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Ask HN: Resources for older developers?

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Re: Ask HN: Resources for older developers?

#201

Post by necovek »

wing-_-nuts wrote: post #86
bxparks wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ha, 125% for most things, except HN where I need to use 170%

I have a 13" laptop with a 1080p display, which is actually a higher dpi than a 27" 4k display. I have to run at least 150% zoom to be able to see anything. Too bad fractional scaling sucks on linux.

Unfortunately, "pixel-not-a-pixel" and "scaling" won out as approaches, when us greybeards remember being able to choose our font sizes, everything scaling in accordance (or well, at least all the Gtk+ 2 programs did) and X actually reporting the true DPI to software. For laptop and desktop use, I found it immeasurably better.

Sure, responsive layouts that work on tiny screens were missing.

Still, I find fractional scaling to suck even more on systems other than Linux, and some even make other terrible decisions to drop things like subpixel rendering (looking at you MacOS and all those non-existing 10K 32" retina screens).

Re: Ask HN: Resources for older developers?

#202

Post by necovek »

zabzonk wrote: post #25
jasfi wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think so either, don't fence yourself off.

> don't fence yourself off how else am i going to keep those pesky kids off my lawn? but, i agree.

Or in some cases, on my lawn and not out in the street getting ran over by speeding cars driven by others' pesky kids! :)

Re: Ask HN: Resources for older developers?

#203

Post by necovek »

wing-_-nuts wrote: post #84
lowercased wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Larger monitors? I worked off a laptop for 15 years. I was a lot more mobile, and the laptop was my primary display. 2020, with travel stopped, I got a desktop and couple of large monitors (32"). I still don't feel terribly more 'productive' with multiple monitors (years of experience on single monitor only!) but the large monitors help a lot. Separately, since I primarily work on a desktop, it's harder to just 'work…

I'm looking to get a 32" 4k monitor as my external monitor. What sort of scaling do you use? I hear most folks go with 150% but that puts one right back at 1440p real estate.

With Linux, you can get into those "tweaks" tools to separately set lower scaling (I go with 125%), but slightly larger fonts: less real-estate lost, still readable.

On Mac, as it has no subpixel rendering, going with anything less than 4K results in lack of smooth lines and jaggy fonts.

If there's one drawback, it's that rendering 4K can tax your hardware (eg even full screen 4K Google Meet on pre-Iris Xe laptop will keep your CPU pegged at 80%).

Re: Ask HN: Resources for older developers?

#204

Post by necovek »

tasteofmaple wrote: post #149

I'm 69 years old and I started coding in earnest 6 years ago. Love doing it. Last year I retired from my day job and I've been coding everyday for 6 or 7 hours on personal projects. I find my mind has become sharper and really good at problem solving. The only issue I have with coding is it's somewhat of a solitary existence. If I had taken up golf I would have buddies to play golf with. With coding I sit in front of…

I know you mention "your Mac", but there's a lot more of a community in "the Linux world" for free software/open source coders.

Joining one of the big projects will bring fun into your day, and potentially some real life meetups and conferences if you want them.

Not sure about ageism there since I mostly took part when I was younger, but we very much respected our elders back in the day (though that was maybe respecting their experience, so your mileage may vary).

Re: Ask HN: Resources for older developers?

#205

Post by necovek »

mariopt wrote: post #6

I suppose Senior developers, my self included, enjoy fast paces straight to the point learning resources. One of my favorite websites is https://egghead.io/ but some people do complain about behind a bit too fast. Overall, there is heaps of great tutorial on youtube. If you're looking for an online community mostly you'll be facing many people who are learning how to code. I would choose a specific software and look…

> I suppose Senior developers, my self included, enjoy fast paces straight to the point learning resources. One of my favorite websites is https://egghead.io/ but some people do complain about behind a bit too fast. Overall, there is heaps of great tutorial on youbue.

I enjoy fast, straight to the point resources as well, but I was disappointed to learn egghead.io seems to be all videos.

Not fast enough for me when I can't jump into it and skim for the useful parts: why, oh why did the videos win?

Aside from personal, non-egotistical mentors (so you can interrupt them to move on to more interesting things), I still find "boring" reference docs the best.

Re: Ask HN: Resources for older developers?

#206

Post by Mizoguchi »

Same resources available to anyone else, Stack Overflow, Reddit, HN, Github...

Ageism is a reality, particularly in the US, but IMO it is gradually fading out as the stereotypical generation of piped piper style developers from the early-mid 2000s approach 40-50, many still in purely technical roles producing code better than ever.

Also with the arrival of tools like ChatGPT and Copilot experience will become a much more valuable commodity than the ability to spit out code very fast or in large volumes by pulling out allnighters, something older developers with social and family commitments usually aren't able to do.

This of course assuming you start using such tools.

Re: Ask HN: Resources for older developers?

#207

Post by Accujack »

softwaredoug wrote: post #13

In my 20s I worried about losing my intellectual abilities in my 40s and 50s What you really just lose is patience for BS :) Sure, yeah, you lose 10% of your raw intellect if you stay healthy[1]. You probably more than make up for it in experience and wisdom. But hell the thing that demotivates me is the recycled insanity of large organizations, egotistical tech executives, hype cycles, and all the other BS. Eventual…

    "Workin' 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin'
    Barely gettin' by, it's all takin' and no givin'
    They just use your mind and they never give you credit
    It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it

    9 to 5, for service and devotion
    You would think that I would deserve a fair promotion
    Want to move ahead but the boss won't seem to let me
    I swear sometimes that man is out to get me
    Mmmmm..."

Re: Ask HN: Resources for older developers?

#208

Post by jesterson »

scrozier wrote: post #136

I know it's not a contest, but I just turned 65. I'm currently an individual contributor at a small-ish SaaS company. I've been a systems programmer, software development director at a well-known retailer, consultant, and (mostly) an entrepreneur who started four companies. I still LOVE to code. Nothing like the satisfaction, though I enjoyed all the other things I did too. Ageism is real in our industry. Note the co…

I am 40+, although holding C-level position, sometimes roll up sleeves and do some quick coding.

Working with younger developers and engineers, seeing how they do things made me sure we will always find a job. And younger people should be worried indeed about their careers.

Re: Ask HN: Resources for older developers?

#209

Post by resonator »

stakhanov wrote: post #200
codr7 wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This touches upon something I've noticed lately, people skills are at least as important as technology and raw intelligence. I'm 46 and have been writing code pretty much every day since 8yo. I used to think code was the greatest thing, and would gladly write it for free. But I was also very arrogant, too impatient to negotiate, and didn't really give a damn about the team as a whole. These days I find writing code p…

> [...]negotiating with stake holders and making sure the team works well as a whole; I find those very fulfilling and exciting. That seems to assume that, with age, you also gain power. As for myself, I'm hitting 40 now, and have absolutely no power over others whatsoever, and that's a pretty tough spot to be in, because now I'm bored with the tech stuff but nobody has ever offered me any other kind of work, and I d…

> I'm bored with the tech stuff but nobody has ever offered me any other kind of work.

I recommend doing the work that you want (alongside your regular responsibilities) and if you're good at it the offers will follow. If you're not, you'll develop experience.

Re: Ask HN: Resources for older developers?

#210

Post by codr7 »

stakhanov wrote: post #200
codr7 wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This touches upon something I've noticed lately, people skills are at least as important as technology and raw intelligence. I'm 46 and have been writing code pretty much every day since 8yo. I used to think code was the greatest thing, and would gladly write it for free. But I was also very arrogant, too impatient to negotiate, and didn't really give a damn about the team as a whole. These days I find writing code p…

> [...]negotiating with stake holders and making sure the team works well as a whole; I find those very fulfilling and exciting. That seems to assume that, with age, you also gain power. As for myself, I'm hitting 40 now, and have absolutely no power over others whatsoever, and that's a pretty tough spot to be in, because now I'm bored with the tech stuff but nobody has ever offered me any other kind of work, and I d…

Nah, I've started asking for that kind of work in the hiring process but it's mostly doing what I can where I am.

And it's not about power really, nor control; it's about not needing them; nudging things in the right direction almost without people noticing; to me, that's what people skills is all about.

But of course the level of experience helps, because with that comes some respect.

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