Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?

Post by booleandilemma » Sun, May 31, 2020, 2:35 PM UTC

shlant wrote: post #233

harisund wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am sorry, but you are not a programmer anymore. You are a project manager or a business analyst. The reason you are able to completely ignore the age issue is because there's no ageism in hiring business analysts and project managers. The ageism is visible in hiring programmers, which most certainly you are not. You might "dabble" in code outside of work in your own spare time, but that doesn't make you a professio…

"I am sorry, but you are not a programmer anymore" Your gatekeeping is not welcome here. This isn't a competition. "The reason you are able to completely ignore the age issue is because there's no ageism in hiring business analysts and project managers. The ageism is visible in hiring programmers, which most certainly you are not." and your unfounded conclusions aren't welcome either.

Post by mech422 » Sun, May 31, 2020, 2:36 PM UTC

codingdave wrote: post #230

mech422 wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the same 3 monitor, 'computer glasses' setup... Did your optometrist give you grief about them? The first time I said I wanted a pair of single focus lenses for the computer (so I could use my whole field of view..), I got a lot of flak about "you should get bifocals". I haven't needed to drive anywhere in the last couple of years, so I basically never where my distance glasses anymore. lately though.. Seems l…

For myself, it was my optometrist's idea. I get one "free" pair a year from my vision coverage, and when a year rolled in where my old prescription hadn't changed much, he suggested getting computer glasses instead. My only problem is forgetting to change glasses when I go out, and not really noticing til I hit a main road and wonder why the street signs are blurry.

Post by bayonetz » Sun, May 31, 2020, 2:39 PM UTC

genedangelo wrote: post #287

millstone wrote: post #90

Thank you, this is a wonderful post! Please share more of your story. (Write a book, please). I would love to hear answers to the following: 1. What ideas proved useful throughout your career, and what ideas did you change your mind about? 2. What are your hobbies? Do you still program in your spare time - if so, what? Or do you find other outlets? 3. What went into the decision to go back to school? Did you get the…

That's a lot of questions, but let me take a couple. I got my Master's degrees in the early 1970's, when we used something called a "slide rule". In 1990 I went back to school to update my skills and expand my knowledge into artificial intelligence, which I had become enamored with. Unfortunately, I didn't finish my PhD (big mistake!) because in 1995 I jumped on an opportunity to join a company that had this amazing…

Post by mech422 » Sun, May 31, 2020, 2:40 PM UTC

rossjudson wrote: post #138

mech422 wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the same 3 monitor, 'computer glasses' setup... Did your optometrist give you grief about them? The first time I said I wanted a pair of single focus lenses for the computer (so I could use my whole field of view..), I got a lot of flak about "you should get bifocals". I haven't needed to drive anywhere in the last couple of years, so I basically never where my distance glasses anymore. lately though.. Seems l…

I hate bifocals. Hate them. Hate hate hate. I've got the computer glasses, and then the regular ones. I swap as needed.

Post by genedangelo » Sun, May 31, 2020, 2:43 PM UTC

1970-01-01 wrote: post #26

Serious question: How do you sit and type? What chair and what angle has worked best for your back and neck all these years?