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I am in my mid fifties and programming steadily for ever. It is a very fun and creative job, enough market demand that I was a good parent. You do have to/get t
by lanstin 5y ago
I am in my mid fifties and programming steadily for ever. It is a very fun and creative job, enough market demand that I was a good parent. You do have to/get to learn new stuff all the time. There are certain types of green fields programming that is possibly less common now than when I was younger, but I get to teach other people good skills while they crank it out, and I get the knotty problems to solve, or the risky changes that people tend to be leery of. Salary wise, if you are happy with your career I wouldn’t change just for money, but if you like intellectually stimulating work that makes a difference and is in demand, programming is that. There is is some age discrimination but it’s really more salary discrimination. The older you are the more money you earn, and when they do layoffs or whatever, the higher salary makes people targets. People get pissed but none of my friends haven’t gotten a new position.
- lanstin 5y agoThe parent comment means that when I have a sick kid or a play to see or want to work part time for a few years, I just do it. They whine but keep me.
- rmk 5y agoProgramming is a fun activity, but whether it is possible to have a lucrative career doing only programming is debatable. It's usually the case that you can maintain an upward trajectory in your pay only if you shift to the management track, not to mention the increase in your longevity.
- lanstin 5y agoGood enough is a feast. Just save a lot and live frugally on the long term things, like houses and cars. I have a fucking tiny house in SV but hey my kids where forced to learn how to share. And when the stock gods bless me I save some and travel some, not buy a bigger house. And maybe buy a new iPad. Happiness is what you get divided by what you expect.