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I feel similarly. I've loved computers and programming from an early age, and I was inspired by the stories of researchers like Dennis Ritchie, Ken Thompson, M

I feel similarly. I've loved computers and programming from an early age, and I was inspired by the stories of researchers like Dennis Ritchie, Ken Thompson, Marshall Kirk McKusick, Alan Kay, and others. However, after graduate school and after spending nearly a decade in industry, I discovered that the world today is very different from the world these researchers lived in during their heyday. There are no groups today that have the ethos of 1970s Xerox PARC or Bell Labs. There seems to be less room for long-term exploratory work; instead there's immense pressure to quickly deliver short-term results and produce deliverables such as papers and code. The trailer of the documentary "Message Not Understood: Profit and Loss in the Age of Computing" (https://messagenotunderstood.com https://messagenotunderstood.com) summarizes how I feel. I'm also disillusioned by the state of personal computing today and by the overt attempts by platform companies to squeeze their users as much as possible. Even so, quite frankly I love computing and I don't want to leave it behind, even if I feel disillusioned about the tech industry. Some of my thoughts include becoming an independent researcher and also starting a non-profit software company that is devoted to improving the personal computing experience, but I have to figure out how to make a living while pursuing these ideas, and it seems that the cost of living is outpacing my ability to keep up (especially housing costs, which jumped over 30% since 2020 where I live).

JohnFen 3y ago
> Even so, quite frankly I love computing and I don't want to leave it behind, even if I feel disillusioned about the tech industry. The commentary here has allowed me to reach an interim decision (subject to change in the future as I ponder these things more deeply). I am going to find another line of work. That way, rather than leaving it behind, I can make it a hobby again and do the sort of projects that improve my life. Perhaps that way, I can honor and maintain my love of computing, and earn a living doing something else. I'm perfectly OK with taking a large pay cut if I can live a happier life in exchange for that.
- linguae 3y ago
  I've been thinking about this, too, with teaching being my prime candidate. One of the downsides of leaving the tech industry is the reality of taking a massive pay cut at a time when the cost of living (especially housing) has been rising rapidly. As an aside as an American I feel very pessimistic about the state of the American economy and about the medium-term future of this country; it's getting harder for people to get ahead thanks to rising costs (especially housing, health care, and higher education), our politics has become extremely polarized, and the general mood is becoming more tense, as if we're one or two crises away from this nation completely falling apart. It seems that this nation's economy rewards rent seekers, and it's becoming harder for people to make a living through other means.
- stefanos82 3y ago
  That's exactly what I have been thinking for a while now. Thank you John, you gave me hope that I am not alone, that feels this way.
reaperman 3y ago
Where can I find the complete film? (https://messagenotunderstood.com https://messagenotunderstood.com)
- linguae 3y ago
  The film hasn't been released yet. There is a 30-minute version that has been shown at various events, but the final version of the film won't be released until late 2023 or early 2024, as there are still some interviews the directors want to do.

JohnFen 3y ago

> Even so, quite frankly I love computing and I don't want to leave it behind, even if I feel disillusioned about the tech industry. The commentary here has allowed me to reach an interim decision (subject to change in the future as I ponder these things more deeply). I am going to find another line of work. That way, rather than leaving it behind, I can make it a hobby again and do the sort of projects that improve my life. Perhaps that way, I can honor and maintain my love of computing, and earn a living doing something else. I'm perfectly OK with taking a large pay cut if I can live a happier life in exchange for that.

linguae 3y ago
I've been thinking about this, too, with teaching being my prime candidate. One of the downsides of leaving the tech industry is the reality of taking a massive pay cut at a time when the cost of living (especially housing) has been rising rapidly. As an aside as an American I feel very pessimistic about the state of the American economy and about the medium-term future of this country; it's getting harder for people to get ahead thanks to rising costs (especially housing, health care, and higher education), our politics has become extremely polarized, and the general mood is becoming more tense, as if we're one or two crises away from this nation completely falling apart. It seems that this nation's economy rewards rent seekers, and it's becoming harder for people to make a living through other means.
stefanos82 3y ago
That's exactly what I have been thinking for a while now. Thank you John, you gave me hope that I am not alone, that feels this way.

reaperman 3y ago

Where can I find the complete film? (https://messagenotunderstood.com https://messagenotunderstood.com)

linguae 3y ago
The film hasn't been released yet. There is a 30-minute version that has been shown at various events, but the final version of the film won't be released until late 2023 or early 2024, as there are still some interviews the directors want to do.