4 ms·

Writer are like hackers, yes. But the reason most salesmen like to work hard is that they're paid on commission. That's very different.

by pg 18y ago

arjungmenon 18y ago
Good point.
tomsaffell 18y ago
I suspect that what is really going on here is that workers who love their job actually prefer to work hard AND good programmers love their job. So it is probably true that good programmers actually prefer to work hard, but that is not the whole truth... Also, since most workers don't love their job, it is probably also true that good programmers are unlike many workers. To say that programmers are unlike many TYPES OF workers we'd have to believe that a higher proportion of programmers love their job than do workers in other types of work. From what I have seen on HN (albeit sample biased) I'd say that is true.
- randallsquared 18y ago
  Yes. I've worked in fast food, and as a cashier at a convenience store, and in both cases, those who were better at the job preferred busier times ("It makes the day fly by, doncha think?").
  - shammah 18y ago
    Summary: People like to make a difference. Good ones, anyway.
rokhayakebe 18y ago
Touche
gaius 18y ago
Not true. Good salesmen love the power, convincing others to do their will. They are more like actors or politicians. You can't fake charisma just because you might get paid more.
- pg 18y ago
  You can't do anything well without liking to do it. The difference between hackers and salesmen is that hacking is what hackers like most. Salesmen who have sufficient money seem empirically to prefer playing golf, whereas hackers with money tend to keep hacking.
  - netcan 18y ago
    That doesn't change the fact that while they are working, they prefer to be getting lots of sales. They like to get paid for it, they can even be greedy. They like to get recognition for it, that can go to far too. But they also enjoy making the sale.
    - hs 18y ago
      maybe a better test is whether you'll do it for free (no incentives, moral/material/etc) just for the fun of it to me, hacking > sales (no, charity/non-profit/giving away money doesn't count -> there's moral incentive there)

Writer are like hackers, yes. But the reason most salesmen like to work hard is that they're paid on commission. That's very different.

by pg 18y ago

Writer are like hackers, yes. But the reason most salesmen like to work hard is that they're paid on commission. That's very different.

arjungmenon 18y ago

Good point.

tomsaffell 18y ago

I suspect that what is really going on here is that workers who love their job actually prefer to work hard AND good programmers love their job. So it is probably true that good programmers actually prefer to work hard, but that is not the whole truth... Also, since most workers don't love their job, it is probably also true that good programmers are unlike many workers. To say that programmers are unlike many TYPES OF workers we'd have to believe that a higher proportion of programmers love their job than do workers in other types of work. From what I have seen on HN (albeit sample biased) I'd say that is true.

randallsquared 18y ago
Yes. I've worked in fast food, and as a cashier at a convenience store, and in both cases, those who were better at the job preferred busier times ("It makes the day fly by, doncha think?").
- shammah 18y ago
  Summary: People like to make a difference. Good ones, anyway.

rokhayakebe 18y ago

Touche

gaius 18y ago

Not true. Good salesmen love the power, convincing others to do their will. They are more like actors or politicians. You can't fake charisma just because you might get paid more.

pg 18y ago
You can't do anything well without liking to do it. The difference between hackers and salesmen is that hacking is what hackers like most. Salesmen who have sufficient money seem empirically to prefer playing golf, whereas hackers with money tend to keep hacking.
- netcan 18y ago
  That doesn't change the fact that while they are working, they prefer to be getting lots of sales. They like to get paid for it, they can even be greedy. They like to get recognition for it, that can go to far too. But they also enjoy making the sale.
  - hs 18y ago
    maybe a better test is whether you'll do it for free (no incentives, moral/material/etc) just for the fun of it to me, hacking > sales (no, charity/non-profit/giving away money doesn't count -> there's moral incentive there)