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I did this too, and I agree. IMO anything worth doing is non trivial. The project I took on had some really hard parts. Example: something akin to defining a

I did this too, and I agree. IMO anything worth doing is non trivial. The project I took on had some really hard parts. Example: something akin to defining a relational schema for maintaining a model of c/c++ source code, before and after preprocessing (not exactly, but same idea minus the difficulty of parsing c++). This was one of about 5 'hard' problems. I got bogged down, and with no one to bounce ideas off, I became trapped in 'analysis paralysis'. I gave up after 8 months and got a job. Now all I have to show for it is some source code, and a gap on my resume to explain.

rifung 12y ago
I'll have to respectfully disagree with the idea that "anything worth doing is nontrivial." This might certainly be the case for you, but I would love to just spend some time learning Haskell, writing an OS for fun, reading papers on Theoretical Computer Science, or trying to find security exploits. I don't think these things are hard, at least they certainly aren't things I would doubt myself to be able to do. These are just things I'm sure I could do today if only I had more time, and at least to me these are definitely worth thing for one reason: they make me happy
- smikhanov 12y ago
  > I would love to just spend some time learning Haskell, > writing an OS for fun, reading papers on Theoretical > Computer Science, or trying to find security exploits. What you describe sounds like what students do in a university. Maybe you should consider another degree in CS?
  - dasmoth 12y ago
    If you'd enjoy the structure of university life, that's certainly worth considering. But if you're happy doing it independently, why pay $lots (and add at least some extra bureaucracy) to "make it official"?
  - rifung 12y ago
    Indeed I didn't finish my degree and would love to go back and even get a PhD! But.. it doesn't make much financial sense right now, especially when you consider that the earlier you save and invest the better the outcome, so I'm waiting till the time is right.
- marktangotango 11y ago
  But is learning haskell worth the risk of quitting full time employment and living off of savings for x number of months or years? That is the context of this thread, and my statement.
Kaizyn 12y ago
I bet you now know a lot about parsing and the relational schemas and managing models now. You'll hit a problem again where this turns out to be valuable knowledge. Even a failed experiment if the problem is interesting enough is fruitful for improving your thinking about hard problems. Once you get past being disappointed over the experience, you'll probably find that a second attenpt at cracking the problem gets you further.
dasmoth 12y ago
How much trouble does the resume gap cause you? The idea that everyone should want to have a job all the time seems like a strange distortion in the labour market.

rifung 12y ago

I'll have to respectfully disagree with the idea that "anything worth doing is nontrivial." This might certainly be the case for you, but I would love to just spend some time learning Haskell, writing an OS for fun, reading papers on Theoretical Computer Science, or trying to find security exploits. I don't think these things are hard, at least they certainly aren't things I would doubt myself to be able to do. These are just things I'm sure I could do today if only I had more time, and at least to me these are definitely worth thing for one reason: they make me happy

smikhanov 12y ago
> I would love to just spend some time learning Haskell, > writing an OS for fun, reading papers on Theoretical > Computer Science, or trying to find security exploits. What you describe sounds like what students do in a university. Maybe you should consider another degree in CS?
- dasmoth 12y ago
  If you'd enjoy the structure of university life, that's certainly worth considering. But if you're happy doing it independently, why pay $lots (and add at least some extra bureaucracy) to "make it official"?
- rifung 12y ago
  Indeed I didn't finish my degree and would love to go back and even get a PhD! But.. it doesn't make much financial sense right now, especially when you consider that the earlier you save and invest the better the outcome, so I'm waiting till the time is right.
marktangotango 11y ago
But is learning haskell worth the risk of quitting full time employment and living off of savings for x number of months or years? That is the context of this thread, and my statement.

Kaizyn 12y ago

I bet you now know a lot about parsing and the relational schemas and managing models now. You'll hit a problem again where this turns out to be valuable knowledge. Even a failed experiment if the problem is interesting enough is fruitful for improving your thinking about hard problems. Once you get past being disappointed over the experience, you'll probably find that a second attenpt at cracking the problem gets you further.

dasmoth 12y ago

How much trouble does the resume gap cause you? The idea that everyone should want to have a job all the time seems like a strange distortion in the labour market.