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I'm really surprised by this mentality, especially evident in the comments, that if you're not spending all of your time outside of work doing projects related

I'm really surprised by this mentality, especially evident in the comments, that if you're not spending all of your time outside of work doing projects related to development that you're suddenly a "bad developer." Others have said it but it really bears repeating: at some point even the best developers realize that finishing one extra feature on a side project isn't as important as spending some quality time with your spouse our children. Moreover, I don't want to be in a situation where my job owns my life. I enjoy software development and I've been doing it now for 14 years. I certainly spend some of my time at home tinkering on personal projects and continuing to learn. But work for me is generally 9-5ish--and by work I mean the job for which I'm paid. Speaking as someone who will be a father in just a couple of weeks, I can say that at 8:00 pm I'd far rather be putting my son in bed than working on anything related to work. Life is short, and there's more to it than software development. Understanding that doesn't mean you lack passion or aren't good at it--it just means you believe in going beyond one-dimensional.

jasonlotito 16y ago
I think you're taking things a bit farther (though I haven't read all the comments). Chris is referring to the people that treat it as a job, and nothing more. They don't advance their knowledge outside of work. He isn't just talking about work. He's talking about tinkering with code, working on fun projects, etc. He isn't suggesting that you should program all the time. Rather, it's the people that treat it merely as a job. This isn't something unique to programming. That all being said, I think when you understand it's not unique to programming, you finally understand it: these people aren't doing something they are passionate about. They are there for the paycheck.
- bcrescimanno 16y ago
  I think it's fair to say that people exist in all fields of work that don't enjoy the work they do. I feel bad for them; but there's a (false) generalization being made that just because you don't spend your time outside of work doing it means you're not passionate (or, to take the generalization further as was done several times in the comments, a "bad programmer"). I spend 8+ hours per day sitting at my desk at work slinging code. I love my job; I learn a ton while I'm here and I believe I'm helping in building great software. My skills improve daily during my time at the office and most days, when I get home, I'd rather do just about anything than sit at my desk at home doing exactly what I've been doing the past 8+ hours.
  - jasonlotito 16y ago
    I think the generalization is fair. Their are always exceptions, but overall, the generalization is spot on. You might be one of those exceptions. At the same time, I also think we are taking 9-5 to literally. He isn't talking about 9-5 exactly (otherwise, anyone working from 8-4 is safe!). Rather, it's the people that treat the job like a 9-5 job, and that's it. They go to work, do the job, and go home. They don't try to learn, they don't try to advance themselves. You don't do this, so even though you might work between 9-5, you aren't just a 9-5 coder.
Ixiaus 16y ago
I understand what you are saying but I think the author is targeting PHP programmers that simply pound it out for the sake of a "job" - to me, he is talking about the difference between "coders" and "programmers". I will agree with you and disagree with the author on the argument that because you do or don't program outside of your daily work routine it will define your character (coder? or programmer?) as a developer. I personally do my best not to program all the time. I like to get out and socialize with people outside of my primary intellectual niche. I love to engage myself in sports and activities that exercise different aspects of my personality. That, plus a healthy love for what you do, is what makes a focused and intelligent person.

jasonlotito 16y ago

I think you're taking things a bit farther (though I haven't read all the comments). Chris is referring to the people that treat it as a job, and nothing more. They don't advance their knowledge outside of work. He isn't just talking about work. He's talking about tinkering with code, working on fun projects, etc. He isn't suggesting that you should program all the time. Rather, it's the people that treat it merely as a job. This isn't something unique to programming. That all being said, I think when you understand it's not unique to programming, you finally understand it: these people aren't doing something they are passionate about. They are there for the paycheck.

bcrescimanno 16y ago
I think it's fair to say that people exist in all fields of work that don't enjoy the work they do. I feel bad for them; but there's a (false) generalization being made that just because you don't spend your time outside of work doing it means you're not passionate (or, to take the generalization further as was done several times in the comments, a "bad programmer"). I spend 8+ hours per day sitting at my desk at work slinging code. I love my job; I learn a ton while I'm here and I believe I'm helping in building great software. My skills improve daily during my time at the office and most days, when I get home, I'd rather do just about anything than sit at my desk at home doing exactly what I've been doing the past 8+ hours.
- jasonlotito 16y ago
  I think the generalization is fair. Their are always exceptions, but overall, the generalization is spot on. You might be one of those exceptions. At the same time, I also think we are taking 9-5 to literally. He isn't talking about 9-5 exactly (otherwise, anyone working from 8-4 is safe!). Rather, it's the people that treat the job like a 9-5 job, and that's it. They go to work, do the job, and go home. They don't try to learn, they don't try to advance themselves. You don't do this, so even though you might work between 9-5, you aren't just a 9-5 coder.

Ixiaus 16y ago

I understand what you are saying but I think the author is targeting PHP programmers that simply pound it out for the sake of a "job" - to me, he is talking about the difference between "coders" and "programmers". I will agree with you and disagree with the author on the argument that because you do or don't program outside of your daily work routine it will define your character (coder? or programmer?) as a developer. I personally do my best not to program all the time. I like to get out and socialize with people outside of my primary intellectual niche. I love to engage myself in sports and activities that exercise different aspects of my personality. That, plus a healthy love for what you do, is what makes a focused and intelligent person.