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That doesn't logically track, given that one can become a great software engineer anywhere they have an Internet connection these days. It's probably good advic

That doesn't logically track, given that one can become a great software engineer anywhere they have an Internet connection these days. It's probably good advice for maxing out your compensation, though.

0xDEAFBEAD 3y ago
Doesn't research show that remote work is bad for mentorship though? If the best engineers move to the US for high comp, and working with the best engineers is the best way to learn, then moving to the US could make sense even if you don't care about comp.
tarruda 3y ago
> It's probably good advice for maxing out your compensation, though. It is not only about how much you make, but how much you save.
- hiAndrewQuinn 3y ago
  Are you making a claim that non-Americans save more money?
  - tarruda 3y ago
    I mean you can save more depending on where you live due to cost of living and income taxes. You can live very comfortably in a low cost country with a $90,000/year salary and still save half of that.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
- Gare 3y ago
  You can only save up to 100% of what you make (good luck with that), but you can increase your compensation more than that.
- IshKebab 3y ago
  Sure and you can save more in America too.
threatofrain 3y ago
A lot of great engineers wouldn't be great engineers if you didn't offer them great pay. That's just how a lot of people work. Instead that talent would be elsewhere.
- hiAndrewQuinn 3y ago
  That's why more people don't become great engineers, though, not why people can't become great engineers. In order for the latter to be an interesting question we assume a hypothetical person who already wants to become a great engineer - which, yes, may be because of the money.
- bjornsing 3y ago
  > Instead that talent would be elsewhere. Sadly that’s not entirely true. Some still follow their heart, but end up as mediocre disgruntled engineers in dead end jobs. It’s very hard to fight incentives for decade after decade. When those incentives point towards working as little as possible it’s hard to be great.
swader999 3y ago
I think it takes a fair bit of mentoring and working with great senior engineers. Harder to do without physical presence. The closer a junior sits to one of these persons the faster they'll grow.

0xDEAFBEAD 3y ago

Doesn't research show that remote work is bad for mentorship though? If the best engineers move to the US for high comp, and working with the best engineers is the best way to learn, then moving to the US could make sense even if you don't care about comp.

tarruda 3y ago

> It's probably good advice for maxing out your compensation, though. It is not only about how much you make, but how much you save.

hiAndrewQuinn 3y ago
Are you making a claim that non-Americans save more money?
- tarruda 3y ago
  I mean you can save more depending on where you live due to cost of living and income taxes. You can live very comfortably in a low cost country with a $90,000/year salary and still save half of that.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
Gare 3y ago
You can only save up to 100% of what you make (good luck with that), but you can increase your compensation more than that.
IshKebab 3y ago
Sure and you can save more in America too.

threatofrain 3y ago

A lot of great engineers wouldn't be great engineers if you didn't offer them great pay. That's just how a lot of people work. Instead that talent would be elsewhere.

hiAndrewQuinn 3y ago
That's why more people don't become great engineers, though, not why people can't become great engineers. In order for the latter to be an interesting question we assume a hypothetical person who already wants to become a great engineer - which, yes, may be because of the money.
bjornsing 3y ago
> Instead that talent would be elsewhere. Sadly that’s not entirely true. Some still follow their heart, but end up as mediocre disgruntled engineers in dead end jobs. It’s very hard to fight incentives for decade after decade. When those incentives point towards working as little as possible it’s hard to be great.

swader999 3y ago

I think it takes a fair bit of mentoring and working with great senior engineers. Harder to do without physical presence. The closer a junior sits to one of these persons the faster they'll grow.