Ask HN: Hackers, how do you handle the dread and still love computers?

#1

Post by divyaranjan1905 » Thu, Aug 29, 2024, 5:46 AM UTC

Whether it's getting your first job in the market, or having to do Leetcode for switching from a toxic, stressful job, how do people handle the dread without breaking down?

More importantly, what makes you still love computing amidst all this? Sometimes one feels the dread when being underpaid, other times the dread is because you're paid fine but you're doing essentially nothing that you feel good about. Can the hacker lifestyle of the 80s-90s still be revived without breaking down? Can we still have fun with computers and be creative instead of being stuck on chasing whatever new surge happens to the market?

Re: Ask HN: Hackers, how do you handle the dread and still love computers?

#2

Post by cranberryturkey » Thu, Aug 29, 2024, 5:49 AM UTC

I work on my own projects. I never did like working a 9-5 job

Re: Ask HN: Hackers, how do you handle the dread and still love computers?

#3

Post by kaffeeringe » Thu, Aug 29, 2024, 5:51 AM UTC

Good questions. I don't have an answer.

Re: Ask HN: Hackers, how do you handle the dread and still love computers?

#4

Post by divyaranjan1905 » Thu, Aug 29, 2024, 5:58 AM UTC

cranberryturkey wrote: post #2

I work on my own projects. I never did like working a 9-5 job

That is nice, there must be several times you're stuck on a project, not knowing where to go with it. Or, just too tired. What is your usual response?

Re: Ask HN: Hackers, how do you handle the dread and still love computers?

#5

Post by cranberryturkey » Thu, Aug 29, 2024, 8:21 AM UTC

divyaranjan1905 wrote: post #4

cranberryturkey wrote: post #2

I work on my own projects. I never did like working a 9-5 job

That is nice, there must be several times you're stuck on a project, not knowing where to go with it. Or, just too tired. What is your usual response?

i ask on SO or irc usually if i get stuck, sometimes reddit.

Re: Ask HN: Hackers, how do you handle the dread and still love computers?

#6

Post by JohnFen » Thu, Aug 29, 2024, 2:52 PM UTC

> More importantly, what makes you still love computing amidst all this?

In my mind, the state of the market, realities related to employment and/or income generation, and things like that are all orthogonal to computing, so none of it affects my love of computing at all.

> Can the hacker lifestyle of the 80s-90s still be revived without breaking down?

Of course, because none of that has anything to do with income generation.

> Can we still have fun with computers and be creative instead of being stuck on chasing whatever new surge happens to the market?

This conflates two different things. Whether or not your chasing the latest Hot New Thing only related to having fun and being creative if you enjoy the latest Hot New Thing. If you don't, then you just don't get on board that train.

Re: Ask HN: Hackers, how do you handle the dread and still love computers?

#7

Post by JohnFen » Thu, Aug 29, 2024, 2:54 PM UTC

divyaranjan1905 wrote: post #4

cranberryturkey wrote: post #2

I work on my own projects. I never did like working a 9-5 job

That is nice, there must be several times you're stuck on a project, not knowing where to go with it. Or, just too tired. What is your usual response?

When I get really stuck on project, or have lost my way, or drive, or whatever, then what I do is switch to a different project for a while. I usually have a half dozen or so projects going at a time, in large part to allow me to do this.

The main difference between a hobby and a job is that you don't have to work on your hobby if you don't feel like it.