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I’ve been programming professionally for over 25 years. I have not written a line of code for “fun” since I graduated from college.

tambourine_man 3y ago
But did you have fun while being payed to write those lines? I hope so.
- scarface74 3y ago
  It’s not fun or not fun. It’s a necessity like going to the bathroom. It’s the easiest method I have to support my addiction to food and shelter.
- kharak 3y ago
  Not OP, but not really. I do not hate it, but enjoyment is not something I get out of coding. It has gotten better over the years, as I have become a better programmer. Liking what you are good at is natural, after all. Still, I failed to find a career where what I enjoy is tied to what I am getting paid for. I am pretty sure that is the case for most people around the world. Life can be good regardless (and is for me), but actually enjoying what you are doing professionally, that is a cheat code for living well.
pmarreck 3y ago
This makes me sad. Do you mean you coded for fun before graduating and not since, or ever? Like you never coded a little game or a shell function to make your commandline usage easier or anything like that just for your own use, for fun? Honestly it’s a double edged sword to like coding because then you get opinions about languages. I could never be a mercenary in anything though. If I didn’t like coding I’d be a destitute individual.
- scarface74 3y ago
  Why would I? I spent from 1996 (when I graduated) -2012 as a part time fitness instructor, active runner and a weightlifter. I spent from 1996-2002 and 2006-2012 hanging out with friends and dating (I was married from 2002-2006. From 2012-2022 I spent my time with family (got remarried in 2012). By the end of 2022, my wife and I had gotten rid of everything that wouldn’t fit into three suitcases and decided to be “hybrid digital nomads” where we stay in our “vacation home” from October - early February and we fly around to different cities in the US for the other 7 months. I’ve also taken back up running. There is so much more to life than pecking on a computer during my free time. Software development is a means to an end - nothing more.
  - pmarreck 3y ago
    For you, maybe. Some of us find it a lot more fascinating than that. But whatever works. Any marriage advice? (Most of my divorced friends would say "Never marry" lol)

tambourine_man 3y ago

But did you have fun while being payed to write those lines? I hope so.

scarface74 3y ago
It’s not fun or not fun. It’s a necessity like going to the bathroom. It’s the easiest method I have to support my addiction to food and shelter.
kharak 3y ago
Not OP, but not really. I do not hate it, but enjoyment is not something I get out of coding. It has gotten better over the years, as I have become a better programmer. Liking what you are good at is natural, after all. Still, I failed to find a career where what I enjoy is tied to what I am getting paid for. I am pretty sure that is the case for most people around the world. Life can be good regardless (and is for me), but actually enjoying what you are doing professionally, that is a cheat code for living well.

pmarreck 3y ago

This makes me sad. Do you mean you coded for fun before graduating and not since, or ever? Like you never coded a little game or a shell function to make your commandline usage easier or anything like that just for your own use, for fun? Honestly it’s a double edged sword to like coding because then you get opinions about languages. I could never be a mercenary in anything though. If I didn’t like coding I’d be a destitute individual.

scarface74 3y ago
Why would I? I spent from 1996 (when I graduated) -2012 as a part time fitness instructor, active runner and a weightlifter. I spent from 1996-2002 and 2006-2012 hanging out with friends and dating (I was married from 2002-2006. From 2012-2022 I spent my time with family (got remarried in 2012). By the end of 2022, my wife and I had gotten rid of everything that wouldn’t fit into three suitcases and decided to be “hybrid digital nomads” where we stay in our “vacation home” from October - early February and we fly around to different cities in the US for the other 7 months. I’ve also taken back up running. There is so much more to life than pecking on a computer during my free time. Software development is a means to an end - nothing more.
- pmarreck 3y ago
  For you, maybe. Some of us find it a lot more fascinating than that. But whatever works. Any marriage advice? (Most of my divorced friends would say "Never marry" lol)