Why You Should Hire an Old Programmer
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Why You Should Hire an Old Programmer
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Re: Why You Should Hire an Old Programmer
#2I don't disagree with anything stated here, but how much of this actually is a function of age?
I feel like a young programmer could aquire all of these traits also, because they're less about age and more about being able to learn from experiences. You can choose to have more experiences to become the kind of person the article talks about.
Or is this a survivorship bias thing? The old programmers are more likely to be this way because the people who would be old programmers who are not this way aren't programmers anymore?
Re: Why You Should Hire an Old Programmer
#3I don't disagree with anything stated here, but how much of this actually is a function of age? I feel like a young programmer could aquire all of these traits also, because they're less about age and more about being able to learn from experiences. You can choose to have more experiences to become the kind of person the article talks about. Or is this a survivorship bias thing? The old programmers are more likely to…
For most programmers in their 40's, at least in my experience, we've been working in the industry since at least our mid-20's, if not earlier. Very few older programmers I know started learning to code in their 30's. Most started in their teens.
So, yeah, a talented young programmer could have accumulated enough experience to acquire these traits. But it's more likely to be found in us old farts.
Agree with your survivorship idea too. There's been a few that have changed course along the way.
Re: Why You Should Hire an Old Programmer
#4as an old programmer I think it would be better if the author said
'I know this, because I hired one.'
Re: Why You Should Hire an Old Programmer
#5I don't disagree with anything stated here, but how much of this actually is a function of age? I feel like a young programmer could aquire all of these traits also, because they're less about age and more about being able to learn from experiences. You can choose to have more experiences to become the kind of person the article talks about. Or is this a survivorship bias thing? The old programmers are more likely to…
Uh, isn't that rather much the point? Once a young person learns all this stuff from experience, they've become an old person.
Re: Why You Should Hire an Old Programmer
#6I don't disagree with anything stated here, but how much of this actually is a function of age? I feel like a young programmer could aquire all of these traits also, because they're less about age and more about being able to learn from experiences. You can choose to have more experiences to become the kind of person the article talks about. Or is this a survivorship bias thing? The old programmers are more likely to…
Uh, isn't that rather much the point? Once a young person learns all this stuff from experience, they've become an old person.
But you can gain experience without necessarily becoming old at the same time. They're correlated, but not causal.
Re: Why You Should Hire an Old Programmer
#7I don't disagree with anything stated here, but how much of this actually is a function of age? I feel like a young programmer could aquire all of these traits also, because they're less about age and more about being able to learn from experiences. You can choose to have more experiences to become the kind of person the article talks about. Or is this a survivorship bias thing? The old programmers are more likely to…
> because they're less about age and more about being able to learn from experiences
Typically after you learn from experiences and gain knowledge you age. I'd question someone that is young and thinks they know the world.
If being able to acquire all he knowledge/experience while young were true, everyone would peak at 25 and not get any better.
There is a certain point some people get where they _refuse_ to learn more and are "set in their ways" and that becomes detrimental to a younger/fresh idea.
I doubt anyone would advocate age quotas for hiring but having a mix of experience/knowledge with fresh ideas is probably ideal. At least, it feels ideal in our team which has ranged from high 40s to low 20s.
Re: Why You Should Hire an Old Programmer
#8How do older programmers deal with coding interviews from companies like facebook / google? i feel like those advantage people who just finished their algorithms class, or have time to practice specifically for it.
Re: Why You Should Hire an Old Programmer
#9I know more this year than I did a year ago.
I will know more next year than I do today.
This will never stop.
Re: Why You Should Hire an Old Programmer
#10I like it.
Of course, I'm an older programmer. But still.