As a 33 years old who's planning to return to education as soon as his wallet is comfortable enough to do so, I had similar doubts when I was thinking that I might be 38 or 40 the moment when I'll have to intern.
I guess there's no quantity of answers that you can receive to assure you that you won't meet hiring managers down the line who will be willing to deny your application just because you're old but assholes will always exist. Just do what you can do best and you will score.
Would things like an eShop, knock-offs like game reviewing websites where a user can register to recommend and post reviews for videogames and a tumblr clone would qualify as practical?
Sure, but wouldn't it be better if it's actually used? A tumblr clone is probably too much work for an eventual ghost town. You can pick more focussed projects that solve a small problem really well - in that way, you have a chance that's actually used. For e.g. a chrome extension for something that has always bothered you.
The moment I finished reading OP's blog post I felt like I wrote it. However, for my case, I have some doubts about the ADHD claim.
For starters, I managed to play a new videogame for unhealthy amounts of time the last 2 weeks with such dedication. We're talking about waking up to turn on the PC and look what I have to achieve in the game for today then get it done. I never felt like something would make me get up other than food and toilet. Second, I managed to quit smoking cold turkey, after a decade of heavy smoking. I can't feel like I'm a victim of my own craves or I lack the power to just sit down and get things done. And yet, I do identify myself in the OP's blog post.
Would you suggest that I should still take the ADHD test? If yes, which doctor can I ask about it?
As an ADHDer, that's what it's like for me; it's not a lack of focus, it's a lack of executive control over focus. I can go head down for sixteen hours on a really interesting problem, but if I'm not feeling it, it just doesn't happen.
I would say "wow, this is totally my case" if it weren't for the 5-10 minute breaks every hour to stretch. Then again, the game has a clock on the UI to check frequently (right above the map) so there's that.
A new game with a map and clock in the top right... Are you addicted to FFXIV like I am? lol
I struggle with attention issues myself, and have tried medication, but have noticed a difference in creativity when medicated (although much more productive). I'm an illustrator as well as a programmer and find those two interests not always working the same way. Maybe I just need to try something different (I was trying Ritalin).
Yes, ARR! I might try medication as last resolve but the whole "solution" sounds like something short-term (I don't feel comfortable taking medication for the rest of my life).
I agree with most of what you said but what bothers me is that maybe we are the ones who are wrong. Why? Because the entire premise of your argument is boiled down to a stereotype the start-up culture tries to force down everyone's throat: that if you cannot fight through the boring "stuff" you don't love what you're doing and therefore you're not fit for that job because that "stuff" shouldn't be boring, to begin with.
People should be allowed to like things besides their work. Not everyone in life needs to have a "passion" or "love" and it's perfectly fine if you never find your passion and it's also absolutely normal to have days when your mind just wanders to beaches and clubs and a tropical island or whatever.
I know that OP's case is very different but every time I see THAT statement - that if you can't do your job endless hours with a smile on your face then you're unfit and in the wrong career - makes me wanna punch a pony.
Besides the "let's paste a quote that agrees with our point of view" cliché, Shaw claims that all progress depends on the unreasonable man, not that whatever unreasonable men can do is progressive. Big difference.
Personally, I always aim to be polite and I don't understand the reason why people believe that "argumentative" is necessarily a bad trait. Sure, it's bad if you argue for everyone and everything but doesn't this mean that you need to do it in moderation?
I think part of the reason why being argumentative has a negative vibe in the general public is because people don't really argue - they just bring their point of view and try to shove it down your throat until you swallow it and agree or choke on it. The mere thought of considering new suggestions is for many people scary.
Argumentative generally means arguing without and real reason to do so. Obviously, yes, you should stand behind your position, preferably with facts to back you up. But that doesn't mean you have to go out of your way to start an argument, or be rude while doing so.
There's a big difference between a disagreement and an argument.
This is a crucial distinction. Disagreeing with someone is valuable. Being argumentative isn't about accuracy, it's about ego and self-assertion. If the person you're talking to can't be persuaded, the solution is to call on sources (or if they aren't available, as in an interview, table the topic until they are.)
>Linus doesn't have to be put in his place, and if you don't like that tough luck.
Actually, expecting a moderate appreciation of effort isn't by any stretch of the imagination "social expectation". Calling my code shit because it doesn't compile is fine but repeatedly doing so and getting away can only be interpreted as a power play - the very act of using your influence as a leverage to bring your subjective opinion to professional relations.
Last time I checked there was an industry who paid dearly for people skills. Just not software - because it doesn't matter. THAT'S the social construct - that it's ok to be tech-savvy and lack social skills.
but repeatedly doing so and getting away can only be interpreted as a power play
And what is repeatedly submitting code that doesn't compile (wasting many people's time)?
In this situation Linus absolutely and quite rightly holds 99% of the power, and my point was that the social obligation trump card is being played as a way of trying to equalize the field, and it just isn't useful or valuable in this scenario (the other poster quite rightly points out that social graces are the rule when dealing outside of a particular group -- mostly when you're trying to curry favour -- which of course is true).
There is recurring sentiment that Linus needs to soothe all egos and comfort all comers because every submission is a selfless act of heroics that Linux desperately needs. We all know that isn't true: People want their contribs accepted into the kernel because such is a great professional accomplishment. A part of that accomplishment is making it past Linus, and if you can't then try harder next time.
I don't think that there are many people who would even dare to suggest that Linus isn't rightly the leader.
Also, just because trash code that doesn't compile is bad (because it is, no denying it) doesn't mean that we can justify every behavior that will get generated, right? If there are incompetent people who don't double-check what they're doing, they should take a KICK. He'll save both himself from the trouble of having to repeatedly call out other people's sheer incompetence and the project.
You don't need scientific research to know that a good extensible, programmable editor that can become an extension of your mind and hands is going to make you more productive than Notepad.
Sure you don't. You can feel the difference. The problem occurs when people treat their editors as an extension of themselves and can't tell the difference between "not liking you" and "not liking your editor", eventually getting defensive. That's a "cognitive level" I don't want to get myself into.
There will always be flamewars and defensiveness about technology choices. Some people are insecure, some aren't. Not everyone becomes a dick just because they've mastered an editor. My best friend for many years used vim while I used emacs and we used to constantly rib each other about our choices. But we still worked very well together. Maybe you need to work where people don't care what you use to get stuff done as long as it gets done?
Perhaps, but he was also pragmatic enough to kick off the GNU Project from a proprietary base and work on replacing the OS with Free software incrementally. So he has demonstrated pragmatism often when it aided his overall goals, which is something you can't say about many principled idealists.
I guess there's no quantity of answers that you can receive to assure you that you won't meet hiring managers down the line who will be willing to deny your application just because you're old but assholes will always exist. Just do what you can do best and you will score.