Wow! I appreciate all the interest and feedback - quite unexpected. I'm glad I found HN. I'll try to add more responses tomorrow.
Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
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Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#52What do you think about all of the advances that happened in your time, especially with what machine learning is capable of these days (fully artificial human faces, for one)? Any advice (technical or life) for us younger people?
I second this request. Would love to hear any insight you have with all your life experiences in the field.
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#53Periodically there are questions here about dealing with burnout and learning to cope with technological change/churn. Someone who's been doing it enthusiastically for over half a century sounds like exactly the kind of person who could offer advice on that. Do you have any?
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#54OP is an OG
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#55Earlier quoted context omitted.
According to Wikipedia, Grace Hopper started her computing career in 1944 when she worked on the Harvard Mark 1, which would have put her at ~38 when she began. Assuming she worked until her death, that puts her career in computing at a (incredibly impressive) 47 years.
She was a mathematician before that, though; probably about as close as you could get at the time :) But yeah, always vaguely thought she was younger starting.
Younger nothing, it's wild that I never stopped to consider that there was a (recent!) period where our whole professional field had to be invented out of thin air, scooping up willing academics as it went. Considering that ENIAC (along with the Von Neumann architecture) wasn't even a thing until 1945, to begin her career in 1944 is hardly late! :)
(Aside, I wonder if recruiters in 1944 were already asking for ten years of ENIAC experience?)
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#56given the numerous posts about age discrimination on hn, i'm delighted to hear your story and wish you many more years of happy programming. as a whipper-snapper 40-something developer, it gives me hope and motivation.
while not as old as OP, I personally know several programmers in their 50s and 60s and all said they had no problem finding work. I think if you're a top-tier developer (which OP seems to be!) age discrimination may not be as much of a factor? If you're decent but not amazing (most of us honestly) you may find it easier to find work at 35 than at 55.
you're right, not all of us can be super star devs (i certainly am not) but we can apply their techniques, mainly stay healthy and never stop learning.
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#57you beat me by 3 years
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#58www
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#59great news
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#60Margaret Hamilton started her first job in 1959 and is still working: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Hamilton_(software_en...
Depending how and whether you count academia, Donald Knuth may have a slightly longer career: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Knuth
Feels like a decent chance you're third, then. Certainly you're one of the longest-working programmers. Best of luck. :)