Comments on: When programming becomes stale…

By: cakebaker

cakebaker — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:47:26 +0000

@James: In that case it is a probably good idea to learn something new, be it a new PHP framework or a new programming language. If you want to be up and running as soon as possible, then the first option is better, as you can build on your existing PHP knowledge, whereas the second option allows you to learn more, though it probably takes longer…

By: James Eggers

James Eggers — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:04:38 +0000

@cakebaker:

I’m not bored of programming as such, just php + codeigniter. Codeigniter makes things much more complicated…

By: cakebaker

cakebaker — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:56:47 +0000

@James: Thanks for your comment!

Yes, I can imagine how you feel. Learning a new programming language is a good way to escape such a situation and to discover new stuff (I’m currently learning Ruby myself). However, if you are bored from programming itself or from building web apps, then changing the programming language won’t help much…

Anyway, I hope you find something that is more enjoyable and less boring :)

By: James Eggers

James Eggers — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:42:23 +0000

This has happened to me only about 2 weeks ago. Since then programming has become boring as well as designing web interfaces for my web apps. I think this is because I know how to use php + html + css extremely well. It just gets boring when there is nothing else to ‘learn’ besides some functions built in to php.

I’m going to learn Ruby or Perl, maybe using these languages will make me be less bored.

By: Bored of programming part 2 « FilChi Weblog

Bored of programming part 2 « FilChi Weblog — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:54:21 +0000

[...] · Tagged boredom That was last year, June, when I first went to Daniel’s blog and read this article about the feeling of boredom in programming. I blogged about it here in wordpress hosted [...]

By: cakebaker

cakebaker — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:55:05 +0000

@michael: Thanks for your great comment. I am thinking about your website idea currently, and so it is possible I will launch such a site soon.

@Franck06l: Well, I realized I like the conceptual level of programming (software engineering), but not the implementation. But the latter dominated…

Thanks for your offer. I will mail you, if I should visit the south of France (at the moment it is not planned for this year).

By: Bored of programming? « FilChi Weblog

Bored of programming? « FilChi Weblog — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 18:17:05 +0000

[...] of programming? 30 06 2007 I found this intriguing article about dealing with boredom among programmers. This article has an impact to me because I encounter boredom a lot of times. But I don’t let [...]

By: Franck06l

Franck06l — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:02:33 +0000

This kind of period happen to everyone. I am in programming for almost 20 years. I have had moment where motivation is gone, lot of self questioning but a new project comes and the passion starts again. It seems that programming is the only thing I can do without being bored on the long way.
I had other “passion” such as motorbike, cycling etc ,, but they all have passed except some : friends, women and programming.
Maybe having a break will make you realize that actually you miss programming ? Or this break will open your mind to another “passion” ?
Anyway, if you want take a break around Monaco (I know it’s not California, but south of France is not that bad), I could even find you a full/part time job., and guess .. in programming. :-)
Have a good rest and whatever you do, I wish you the best. if you decide to travel around southern Europe, mail me.

By: michael

michael — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 05:13:22 +0000

Daniel, i found your post quiet liberating, and based on the replies, no matter where we are from, no matter our culture, no matter our geography etc etc, we are all searching – we as humans are on the great search for meaning and purpose. I, unfortunately have no answers, i too feel at a loss, or a loose end, or a dead end at points in time, to a greater or lesser degree, i think its what they term “the human condition”, its what drives us all. On a brighter point, maybe you’ve hit on a idea for a website, something where people discuss “forks in the road”. Anyway, had a lot to say on this issue, but alas could have filled up chapters on the issue – good luck to you and your endeavours, their is light at the end of the tunnel.

By: cakebaker

cakebaker — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 17:13:36 +0000

@Brendon: Cool to hear that you do what you love :) During my apprenticeship in the IT department of a company I worked in a very similar environment as you describe. It was satisfying to help people with their computer/software problems and to be the “genius”. But on the other hand it sucks when others define your day and you don’t get your stuff done due to all the interruptions…

The evening is usually computer-free time for me, that’s when I exercise, read books, whatever. That works fine for me. But what I have to do is to diversify my projects more, up to now all projects were similar.

@Poncho: I don’t think I need an easier job, rather the contrary is true ;-) But I agree with you that it is a good experience to work in a completely different field. During my school time I helped a local farmer during harvest times. It was hard work. But it was a very good atmosphere, and I never valued a coffee break more than during those times.

And yes, I give myself a break to think :)

@Felix: Thanks for the book tip, but I already read that book recently ;-) What should I say? It contains some good ideas, but the book is imo overhyped.

At least for me the primary advantage of “working anywhere” is that I do not have to commute to some office and that a client can be located anywhere in the world. That my location can be anywhere, too, is not so important to me, as I like my location ;-) But I can imagine to live around two months per year abroad. But first I have to re-establish an income stream ;-)

@Tyler: I don’t think I am burned out. The energy is not gone, it is still there. It is just the programming which doesn’t feel right anymore.

Oh, and thank you for your compliment :)

@Tarique: I am 28, and I am still in the same profession as when I started my career. So I think it is just time for a change and new challenges.

@Boris: Thanks for your comment. I’m experimenting with meditation, but up to now I haven’t found the right “setting” for me.