I quit the tech industry • Hacker News Board

Re: I quit the tech industry

#311

Post by neverminder » Wed, Jun 10, 2015, 4:06 PM UTC

mtrn wrote: post #294

zippy786 wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what is fundamentally wrong with the industry. Often those who don't care or don't do much are the highest paid and get more reward that the ones who care the most and always try to do something. Obviously, the environment eventually turns those who care into someone not caring as much. Eventually not caring at all, thus a toxic environment is formed. Some may also feel that this is the norm in most companies…

That's why I like open source projects. People writing open source might not write perfect code, but often they at least have opinions and beliefs about how things can or should be. Even if you disagree with decisions, you'll learn something. Corporate code just mirrors corporate structure after a while. More and more lines, where other people are or were responsible, where any reason has been driven out (your learni…

I would have to say that in most cases open source is more "perfect code" than "corporate code".

Re: I quit the tech industry

#312

Post by bjelkeman-again » Wed, Jun 10, 2015, 4:06 PM UTC

pc86 wrote: post #289

brightball wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I agree with you on that point, just looking from a cash flow perspective if you were to keep working for a little while after paying everything off you'd likely be able to save a huge amount of money very quickly. Save, invest, relax on a beach...any of it's easier without that mortgage eating away at you. I remember when I finally got around to doing the math on my first mortgage and realized I was actually g…

> if you were to keep working for a little while after paying everything off you'd likely be able to save a huge amount of money very quickly. Save, invest, relax on a beach...any of it's easier without that mortgage eating away at you. Except the money you spend on your mortgage is year 1 is worth a lot more than the money you spend on it in year 30. Especially with rates where they've been the past several years (o…

> cash flow is really the only upside to paying off a mortgage decades early.

In my limited experience, the freedom of not having a mortgage and a car loan, or any other type of debt, far outweighs the benefits of just cash flow. We now have a sense of freedom we didn't have Before. I think it is going to be very individual how one reacts to it, but for us having a minimal mortgage or none has made a big difference for us. Taking risks, having run startups for the last 20 years, this was a major contribution to being able to do this.

Re: I quit the tech industry

#313

Post by jorgeleo » Wed, Jun 10, 2015, 4:07 PM UTC

http://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/morpheus.jpg

Re: I quit the tech industry

#314

Post by mcgrootz » Wed, Jun 10, 2015, 4:07 PM UTC

A lot of the work we do as programmers is for a meaningless product. If we worked on things that we believed in, maybe something that helped people live better lives, especially those who really need the help like the poor and disenfranchised, I believe programmers would be happier people. There just isn't a lot of opportunity out there right now to do meaningful work with code. It's a shame.

Re: I quit the tech industry

#315

Post by fotoblur » Wed, Jun 10, 2015, 4:08 PM UTC

mavdi wrote: post #244

fotoblur wrote: post #226

Unfortunately the world is a cruel place, and this guy wants freedom from it. I know, I took the 3-4 months off after quitting a job to do my own thing. I did earn a few dollars but nothing like what a business was willing to pay for my skills. We'd all like to be free to do what we want to do, but in all honesty only a fraction of 1% ever get to. And even those people serve a master. Did I ever find the answer, no.…

It's great that you at least tried it. Takes guts to do so. It's something I've always wanted to do, but been waiting for that next level of financial security before I do so. Problem is, every time I reach the target, I'm not satisfied with it and want to make a bit more money before I can back off. It's a vicious circle into an ever looming burn out.

You can do anything you want to do.

Re: I quit the tech industry

#316

Post by danws6 » Wed, Jun 10, 2015, 4:09 PM UTC

meritt wrote: post #305

The guy cashed out enough to pay off his entire mortgage and is acting like that's a tough decision. Millions of Americans would love to have that "problem". Millions of people hate their jobs. They don't have the opportunity to just walk away from it, as they often have a family to support. And then he has the gall to ask for donations? Seriously? Can this post be laden with slightly more privilege?

Reality Web TV idea: Follow a few kids who have only worked one or two jobs right out of school in the Bay Area as they move to smaller industries throughout the country. Watch as the struggle with day to day activities like understanding why they need to pay for their own lunch or why they can't get a brand new macbook every year.

Re: I quit the tech industry

#317

Post by neverartful » Wed, Jun 10, 2015, 4:09 PM UTC

jimwalsh wrote: post #166

Work-Life-Balance, such a great lesson many 20 somethings should make an effort to learn before they destroy the passion they have for whatever it is they are passionate about. I'd never tell someone to not work hard or to strive for things they want to accomplish. But be able to step back and look at the big picture. Life is too short. Don't forget to enjoy it while you can.

Well stated. It applies to all age groups. I recently forced myself to 'stop and smell the flowers' (or however that phrase goes). I discovered something that had been around me my whole life that I had never noticed. I noticed the beautiful singing of the cardinal (the little red bird). Since then I listen for them and hear them often. It's a beautiful sound and it's a reminder to not take work life so seriously and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Re: I quit the tech industry

#318

Post by eevee » Wed, Jun 10, 2015, 4:09 PM UTC

fecak wrote: post #248

I fail to see how this is quitting the tech industry. This is quitting Yelp, but the listing of the Patreon account is all "tech industry" work, just without having a boss or company to be accountable to. The post doesn't seem to insinuate that the author will quit writing software - "Eventually it would be nice to make a thing that actually makes money on its own." Someone who codes and makes money off that product…

Is it really "the industry" if I'm not running a business?

Re: I quit the tech industry

#319

Post by ajmurmann » Wed, Jun 10, 2015, 4:09 PM UTC

agentultra wrote: post #180

reitoei wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did exactly this. Was contracting for 8 years in Dublin, commuting almost 3 hours daily. I was making good (but not amazing) money. Then the kids came, and that 3 hour commute became 3 hours that I could spend helping my wife or spending time with my kids. Got offered a full-time job in the tech industry with (gaaasp pension!) outside of Dublin, 5 minutes from my front door, with better salary, bonuses and healthca…

A pension? I've never heard of a pension in tech (though I am from a different country than you). I've never heard of companies taking part of their earnings to invest in the well being of their people. The most I have heard of are perks like ping-pong, a free beer once in a while, and conferences. They often even give you a computer to work on! And a chair to sit in! (I kid you not, these are often listed as perks i…

Outside the US the term "pension" also is used to mean that the company pays into some(semi-) government scheme that provides a pension. I think the company itself paying the actual pension when you retire is a US only phenomenon.

Re: I quit the tech industry

#320

Post by nostrademons » Wed, Jun 10, 2015, 4:10 PM UTC

serve_yay wrote: post #172

Mahn wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But that's how all posts like these go, HN loves to upvote them for some reason but they all boil down to "I'm quitting because I have enough money to do it".

Boy oh boy, that really puts a different spin on this post, doesn't it. I wish I had the cash to throw this kind of tantrum.

So go get it. A number of growth businesses - Uber, AirBnB, Stripe, Lyft, Zenefits, Slack - are hiring aggressively. Join one of them and in 4-5 years of slaving away at the computer you'll probably have the cash (and desire) to throw this kind of tantrum.