You're lucky, in my software development career I've been automatizing other people work so they could be fired. It isn't so directly, but is really what happens after some years. Selling art tickets is a noble work.
Ask HN: Improving the world as a software developer
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Re: Ask HN: Improving the world as a software developer
#22I interviewed with 18F/USDS and they seem like they fit what you are looking for (assuming you are in the USA, which may not be the case). They work on modernizing the US government programs. Lots of opportunities for you if you are willing to move to DC, some if you are senior and are willing to work remote. More here: https://18f.gsa.gov/
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Re: Ask HN: Improving the world as a software developer
#23Check out this open source project - Humanitarian Toolbox
Link - https://github.com/HTBox
Re: Ask HN: Improving the world as a software developer
#24If mitigating climate change is your thing, look for opportunities to contribute to these solutions:
Re: Ask HN: Improving the world as a software developer
#25You're lucky, in my software development career I've been automatizing other people work so they could be fired. It isn't so directly, but is really what happens after some years. Selling art tickets is a noble work.
Automating other people's work is improving the world quite a bit, if maybe only indirectly - you're now setting those people free so they can do something else instead! Though of course it's better to automate yourself out of work as much you can, because no one knows the relevant tradeoffs better than you.
Re: Ask HN: Improving the world as a software developer
#26You could work as a software developer in the public sector. There is a desperate need in many countries to improve digital services for citizens. Or, you could have side projects that improve people's lives. I have built software that helps developers build accessible websites, software for adding subtitling to videos and software to help memory institutions archive political debate in social media. You can get star…
To improve the digital services for citizens you'd first have to be in a position to initiate or convince your superiors to convince their superiors (and so on) to initiate an investment in an improvement. Then wait for about a decade to actually see anything happen. You don't just show up there all like "if we rewrote this portal in react with all these patterns here (which are really cool, I promise) things would b…
Sadly, where I live investment into gov/public IT services is done, even a big one, but the product is of very low quality. Money gets diluted and the real work is done by unskilled programmers based on bad specifications.
Re: Ask HN: Improving the world as a software developer
#27Are you open to pursuits that don't directly involve programming? If so, three suggestions:
* CodeNation (CodeNation.org) - teach highschool aged kids in underserved areas how to code.
* GazaSkyGeeks (GazaSkyGeeks.com) - go to the Gaza strip and teach coding and mentor entrepreneurs
* Recoded (re-coded.com) - same as above but for refugees in Syria and Iraq.
I've done the first two - happy to answer Q's about them.
Re: Ask HN: Improving the world as a software developer
#28Do you want to help millions of kids around the world have better access to learning materials?
Info: https://learningequality.org/kolibri/ https://learningequality.org/ka-lite/map/
Demo: http://kolibridemo.learningequality.org/learn/#/topics
Code: https://github.com/learningequality/kolibri (Django + Vue.js, MIT license)
We're looking for full stack developers right now (see https://grnh.se/8b6e1d221) but happy to discuss how you can get involved with some of our other projects https://github.com/learningequality/
Re: Ask HN: Improving the world as a software developer
#29One option is to find a donor organization that's aligned with your values and get in touch with them to hook you up with one of their grantees. Small local orgs have a tough time with paying and retaining talent so you're likely to find some low hanging fruit. Not necessarily open source but lots of opportunity to have a big impact.
Re: Ask HN: Improving the world as a software developer
#30The article "What Can a Technologist do about Climate Change?" [0] by Bret Victor is one of the best things I've read in regards to this issue. Not only is it incredibly interesting but it's also massively inspiring.
If climate change doesn't take your fancy as a cause, 80000 Hours have put a lot of research into this list of the world's most pressing problems [1]. Maybe you would like to help tackling one of those.
[0] http://worrydream.com/#!/ClimateChange [1] https://80000hours.org/problem-profiles/