What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? • Hacker News Board

Re: What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?

#161

Post by pc86 » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 2:13 PM UTC

lostcolony wrote: post #117

vitno wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, you get payed far more. A steelworker in 1975 made on average $7.11.[1] This is about $31.47 in 2016 dollars. Not bad at all, but I'm still guessing you make more. [1] http://articles.mcall.com/1985-07-19/news/2489404_1_steel-in...

Really? 31.47 * 52 (weeks) * 5 (days a week) * 24 (hours a day) = $196,372. In some place other than San Francisco (so pretty much guaranteed lower cost of living). Plus benefits, overtime, much lower likelihood of losing one's job, a pension...

Here are the real numbers to show you why your comment was (rightfully) downvoted:

31.47 * 50 wks (2wks vaca) * 5 * 8 (a work day) = $62,940

Re: What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?

#162

Post by strictnein » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 2:15 PM UTC

cheez wrote: post #50

blowski wrote: post #34

When I was at school we had to interview our headmaster, and somebody asked him if he thought his job was difficult. His answer has always stayed with me: "Compared to lying on a beach drinking cocktails, it's difficult. But compared to a coal miner, it's ridiculously easy." Would I rather be a software developer - even one who is building boring CRUD apps - or a coal miner?

I've never been a coal miner, but there is some sort of satisfaction in working with your hands that you don't quite get being a corporate coder.

That's why I enjoy doing small-medium landscaping projects and yard work. You start with something in a substandard state (yard, grass, leaves, snow, etc) and you end with something looking much nicer, all within the span of a couple hours.

Compare that to releasing code 4 times a year. The stuff I'm working on now won't be in production until September.

Re: What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?

#163

Post by gaius » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 2:16 PM UTC

Is it the ageism? The constant threat of outsourcing? The neverending stream of media pundits blaming you for every social ill?

Re: What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?

#164

Post by pc86 » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 2:17 PM UTC

lgieron wrote: post #73

k-mcgrady wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's also the black lung that you don't quite get being a corporate coder. I think it's very easy for people who aren't working with their hands every day to sit back and talk about the 'satisfaction' you get. You may get that if you go and do it for a day. When you're doing it every day you're destroying your back, knees, your hands end up cut and calloused, and you're exhausted. And the 'satisfaction' probably d…

> destroying your back, knees, your hands end up cut and calloused + your hearing, it can be very noisy in a mine. I'm from a coal mining region and some of the miners hate the job with passion and curse it every day as they get on the comutter's bus. Others are more indifferent about it and even enjoy some aspects of it (mostly camraderie). I'm pretty sure the majority of them would switch for ANY office job that pa…

Plus if you've made $150-250k for the past 8-10 years, it's easy to have that retirement buffer and that money in the bank and think that working in a mine might be "satisfying" for six months even if you did it for $15k.

It's totally different when you can barely afford your mortgage, you're in debt, and you have no chance of getting a better job.

Re: What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?

#165

Post by pc86 » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 2:17 PM UTC

jetengine wrote: post #132

pc86 wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Nobody cares if I'm a few minutes late in as long as I make stand-up. I see this sentiment a lot. What is HN's aversion to showing up to work on time?

I'm pretty sure that a significant portion of programmers are night owls and don't like showing up before 10 AM.

I'm pretty sure that people are different and there are plenty of programmers that are the exact opposite.

Re: What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?

#166

Post by apercu » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 2:20 PM UTC

pc86 wrote: post #144

apercu wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's also counter to good work harmony. Whenever I have worked with or hired the genius/best and brightest, a high proportion of them have difficulty playing nice with others or staying focused on routine work. You need a couple really crazy smart knowledgable people. And then fill out rest of the team according to their roles and fit.

EDIT: It looks like I replied to the wrong comment and quoted the wrong comment on top of that. No idea what happened.

At some companies, you're right...

I am seeing some stuff right now that blows my mind, complete incompetence getting promoted to executive levels. Unbelievable.

Re: What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?

#167

Post by naivepiano » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 2:24 PM UTC

pc86 wrote: post #145

naivepiano wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course I did. They lied with "java".

Don't you think it's much more likely that their stack is largely Java but you were working on a largely TCL piece of it, than it is that they decided to lie and trick you into taking a job you wouldn't otherwise want?

No - I don't think that because I stayed there long enough to make sure that the lion's share was TCL. What they said they meant with "java" was that they were going to rewrite the thing in java (this -4 years later- is yet to happen afaik). Even if it were that I was to dive in their TCL hell still I was tricked big time to agree to that. I'm afraid though that this was not that uncommon as there are numerous backwater positions (aka "legacy") that are in desperate need for maintainers.

Note: that's not to be racist against TCL but things being what they are in the trade - spending 3 miserable years with TCL expertise to show in my CV would be suicidal.

Re: What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?

#168

Post by clentaminator » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 2:24 PM UTC

- The feeling that everything "new" is something that essentially already exists but that you now need to relearn, because it's different in the most subtle and annoying ways

- The knowledge that there is often no physical, tangible output to your work (as XKCD put it, you press buttons to make a pattern of lights change until it's "correct")

- The damage done to your body from sitting at a desk for most hours of the day

- The knowledge that, in some areas of some countries, billions of dollars are invested in what are essentially clones of existing "social" tools that while promising to connect us actually manage to isolate us, and that the whole concept of "value" seems a bit screwed when you focus on these examples

Oops! Sorry, I thought the article was "worst part about being a Software Engineer". Best bits?

- I get to browse HN from my desk while my code is compiling

Re: What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?

#169

Post by mden » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 2:27 PM UTC

pc86 wrote: post #165

jetengine wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm pretty sure that a significant portion of programmers are night owls and don't like showing up before 10 AM.

I'm pretty sure that people are different and there are plenty of programmers that are the exact opposite.

Well, it's great that they are not forced to show up late then.

Re: What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?

#170

Post by ak39 » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 2:32 PM UTC

epalmer wrote: post #126

ak39 wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's super! I'm 43, but when I grow up, I want to be just like you. What languages and technologies do you use?

I ran a few small development shops a long time ago and then went into ecommerce in a bank. Eventually I was a bank compliance advisor (business side) for the bank. No hands on IT and I was miserable. I was good at what I did, remediate systems and processes to make the bank examiners happy but 70+ hr work weeks were killing me. Hence I decided I wanted to get back to web development as the job I am doing now that I…

Like I said, full respect. Thanks for such a detailed response.

Been hearing much about eXist but haven't had the courage to get my feet wet. Maybe some time this year. I don't use Oracle, have had all my clients on MS SQL Server (BI Cubes and reports) and they're happy. So am I. Not religious about this anyway. Have been dying to convert some of our consulting wares to pgSQL - soon.

I don't intend to impose my views or perspectives on you or on anyone here (as I'm sure you have your own practical conclusions about what traits are important for developers to keep positive attitudes towards their careers). But after nearly leaving the field twice in the last 10 years I can, with humility, say this:

I am more and more convinced that for a developer to continue retaining "mojo" in the field, and consequently to enjoy his or her work, he/she has to possess at least two traits:

1) Have the courage to try out new languages/frameworks fearlessly. (I am a bit of a coward here.)

2) Be a finisher. If you can complete projects - even if they're small (actually, the smaller the better) - you can always look back and say "I did that. That system they're using there ... I had something to do with it." I know the spouse couldn't care two hoots but it is the stuff that keeps me alive with hope. There's something deeply Marxist about this - I know - but I don't want to philosophise.

I can see you possess both.

You said: "I run the development shop for backend and the cms and I am the scrum coach for all development work. I am by far the oldest and we joke that I am the resident curmudgeon, but in reality I am a pretty positive person."

I can see. :-)

Keep well. (Beer next time on me)

- Edited for clarity