Ask HN: An average developer's work seems meaningless?

1 points by duochrome 12 years ago | 2 comments

I have been wondering what people need. Most people would love to have a better house, furniture, food, etc. They barely need a better software.

I was a developer for 8 years. I worked in some corporation and some startup, and it's the same issue all around. The product is not really been needed nor used.

I can see that companies like Google had a good impact on the world but they have a good supply of good engineers. They don't need me.

It seems that I would be happier saying making good wood furnitures. But hey that's hard to find a woodworker's job and I guess the paying is a lot less.

I'm somehow lost. Did you ever had the same feeling? What change did you do?

rnovak 12 years ago |

Not all programming is fun, in fact the vast majority is boring, and the software that gets produced is boring, but it is still important.

Just because you aren't a part of Google or some other ubiquitous, well known company, doesn't mean a product that you're a part of producing isn't important. You may not see the implications of all of the software you develop, and some software that has the biggest impact, no one even knows about.

There is always a good reason to program, and considering the current disparity of good engineers, you don't need to be amazing to make a difference, just be good.

sharemywin 12 years ago |

Software isn't usually about making a big impact in people's lives(military, flight control, medical are exceptions). It's about making whole lot of people's lives a little bit better.