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> I spend time on the weekends doing projects in new technologies. Is that weekends are for? I do that too but do wonder at times...

by halite 11y ago

zippergz 11y ago
No. I really, really wish it weren't what weekends were for. Believe me. And I don't spend all of my weekends doing projects like that. But the reality of the industry is that not being up to date on technologies handicaps you in a job search. So as long as my day job isn't providing me the opportunities to learn these things, I feel like I have no choice but to use my spare time to do it myself.
enraged_camel 11y ago
My parents are doctors. They are in their 60s. And guess what: they still spend evenings and weekends reading medical journals, attending conferences (around the globe) and doing whatever else is necessary to keep up with new developments in their specialties. That's just what it takes to remain relevant in fast-moving fields. I think what software developers need is some perspective. We aren't the only ones who have to spend time outside of work on keeping our skills sharp and learning new stuff.
- underpantsgnome 11y ago
  slacker hat: perspective is one of those words they use when they want something from you, like "duty" or "contribute". Doctors get so much more job security, prestige, and straight-up money than software developers. By the time we're in our 60s, many of our classmates who went into medicine will be living in neighborhoods and moving in social circles that are completely inaccessible to us.
- halite 11y ago
  Don't you think there's difference between reading about surgeries and performing those surgeries (Or POC surgeries :))? I do get what you are saying, not trying to be mean. What I'm saying is the effort and time commitment to do weekend apps sometime end up taking whole weekends including nights...all because we love doing this.
- edwinnathaniel 11y ago
  I see this all the time but you can't compare apple (doctor) to orange (software developer). Doctor is more "trustworthy" (perception-wise) as they get older while Developer is more in-demand when they're younger. Doctor also technically made way more money than Developer (in general though, the statement may not stand if you compare Silicon Valley but you get the idea, even in other countries, Doctor probably made more than Developer). Doctor also keep their job longer than Developer. Doctor can read but does not necessarily have to demonstrate that to their prospective employers while Developer can't just say "I read Objective-C for Dummies therefore I am an expert of Objective-C". These were just ones of many things that I can think of.
  - ryandrake 11y ago
    You forgot: Doctors have a strong professional organization that works for them, handles things like certification, keeps the labor supply favorable and wages high. Developers, on the other hand, swallow the "unions are bad" mentality and compete with each other in the usual "labor race to the bottom".
    - ElysianEagle 11y ago
      I wish I could add more, but you've nailed it. Upvoted!
    - gozur88 11y ago
      I don't think the AMA has much affect on employment of older doctors. He's right - older doctors are in demand because they're assumed to have acquired some wisdom along the way. The same is not true of software developers.
- TuringNYC 11y ago
  I'd be studying all night long if I was a doctor too. You can practice anywhere in the US, choose low-cost-of-living locales where you dont need 15-years worth of salary to buy a home. You have supply tightly controlled by a Board (i.e. cartel.) Wow...if only developers go those types of benefits.
matwood 11y ago
> Is that weekends are for? I do that too but do wonder at times... They are for doing what you want to do. Sometimes I code all weekend for fun, or go in the boat or sleep or play Diablo all day. But the reason why many people on this site are good at what they do is because they love doing it. Even if I was not paid to code, I would still immerse myself in coding (and IT in general). I am fortunate enough to love doing something that also can pay well.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
stuxnet79 11y ago
Definitely not what weekends are for. I've looking over the past 5 years of my life and it fills me with regret at not having a lot of new experiences. I love coding but I'm going to disengage for a bit and find new hobbies. I don't want the highlight of the next 5 years of my life to be Github commits.
ChemicalWarfare 11y ago
Realistically it doesn't even have to be done on the weekend per se. Typically averaging about an hour every day learning new stuff should be totally doable on a weekday. As long as you have the drive (motivation can be different - some ppl like to hack, some are worried about their next gig etc) - this shouldn't be a problem.
Futurebot 11y ago
We live in an age of forced autodidactism (I personally like it, but we should not expect everyone to) and growing hypercompetition. The Average is Over/Superstar effects, and shrinking number of well-remunerated, non-cognitive, non-high skilled jobs means that anyone that wants to stay ahead (or even in) the game now has to be prepared to train nonstop (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/22/business/to-stay-relevant-in-a-career-workers-train-nonstop.html http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/22/business/to-stay-relevant-...) Fair, desirable, optimal? All debatable depending on one's perspective, but unstoppable. I think the only way we'll be able to get a handle on it is to manage its effects through policy (which has to happen eventually, given how many people will be affected, and how few will actually be able to be one of the "superstars"), rather than turning this train around.

> I spend time on the weekends doing projects in new technologies. Is that weekends are for? I do that too but do wonder at times...

by halite 11y ago

> I spend time on the weekends doing projects in new technologies. Is that weekends are for? I do that too but do wonder at times...

zippergz 11y ago

No. I really, really wish it weren't what weekends were for. Believe me. And I don't spend all of my weekends doing projects like that. But the reality of the industry is that not being up to date on technologies handicaps you in a job search. So as long as my day job isn't providing me the opportunities to learn these things, I feel like I have no choice but to use my spare time to do it myself.

enraged_camel 11y ago

My parents are doctors. They are in their 60s. And guess what: they still spend evenings and weekends reading medical journals, attending conferences (around the globe) and doing whatever else is necessary to keep up with new developments in their specialties. That's just what it takes to remain relevant in fast-moving fields. I think what software developers need is some perspective. We aren't the only ones who have to spend time outside of work on keeping our skills sharp and learning new stuff.

underpantsgnome 11y ago
slacker hat: perspective is one of those words they use when they want something from you, like "duty" or "contribute". Doctors get so much more job security, prestige, and straight-up money than software developers. By the time we're in our 60s, many of our classmates who went into medicine will be living in neighborhoods and moving in social circles that are completely inaccessible to us.
halite 11y ago
Don't you think there's difference between reading about surgeries and performing those surgeries (Or POC surgeries :))? I do get what you are saying, not trying to be mean. What I'm saying is the effort and time commitment to do weekend apps sometime end up taking whole weekends including nights...all because we love doing this.
edwinnathaniel 11y ago
I see this all the time but you can't compare apple (doctor) to orange (software developer). Doctor is more "trustworthy" (perception-wise) as they get older while Developer is more in-demand when they're younger. Doctor also technically made way more money than Developer (in general though, the statement may not stand if you compare Silicon Valley but you get the idea, even in other countries, Doctor probably made more than Developer). Doctor also keep their job longer than Developer. Doctor can read but does not necessarily have to demonstrate that to their prospective employers while Developer can't just say "I read Objective-C for Dummies therefore I am an expert of Objective-C". These were just ones of many things that I can think of.
- ryandrake 11y ago
  You forgot: Doctors have a strong professional organization that works for them, handles things like certification, keeps the labor supply favorable and wages high. Developers, on the other hand, swallow the "unions are bad" mentality and compete with each other in the usual "labor race to the bottom".
  - ElysianEagle 11y ago
    I wish I could add more, but you've nailed it. Upvoted!
  - gozur88 11y ago
    I don't think the AMA has much affect on employment of older doctors. He's right - older doctors are in demand because they're assumed to have acquired some wisdom along the way. The same is not true of software developers.
TuringNYC 11y ago
I'd be studying all night long if I was a doctor too. You can practice anywhere in the US, choose low-cost-of-living locales where you dont need 15-years worth of salary to buy a home. You have supply tightly controlled by a Board (i.e. cartel.) Wow...if only developers go those types of benefits.

matwood 11y ago

> Is that weekends are for? I do that too but do wonder at times... They are for doing what you want to do. Sometimes I code all weekend for fun, or go in the boat or sleep or play Diablo all day. But the reason why many people on this site are good at what they do is because they love doing it. Even if I was not paid to code, I would still immerse myself in coding (and IT in general). I am fortunate enough to love doing something that also can pay well.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]

stuxnet79 11y ago

Definitely not what weekends are for. I've looking over the past 5 years of my life and it fills me with regret at not having a lot of new experiences. I love coding but I'm going to disengage for a bit and find new hobbies. I don't want the highlight of the next 5 years of my life to be Github commits.

ChemicalWarfare 11y ago

Realistically it doesn't even have to be done on the weekend per se. Typically averaging about an hour every day learning new stuff should be totally doable on a weekday. As long as you have the drive (motivation can be different - some ppl like to hack, some are worried about their next gig etc) - this shouldn't be a problem.

Futurebot 11y ago

We live in an age of forced autodidactism (I personally like it, but we should not expect everyone to) and growing hypercompetition. The Average is Over/Superstar effects, and shrinking number of well-remunerated, non-cognitive, non-high skilled jobs means that anyone that wants to stay ahead (or even in) the game now has to be prepared to train nonstop (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/22/business/to-stay-relevant-in-a-career-workers-train-nonstop.html http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/22/business/to-stay-relevant-...) Fair, desirable, optimal? All debatable depending on one's perspective, but unstoppable. I think the only way we'll be able to get a handle on it is to manage its effects through policy (which has to happen eventually, given how many people will be affected, and how few will actually be able to be one of the "superstars"), rather than turning this train around.