2 ms·

Love your story, it reminds me of my first long term software gig, where I was actually stacking boxes and writing software. I was managing an eCommerce site fo

by ehnto 5y ago

Love your story, it reminds me of my first long term software gig, where I was actually stacking boxes and writing software. I was managing an eCommerce site for a local gym! Best of both worlds? I think everyone should get some grassroots software work under their belt, it's a really different experience working as a team member in an unrelated industry and providing a unique value to an otherwise non-software company. I don't want to soapbox too much, but it is part of my hope for the eventually reduction of software salaries, so that software can become a more integrated and boutique part of life. There are so many problems that would be better solved with small scale software instead of impersonal SaaS.

JohnBooty 5y ago
Yeah. I'm enjoying the current inflated salaries but this is not sustainable, and it really shuts smaller, non-software companies out of having inhouse fulltime developers. it's a really different experience working as a team member in an unrelated industry and providing a unique value to an otherwise non-software company. This can be the best thing ever, or the worst thing ever. It all depends on whether or not management is willing to learn about how the software development process works and adapt to it. I remember the days from 2000-2015, I worked at a few places like this. Doing "revolutionary" things like actually introducing source control, offsite backups, etc. to places that had never heard of such things. At some places this was challenging, but rewarding. At other places ownership was constantly aghast when they had to shell out for some random software licenses or SaaS subscriptions. I view it as a part of my job to explain and justify expenditures, but going to war with management over every rando $100 "what the FUCK is 'git hub???'" purchase gets old fast. Overall though, I am now a little nostalgic...
- withinboredom 5y ago
  Heh, I remember an owner coming into my office (doing warehouse picking software at a warehouse company) asking wtf was this $300 charge. I told him “yeah, that’s a license to use this software for a year.” He went “oh, for the year. That’s only $25 a month? Carry on!” the nostalgia is real.
- DarkUranium 5y ago
  Have a look at the relationship between productivity and salaries, and also minimal wage and inflation. It's not development jobs that are inflated; rather, it's most of the other jobs that are deflated. (this is a rule of thumb, and exceptions apply)

by ehnto 5y ago

JohnBooty 5y ago

Yeah. I'm enjoying the current inflated salaries but this is not sustainable, and it really shuts smaller, non-software companies out of having inhouse fulltime developers. it's a really different experience working as a team member in an unrelated industry and providing a unique value to an otherwise non-software company. This can be the best thing ever, or the worst thing ever. It all depends on whether or not management is willing to learn about how the software development process works and adapt to it. I remember the days from 2000-2015, I worked at a few places like this. Doing "revolutionary" things like actually introducing source control, offsite backups, etc. to places that had never heard of such things. At some places this was challenging, but rewarding. At other places ownership was constantly aghast when they had to shell out for some random software licenses or SaaS subscriptions. I view it as a part of my job to explain and justify expenditures, but going to war with management over every rando $100 "what the FUCK is 'git hub???'" purchase gets old fast. Overall though, I am now a little nostalgic...

withinboredom 5y ago
Heh, I remember an owner coming into my office (doing warehouse picking software at a warehouse company) asking wtf was this $300 charge. I told him “yeah, that’s a license to use this software for a year.” He went “oh, for the year. That’s only $25 a month? Carry on!” the nostalgia is real.
DarkUranium 5y ago
Have a look at the relationship between productivity and salaries, and also minimal wage and inflation. It's not development jobs that are inflated; rather, it's most of the other jobs that are deflated. (this is a rule of thumb, and exceptions apply)