About Code Nerds

The software development industry is very much built for code nerds. It shouldn’t be.

Many of us know many people who are really into coding. Not every working developer can, or even should, be though. Doesn't that create kind of a weird gap between professionals who live and breathe code both on and off work, and those who have a more balanced life?

Being passionate about your job shouldn't be an expectation or requirement for anyone or anything.

Is there too little space for learning - are we assumed to know too much, and assumed to spend our own time figuring out things we don't?

Your path into coding is not, can not, and should not be the only path possible.

Links

The Python 2 to 3 transitionRobert A. Heinlein in 999 Words: What Every Human Should KnowGhost in the shellHarvest moon4x - Explore, expand, exploit, exterminateTDD - test-driven developmentBDD - behavior-driven developmentCharity Majors 2017 blog post about career paths for developers. (Bonus: 2019 follow-up about engineering managers)Late-stage capitalism

Quotes

I think that's perfectly healthySurrounded by themDelving into softwareSurrounded by nerdsMuch more reasonable answersWhere the nerd doesn't go so deepComputers are troublesomeWhy should you be passionate about your job?Squeeze the passion juiceToo passionate to defend themselvesExperience or scar tissue?Many developers have livesPopping out for the big pictureDoing good work takes all kinds