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If you think it is fun, having a hobby (mturk) that is a small net positive can save you a lot of money compared to having a hobby which is a net loss (most hob

If you think it is fun, having a hobby (mturk) that is a small net positive can save you a lot of money compared to having a hobby which is a net loss (most hobbies).

cies 7y ago
> If you think it is fun [...] (mturk) If this was generally perceived as fun, then Amazon would charge money for you to "play" mturk. The fact mturk work pays tells me that mturk is pretty much nobody's hobby.
- phalangion 7y ago
  The "fun" may be to earn a little extra money doing menial tasks. Just the other day there was a discussion here about EVE online and how much menial management is needed in the game to set up for a small amount of fun PvP combat time. What's the difference between that and doing some mindless menial tasks for a couple extra bucks to go out on the weekend?
  - cies 7y ago
    > The "fun" may be to earn a little extra money doing menial tasks. That the pay is fun (or enables fun) does not make the work fun. Here mturk was named a potential "hobby", that's just ridiculous to me. > Just the other day there was a discussion here about EVE online and how much menial management is needed in the game to set up for a small amount of fun PvP combat time. What's the difference between that and doing some mindless menial tasks for a couple extra bucks to go out on the weekend? You could argue that EVE setup is "work" required to enable some "fun" play. I don't think anyone would consider EVE setup (just the setup) as a hobby.
    - phalangion 7y ago
      Some people's "hobby" is couponing. I doubt they consider the act of digging through papers to find and cut out coupons to be fun, but the act as a whole is. But I guess if you define a hobby strictly as something you do not for pay, you're correct. If you define it more broadly as something you do during non-work time, then it fits.
    - matz1 7y ago
      Different strokes for different folks
      - cies 7y ago
        Yes. Though theme parks change at the door yet software shops pay programmers to come in each day. There is clearly a patter here.
    - austhrow743 7y ago
      I don't think you can separate the setup from the work so easily. I highly doubt if you just had the "fun" play then it'd be a successful game. There are plenty of action packed alternatives if you just want the battle part all the time. People like grinding. Just not when they have to accept that they're grinding for the sake of grinding. There needs to be an upcoming battle or achievement or texture pack unlock or a few extra bucks in the bank in order for them to get their "I'm being productive" kick every time they complete one of their many short, simple, well defined grind tasks. Just a continuous stream of little wins.
- segmondy 7y ago
  Programming is fun for programmers, we don't get charged to play with computers. :)
  - cies 7y ago
    > Programming is fun for programmers Bull. If this was true trey would line up to join our company and I could charge them at the door for working with us. Some programming is fun. Sure. Many part of my work are fun. But I'd rather do other things with my life if money was not an issue.
    - tombert 7y ago
      I agree. I think I have a pretty decent job, but if they stopped paying me I wouldn't show up "just for fun". Programming on stuff I care about is fun, and for some beautiful moments at work there is overlap of "stuff I care about" and "stuff that is valuable to the business", but most of the time the work is "meh" and I mostly view it as "this is much better to me than most other jobs would be for me".
    - jpttsn 7y ago
      What if it’s fun, but they can program without you? Then they might choose to have fun with the highest bidder. I would program even if money was no issue. There are many who would.
      - cies 7y ago
        Me too, but not 30+ hours per week. And on something of my choosing. And... Then programming usually does not come by itself: meetings, company politics, little mgmt, all usually come with it when programming professionally. Many of those tasks I consider less fun than the programming itself.
    - zachsnow 7y ago
      Why would they line up to work for you of all people? They can work for anyone they want, it’s somewhat of a seller’s market when it comes to programming. I imagine just about nothing is 100% fun 100% of the time. If many parts of your work are fun, it’s fair to say your work is fun. If you’d rather be doing something else, you could try that, too. Maybe you’d like it more.

If you think it is fun, having a hobby (mturk) that is a small net positive can save you a lot of money compared to having a hobby which is a net loss (most hobbies).

cies 7y ago

> If you think it is fun [...] (mturk) If this was generally perceived as fun, then Amazon would charge money for you to "play" mturk. The fact mturk work pays tells me that mturk is pretty much nobody's hobby.

phalangion 7y ago
The "fun" may be to earn a little extra money doing menial tasks. Just the other day there was a discussion here about EVE online and how much menial management is needed in the game to set up for a small amount of fun PvP combat time. What's the difference between that and doing some mindless menial tasks for a couple extra bucks to go out on the weekend?
- cies 7y ago
  > The "fun" may be to earn a little extra money doing menial tasks. That the pay is fun (or enables fun) does not make the work fun. Here mturk was named a potential "hobby", that's just ridiculous to me. > Just the other day there was a discussion here about EVE online and how much menial management is needed in the game to set up for a small amount of fun PvP combat time. What's the difference between that and doing some mindless menial tasks for a couple extra bucks to go out on the weekend? You could argue that EVE setup is "work" required to enable some "fun" play. I don't think anyone would consider EVE setup (just the setup) as a hobby.
  - phalangion 7y ago
    Some people's "hobby" is couponing. I doubt they consider the act of digging through papers to find and cut out coupons to be fun, but the act as a whole is. But I guess if you define a hobby strictly as something you do not for pay, you're correct. If you define it more broadly as something you do during non-work time, then it fits.
  - matz1 7y ago
    Different strokes for different folks
    - cies 7y ago
      Yes. Though theme parks change at the door yet software shops pay programmers to come in each day. There is clearly a patter here.
  - austhrow743 7y ago
    I don't think you can separate the setup from the work so easily. I highly doubt if you just had the "fun" play then it'd be a successful game. There are plenty of action packed alternatives if you just want the battle part all the time. People like grinding. Just not when they have to accept that they're grinding for the sake of grinding. There needs to be an upcoming battle or achievement or texture pack unlock or a few extra bucks in the bank in order for them to get their "I'm being productive" kick every time they complete one of their many short, simple, well defined grind tasks. Just a continuous stream of little wins.
segmondy 7y ago
Programming is fun for programmers, we don't get charged to play with computers. :)
- cies 7y ago
  > Programming is fun for programmers Bull. If this was true trey would line up to join our company and I could charge them at the door for working with us. Some programming is fun. Sure. Many part of my work are fun. But I'd rather do other things with my life if money was not an issue.
  - tombert 7y ago
    I agree. I think I have a pretty decent job, but if they stopped paying me I wouldn't show up "just for fun". Programming on stuff I care about is fun, and for some beautiful moments at work there is overlap of "stuff I care about" and "stuff that is valuable to the business", but most of the time the work is "meh" and I mostly view it as "this is much better to me than most other jobs would be for me".
  - jpttsn 7y ago
    What if it’s fun, but they can program without you? Then they might choose to have fun with the highest bidder. I would program even if money was no issue. There are many who would.
    - cies 7y ago
      Me too, but not 30+ hours per week. And on something of my choosing. And... Then programming usually does not come by itself: meetings, company politics, little mgmt, all usually come with it when programming professionally. Many of those tasks I consider less fun than the programming itself.
  - zachsnow 7y ago
    Why would they line up to work for you of all people? They can work for anyone they want, it’s somewhat of a seller’s market when it comes to programming. I imagine just about nothing is 100% fun 100% of the time. If many parts of your work are fun, it’s fair to say your work is fun. If you’d rather be doing something else, you could try that, too. Maybe you’d like it more.