Ask HN: How to deal with the tedium of programming?

Re:Ask HN: How to deal with the tedium of programming? by facepalm on Wednesday June 10, 2015 @06:38AM (#9691067)

I have the equivalent of a MSc (in maths). Sometimes I ponder doing a PhD for fun, but it would have to be on the side because otherwise it costs too much money.

Looking into data science, now is actually the first time I keep seeing PhD listed as a requirement for jobs that would interest me.

Maybe one day - atm I don't really have any connections into academia and wouldn't quite know how to find a worthy subject and a willing mentor.

Also, I am 42.

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Re:Ask HN: How to deal with the tedium of programming? by chrisseaton on Wednesday June 10, 2015 @07:04AM (#9691161)

You get paid to do a CS PhD. I left industry to go back and do one - was only 26 but was married and settled with dependants and a mortgage and things. I Googled for and then cold emailed professors who did research I was interested in to get started.

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Re:Ask HN: How to deal with the tedium of programming? by peatmoss on Wednesday June 10, 2015 @09:35AM (#9692005)

A PhD is the ultimate leisure class purchase no matter how secure your funding. As a paid PhD student, my earnings are much, much lower than they were in my former professional career. And for the most part, a PhD isn't an entry into vastly higher paying work--especially as a programmer. So, there's definitely an opportunity cost. I'd advise anyone to skip the PhD unless they've got a burning desire to do the sorts of things people do with PhDs, and are drawn to lower / foregone earnings

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