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While I admit to enjoying some of the debate aerobics on HN, this is the prime reason I try and give my voice to some of the discussion here. I kind of view it

While I admit to enjoying some of the debate aerobics on HN, this is the prime reason I try and give my voice to some of the discussion here. I kind of view it similarly to voting: you have to make your opinions known. It's had the pleasant side effect of also educating me on quite a lot--mixing in with people with different experiences and values has enriched my life, so I think it's a win-win. I just try and be careful to not get too wound up: that's the failure case haha (I'm not saying constantly check your blood pressure while using HN, but I'm not not saying it).

ChrisMarshallNY 4y ago
One of the [few] advantages of becoming a crusty old fart™, is that we tend to waste a lot less time, worrying about what others think of us, and just do what we need to do, to get the job done. I was just talking about this, to someone, yesterday. I'm often accused of being a "killjoy," or a "dreamkiller," by today's yutes. This is because I say 'orrible things, like "Have you considered what happens if..?" or "We tried that, a couple of years ago. It didn't work out, and here's why...". In actual point of fact, I'm exactly the opposite. It's my job to Make Things Happen. I plan to ship everything that I do, and my work is generally focused around the endless practicalities and compromises, necessary to get products out the door. This has often resulted in me being called every name in the book, as I try to avoid chasing shiny, and keep the eye on the ball. In my days of yute, this would keep me awake at night, worrying whether or not I had made the right decision, if I was an unintended, out-of-wedlock child, or if I really was a goose-stepping fascist. But I have been getting stuff out the door, for pretty much my entire adult life. These days, I sleep like a baby.
- falcolas 4y ago
  > and my work is generally focused around the endless practicalities and compromises, necessary to get products out the door. This hits too hard. I’m still in the “acceptance” phase of grief over the death of my ideal that there’s a “right” technical solution for every problem. And I’m in my 40’s.
  - ChrisMarshallNY 4y ago
    I've learned to "lean in" to my compromises. It starts by accepting them, right off the bat, then using the time that I'd otherwise spend in fruitless pursuit of shiny, doing things like testing and documenting the codebase. Experience gives me the ability to see them, at the start of things, other than waiting to run into them, later.
    - wellokthen2 4y ago
      I've read enough of your comments here to know that you are one of those who really Get It Right. Top 5% dev. Keep up the good work sir.

ChrisMarshallNY 4y ago

One of the [few] advantages of becoming a crusty old fart™, is that we tend to waste a lot less time, worrying about what others think of us, and just do what we need to do, to get the job done. I was just talking about this, to someone, yesterday. I'm often accused of being a "killjoy," or a "dreamkiller," by today's yutes. This is because I say 'orrible things, like "Have you considered what happens if..?" or "We tried that, a couple of years ago. It didn't work out, and here's why...". In actual point of fact, I'm exactly the opposite. It's my job to Make Things Happen. I plan to ship everything that I do, and my work is generally focused around the endless practicalities and compromises, necessary to get products out the door. This has often resulted in me being called every name in the book, as I try to avoid chasing shiny, and keep the eye on the ball. In my days of yute, this would keep me awake at night, worrying whether or not I had made the right decision, if I was an unintended, out-of-wedlock child, or if I really was a goose-stepping fascist. But I have been getting stuff out the door, for pretty much my entire adult life. These days, I sleep like a baby.

falcolas 4y ago
> and my work is generally focused around the endless practicalities and compromises, necessary to get products out the door. This hits too hard. I’m still in the “acceptance” phase of grief over the death of my ideal that there’s a “right” technical solution for every problem. And I’m in my 40’s.
- ChrisMarshallNY 4y ago
  I've learned to "lean in" to my compromises. It starts by accepting them, right off the bat, then using the time that I'd otherwise spend in fruitless pursuit of shiny, doing things like testing and documenting the codebase. Experience gives me the ability to see them, at the start of things, other than waiting to run into them, later.
  - wellokthen2 4y ago
    I've read enough of your comments here to know that you are one of those who really Get It Right. Top 5% dev. Keep up the good work sir.