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Hello, World

hello-world.io

81–90 of 174 posts

Re: Hello, World

#81
post #70

This rings true. I'm 30, have a well paid programming job, but I just don't care that much about it anymore. I used to be so passionate and enthusiastic. But now I feel like there's more to life than banging out code. Unfortunately there's not much else I know other than the internet and the fact it's currently making me a lot more money than 95% of my friends. So that leaves me ultimately disenchanted with nowhere t…

So now it's just a job - it pays the bills, and you get fulfillment elsewhere. You're not alone at all. It's a quirk that we look to our jobs to be fulfilling. (A noble one, I'll note.)

Or you can go hunting for a more fulfilling job, like this guy.

Re: Hello, World

#82
post #70

This rings true. I'm 30, have a well paid programming job, but I just don't care that much about it anymore. I used to be so passionate and enthusiastic. But now I feel like there's more to life than banging out code. Unfortunately there's not much else I know other than the internet and the fact it's currently making me a lot more money than 95% of my friends. So that leaves me ultimately disenchanted with nowhere t…

Maybe save some money and go travel for a few months?

After I finished college I used all my savings to travel to Japan for a month and a half (I wish it'd been longer) and after returning home, I felt like a I just had a very nice reset. Like cleaning the slate allowing me to start fresh.

Maybe you could use a hiatus as well. It's not necessary to go live in a farm for that. Go explore some place you have always wanted. I could almost bet that you won't regret it and might even find a new love for your profession (maybe not your job though).

Re: Hello, World

#83
As someone who's venturing back into the CS field after leaving it for 2 years to "pursue other interests," this post makes me doubt my decisions.

Re: Hello, World

#84

So this guy: - Changed his major overnight from whatever it was to computer science after writing a Hello, World program - Left "so-called higher education" to work at a real-life job "without even thinking about it twice" - Quit real-life job to be a bartender and chef - Quit doing that after getting girlfriend pregnant to 'go back to the "real world" to get a job' - Quit that to build a house and work on a farm Eve…

I think this is the result of the relative ease of getting programming work and good salaries. It attracts a lot of people who are not really in it for the love. Some of those people are going to feel like their soul is being sucked out. This guy is one of them which explains his extreme reactions. I personally would rather work at the shittiest programming job than go out and work on a farm. But that's just me.

I couldn't agree more. As I was reading this post I was really trying to sympathize with the author's trouble of finding contentment in his work. But as a software dev who's very nearly a "code monkey" in his 40 hours, I also live in a rural setting where my wife and I raise heritage hogs for pork.

I also find time to volunteer with the local Code for America brigade and interface with folks in the government and non-profit area on a regular basis. My son and I also go up to a hacker club in the city where folks are always building something cool.

Perhaps rather than monoculturing your life, the lesson here is to diversify on a daily basis?

Re: Hello, World

#85

I love technology and computers, but I found a job that doesn't require me to be thinking about things non-stop. I work less than 40 hours a week (even though I'm salaried), but I still work in my field of choice. It doesn't stress me out. Do I make less than the average computer guy? Maybe a little bit. But hey, its one less massive thing to worry about. I can go home and not think about it. Instead, I can think abo…

> I found a job that doesn't require me to be thinking about things non-stop. Where?

Florida. Pay isn't like SF or NYC, but the cost of living is really low.

Re: Hello, World

#86
post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this is the result of the relative ease of getting programming work and good salaries. It attracts a lot of people who are not really in it for the love. Some of those people are going to feel like their soul is being sucked out. This guy is one of them which explains his extreme reactions. I personally would rather work at the shittiest programming job than go out and work on a farm. But that's just me.

While I agree that programming attracts a lot of people that aren't in it for the love of the craft, I disagree with most of your sentiment. I see a creative person who struggles with having to focus on someone else's agenda. Most non-developers see programming as tedious, mind-numbing work that involves zero creativity. Most people who have never worked on a small farm or built a table/shed/house/whatever think of t…

I have said for a long time that my dad (who was a farmer) taught me to "hack" long before I began programming. The capacity to persist in the face of seemingly impossible situations is very valuable in both fields.

Re: Hello, World

#87
post #66

Weirdo. I'm just going to quit my job and give freelancing/consulting a shot. In the middle of West Virginia. I don't think I could ever leave programming. I started around 9 years old, I've already been through my slump and come out the other side more interested than ever. In programming, that is. The way most companies handle software development, though? That is certainly downright terrible. My knowledge of histo…

Name-calling doesn't really add to the conversation.

I don't really consider 'weirdo' to be name-calling... It wasn't meant as an insult, just an observation that he's different from me. Not worse, just different.

Re: Hello, World

#89
post #70

This rings true. I'm 30, have a well paid programming job, but I just don't care that much about it anymore. I used to be so passionate and enthusiastic. But now I feel like there's more to life than banging out code. Unfortunately there's not much else I know other than the internet and the fact it's currently making me a lot more money than 95% of my friends. So that leaves me ultimately disenchanted with nowhere t…

>But now I feel like there's more to life than banging out code. Have you thought about moving "up" into management?

Now hold on a minute. There's no reason to assume he's a bad person.

Re: Hello, World

#90

"burning out" only happens when you dont add fuel to the flame. If someone is passionate about what they are working on, they wont get burnt out. I can easily see getting burnt out on one technology or another, but the more code, the more I want to code and learn more. If someone programs at the same company doing the same tasks for years until they hate programming, then I really feel no sympathy. Get a different jo…

This is wrong, you don't understand how "burnout" works.
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