> Does anyone else begin to feel like their role as a software developer is to maintain a mental search index of available techniques, languages, libraries, and

> Does anyone else begin to feel like their role as a software developer is to maintain a mental search index of available techniques, languages, libraries, and metadata properties about each of them? Yup. Every highly paid professional is highly paid for their knowledge and expertise. They need to be aware of all the relevant solutions, and the best way to apply them. Top lawyers know about law, top doctors know about medicine, and they farm out the work to their less-highly paid nurses and paralegals. When you reach the top of your field your main value is knowing what's out there and how to implement it, making sure more junior employees don't make mistakes along the way. (That is, if you stay on the IC track and don't go into management.)