News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Ask HN: On a scale of 1 to 100, how do you qualify your p... by JohnFen on Wednesday April 17, 2024 @04:44PM (#40069871)
It depends. On my personal projects, I'd put my passion at around 95. On my work projects, about 30.

In terms of programming generally, as in passion for programming theory and whatnot, I'm honestly not sure how to answer that. In my younger years, I was very passionate about such things. But as the decades passed and my skills and knowledge grew, I reached a place where I became more passionate about what I was programming than the programming process itself. Which doesn't mean I don't have passion for the process. It's just complicated.

Re:Ask HN: On a scale of 1 to 100, how do you qualify your p... by proc0 on Wednesday April 17, 2024 @03:29PM (#40069111)
In the high 90's... which ironically and sadly is not great for a software engineering career. I would compare this to being a passionate artist and then realizing commercial art is the antithesis of creating good art. It's a contradiction that is born from the profit driven needs of businesses. That said, it's not all doom and gloom, sometimes companies find a space in which to prioritize engineering (or art in the example), and I think these are the companies that are ground-breaking and move the industry forward.

Also, in my defense, it seems the entire education system, especially higher education, does not mitigate against this. Doing well in a CS degree basically means you are passionate about software theory, and there is almost no mention of the pragmatic elements of business, the need for people skills, or the quirks of the market in which your career depends on.

Re:Ask HN: On a scale of 1 to 100, how do you qualify your p... by Genius_um on Wednesday April 17, 2024 @04:10PM (#40069537)
Your observations are relevant. It's clear that the valuation of software engineering varies between companies, which can be frustrating for enthusiasts of the field. As for the education system, it does not seem to provide adequate preparation for the practical and commercial aspects of the profession.
Re:Ask HN: On a scale of 1 to 100, how do you qualify your p... by uberman on Wednesday April 17, 2024 @03:13PM (#40068926)
is 1 super good or super bad?
Re:Ask HN: On a scale of 1 to 100, how do you qualify your p... by Genius_um on Wednesday April 17, 2024 @03:51PM (#40069351)
You probably have a social and family life at this score, unlike me lmao
Re:Ask HN: On a scale of 1 to 100, how do you qualify your p... by interbased on Wednesday April 17, 2024 @06:28PM (#40070737)
When I’m working a project I enjoy or is particularly challenging in a fun way, I’d say it’s 90. I’m basically fully into it, but I do need breaks. When it’s something more mundane or doesn’t interest me as much, I lose some of that passion. I get very excited about learning new concepts and being able to apply them to build or improve on projects.
Re:Ask HN: On a scale of 1 to 100, how do you qualify your p... by taylodl on Wednesday April 17, 2024 @06:28PM (#40070740)
Let me put it this way, programming isn't the interesting part of the problem. Those who are still fascinated by programming likely haven't seen the bigger picture. Hey, I used to be that guy once! But really though, all the interesting bits have been figured out by the time the programming starts.