Quote:
Originally Posted by rob
I've been doing development for over 30 years, and there's really only one core bit of wisdom that I think is most critical...
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Seriously, this!
Granted, I've only been a dev for a decade, but exactly this. I've fired or helped fire enough people (some with PhD's in computer science) that just get stuck in this dumb trap of "This is how software is written."
Being a good developer is an invaluable skill, and I don't think it's possible for me to agree with Rob more. The only wisdom I'll try to offer (that maybe hasn't been said) is that development is one of those rare and lucky jobs where you get to mostly love what you do every day. If you can't do that, you're probably doing it wrong, and maybe shouldn't be a developer. Certainly don't become a dev for the money, because you'll make more and work fewer hours as a business analyst or stock broker or drug manufacturer. But they don't get to do what I do, and that's to build something brand new every day.
Every day I have a new problem to solve, a new feature to create, a new platform to support, a new tech to understand, and an old browser to get it to work in. Every day I leave for work knowing I will do something no one has ever done before. Sure, I spend a lot of time talking with QA saying "Yeah no, you're not going to be able to play video in IE7 without flash; this is an invalid test." But I also find a way to use a clojure script that links in with a Kaiser mainframe to build a series of elements that can be manipulated using css3 transformations which take advantage of hardware acceleration on iPhones. Or I'm building a mobile android app that will allow you to track the fuel efficiency of your wife versus you when you drive, or let you see how you're doing compared to your community.
TL;DR I'm always doing something new. I have an awesome life!