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I was a "closeted" geek in my high school until people found out I had made $15k in a few months off my Cydia Store iOS tweaks. My classmates responded positive

I was a "closeted" geek in my high school until people found out I had made $15k in a few months off my Cydia Store iOS tweaks. My classmates responded positively, which is understandable. However, most of my classmates don't care that I'm a passionate programmer, or was one long before I started to make money. Most of my classmates simply view me a success from a monetary standpoint. I don't think geeks are necessarily becoming respected in droves by their peers; if anything, people are now recognizing that geeks have the potential for great success. For example, most of my classmates (again, most), would probably not respond positively to another, hypothetical geek student who is a brilliant programmer and prolific free software contributor. They would likely ridicule him or her for not trying to make money. The Social Network has contributed to this new stance towards geeks, which, save for the cringe-inducing "I know HTML so I'm gonna make the next FB!", is generally a good thing.

conradev 15y ago
My exact story. Before I started making things for profit everyone just saw me as extremely good with computers. After people found out I made XX dollars, everyone started calling me the overly clichéd "next [Steve Jobs|Mark Zuckerberg]". Because of this, I prefer not to give out sales figures anymore. When classmates ask how many people have bought my products, I respond "A good amount." and leave it at that. Being called the next Steve Jobs by someone is being alienated by that person.
- cstavish 15y ago
  Merely by becoming a programmer, you have alienated yourself in a sense. The most successful people in the world have alienated themselves. They are outliers. Superlative compliments can be alienating in a positive sense. Comments like "Dude, wtf? How do you find the time to do that s---? Are trying to be the next [famous technology-related individual]?" are alienating in a negative sense and convey disapproval. Some environments reward individuality; others ridicule it. Unfortunately, it seems that you have experienced more of the latter than I have.

conradev 15y ago

My exact story. Before I started making things for profit everyone just saw me as extremely good with computers. After people found out I made XX dollars, everyone started calling me the overly clichéd "next [Steve Jobs|Mark Zuckerberg]". Because of this, I prefer not to give out sales figures anymore. When classmates ask how many people have bought my products, I respond "A good amount." and leave it at that. Being called the next Steve Jobs by someone is being alienated by that person.

cstavish 15y ago
Merely by becoming a programmer, you have alienated yourself in a sense. The most successful people in the world have alienated themselves. They are outliers. Superlative compliments can be alienating in a positive sense. Comments like "Dude, wtf? How do you find the time to do that s---? Are trying to be the next [famous technology-related individual]?" are alienating in a negative sense and convey disapproval. Some environments reward individuality; others ridicule it. Unfortunately, it seems that you have experienced more of the latter than I have.