Tired and Sick of Programming?
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Hi, I am coding since 20 years now. I started in Pascal, Assembler. And yes, I am getting tired and sick of this job. I couldn't be even working in coding anymore if it wouldn't because I am freelancing since 2004. Even freelancing and doing things your own way you GET SICK of coding as well. Sorry I will point out my reasons: 1. "Having to change things that always worked", just because third-parties, technological changes, or simply 'the world outside' your program force you to change what was always working. i.e. you develop a scraper/crawler and the target site changes their html/css, thus, your scraper doesn't work anymore. i.e. - You develop financing software that work against SQL Server, then customer/boss decides to migrate database server to Linux, then you have to change most of your SQL code on 10k lines program to 'just adapt' to mySQL syntax. It's not the same syntax in some cases. Or you develop that program in .net and your customer/boss decides to go Linux, then you have to re-write it in C. These kind of things to "re-do" what was working 100% perfect and took you years doing it, well, it's far to be fun, no matter the money involved. What it tires is simply that "you HAVE to" modify what was working perfectly, for reasons besides you 2. "Time spent on analysis, diagramming, structuring". Coding is not like other jobs, you have to THINK how to code it before you code it, in the majority of cases. When the reality you are modelling is complex, well, you have an extra load to "think" first, then "act". And this can be specially tiresome, when you have to work on 10 different projects over a month just to get the bills paid. Specially when you have a customer/boss who's asking you useless things to do that really doesn't contribute to the quality of the software but to ruin your day adding extra, unnecessary complexities 3. "Money". I will be short on this, we all know that this job should be paid X 3 what's being paid considering the effort required. Specially freelancing online. Considering the complexity of this work, we are paid less than secretary work, most of the times. I have not anything against secretaries, but come on, you can't compare writing letters in Word and using Excel compared to what it takes to code even the smallest thing 4. "Inherent difficulty about this profession". In fact, what tires you the most relies on the difficult, unpractical thinking process required to come up with something that may run. When you reach a certain age, and when you have a certain amo
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Hi, I am coding since 20 years now. I started in Pascal, Assembler. And yes, I am getting tired and sick of this job. I couldn't be even working in coding anymore if it wouldn't because I am freelancing since 2004. Even freelancing and doing things your own way you GET SICK of coding as well. Sorry I will point out my reasons: 1. "Having to change things that always worked", just because third-parties, technological changes, or simply 'the world outside' your program force you to change what was always working. i.e. you develop a scraper/crawler and the target site changes their html/css, thus, your scraper doesn't work anymore. i.e. - You develop financing software that work against SQL Server, then customer/boss decides to migrate database server to Linux, then you have to change most of your SQL code on 10k lines program to 'just adapt' to mySQL syntax. It's not the same syntax in some cases. Or you develop that program in .net and your customer/boss decides to go Linux, then you have to re-write it in C. These kind of things to "re-do" what was working 100% perfect and took you years doing it, well, it's far to be fun, no matter the money involved. What it tires is simply that "you HAVE to" modify what was working perfectly, for reasons besides you 2. "Time spent on analysis, diagramming, structuring". Coding is not like other jobs, you have to THINK how to code it before you code it, in the majority of cases. When the reality you are modelling is complex, well, you have an extra load to "think" first, then "act". And this can be specially tiresome, when you have to work on 10 different projects over a month just to get the bills paid. Specially when you have a customer/boss who's asking you useless things to do that really doesn't contribute to the quality of the software but to ruin your day adding extra, unnecessary complexities 3. "Money". I will be short on this, we all know that this job should be paid X 3 what's being paid considering the effort required. Specially freelancing online. Considering the complexity of this work, we are paid less than secretary work, most of the times. I have not anything against secretaries, but come on, you can't compare writing letters in Word and using Excel compared to what it takes to code even the smallest thing 4. "Inherent difficulty about this profession". In fact, what tires you the most relies on the difficult, unpractical thinking process required to come up with something that may run. When you reach a certain age, and when you have a certain amo
Diego, while reading yours post, I was thinking as if I wrote the whole post. My situation is almost similar to you. I have been coding for over a decade, running my firm. Development really needs longer hours and 12+ is common and consistent at our level. Less balanced life and frequent changes do hurt and the cost factor is always a worry. But at the end of day, changes are bound to happen and we need to accept it. We definitely set our standards and ways of doing things after few years of coding and it does hurt when you have to change. But you see logical reasoning is something that is pretty constant. When you have a problem definition, you need to think and that is where you get an edge over the kids. You can build a model in your mind quicker than many. So you are in a better position at the beginning. Then it is all about knowing the use of libraries in the new technology and knowing which library would be suitable to your problem. Here also an experienced programmer can track the libraries faster than fresh guys. Frequent changes are bad, but we have survived all these years for the changes. Imagine if the technology gets constant, more idiots learns the 'Method' of doing it and actual work is less. Why would someone pay for a 20 years experienced when the job can be done by a kid for some cool bucks? We develop prototypes for many organizations in many fields. Frankly I do not complain. Company outsources a new technology or design to us to make first working model because they do not have that resources to do it. Once a model is ready, it is easier to understand that. When a new technology comes along I see it as an opportunity as several thousands people working in existing technology takes time to switch. That is an advantage. Fatigue is definitely a tiring factor. But think of those moments when you smiled after solving a complex problem. Think about those moments when your mind gives you an Oscar for finding that 'WOW' solution. These fun moments can never be bought by money. You can never buy a happiness of satisfaction. The feeling of doing something special is really more than monitory expectations. I tell you, if you someday happen to turn the table and get a Million dollar funding and just take your enterprise to new level, you will still be sad. You sure would have money then but would not have that fun factor of raw coding. When I have such feelings , when I get depressed by thinking the monitory aspects and pressure of adaptation, I just say to myself. " I must be spe
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Diego, while reading yours post, I was thinking as if I wrote the whole post. My situation is almost similar to you. I have been coding for over a decade, running my firm. Development really needs longer hours and 12+ is common and consistent at our level. Less balanced life and frequent changes do hurt and the cost factor is always a worry. But at the end of day, changes are bound to happen and we need to accept it. We definitely set our standards and ways of doing things after few years of coding and it does hurt when you have to change. But you see logical reasoning is something that is pretty constant. When you have a problem definition, you need to think and that is where you get an edge over the kids. You can build a model in your mind quicker than many. So you are in a better position at the beginning. Then it is all about knowing the use of libraries in the new technology and knowing which library would be suitable to your problem. Here also an experienced programmer can track the libraries faster than fresh guys. Frequent changes are bad, but we have survived all these years for the changes. Imagine if the technology gets constant, more idiots learns the 'Method' of doing it and actual work is less. Why would someone pay for a 20 years experienced when the job can be done by a kid for some cool bucks? We develop prototypes for many organizations in many fields. Frankly I do not complain. Company outsources a new technology or design to us to make first working model because they do not have that resources to do it. Once a model is ready, it is easier to understand that. When a new technology comes along I see it as an opportunity as several thousands people working in existing technology takes time to switch. That is an advantage. Fatigue is definitely a tiring factor. But think of those moments when you smiled after solving a complex problem. Think about those moments when your mind gives you an Oscar for finding that 'WOW' solution. These fun moments can never be bought by money. You can never buy a happiness of satisfaction. The feeling of doing something special is really more than monitory expectations. I tell you, if you someday happen to turn the table and get a Million dollar funding and just take your enterprise to new level, you will still be sad. You sure would have money then but would not have that fun factor of raw coding. When I have such feelings , when I get depressed by thinking the monitory aspects and pressure of adaptation, I just say to myself. " I must be spe
"Think about those moments when your mind gives you an Oscar for finding that 'WOW' solution." LOL, that is funny. My subconscious mind hands me a Razzie every morning. razzies.com ;P
Q. Hey man! have you sorted out the finite soup machine? A. Why yes, it's celery or tomato.
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Diego, while reading yours post, I was thinking as if I wrote the whole post. My situation is almost similar to you. I have been coding for over a decade, running my firm. Development really needs longer hours and 12+ is common and consistent at our level. Less balanced life and frequent changes do hurt and the cost factor is always a worry. But at the end of day, changes are bound to happen and we need to accept it. We definitely set our standards and ways of doing things after few years of coding and it does hurt when you have to change. But you see logical reasoning is something that is pretty constant. When you have a problem definition, you need to think and that is where you get an edge over the kids. You can build a model in your mind quicker than many. So you are in a better position at the beginning. Then it is all about knowing the use of libraries in the new technology and knowing which library would be suitable to your problem. Here also an experienced programmer can track the libraries faster than fresh guys. Frequent changes are bad, but we have survived all these years for the changes. Imagine if the technology gets constant, more idiots learns the 'Method' of doing it and actual work is less. Why would someone pay for a 20 years experienced when the job can be done by a kid for some cool bucks? We develop prototypes for many organizations in many fields. Frankly I do not complain. Company outsources a new technology or design to us to make first working model because they do not have that resources to do it. Once a model is ready, it is easier to understand that. When a new technology comes along I see it as an opportunity as several thousands people working in existing technology takes time to switch. That is an advantage. Fatigue is definitely a tiring factor. But think of those moments when you smiled after solving a complex problem. Think about those moments when your mind gives you an Oscar for finding that 'WOW' solution. These fun moments can never be bought by money. You can never buy a happiness of satisfaction. The feeling of doing something special is really more than monitory expectations. I tell you, if you someday happen to turn the table and get a Million dollar funding and just take your enterprise to new level, you will still be sad. You sure would have money then but would not have that fun factor of raw coding. When I have such feelings , when I get depressed by thinking the monitory aspects and pressure of adaptation, I just say to myself. " I must be spe
Grasshopper.iics wrote:
Diego, while reading yours post, I was thinking as if I wrote the whole post. My situation is almost similar to you. I have been coding for over a decade, running my firm. Development really needs longer hours and 12+ is common and consistent at our level. Less balanced life and frequent changes do hurt and the cost factor is always a worry.
Indeed, coding requires working from monday to monday. If you really want to be productive working for your own, you have to do this, no matter if you code everything yourself from your room or have a small team that you have to manage or do both things. It's 14/hours a day, 365 days I understand your point, the satisfaction after deep-thinking and resolving, specially, after doing things based exclusivey on your own standards, the feeling of a perfectly made code. Yes, I know all that. I appreciate your kind words and respect. Truly. However, it doesn't change my point of view on the 7 subjects discussed, programming is simply too much time-consuming. I came to point where I have to deal with those 7 issues daily and accept that I came to a point where I say to myself everyday that programming sucks. I have some days that I spend on the keyboard, reading news, checking email, reading news again, having notes about all that I have to do and basically 'should do' throughout the day. And the day finishes and I've made luckly 20% of what I should do. For example today. I admit it, I am totally burnt-out Add to it the internal work, marketing work, the many hats you mention we all have to wear. It's too much. I am tired of exchanging hats this way often
Diego Sendra CEO Diego Sendra software development Montevideo, Uruguay e-mail: contact@diegosendra.com http://www.diegosendra.com Yahoo: diegosendra1976 Skype: dsendra1976
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"Think about those moments when your mind gives you an Oscar for finding that 'WOW' solution." LOL, that is funny. My subconscious mind hands me a Razzie every morning. razzies.com ;P
Q. Hey man! have you sorted out the finite soup machine? A. Why yes, it's celery or tomato.
Quote:
My subconscious mind hands me a Razzie every morning.
;P Different awards for Office Goers and Office Runners! Seriously we do need artificial motivations when we have to get the orders, design, lead the coding team, follow up for payment, bribe to get things pushed to government offices and get up to discover something we did few months back is no more working is pretty hard at times.
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Quote:
My subconscious mind hands me a Razzie every morning.
;P Different awards for Office Goers and Office Runners! Seriously we do need artificial motivations when we have to get the orders, design, lead the coding team, follow up for payment, bribe to get things pushed to government offices and get up to discover something we did few months back is no more working is pretty hard at times.
What's an office? My reference to being handed a razzie, was a jokey/roundabout way of saying. "I need to keep my feet on the ground." => I am mortal. I make mistakes. I don't care what anyone thinks of me. Rather than becoming delusional about my status in the world. Ultimately it's all irrelevant when you're dead and gone. My motivation? I do what I do because I enjoy it. It doesn't matter if I'm not the world's greatest programmer. I don't care. If you don't enjoy something, get out of it. Find something else to do. :suss:
Q. Hey man! have you sorted out the finite soup machine? A. Why yes, it's celery or tomato.
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What's an office? My reference to being handed a razzie, was a jokey/roundabout way of saying. "I need to keep my feet on the ground." => I am mortal. I make mistakes. I don't care what anyone thinks of me. Rather than becoming delusional about my status in the world. Ultimately it's all irrelevant when you're dead and gone. My motivation? I do what I do because I enjoy it. It doesn't matter if I'm not the world's greatest programmer. I don't care. If you don't enjoy something, get out of it. Find something else to do. :suss:
Q. Hey man! have you sorted out the finite soup machine? A. Why yes, it's celery or tomato.
Quote:
My motivation? I do what I do because I enjoy it. It doesn't matter if I'm not the world's greatest programmer. I don't care.
LIKE::thumbsup::
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Grasshopper.iics wrote:
Diego, while reading yours post, I was thinking as if I wrote the whole post. My situation is almost similar to you. I have been coding for over a decade, running my firm. Development really needs longer hours and 12+ is common and consistent at our level. Less balanced life and frequent changes do hurt and the cost factor is always a worry.
Indeed, coding requires working from monday to monday. If you really want to be productive working for your own, you have to do this, no matter if you code everything yourself from your room or have a small team that you have to manage or do both things. It's 14/hours a day, 365 days I understand your point, the satisfaction after deep-thinking and resolving, specially, after doing things based exclusivey on your own standards, the feeling of a perfectly made code. Yes, I know all that. I appreciate your kind words and respect. Truly. However, it doesn't change my point of view on the 7 subjects discussed, programming is simply too much time-consuming. I came to point where I have to deal with those 7 issues daily and accept that I came to a point where I say to myself everyday that programming sucks. I have some days that I spend on the keyboard, reading news, checking email, reading news again, having notes about all that I have to do and basically 'should do' throughout the day. And the day finishes and I've made luckly 20% of what I should do. For example today. I admit it, I am totally burnt-out Add to it the internal work, marketing work, the many hats you mention we all have to wear. It's too much. I am tired of exchanging hats this way often
Diego Sendra CEO Diego Sendra software development Montevideo, Uruguay e-mail: contact@diegosendra.com http://www.diegosendra.com Yahoo: diegosendra1976 Skype: dsendra1976
diegosendra wrote:
Indeed, coding requires working from monday to monday. If you really want to be productive working for your own, you have to do this, no matter if you code everything yourself from your room or have a small team that you have to manage or do both things. It's 14/hours a day, 365 days
I very much agree with your original post, but this statement I must disagree with. You owe it to yourself, and your family, to work sensible hours and spend time with them. If you can't make enough money to live on (and prosper) working a 40 hour week, then it's time to give up having your own business and work for someone else. Are you going to lie on your death bed wishing you'd worked more, or spent more time with your family? Also, remember the 80/20 rule. 80% of your income probably comes from 20% of your customers, so cultivate those relationships that produce the goods. Lastly, learn how to say "NO". It's certainly one of the hardest things I have learned how to do in my business life, and it still is difficult to say, but sometimes, it's simply not worth your time to go and do some of the work, particularly if there are other companies who specialise in that kind of thing - for me, it's PC break/fix stuff. There are a multitude of companies around here who do only that, and they come to you... mostly stocked by young, eager nerds. Why would I want to take on that kind of work (when I am a software developer)? Yet people will phone up because my business is in their local area and want me to do it. I say no.
Quad skating his way through the world since the early 80's... Booger Mobile - My bright green 1964 Ford Falcon - check out the blog here!! | If you feel generous - make a donation to Camp Quality!!
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What's an office? My reference to being handed a razzie, was a jokey/roundabout way of saying. "I need to keep my feet on the ground." => I am mortal. I make mistakes. I don't care what anyone thinks of me. Rather than becoming delusional about my status in the world. Ultimately it's all irrelevant when you're dead and gone. My motivation? I do what I do because I enjoy it. It doesn't matter if I'm not the world's greatest programmer. I don't care. If you don't enjoy something, get out of it. Find something else to do. :suss:
Q. Hey man! have you sorted out the finite soup machine? A. Why yes, it's celery or tomato.
dusty_dex:
If you don't enjoy something, get out of it. Find something else to do.
I have read this more than thousand times now. But its 'easier said than done'. Life is not that easy. And on the surface many things seems interesting, but when task through real challenge, we try find something more interesting. Human behavior.
Happy Programming
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dusty_dex:
If you don't enjoy something, get out of it. Find something else to do.
I have read this more than thousand times now. But its 'easier said than done'. Life is not that easy. And on the surface many things seems interesting, but when task through real challenge, we try find something more interesting. Human behavior.
Happy Programming
Actually its the most simple thing in the world, you just have to take the first step and do it. Wanting something different, that is also interesting and provides more of a challenge is not the same thing as just wanting a change...
Rhys "If you ever start taking things too seriously, just remember that we are talking monkeys on an organic spaceship flying through the Universe"
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Hi, I am coding since 20 years now. I started in Pascal, Assembler. And yes, I am getting tired and sick of this job. I couldn't be even working in coding anymore if it wouldn't because I am freelancing since 2004. Even freelancing and doing things your own way you GET SICK of coding as well. Sorry I will point out my reasons: 1. "Having to change things that always worked", just because third-parties, technological changes, or simply 'the world outside' your program force you to change what was always working. i.e. you develop a scraper/crawler and the target site changes their html/css, thus, your scraper doesn't work anymore. i.e. - You develop financing software that work against SQL Server, then customer/boss decides to migrate database server to Linux, then you have to change most of your SQL code on 10k lines program to 'just adapt' to mySQL syntax. It's not the same syntax in some cases. Or you develop that program in .net and your customer/boss decides to go Linux, then you have to re-write it in C. These kind of things to "re-do" what was working 100% perfect and took you years doing it, well, it's far to be fun, no matter the money involved. What it tires is simply that "you HAVE to" modify what was working perfectly, for reasons besides you 2. "Time spent on analysis, diagramming, structuring". Coding is not like other jobs, you have to THINK how to code it before you code it, in the majority of cases. When the reality you are modelling is complex, well, you have an extra load to "think" first, then "act". And this can be specially tiresome, when you have to work on 10 different projects over a month just to get the bills paid. Specially when you have a customer/boss who's asking you useless things to do that really doesn't contribute to the quality of the software but to ruin your day adding extra, unnecessary complexities 3. "Money". I will be short on this, we all know that this job should be paid X 3 what's being paid considering the effort required. Specially freelancing online. Considering the complexity of this work, we are paid less than secretary work, most of the times. I have not anything against secretaries, but come on, you can't compare writing letters in Word and using Excel compared to what it takes to code even the smallest thing 4. "Inherent difficulty about this profession". In fact, what tires you the most relies on the difficult, unpractical thinking process required to come up with something that may run. When you reach a certain age, and when you have a certain amo
In some point, two or three years ago, I discovered that coding as primary job is a dead end. Then I switched to project management and scrum mastering. Benefits: 1. Still working in "application development" and having contact with new technologies 2. Finally having time to code for fun (when and what I want!) If you're sick of it - think about something else to do. It will not pass or get better. :(