AWCTTYPA@UIAMVS.BITNET ("David A. Lyons") (03/09/89)
>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? Whoa, I'm certainly not ready to talk about this in the past tense yet! I work with computers because I enjoy it, not because I hope to get filthy rich or world famous. (Note that I'm _not_ saying I _don't_ intend to get filthy rich or world famous...that just isn't my main reason for programming.) Yes, the positive things definitely outweigh the negative ones. Enthusiasm from users of my products is very important, even if there are not as many of them (users) as I would like. Understanding and a feeling of accomplishment go hand-in-hand; when I don't understand something about my computer, I expore it until I do understand it. (Even if there are other things I should be doing with my time.) I am generally not frustrated, except when I am forced to deal with bugs or other deficiencies that I have no little control over. I don't feel I have much of a "nerd image"...possibly because I associate mainly with other "computer geeks." 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?) >[...] what you would consider success in programming, i.e. >distributing a program under a major label, having a monthly column >in a major magazine, being a nationally respected programmer / >computer scientist, making more than $50,000 a year, whatever. 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 do _not_ want to write a monthly column for a magazine, becuase I feel I would not be able to do a better job than the people already doing it (I'm usually unimpressed by popular-magazine editorials). I would rather write editorial-type things when I have something to write about, and not when I don't. >Are those programmers who get the rewards they deserve in the >majority or the minority? I'm thinking mainly of the freelancer >[...] What does he want, & what are his chances of getting it? Does >it depend on skill, dedication, connections, or just luck? I think dedication is the most important. You have to enjoy what you're doing, whether it's paid off yet or not. Start by releasing quality public-domain and/or Shareware products. Build a reputation for yourself through those products and by being visible on a few commercial services (AppleLink--Personal Edition, GEnie, CompuServe, etc), and connections and opportunities will develop. >I know of a lot of people who just haven't gotten what they deserve. >Dave Lyons made no money from Davex. [...] Wait! I certainly would be happier if Davex was selling hundreds and hundreds of copies, but I have certainly made _some_ money. The hourly wage comes out pretty bad if you consider how much time I've put into it, but also consider that I use it myself all the time myself--I started writing it orignally for myself, so I would not consider my time completely wasted even if nobody bought it. Some stats on my Shareware sales: Davex has sold about 4.7 copies/month for 19 months: $120/month. (Davex is a command shell and program launcher for any Apple II or compatible running ProDOS 8, $25.) Nifty List: about 5 copies/month for 19 months: $75/month. (Nifty List is a CDA for Apple IIgs programmers, $15.) DIcEd: about 13.8 copies/month for 5 months: $207/month. (DIcEd is Desktop Icon Editor for the Apple IIgs, $15.) Ironic, isn't it? I've spent LESS time working on DIcEd than on the other products (not that I've spent a _small_ amount of time on it...just less than the others), but it's making money faster. >Phil Goetz >PGOETZ@LOYVAX.bitnet --David A. Lyons bitnet: awcttypa@uiamvs DAL Systems CompuServe: 72177,3233 P.O. Box 287 GEnie mail: D.LYONS2 North Liberty, IA 52317 AppleLinkPE: Dave Lyons