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Why does this apply almost uniquely to programmers, and not other professions though? Aside from a handful of doctors giving up their holidays to work for MSF
by adwww 8y ago
Why does this apply almost uniquely to programmers, and not other professions though?
Aside from a handful of doctors giving up their holidays to work for MSF or similar overseas, nobody expects lawyers to do pro-bono work in their evenings, or teachers to volunteer spare time teaching different age groups, or whatever the analog might be.
Same with training, almost all other jobs give you time for training, but for programming learning new technology is somehow something you should be teaching yourself in your spare time.
- jonfw 8y agoIt's very circular. You're expected to code in your spare time because your peers code in their spare time. Your peers code in their spare time because it's expected of them. Also- doctors and lawyers better be doing stuff in their spare time. They only get paid when they're working with patients. I sure as hell don't want a doctor who hasn't read a new study since he left medical school.
- mrfusion 8y agoPlumbers should fix clogged toilets in their spare time.
- ascar 8y ago> Same with training, almost all other jobs give you time for training, but for programming learning new technology is somehow something you should be teaching yourself in your spare time. Maybe it's your company? All companies I worked for so far allowed or even encouraged learning during paid work hours. Even an hour per day. Not something like learning a new language, but stuff like reading up on new framework/tools/architecture, how systems of other teams work or the inner workings of their programming language of choice. Basically anything that could proof useful later.
- awild 8y agoThis is very true. I have a colleague who is changing careers and while his lack of knowledge frustrates me from time to time, he is willing to learn, but instead of reading git manuals and bash tutorials at work he had made a deal with management, that he will do overtime now so that he can go home earlier to learn that stuff. And it's all the most basic stuff without which the colleague really wouldn't be able to do their job. (I would honestly not have hired them for their current position but I can't judge).
- SolaceQuantum 8y agoI think programming as a career path tracks the expectations of other "passion" careers. You're expect to be involved in the field in your spare time, all the time, and risk very real burnout. My first thought is writers- a writer that doesn't read and engage in the literary sphere in their space time is looked at funny. Models should know avidly about fashion. Actors about acting. Phd candidates about their chosen fields. Professors and their research.
- watwut 8y agoDoctors and lawyers are required to do more overtime. That us one reason. Also, doctors and lawyers and teachers do spend some of their out of work time learning.