making it in the first place? It would have no effect on the world and nobody would be better off because it exists.

Software adds value to the users and the users need to find out about it and be convinced to purchase it in order to realize that value. That's the case for any category of product.

Re: 25 years of coding, and I'm just beginning

#33

Post by ams6110 »

whateveracct wrote: post #22
friedman23 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lumber jack cuts down a tree and sells the wood for $500 to a high end furniture maker. This furniture maker then produces an armoire that he sells to a rich person for $7000. Was that lumber jack exploited because he only made $500 from the wood?

Uh huh and who are these artisans multiplying value (not just selling but literally adding value) of software systems by 14x?

The ones finding the customers. The ones staffing the help desk and providing support to users. The ones writing good user documentation or making how-to videos about using the software.

Re: 25 years of coding, and I'm just beginning

#34

Post by ams6110 »

I guess I didn't realize just how many people out there are seeking anyone who knows even a little more than they do. They don't care if that person has 25 years or 25 minutes more education than they do. They only care if they can learn from this person and build a communication line with them.

In the business world it's the same with software. At one place I worked they were paying thousands of dollars a year for a software product that was buggy and barely worked. It was slightly better than a shared spreadsheet. But it was better, so they paid for it. Most non-technical people are pragmatic, and also jaded about software. They expect it to be arcane and difficult and spitting out errors and warnings. They just learn how to get through it in the ways that do work, and as long as it's a net time saver they'll accept it.

Re: 25 years of coding, and I'm just beginning

#35

Post by twodave »

I got my first TI-82 about 19 years ago. Never had to study for a math test again. I’ve built some things since then as an employee, as a contractor, as an owner and even as a donor, but never really “hit it big” by SV standards. Still, it’s hard not to be thankful for the way my life has gone so far. My single greatest asset is that I have the confidence to take on basically any technical project imaginable. I’ve started from the bottom of a new tech stack enough times and worked with enough different teams and bosses that I no longer have this fear of being enough or doubt my abilities the way I did even 5 years ago.

There is a lot of value in confidence, ability to execute and knowing the value of your own hour of effort. My advice to anybody out there who feels like the OP is to get our and expose yourself to new things, take a few measures risks and force yourself to grow.

Re: 25 years of coding, and I'm just beginning

#36

Post by gammateam »

> I only have websites for clients, which most are no longer up; or businesses I have worked for as an employee.

This is the worst and contributed to me doing different things, for me it was apps whose API servers were no longer responding.

It is very hard to keep your portfolio up to date, when you aren't able to show even the public facing side of it.

Re: 25 years of coding, and I'm just beginning

#37

Post by justwalt »

friedman23 wrote: post #20
steve_taylor wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You forgot to mention millions of dollars of value created for other people.

A lumber jack cuts down a tree and sells the wood for $500 to a high end furniture maker. This furniture maker then produces an armoire that he sells to a rich person for $7000. Was that lumber jack exploited because he only made $500 from the wood?

Hmm, I interpreted what he said as referring to the improved quality of life for the people who use the products/services that the programmer worked on. I'm not sure which interpretation is correct.

Re: 25 years of coding, and I'm just beginning

#38

Post by grkvlt »

jacquesm wrote: post #31
bch wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think PG said[0] it well: Suppose you own a beat-up old car. Instead of sitting on your butt next summer, you could spend the time restoring your car to pristine condition. In doing so you create wealth. The world is-- and you specifically are-- one pristine old car the richer. And not just in some metaphorical way. If you sell your car, you'll get more for it. In restoring your old car you have made yourself riche…

I'm guessing Paul Graham has never restored a beat up car to pristine condition. Your pristine condition car that will fetch you less than the new parts you put in when you sell it at what the market will pay for it. Restoring beat up cars to new state is a losing game unless someone pays you to do the work, except for some rare collectibles, which I am assuming are not your personal beat up car. And even then chance…

As with all car analogies, this is NOT about cars - it's telling a story about wealth creation...

Re: 25 years of coding, and I'm just beginning

#39

Post by sotojuan »

I get the sentiment but if you want to be able to point to things that you built years ago software is probably the worst career to take. We shutdown, delete, replace, and rewrite our work all the time.

The small amount stuff that lasts over five years gets called legacy and is made fun of.

Re: 25 years of coding, and I'm just beginning

#40

Post by seizethecheese »

jacquesm wrote: post #31
bch wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think PG said[0] it well: Suppose you own a beat-up old car. Instead of sitting on your butt next summer, you could spend the time restoring your car to pristine condition. In doing so you create wealth. The world is-- and you specifically are-- one pristine old car the richer. And not just in some metaphorical way. If you sell your car, you'll get more for it. In restoring your old car you have made yourself riche…

I'm guessing Paul Graham has never restored a beat up car to pristine condition. Your pristine condition car that will fetch you less than the new parts you put in when you sell it at what the market will pay for it. Restoring beat up cars to new state is a losing game unless someone pays you to do the work, except for some rare collectibles, which I am assuming are not your personal beat up car. And even then chance…

This metaphor really has nothing to do with car restoration. He assumes in the example the car would be worth more.
Post reply on HN