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

I've walked away from software development

old.reddit.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

151–160 of 237 posts

Re: I've walked away from software development

#151

Post by jokethrowaway »

porker wrote: post #119
xfitm3 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Identity politics have made it even more miserable.

I don't know if there's something special about working in web design/development but I see more identity politics here and in the community than I do anywhere else in my life, or in other industries. My partner works in education - that place of reputed wokeness - and while identity features, there isn't the politics in the school around it. Perhaps webdev attracted a specific kind of person (who felt comfortable wi…

It's an industry filled with highly educated people who spend way too much time idling on twitter and the internet in general.

They don't have money concerns like most people from other walks of life so they need to find something to get worked out about.

I think it's understandable why big tech went in this direction.

Re: I've walked away from software development

#152

Post by jokethrowaway »

larrymyers wrote: post #5

It's interesting that the OP on reddit is describing normal company politics. It exists at every company I've ever worked at, and will exist anywhere there is money, power, and status at stake in the decision making process. My suggestion is to find a company where you can accept and work within that company's dysfunction, and stay put as long as you have a positive career path there. Every company is dysfunctional i…

You're most likely right, it exists in every company I've seen as well.

I think the solution is to bite the bullet until you can work in a smaller company (either by accepting less money or by starting your own)

Re: I've walked away from software development

#153

Post by giantg2 »

bradlys wrote: post #136
giantg2 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would love to burn out with fat checks. It beats burning out on average (non SV) checks. At least one can retire earlier.

You usually only get the fat checks in SV though, where homes are frequently 6-10x national average. So unless you plan to move away (why would you when you spent your entire career there and all your friends are there), you won’t retire any earlier.

There are some high paying jobs in the greater DC and NYC areas. I assume there are others places too, like Austin or Seattle.

Even 3x would be a big difference for many ($200k-250k).

Re: I've walked away from software development

#154

Post by throwaway894345 »

dorkwood wrote: post #150
throwaway894345 wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have that too. A second computer works wonders here. Worse is the training I'm doing now which lets you run it in the background but makes you push a button every 30s to continue the training.

Up next: a training video that turns on your webcam and pauses if you look away from the screen.

> pauses

Nit: You spelled "tazes" wrong.

Re: I've walked away from software development

#155

Post by maximente »

giantg2 wrote: post #55
notacoward wrote: post #25

I held out for a little over 30 years, but ultimately reached a similar point. I just lost patience with the various ways I was forced to keep a part of my brain devoted to work at all times, with the focus on "move fast" over quality, with the dizzying array of bad choices in languages, idioms, and configuration/deployment methods, with the endless ego wars, etc. Note that none of these had much to do with the work…

"I'm the kind of person who takes the most important unclaimed tasks - which are often unclaimed because they're unpleasant." I feel you. I've always been one to fill the gaps on the team. You need someone to learn this new tech/process/etc - sure, I'll do it. It's hurt my career. Now I'm 9 years in and I'm not an expert in anything (anything that matters - they outsourced the tech/system I was an expert at), just av…

being able and willing to learn new things is one of the most attractive qualities for candidates when we are hiring.

we try not to execute on that in the sense of rewrite it every 6 months, but it is typically a signal for individuals who possess some level of humility, patience, willingness to get trained up, struggle a little bit, etc. - all very important things for technical staff.

Re: I've walked away from software development

#156

Post by emteycz »

Dirlewanger wrote: post #138
emteycz wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If only. Also cocaine and marijuana, and of course all the excess coffee. I'd say almost half of people in the industry use something.

Using cocaine to do programming is a waste of cocaine, in my opinion

Oh yeah, that's for after work

Re: I've walked away from software development

#157

Post by theincredulousk »

what2build wrote: post #93
ryandvm wrote: post #48

I think all of us 40+ folks are in the same place. When we first started we didn't mind the bullshit so much because we were too dumb to realize how much there was. Then we got older and, yeah, it's ridiculous, but we were pretty decent at surfing the bullshit waves so we still didn't mind so much. Now you're in your 40s and the real obligations of life have started piling up. You've gone from 7 hours of free time a…

When the thought leaders have a “hole in their life” because a cron job and sendmail SAAS shutdown, you know it’s bullshit all the way down: https://twitter.com/paulg/status/1216714155731890176?s=20

what the actual fuck

Re: I've walked away from software development

#158

Post by ChuckNorris89 »

giantg2 wrote: post #125
tartoran wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Not really handcuffs. Ok, temporary handcuffs. The author of the original post on reddit mentions feeling as if escaping prison so there's something to handcuffs after all >Oh, you're going to fire me if I don't do xyz, go ahead because I don't need the job. That is only true when you have accumulate something and are ready to do your thing. Till then one is willing to put up with plenty of BS. But it's true, fat ch…

I would love to know where these good jobs/companies are. I work for a company that is consistently highly rated as a best place to work in IT by Computer World. I hate it. They don't even follow their own policies.

Is that in Germany?

Re: I've walked away from software development

#159

Post by emteycz »

Rapzid wrote: post #103
emteycz wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If only. Also cocaine and marijuana, and of course all the excess coffee. I'd say almost half of people in the industry use something.

Don't forget alcohol; the go-to for self medication.

So normal that I indeed forgot about it, and nicer bottles of alcohol are considered a classy item to have on your office table

Re: I've walked away from software development

#160

Post by burnthrow »

giantg2 wrote: post #144
burnthrow wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> about 9 years in I'm personally offended.

Why? I've had my job outsourced, been subjected to office politics, been passed/screwed over for promotions, seen the company violate its own rules to my detriment, etc ect.

Need way more than 9 years for it to really get into your bones and fuck with your head
Post reply on HN