Keralis January 6, 2014 Author Share Keralis Member January 6, 2014 The life of a software developer is soul sucking. I have a CS degree and have been doing it for 9 years. AMA Is it really that bad? I enjoyed Python programming as well as C++, but I was only derping around and doing "simple" coding. My dream job right now is to work for Kingsoft, which has headquarters in Beijing where I interned at. (That's why I considered going to Peking, as chinese companies would most likely prefer chinese universities.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty January 7, 2014 Share Fatty GC Founder January 7, 2014 This is page two, did anyone make fun of the title of the thread yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crasx January 7, 2014 Share crasx GC Alumni January 7, 2014 what's so funny fatty? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty January 7, 2014 Share Fatty GC Founder January 7, 2014 Oh, crashx to the rescue....nice..... remind me to trip you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crasx January 7, 2014 Share crasx GC Alumni January 7, 2014 as long as I get the limes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty January 7, 2014 Share Fatty GC Founder January 7, 2014 omgosh thread hijacking going on.....Amanda and I were just laughing out loud and retelling the story of you in Drug Mart.....wow.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crasx January 7, 2014 Share crasx GC Alumni January 7, 2014 ahahaha yesss! who needs college when you got fragfest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stutters January 7, 2014 Share stutters GC Alumni January 7, 2014 Just let it got, Fatty. Let it got. (the t is silen) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty January 7, 2014 Share Fatty GC Founder January 7, 2014 Why can't I remember the French language when I see it? gah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keralis January 7, 2014 Author Share Keralis Member January 7, 2014 What do you recommend, Fatty? Seeing that you're 42, you must have some experience with universities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lookback January 7, 2014 Share Lookback Member January 7, 2014 University of Mumbai. I have a programmer from there working with us and he is solid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stutters January 7, 2014 Share stutters GC Alumni January 7, 2014 What do you recommend, Fatty? Seeing that you're 42, you must have some experience with universities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingCat January 7, 2014 Share walkingCat Member January 7, 2014 What do you recommend, Fatty? Seeing that you're 42, you must have some experience with universities. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX January 7, 2014 Share NOFX Member January 7, 2014 (edited) The life of a software developer is soul sucking. I have a CS degree and have been doing it for 9 years. AMAIs it really that bad? I enjoyed Python programming as well as C++, but I was only derping around and doing "simple" coding. My dream job right now is to work for Kingsoft, which has headquarters in Beijing where I interned at. (That's why I considered going to Peking, as chinese companies would most likely prefer chinese universities.) There are plenty of things I'd rather not be doing... but I just want to go outside. I've been coding long enough to where I'd rather get paid $10/hr to work in the back country or be a trail runner. The office life is soul sucking. Day in and day out I sit in front of a computer with very little exercise through out the day. The same boring monotonous routine every day. And then you get caught up in the system. It becomes comfortable and you are content just where you are. You make decent money, but you are no longer challenged. Because of your mortgage, car payment, hair salon appointments, crack addiction, pure laziness or societies pressures... you will continue to go sit at that desk day after day and not look to challenge yourself any further. I've been employed by a fortune 500 company since I was 23. I've worked on embedded projects and applications that are 10+ processes running on a network cluster. I'm mostly a C++ linux programmer, but I've been working with C# and Microsoft for the past few years. I've built mission critical systems for the U.S. Military and my job has sent me around the world a few times... It's all been great and I have a lot of great experience, but I'm completely burned out. When you get to a point where you are working well below your ability level, it becomes very boring. Also, you need to be working for a growing company with management that has a clear direction. Being a programmer has taken enough of my soul that I'm leaving the 9-5 office life for the summer to go hiking. If all goes as planned, I'll be starting on the south end of the Appalachian Trail in April and heading north. Perhaps, I will try to find a better position when I return or who knows? Either way, I'm canceling my lease, putting my few possessions storage and rolling out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLCEUpIg8rE Edited January 7, 2014 by NOFX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stutters January 7, 2014 Share stutters GC Alumni January 7, 2014 I know how this story ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingCat January 7, 2014 Share walkingCat Member January 7, 2014 Please, no! I don't want FX to die in the middle of nowhere. But anyway, choose what you like. Choose yourself, then later if you get disappointed with your choice, you can blame only yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barashin January 7, 2014 Share Barashin Member January 7, 2014 A buddy of mine and his wife just did the AT for 2-2.5 months before calling it quits (damn mosquitoes). Funniest thing he told me is that the thing he missed most was playing videogames and that he'd fantasize playing Skyrim while on the trail. I thought that was ironic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keralis January 7, 2014 Author Share Keralis Member January 7, 2014 Thanks for the input, really. Looks like I'm going to go to Princeton, after consulting with my father and brother. Also, I will still be going to a dorm there as it is required for all freshmen for the first year. Looking forward to gaming with you guys in college! The life of a software developer is soul sucking. I have a CS degree and have been doing it for 9 years. AMA Is it really that bad? I enjoyed Python programming as well as C++, but I was only derping around and doing "simple" coding. My dream job right now is to work for Kingsoft, which has headquarters in Beijing where I interned at. (That's why I considered going to Peking, as chinese companies would most likely prefer chinese universities.) There are plenty of things I'd rather not be doing... but I just want to go outside. I've been coding long enough to where I'd rather get paid $10/hr to work in the back country or be a trail runner. The office life is soul sucking. Day in and day out I sit in front of a computer with very little exercise through out the day. The same boring monotonous routine every day. And then you get caught up in the system. It becomes comfortable and you are content just where you are. You make decent money, but you are no longer challenged. Because of your mortgage, car payment, hair salon appointments, crack addiction, pure laziness or societies pressures... you will continue to go sit at that desk day after day and not look to challenge yourself any further. I've been employed by a fortune 500 company since I was 23. I've worked on embedded projects and applications that are 10+ processes running on a network cluster. I'm mostly a C++ linux programmer, but I've been working with C# and Microsoft for the past few years. I've built mission critical systems for the U.S. Military and my job has sent me around the world a few times... It's all been great and I have a lot of great experience, but I'm completely burned out. When you get to a point where you are working well below your ability level, it becomes very boring. Also, you need to be working for a growing company with management that has a clear direction. Being a programmer has taken enough of my soul that I'm leaving the 9-5 office life for the summer to go hiking. If all goes as planned, I'll be starting on the south end of the Appalachian Trail in April and heading north. Perhaps, I will try to find a better position when I return or who knows? Either way, I'm canceling my lease, putting my few possessions storage and rolling out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLCEUpIg8rE I've thought really hard about this, but in reality what you're doing right now is quite different from what I want to do. I want to develop consumer grade applications, while you're making military things. Maybe I'm in denial, but I still want to at least try computer science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX January 7, 2014 Share NOFX Member January 7, 2014 I didn't mean to try and talk you out of it. Studying computer science is solid. You learn to think very methodical and logical and it should never be too difficult to find a job. Instead of building physical structures out of tangible parts, you are building applications out of abstract ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keralis January 7, 2014 Author Share Keralis Member January 7, 2014 Super nervous about my decision, but I guess I can't change anything now. Princeton has always been a dream college of mine, which is why I was so reluctant to pass. I really hope I made the best choice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakgyrl510 January 8, 2014 Share oakgyrl510 Member January 8, 2014 never too late to change majors. some people get one degree and go back for a different degree later on. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingCat January 8, 2014 Share walkingCat Member January 8, 2014 Daaang it, kid! Just go to Prinstone, already. Haha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stutters January 8, 2014 Share stutters GC Alumni January 8, 2014 It's no Harverd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keralis January 8, 2014 Author Share Keralis Member January 8, 2014 It's no Harverd. I hate you guys XD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farberio February 23, 2014 Share farberio Member February 23, 2014 (edited) IMO, where you get your degree from is almost irrelevant. At most it buys you a litlte bit of 'wow' factor and most importantly a foot in the door. Remember, the laws of physics and math that EE/CS/CE are built upon don't change from university to university so you aren't learning anything different wherever you go. What changes (in theory) is the caliber (and sometimes just the size of the pocketbook) of the students you will share your time with. My alma matter is ranked in a separate category to most schools since it does not offer a PHD. That said it was also #6 in the nation for Computer Engineering. It has bought be some respect for the people that know and respect the school, but it has always been my performance at work that has spoken much more loudly then the university that I went too. I agree that if you really want to understand code you should take some hardware, I would recommend to at least look into a Computer Engineering degree as opposed to a Computer Science degree. And if you end up going to Princeton I would highly recommend you do CS/Business, or at least minor in it as that is the true strength of Princeton. Understanding the business side will also make you a more complete engineer when it comes to understanding why the company wants a certain date/cost range/dumb feature. It will also be a great starting point for getting an MBA later on. Edited February 23, 2014 by farberio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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