If Software Is Eating the World, Why Don't Coders Get Any Respect? (2011)

#1

Post by datadawg » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 3:04 AM UTC

Stumbled upon this old thread and curious to hear whether folks think this has changed eight years later. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2919708

Re: If Software Is Eating the World, Why Don't Coders Get Any Respect? (2011)

#2

Post by Harrymon12 » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 4:24 AM UTC

I think software innovation is good. But still you have to know the world so softwares won't eat it.

Re: If Software Is Eating the World, Why Don't Coders Get Any Respect? (2011)

#3

Post by RedBeetDeadpool » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 4:51 AM UTC

That was in 2011. Facebook, Youtube, Amazon, Uber, AirBnB were very much on their way up. I think coders get huge amounts of respect nowdays and I heard CS is one of the hottest majors now. The persona of the basement dwelling, thick lens glasses wearing, cheetos covered, socially awkward software programmer has been replaced by the hoodie wearing, anti-establishment, hyperintelligent, socially savvy rich entrepreneur.

Re: If Software Is Eating the World, Why Don't Coders Get Any Respect? (2011)

#4

Post by georgecn » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 9:09 AM UTC

I think coders do get respect. Perhaps a better term would be software developers or software engineers. Good software engineers who can design and develop large systems to solve business problems are very much in demand in small startups and large FANG-type companies. They get paid a lot, more than lawyers and doctors, these days.

Re: If Software Is Eating the World, Why Don't Coders Get Any Respect? (2011)

#5

Post by JustFinishedBSG » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 9:40 AM UTC

For the same reason that when industries were eating the world workers didn't get any respect . Why should programmers be treated in any way better than the rest of the world ? Are we somehow more worthy ?

Re: If Software Is Eating the World, Why Don't Coders Get Any Respect? (2011)

#6

Post by BjoernKW » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 1:09 PM UTC

Because coders are mostly considered to be line workers.

They're comparatively well-paid labourers but their work more often than not is perceived as a cost centre with the actual value creation happening elsewhere (product development, design, marketing).

At least partly, coders have themselves to blame for that. By identifying as a "Java / JavaScript / Whatever developer" rather than someone who solves business problems developers commoditise themselves and their services.

If you're essentially marketing yourself as a set of TLAs you become a fungible resource.