If you enjoy programming then going into management or becoming an architect is really a demotion to something less interesting and which likely requires much less skill. Becoming an n-th level uber-engineer really only makes sense if you believe that top down hierarchical systems of organisation are effective or worthwhile.
Programming Is a Dead End Job
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Re: Programming Is a Dead End Job
#22There is also a third option: freelancing. This way you can keep programming, with only a moderate amount of "management" (finding new projects to work on/dealing with clients).
Re: Programming Is a Dead End Job
#23Programming is hardly unique in this regard. In fact, I'd wager that the vast majority of professions are like this. There's a simple reality at work: when you are programming code there's only so much effect it will have. That effect is greater when the organisation is small (i.e. a startup) but there's a limit. Once you become a manager in charge of five developers you're suddenly able to affect 5x (well, not quite…
On the other hand, without all of the actual programmers you would have no product and no profits at all. Neither group can function without the other, and pay should reflect that rather than the ridiculously unequal spread we just automatically accept as normal.
Re: Programming Is a Dead End Job
#24I would put it this way. Some positions affect the money-making capabilities of a company more than the others. Senior management has more control over the business-aspect of a company and hence this situation.
In an ideal world for programmers, the only thing a company would be bothered about is the cleverness and the programming complexity of the product and would reward its programmers more. Such a company is bound to fail in the real world.
Re: Programming Is a Dead End Job
#25I think "Coding" as a job can be best analogous to an old job called "Samurai". A good samurai's aim is to be the best at skills. His all work is dedicated towards a "kingdom". Every samurai doesn't wants to become a king. They just want to server their king. And the King's duty is to take care of its army and people. I think king's jobs is highly overrated. In real life its difficult to be a king. In the end its jus…
Then the samurai should behead the king and redistribute all of the fine luxuries that the samurai earned for the king to his samurai buddies. Then simply find a clerk to do the king's old job.
Re: Programming Is a Dead End Job
#26It's a well-written essay (I say this as someone who has been a journalist/editor/manager and is now doing quite a bit of programming again for Recent.io). But really you could say the same thing about many other jobs: * Do you love to report the news? In most jobs as long as you continue to be a reporter you will likely have a limited set of promotions you can get... * Do you love woodworking? In most jobs as long a…
A cynical take on your observations sometimes occurs to me, and seems pertinent.
The managers set the wages. Therefore, they will be well-paid, and their contributions will readily recognized.
This is simplistic and does not explain everything, but I think it is a major ingredient.
Re: Programming Is a Dead End Job
#27I like very much my dead end, and hope to stay in this dead end, until the end of my career (pun intended).
No need to go to boring management positions.
Re: Programming Is a Dead End Job
#28Doesn't this describe almost every profession?
Re: Programming Is a Dead End Job
#29Programming is hardly unique in this regard. In fact, I'd wager that the vast majority of professions are like this. There's a simple reality at work: when you are programming code there's only so much effect it will have. That effect is greater when the organisation is small (i.e. a startup) but there's a limit. Once you become a manager in charge of five developers you're suddenly able to affect 5x (well, not quite…
On the other hand, without all of the actual programmers you would have no product and no profits at all. Neither group can function without the other, and pay should reflect that rather than the ridiculously unequal spread we just automatically accept as normal.
Yes and no. It might be an unpopular opinion (and I'm a programmer myself) but 80% of programmers are relatively easily replaceable, particularly in large organisations. There are indispensable unique unicorns out there, but they tend to be well compensated.
When a project is managed by one manager and coded by five developers, you could easily lose replace two of those developers with little impact. If you lost the manager (who is calculating deadlines, coordinating with other departments, pitching for funding, as well as managing the individual developers) the project could run into problems quickly.
On the face of it, it seems unfair - the developers are the ones actually writing the code after all. But the HN trope that managers are useless and feckless isn't correct.
Re: Programming Is a Dead End Job
#30I'm about to stop programming at my company because I have too much to manage as a founder. It makes me really sad and also pretty scared. Anyone else experience this?