GREYELF@WPI.BITNET (03/21/89)
In a recent letter Phil Goetz writes: >Date: Tue, 7 Mar 89 17:41:00 EST >From: PGOETZ%LOYVAX.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU >Subject: Is it worth it? > >[...] Do you think the computer takes more than it gives? That is, >after years of dedication, was it worth it? Does the understanding, >accomplishment, peer approval, job skills, money, etc., outweigh the >frustration, lost time, unrewarded effort on unused programs, >rejections by publishers, nerd image, lost social opportunities, >alienation from the computer ignorant, etc? Programming and the disciplines one learns from it can be its own reward. As for accomplishment, the feeling of having succeeded at doing something where others have failed is always a slight rush. I just don't feel myself unless I've created something lately. As for money, I have yet to make a dime on any program I've ever written, I do it entirely as a hobby. Job skills? Actually I'm an Electrical Engineering student, and my computer skills only help prevent repetition of some of the work I do. As for unused programs, yes, its annoying not to hear back from anyone when I write something new. I don't have a problem with the nerd image. For some people they are addicted to their computer, whether it be games, or late night programming sessions. People like that alienate themselves anyway. Lost social opportunities? Actually that's more of a function of the college I attend, We have a 5 : 1 ratio the wrong way, but helping people out when they need help can be a great way to meet girls. Dave Lyons replied: > I also don't feel particularly alienated from the "computer > ignorant," although it is sometimes difficult to explain "what > I do" to some people. (How do you say "One of my programs > helps other programmers find problems with their own programs" > to people who don't have much idea what programming is?) Dave, if you can't claim to be a student anymore, just say you're an author, and own your own publishing business :^). Also from Dave: > I guess "success in programming" to me is having one or more products > that are used by a fairly large number of people, whether the > products are commercial or not, and having people recognize your name > and associate it with a quality product. I could deal with that feeling. As for money, the only program I have yet made money on is a program I wrote for my High School's Guidance Department. It takes input read from punch cards for school surveys. They gave me a $25 gift certificate to Bob's Surplus. -- Michael J Pender Jr Box 1942 c/o W.P.I. greyelf@wpi.bitnet 100 Institute Rd. greyelf@wpi.wpi.edu Worcester, Ma 01609 I wrote SHELL, please send bug reports to me.