Ask HN: Is coding a passion or just work?

by shire on 6/21/2014, 3:36 PM with 5 comments

I'm curious how many people on here code for a living as a passion and love doing it every single day or is bored of it but do it just for work to pay the bills and support the ones they love?

  • by dandrews on 6/21/2014, 4:36 PM

    Coding? There's nothing like being in the zone, nothing at all. Long periods of intricate code-weaving, punctuated by the thrill of neurons locking into place when you solve a problem.

    But then you get noticed, acquire new responsibilities, start managing things, running meetings, get a budget, negotiate contracts, handle staffing... and the first thing you know you have an eight-to-five job.

  • by jimlei on 6/21/2014, 3:43 PM

    Should be a passion, when a developer go into "get by to pay the bills" mode he/she should get restructured to a new project or whatever else can spark their passion again.

    Me? Passion. I work from 7 to 15 and code on hobby projects / play with new languages/frameworks almost daily after that.

  • by lettergram on 6/21/2014, 3:43 PM

    If they are on HN, they probably do it for passion. I doubt people who code only for work would be on HN on a saturday.

  • by DLion on 6/22/2014, 1:45 AM

    Passion first of all for me. "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."

  • by eudoxus on 6/21/2014, 3:44 PM

    loving coding? ... this guy!

    It also pays my bills (sometimes). But it was a passion long before that.