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You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else?

intermittentintelligence.com

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Re: You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else?

#81

Post by einhverfr »

MrKurtHaeusler wrote: post #38
dangrover wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is only true if you're 100% unwilling/unable to do anything except code. This is not true of all "developers." Being able to code does not disqualify you from being an intelligent, versatile human being capable of all sorts of things. And, failing that, it certainly does not prevent you from taking a holistic look at your business and outsourcing the things you can't handle. The funny thing you realize is how ma…

Life is far too short to take time away from things we want to, or like doing, to waste on things we are merely willing, or able to do.

So, bring in other people onto projects who can do these other things.

Re: You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else?

#82

Post by xpose2000 »

bry wrote: post #43

I wrote and submitted this article to HN about a year ago. I've since moved it from a self-hosted Wordpress site to Posterous, which is probably why the dupe-checker didn't catch it (slightly different URL). A lot has happened since then. I'm still working toward my goal of doing my own thing (ironically, still working for someone else myself). When you're trying to create and market a bootstrapped business, its pret…

I agree with the article in principal. It's goal is to inspire people to work on their projects and stop making up excuses. I think it does a pretty good job of that. As long as you're a developer, you can pretty much build whatever you want with little to no funds. All you need is time. I have done this myself and its making me a few thousand per month. (check my submissions if interested, I'm not going to spam)

What I've learned is that not everyone is up for the uphill battle that they will face.

I think everyone should at least try to start their own little project. Whether they invest a weekend in it, or an entire summer. There is nothing quite like minimizing bullshit and stupid decisions while having complete control.

Another thing I've learned is that most people in start-ups that make the decisions don't know what they are doing. They just piss away money and people's time.

People may never know whats a good or bad decision unless you've tried your own start-up.

Re: You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else?

#83

Post by einhverfr »

pnathan wrote: post #35

I work for someone else because today, my expertise is in software development, not in * sales & marketing * graphic design * finance * business law All of the above can be obtained and I plan to obtain enough expertise in those over time so that I could start my own software shop. But today , I assess my risk of total failure to be very high, with no soft landing.

You can also ask lawyers legal questions, pay graphic designers where you need to, and hire marketing firms......

The finance you'd need to learn enough to do, but you could hire a bookkeeper for day to day stuff, and learn enough to make sure you aren't being robbed.

Re: You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else?

#84

Post by einhverfr »

gatlin wrote: post #19

I'm going to plug worker cooperatives here. Small agile companies fit the model perfectly. If anyone does reply to this with questions, I'll answer.

Where corporations are necessary, some sort of worker cooperative is the way to go. It prevents the division between labor and capital from developing and so it empowers workers. Anything that empowers workers is likely to improve productivity too.

Re: You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else?

#85

Post by einhverfr »

AznHisoka wrote: post #78
naner wrote: post #48

I'm getting tired of this crap. You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else? Some people would much rather take a paycheck then try to run a business for obvious reasons. Think about the biggest websites you visit or use on a regular basis: Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Foursquare, or even Google for that matter -- all of them were created by developers who created something from little more than an idea in…

I used to have the belief that most web businesses are uninspiring and useless, but if you go down that rabbit hole, you may as say every business out there is unimportant. Louis Vuitton and Prada just makes us more vain, and waste money. Who needs iPhones anyway when a regular ole phone can do? McDonalds kills people. Wall Street causes the recession. Cars? They pollute the air and are destroying the Earth!

Oh you give the automated beasts that run on our roads too much credit. Not only do they pollute our air but they are killing us. 20% more Americans died in auto accidents in September 2001 than in the 9/11 attacks.......

The point is that so much in life is really a matter of perspective. Being able to help customers is where the sense of accomplishment is at.

Re: You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else?

#86

Post by einhverfr »

jeromeparadis wrote: post #29

Working on a side project for yourself is easy and as he says, it's possible to find the time. However, having my own founded and co-founded companies for the last 20 years, I must say unless you have enough money to really work on what you want, you're always working for someone else. As a consultant, you're always working for clients and if business isn't too bad, you can at some point be picky and chose your clien…

The difference is that as a self-employed consultant, you can fire bosses (we call them customers) that cause you too much trouble. It's a question of balance of power, and one should not underestimate that difference.

Similarly with startups and investors. If you have the ability to walk away and find another job, that gives you power. This is a big reason CEO's make obscene amounts of money in this country while floor workers don't.

Re: You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else?

#87

Post by potatolicious »

einhverfr wrote: post #81
MrKurtHaeusler wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Life is far too short to take time away from things we want to, or like doing, to waste on things we are merely willing, or able to do.

So, bring in other people onto projects who can do these other things.

Ooh ooh! I know this one! [bzzzzt]

What is... a company!

What'd I win?

Re: You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else?

#88

Post by einhverfr »

VonLipwig wrote: post #44

This guy finds 20 hours week. This means he is spending 60 hours a week working. Its not healthy. He names 5 tech companies. How many developers are there in the world? So what hundreds of thousands of developers have the potential to make a Google? I think not. In reality you will probably be happier sticking to employment and working on and launching a side project as and when inspiration strikes. Burning 20 hours…

I disagree. Most small business owners in fact work at least 60 hrs/wk.

There's a tremendous difference between work that is well integrated with family life (as self-employment can be) and work that's away from everyone else. Indeed if he is lucky he'd have his spouse helping with business administration.....

Re: You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else?

#89

Post by zavulon »

willpower101 wrote: post #75
Homunculiheaded wrote: post #32

Try an experiment, grab a piece of paper and write out the top ten programmers that first come to your mind. Now next to their names write out which company they work for. There was a time when I was tossing around the idea of starting my own business, something just wasn't clicking for me. Then I did this experiment, and I realized that most the programmers who inspired me to be a programmer worked for someone else…

I have the opposite problem. I'm an entrepreneur first, and a developer fifth ;) But getting dev's to see their own potential as a partner is like pulling teeth.

That's because developers hear a TON of ideas, and it's very difficult to get excited about anything when you get pitched so much. Sure, your idea sounds amazing, groundbreaking and world-changing to you, but to us? We've heard it all, a hundred times before.

I run a software development company, and whenever someone offers me to work for %, in most cases the answer is an automatic "no". In order to even consider doing something like that, we'd have to put in a ton of research into .. well, YOU mostly.

Whether your idea is good enough or not is secondary. The most important thing is whether you are qualified enough to take this business to the stars if we put in work for equity, so that equity becomes worth our time. And we, as developers, are not qualified for that work. We know code, we don't know researching potential investment decisions - that's angels' and VC's job.

I don't know your story, but usually, when someone does a similar complaint, that's my answer to them.

Re: You're a developer, so why do you work for someone else?

#90

Post by mrleinad »

hello_moto wrote: post #69
billpatrianakos wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree completely about money. We all want money but the system is rigged and wealth is something most of us won't get. I'm still very young but I believe it's enough to have enough money to live comfortably, get married, raise some kids, and all that first and foremost. I aspire to be really wealthy but I'm not deluding myself into thinking this is an achievement that anyone can get. It feels like the best we can d…

Big props to you. I mean it. Seriously 100% genuine. Because these days most people don't think the way you do. You are a rare breed. I think the biggest winner in our society are those who can ignore money (to some degree) and enjoy their life to the fullest by doing things that matters for themselves and other people. It is a very extremely hard mindset to achieve. Harder than working hard because that mindset requ…

I think that the ideal position for anyone would be to be able to quit their jobs, still be able to live a healthy life without being forced to work again.

Of course, there´s each one of us definition of "healthy life". For some this must include a yatch or a huge house. For some others, being with friends and being able to fullfill their basic needs is enough.

Me, I'd go for something in between. I don´t need a yatch, but I need nature. I don´t need an iPhone, but I need the Internet.

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