Ask YC: Programming career exit strategies?
5 comments
"Meanwhile, older programmers are seen as dinosaurs with out-of-date skills."
So here's the thing: which languages are "hot"? C and C++ are still in the TIOBE top 10, but there's Java, VB, PHP... all languages with very low barriers to entry. So we are seeing a misleading picture of the market right now. If (and admittedly this is a complete unknown) the industry shifts in favour of languages with a higher barrier to entry then the game changes radically. Without wanting to step on anyone's toes, a (good) C++ programmer can probably hold their own in any language with a little lead time to get up to speed. A VB or PHP type might never get enough of a grasp on C++ to make it as a professional.
There was another article on HN recently about how hard it is to hire parallel programmers. See where I'm going with this...?
So here's the thing: which languages are "hot"? C and C++ are still in the TIOBE top 10, but there's Java, VB, PHP... all languages with very low barriers to entry. So we are seeing a misleading picture of the market right now. If (and admittedly this is a complete unknown) the industry shifts in favour of languages with a higher barrier to entry then the game changes radically. Without wanting to step on anyone's toes, a (good) C++ programmer can probably hold their own in any language with a little lead time to get up to speed. A VB or PHP type might never get enough of a grasp on C++ to make it as a professional.
There was another article on HN recently about how hard it is to hire parallel programmers. See where I'm going with this...?
C++? Linus Torvalds wouldn't agree:
"C++ is a horrible language. It’s made more horrible by the fact that a lot of substandard programmers use it, to the point where it’s much much easier to generate total and utter crap with it. Quite frankly, even if the choice of C were to do nothing but keep the C++ programmers out, that in itself would be a huge reason to use C."
"C++ is a horrible language. It’s made more horrible by the fact that a lot of substandard programmers use it, to the point where it’s much much easier to generate total and utter crap with it. Quite frankly, even if the choice of C were to do nothing but keep the C++ programmers out, that in itself would be a huge reason to use C."
Go freelance maybe. Then you are in control. As a business, you also won't be making statements like "young programmers have a better chance of knowing the hot new languages" but rather "my business needs to keep on top of new technologies to survive." It is a different mind set.
I'm not sure your observations reflect reality though. I think you are over generalizing.
Everyone is a tool.
Making $150K per year is good pretty much anywhere.
The owner might actually be making less than you.
There is always a "top" when trading dollars for hours.
There is nothing wrong with programming at 50. I know lots of web developers (I am a web developer as well) around that age. I actually look up to them.
I'm not sure your observations reflect reality though. I think you are over generalizing.
Everyone is a tool.
Making $150K per year is good pretty much anywhere.
The owner might actually be making less than you.
There is always a "top" when trading dollars for hours.
There is nothing wrong with programming at 50. I know lots of web developers (I am a web developer as well) around that age. I actually look up to them.
There is always a "top" when trading dollars for hours.
I think this is the key thing. As much as I dislike Steve Pavlina, he understands this. See #1 here: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/07/10-reasons-you-shou...
I think this is the key thing. As much as I dislike Steve Pavlina, he understands this. See #1 here: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/07/10-reasons-you-shou...
I don't mean to be glib but isn't the answer, given the context of this site, sort of obvious?
Developer -> Entrepreneur
Developer -> Entrepreneur
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It seems standard for cube-dwellers to move from programming to project management.
Not that I think the grass is at all greener there; but who knows what tickles your pickle.
Not that I think the grass is at all greener there; but who knows what tickles your pickle.
Go work for yourself.
b) A skilled developer's salary tops out at, what, $150,000 in the best case, most expensive market? And let's not forget that comment Giles Bowkett quoted recently: "You're a programmer ... that makes you a tool to be used by people much smarter than yourself." We want to think we're genius intellects, but the truth is that there's some crushing-handshake jock at the other end of the table whose daughter's 16th birthday party cost more than you'll make in your career.
Conclusion: Software development is great fun, and satisfying, and I will always keep doing it as a hobby, but it is not what I want to be trying to do at 50. What do you see as the career path, short of a 100% career switch?