5 ms·
Are you suggesting that building a startup is merely an exercise in programming? I do agree that one should not participate in the idiotic way programmers are
by orangethirty 13y ago
Are you suggesting that building a startup is merely an exercise in programming?
I do agree that one should not participate in the idiotic way programmers are currently being recruited by some companies. But that doesn't mean there aren't good, BS free jobs out there. Jobs that are full-fulling and economically adequate. Not everyone aims to be on the cover of Forbes. Some people just want to program, and go home with the family. Oh, and fish on the weekends. That's a perfectly good life to aim for. Better than what the rest of the world may have.
- dsowers 13y agoI'm merely suggesting that most engineers who take the time to study for these interviews are probably good enough to make money on their own somehow. Whether that is a startup, consulting, lifestyle business, or something else... If people just focused on doing a lot of great work, then the jobs will come to them. I hate to see talented people wasting their time preparing for these interviews. The opportunity cost is too high. These current hiring practices are robbing the world of great software–code that will never exist because the time was instead spent on superfluous interview tasks.
- orangethirty 13y agoYes, I understand your point. And its valid. Though I disagree with the part where people who are good enough to do X might be good enough to start a business, or consult. From my experience that has not been the case. I've met and helped a lot of brilliant programmers along the way, and few of them were capable of running or learning how to run a business. Note that I don't mean that people can't learn, but my experience has shown otherwise. I wish to be wrong.
- eli_gottlieb 13y agoMeh. Running a business is a different thing from software engineering or coding or computer-science. Why should everyone be suitable for a business role?
- kamaal 13y agoNo but I think his point is about 'how you spend your time'. If you see that you are spending bulk of your time preparing to win in a rat race. You might as well spend the same time doing a start up. And ofcourse sales, marketing etc and all that comes a part of doing a start up.
- dakrisht 13y agoYes, some startups are actually exercises in programming. Real talk.
- hackinthebochs 13y agoSeriously. Do people actually think Tumbler, Instragram, et al were the product of some Harvard MBAs with a genius business strategy? Many times success is fully explained just by the product + timing.
- dakrisht 13y agoCouldn't agree more with that sentiment. Timing, luck, connections, execution, doing something you love. That's Instagram.