Great article. I have said it before, and I’ll see it now: I look at myself as a “digital carpenter”.
I do not have a CS degree, have very little interest in elaborate, intricate algorithms and know enough about IT to do my job well. I got into software development because it is lucrative and job-secure.
I think the majority of the people that are getting involved in the field are like me, and as your article pointed out the need for people like me is much greater than those who spend their days contemplating optimal garbage collection or caching.
Expertise is important, don’t get me wrong, however the world needs bread-and-butter developers like me to do the grunt work.
Not everybody can nor wants to be the next Dan Abramov inventing the next game changing library in the industry. Some people just need a secure job that pays well and also get the sense of fulfillment that you are actually building/creating something (just as a carpenter would) and not just punching in numbers or trying to persuade other people into buying a product you don't really believe in, just so you can get the commission to buy that sweet new watch.
However, I would not advise anybody to get into the industry just for the sole purpose of getting paid. You'll get burnt out very quickly.
Perhaps, but just like the construction business, we are a LONG way away from automating run-of-the-mill “digital construction”. I see a future where “grunts” will have automated tools to build more, faster. We will still be required, however.
You remind me about a different question. But it is ok if learning happens as a part of a job, right? If, for example, every second Friday you are able to learn some things or do some coding dojo (at work time)
Absolutely. That is how most of us learn professionally, anyhow. Challenging yourself, whether on a specific task or through code katas is a good move all the way around.
Yeah, people say that but I look at how driverless cars are going and I’m pretty sure the grunt work is going to be around at least for our lifetime. You can’t automate creativity.
Learned Fortran on an old TI-99; forgot Fortran; learned to draw, paint, sculpt, and play violin; learned how to merge code and art, turned it into my UX/Front-end dev Frankenthing.
Great article. I have said it before, and I’ll see it now: I look at myself as a “digital carpenter”.
I do not have a CS degree, have very little interest in elaborate, intricate algorithms and know enough about IT to do my job well. I got into software development because it is lucrative and job-secure.
I think the majority of the people that are getting involved in the field are like me, and as your article pointed out the need for people like me is much greater than those who spend their days contemplating optimal garbage collection or caching.
Expertise is important, don’t get me wrong, however the world needs bread-and-butter developers like me to do the grunt work.
Couldn't agree more.
Not everybody can nor wants to be the next Dan Abramov inventing the next game changing library in the industry. Some people just need a secure job that pays well and also get the sense of fulfillment that you are actually building/creating something (just as a carpenter would) and not just punching in numbers or trying to persuade other people into buying a product you don't really believe in, just so you can get the commission to buy that sweet new watch.
However, I would not advise anybody to get into the industry just for the sole purpose of getting paid. You'll get burnt out very quickly.
True, though one could also use this as the foundation of an argument in favor of automatization and thus the end of people doing "grunt work".
Perhaps, but just like the construction business, we are a LONG way away from automating run-of-the-mill “digital construction”. I see a future where “grunts” will have automated tools to build more, faster. We will still be required, however.
I wouldn't call them "grunts".
Anyway, some tools are starting to pop up. Zapier, IFFT, Stamplay and others I guess.
You remind me about a different question. But it is ok if learning happens as a part of a job, right? If, for example, every second Friday you are able to learn some things or do some coding dojo (at work time)
Absolutely. That is how most of us learn professionally, anyhow. Challenging yourself, whether on a specific task or through code katas is a good move all the way around.
That grunt work will be automated at one point. I think educating yourself and becoming an 'expert' will become much more important.
Yeah, people say that but I look at how driverless cars are going and I’m pretty sure the grunt work is going to be around at least for our lifetime. You can’t automate creativity.
I hate to break it to you, but this already exists. It's definitely not my cup of tea, but it is out there.