It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too • Hacker News Board

Re: It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too

#31

Post by arvinsim » Sat, Aug 17, 2019, 2:20 PM UTC

jasode wrote: post #29

>It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too That short life-affirming quote structured like a pithy aphorism is hiding the true debate that motivates it. The real discussion before that quote is this: Some employers prefer programmers that like programming outside of work. For the other programmers that would rather constrain coding work to 40 hours a week, they feel that employer preference is…

I believe hiring decisions are employers perogative.

What I do appreciate is them being honest and upfront about it so that I don't waste time pursuing a job that might not fit me.

Re: It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too

#32

Post by cameronbrown » Sat, Aug 17, 2019, 2:22 PM UTC

talonx wrote: post #26

cameronbrown wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe people enjoy programming enough to make it their job, but to go home and relax afterwards? Who wants to do the same thing 24/7?

While I don't think the OP meant 24/7, I think the point remains that coding outside working hours is a choice borne purely out of personal interest. Having this interest is fine - maybe it makes you a better programmer or maybe it does not. Not having this interest is _also_ fine - and saying that people who don't have it are unfit to be in the field is just sitting on a high horse and looking down at others.

I just think if you enjoy programming in work, having it outside of work too risks ruining both your hobby and your job if you get burned out.

Re: It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too

#33

Post by wolco » Sat, Aug 17, 2019, 2:26 PM UTC

jasode wrote: post #29

>It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too That short life-affirming quote structured like a pithy aphorism is hiding the true debate that motivates it. The real discussion before that quote is this: Some employers prefer programmers that like programming outside of work. For the other programmers that would rather constrain coding work to 40 hours a week, they feel that employer preference is…

I find some employers try to restrict your outside of work coding with agreements not to work for anyone else during the employment period. Some demand ip for any projects.

I feel like I have to sneak around when coding after work.

Re: It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too

#34

Post by ghaff » Sat, Aug 17, 2019, 2:28 PM UTC

jasode wrote: post #29

>It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too That short life-affirming quote structured like a pithy aphorism is hiding the true debate that motivates it. The real discussion before that quote is this: Some employers prefer programmers that like programming outside of work. For the other programmers that would rather constrain coding work to 40 hours a week, they feel that employer preference is…

And you see that attitude on this thread with some who would presumably pass on anyone lacking personal Github repos for reasons of culture fit, insufficient passion, or some other such filter.

Re: It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too

#35

Post by t34543 » Sat, Aug 17, 2019, 2:30 PM UTC

Insanity wrote: post #30

carlosrg wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I think the key point is to know yourself, do what you truly like at leisure time, and never put yourself on pressure outside of work (for example, thinking not coding at home will make you a worse programmer, or that you're missing something). Sometimes I've not touched a line of code at home for months because I was focusing on other hobbies, like reading, that I had abandoned. No regrets. Lately I've gone bac…

This is key! It echoes my comment elsewhere in the thread quite well. Being flexible is important. You'll just end up depressing yourself if you'll force yourself to write code in your free time even when you don't want to. (Been there, done that).

If I’ve got the work scratch on my own time I turn to learning. It can benefit me long term, and perhaps score me some cred at work in the short term.

Re: It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too

#36

Post by yowlingcat » Sat, Aug 17, 2019, 2:33 PM UTC

jasode wrote: post #29

>It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too That short life-affirming quote structured like a pithy aphorism is hiding the true debate that motivates it. The real discussion before that quote is this: Some employers prefer programmers that like programming outside of work. For the other programmers that would rather constrain coding work to 40 hours a week, they feel that employer preference is…

I don't know if I agree with your premises or conclusions. I think employers prefer engineers who are effective and have a past track record of success. For some companies, some of these are going to have a "can't rip my keyboard out of my hands" characteristic, but I've mostly found that working on software outside of work has minimal correlation with productivity.

Engineers that are steadily growing and continuing that professional growth may work on things outside of work. But they definitely ensure that whatever they do at work, in those 8 hours a day when they're on the job, is in large part contributing to that.

IMO, that's 99% of it. Engineering off the job or on a side project? It indicates a certain degree of intrinsic fascination. But if that's targeted in the wrong direction, it can result in someone being distracted and building the wrong thing really well. It varies.

Re: It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too

#37

Post by yowlingcat » Sat, Aug 17, 2019, 2:34 PM UTC

gregf wrote: post #11

If you don't have the desire to do this after work you probably shouldn't even be in the field is how I look at it.

If you're not good enough to do your job competently (or not trying to actively get there) after experience doing this only at work, then I wouldn't hire you is how I look at it.

Re: It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too

#38

Post by PopeDotNinja » Sat, Aug 17, 2019, 2:35 PM UTC

arvinsim wrote: post #31

jasode wrote: post #29

>It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too That short life-affirming quote structured like a pithy aphorism is hiding the true debate that motivates it. The real discussion before that quote is this: Some employers prefer programmers that like programming outside of work. For the other programmers that would rather constrain coding work to 40 hours a week, they feel that employer preference is…

I believe hiring decisions are employers perogative. What I do appreciate is them being honest and upfront about it so that I don't waste time pursuing a job that might not fit me.

That works until their cumulative prerogatives shut you out of your chosen career because they're discriminating against you. Discrimination is simply avoiding the thing you don't prefer because you have a preference for something else. If you discriminate against enough people, it becomes a problem for people who don't fit into your prerogative.

Re: It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too

#39

Post by djhworld » Sat, Aug 17, 2019, 2:39 PM UTC

I guess coding outside of work does allow you to explore things that you might not get a chance to in the day job, which in turn might help with interview situations.

Re: It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too

#40

Post by commandlinefan » Sat, Aug 17, 2019, 2:44 PM UTC

jasode wrote: post #29

>It is perfectly OK to only code at work, you can have a life too That short life-affirming quote structured like a pithy aphorism is hiding the true debate that motivates it. The real discussion before that quote is this: Some employers prefer programmers that like programming outside of work. For the other programmers that would rather constrain coding work to 40 hours a week, they feel that employer preference is…

Well... I do code outside of work, and learn things outside of work, but those are rarely (if ever) the things that my current employer can immediately turn a profit on. These days, for example, I’m trying to broaden my understanding of the Linux kernel, which isn’t something I’m going to apply to my regular Java development job. So, preferring programmers who also code outside of work is one thing, giving them coding assignments to complete outside of work (which is what they’re really doing) is something else entirely.