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Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)

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Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)

#411

Post by bob7834 »

blackflame7000 wrote: post #186
asdfman123 wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, you hear all these horror stories about how developers have a "shelf life." In the meantime, though, every single older developer I've met has been extremely knowledgeable and frankly much better at the craft than myself. Look at any hobby -- say, guitar playing. The difference between someone who's been doing it for 4 years and someone who's been doing it 20 years is ridiculous. They're so much better. I feel…

> "mainframe technology well into the mid-aughts and never thought about learning anything new" - today this is called the cloud

What is the new ship we should all be jumping to?

Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)

#412

Post by andrewnc »

Silhouette wrote: post #79
commandlinefan wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the actual work of being a developer/programmer in a professional setting is a really shitty job and sad life The thing is, it doesn't have to be and, until relatively recently, honestly wasn't. It's a shitty job and a sad life because we have open offices, ticket-tracking systems and daily standups. There was a time when programming was exciting and rewarding.

The thing is, it doesn't have to be and, until relatively recently, honestly wasn't. Indeed. It's almost as if it's a bad idea to take people working in a field where creativity and careful thought are fundamental and a wide variety of experience with different but related ideas is often helpful and then try to turn them into interchangeable commodities with the whole process dumbed down to the level of the least com…

This comment is so refreshing, could I email you some questions about starting a freelance/consultancy?

Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)

#413

Post by vonseel »

mixmastamyk wrote: post #137
mistahenry wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m always mirin’ my current boss when he opens midnight commander and figures out the answer to his question by looking at the hex of the binary. I needed to change a string in a compiled binary and as I pulled the project down to change and compile from sources, he suggested we just patch the binary and we did in 1 minute with hexedit. I really don’t buy that skills don’t transfer. Where this is actually the case m…

"Mirin is a common staple used in Japanese cooking. It's a type of rice wine, similar to sake, but with a lower alcohol and higher sugar content." Unlikely this is what you meant. Admiring?

I find it unlikely that someone referring to himself as mixmastamyk (mix master mike?) isn’t familiar with millennial slang.

Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)

#414

Post by vonseel »

purerandomness wrote: post #387
scarface74 wrote: post #319

Earlier quoted context omitted.

20 years ago,much of what I used today didn't existed there was no AWS, no C# (but C++ was close enough I guess), mobile where you had to worry about semi-connected networks and syncing, etc. There is no part of the human body that exists today that didn't exist 20 years ago.

You could argue the opposite is true: 20 years ago, there were dangerous misconceptions about how some body parts work. Many chemical pathways were completely unknown. Medicine and biology both evolved a lot in the 20 years. The big picture however is still valid. Concepts and paradigms hold for decades. We still use TCP/IP. Computers still use the Von Neumann Architecture. Looking at the details however, AWS is just…

How has medicine evolved in the last 20 years? I don’t doubt your statement, but you make it sound like common knowledge, and from my point of view (average non-medical person) not much has changed.

Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)

#415

Post by therealx »

PedroBatista wrote: post #149
burlesona wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m sorry but if you think programming is not a “shitty job and a sad life.” While individuals certainly experience really bad situations in every walk of life, programming is an exceptionally valuable and versatile way to make a living, and offers a level of freedom and economic mobility that most people in most fields could only dream of.

While I'm aware and fully agree with your University of Phoenix pitch, please try to listen and understand that's only true given the right context ( both economic, social, time, etc. ) Most people sit at an office in front of a computer for at least 8 hours a day, some of them are developers. Most "problems" they "solve" are very distant from the "Changing the World and give meaning to your life, one PHP line at a t…

I understand if being indoors isn't for you, but programming can categorically be the highest paid job with the lowest requirements physically. When I need is an internet connection and a laptop, it allowed me to do things like live out of an RV full time traveling, or flying to different cities, or being able to spend more time with my family/friends while we are all healthy.

I go to my family reunion and out of 5 of us in the same age bracket, everyone else has to rush back to their jobs in 2 or 3 days, whereas I can spend the full week with the "old folks" - that's time I can't get back.

Am I changing the world with my code? No, not really. Am I helping people in turn work less while still getting to solve increasingly harder problems? Yes. I can only think of a few other professions that would keep me as happy, and none offer the reward/effort level of this.

Maybe the one difference is I started with computers out of a love for problem solving, not for the other things I said. Those are just a nice side benefit I now won't give up now that I'm older by a bit.

University of Phoenix pitch, it is not.

Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)

#416

Post by therealx »

PedroBatista wrote: post #334
ericd wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not try working on your own thing? Sounds like you're burned out on corporate work.

I did but got lost in my own mind and the solo business is obviously a lot harder ( if you're just a grunt programmer). Without maturity, a strong social network and discipline every solo venture will end up in isolation and depression. But I still try the usual side projects that get started and not finished like everybody else. :) Right now, I just wish I would find something 80% business and 20% tech with a feedba…

Oh, its you again. I don't mean that in a mean way, but your comments do stick out as being burned out/not happy.

I'm happy you opened up a little as to how you feel. If you want something that's 80% business 20% tech, I can high recommend getting into "high end" consulting. "High end" just meaning rich people, their houses, and a small smattering of businesses that they themselves have a high earning to effort %.

I don't mean writing code, I mean doing networking/server work/maybe some desktop stuff. I know that doesn't sound glamorous, but you get to make good money (really good money), most jobs are DONE when you're done, and it's generally very low stress. (learn and understand VLAN's and that level of networking and you're already in demand for a lot of people)

Most of the job is learning to setup/meet expectations, know how to talk to those kinds of people, and other business end skills. You'll also never age out - these kinds of people have long ago learned to identify other markers and often are older themselves.

I did this for years and it fit all the things you say you'd like and it left me with plenty of time to write code on the side (or not, the time is there to do what you love.)

Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)

#417

Post by wbsun »

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #356
godelski wrote: post #282

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The guitar playing is a good analogy here. Say you've played classical for years and dabbled in rock and some jazz. Like any musician you've played around a little but probably focus on one style. You're best friend asks you to play flemanco for them at their wedding. Sure, you won't be as good as someone that's played flemanco all their life. But if flemanco was invented 5 years ago you're sure going to pick it up f…

>No matter the language you use, there are common patterns. Someone who has been programming for years generally picks up a new language quickly (because of this). So should a programmer with 30 years of experience in C and 1 year in rust be paid more than the programmer with 5 years of rust experience? Absolutely. Those 30 years they were learning to program, to debug, to solve problems. The skills translate. Tell t…

Maybe you just picked the wrong companies.

30 years of experience in C? Would you mind dropping a resume to my username AT google dot com to give me a chance to get referral bonus? :D

Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)

#419

Post by aleister_777 »

scarface74 wrote: post #345
blackflame7000 wrote: post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does it seem odd to exclude Microsoft from FAANG when it's the largest?

MAGA - Microsoft Apple Google Amazon: Edit: I just realized what else that stood for...

It's okay. Might as well settle into the next 5 years and try to have a good time. Lots of people are.

Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)

#420

Post by aleister_777 »

inetknght wrote: post #24
Lendal wrote: post #14

I'm 50 and still programming. Programming is all I know how to do. If that was taken away from me, I would just rot to death. I don't want to be anything else, and I refuse to be forced to do something I don't want to do. I'll learn to farm and support myself that way. So, is it still preferable for the manager to not hire anyone and let the work sit undone rather than to be forced to work with a detestable "older" w…

> I'll learn to farm and support myself that way. With the climate apocalypse, that's becoming less and less likely.

Just like all the other predicted climate apocalypses the past 50 years. For a group that should be good at picking up patterns they sure are slow to pick this one up...
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