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I agree with the article to some extent, however I do feel like a lot of people find if they don't have something to tinker with on the side get incredibly bore

I agree with the article to some extent, however I do feel like a lot of people find if they don't have something to tinker with on the side get incredibly bored. I know I like many others need variety in the types of stimuli I find in my work/development/entrepreneurial pursuits and I think this is perfectly healthy. Once you start stringing along your employer, just pushing buttons and not giving them some of your best work hours - then yes I agree it is frustrating, but I don't believe this is the case with the majority of engineers/others who work on side projects. Surely people doing this are the minority and can receive stern talks and/or let go if they are really not worth their salary?

mindcrime 14y ago
Once you start stringing along your employer, just pushing buttons and not giving them some of your best work hours - then yes I agree it is frustrating, but I don't believe this is the case with the majority of engineers/others who work on side projects. Oh, that definitely happens. I've been there. What I question is whether or not it's a big deal, like the author of TFA seems to think. He seems to have some pretty weird ideas about things. Like, the idea that you're not committed to your startup if you aren't working on it full-time? WTF? How does that even start to make sense? Are you not committed to your wife if you don't spend 24 hours a day, 7 day a week with her? Are you not committed to your kids if you leave them for a few hours a day to go to work? Sheesh... commitment and time allocation are not the same thing! And as for the effect on the present dayjob employer... who cares? As you say "(they) can receive stern talks and/or let go if they are really not worth their salary?" Yes, exactly. I've been there before. And you know what? It was a shittily run company, pumping out a shitty product, none of the other engineers were even slightly engaged or interested in what we were doing, and every single one of us was just punching the clock and collecting our paychecks. That I was working on a startup on the side is what kept me sane through all that. I don't feel even a pinch guilty that I reserved most of my mental and creative energy for the startup during that time. I did what they paid me to do, and if they had wanted more, they had the option to attempt to find a way to tap into the energy and drive I'm able to channel into something that actually matters. But they never took any initiative to try and connect with or understand their employees, so "tough shit" as far as I'm concerned.

mindcrime 14y ago

Once you start stringing along your employer, just pushing buttons and not giving them some of your best work hours - then yes I agree it is frustrating, but I don't believe this is the case with the majority of engineers/others who work on side projects. Oh, that definitely happens. I've been there. What I question is whether or not it's a big deal, like the author of TFA seems to think. He seems to have some pretty weird ideas about things. Like, the idea that you're not committed to your startup if you aren't working on it full-time? WTF? How does that even start to make sense? Are you not committed to your wife if you don't spend 24 hours a day, 7 day a week with her? Are you not committed to your kids if you leave them for a few hours a day to go to work? Sheesh... commitment and time allocation are not the same thing! And as for the effect on the present dayjob employer... who cares? As you say "(they) can receive stern talks and/or let go if they are really not worth their salary?" Yes, exactly. I've been there before. And you know what? It was a shittily run company, pumping out a shitty product, none of the other engineers were even slightly engaged or interested in what we were doing, and every single one of us was just punching the clock and collecting our paychecks. That I was working on a startup on the side is what kept me sane through all that. I don't feel even a pinch guilty that I reserved most of my mental and creative energy for the startup during that time. I did what they paid me to do, and if they had wanted more, they had the option to attempt to find a way to tap into the energy and drive I'm able to channel into something that actually matters. But they never took any initiative to try and connect with or understand their employees, so "tough shit" as far as I'm concerned.