
Learning to code will not make you rich (or particularly powerful) - uladzislau
http://tmp.fargo.io/users/scripting/2013/12/10/learningToCodeWillNotMakeYouRich.html
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jere
>Of course most people who code, if they make any money at all, make a modest
living.

The median software developer in the US makes $85,000/year. I guess you could
call this modest, but I wouldn't. It's 50% more than median US _household_
makes.

>If you want power, and I've said this many times -- rather than learn to code
-- first learn to run a server. That's real power.

I'm really struggling with this one. That would seem to make you less rich and
powerful than a programmer.

~~~
mamcx
Probably only true in some countries/cities. In latin america, for example, is
a low pay job _.

The joke here is that we do it for the love, because the day we want money
then is better to sell "empanadas"
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empanada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empanada)).

_ Even if is a very good developer. Also, here we become "full-stack" just
because that is what is need to survive..

BTW: [http://giveupinternet.com/2009/01/09/look-im-a-
programmer-i-...](http://giveupinternet.com/2009/01/09/look-im-a-programmer-i-
have-no-money-and-no-life-comic/)

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zenbowman
It's useful even if you don't like it.

Whether you work in finance, physics, or a non-computer related engineering
profession, you'll be a lot better at your profession if you can code. There's
a difference between building large scale systems versus doing a little
exploratory scripting with Python and SQL.

For the former, a CS degree is very helpful and for most people, necessary.
The latter, on the other hand, is what will benefit the average non-
professional programmer.

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marincounty
I don't understand the server part? Is he just talking about using FileZilla,
or learning to program Sql? Don't most programers know how to set up a server?
I'm not being mean--just curious. One other question, I'm assuming most web
Coders know java, ROR and django--not just html and css?

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smokestack
This is complete nonsense.

~~~
jamesaguilar
Yes. For a few reasons.

1\. Sometimes it's worth it to do something that's not your favorite for a bit
of income. If you have the tenacity to become good at coding despite not
finding it thrilling, it is one of the more interesting, safer, and lucrative
careers out there.

1.a. You don't have to be lucky to get a job coding. There is almost unlimited
demand for solid people. Not brilliant people. Just being good and even
reasonably likable is enough to get almost certain continuous employment.

2\. "You have to find something else to do at 35." Give. Me. A. Break. Ageism
is real, but it's not going to start hindering you this early.

3\. Learn to run a server. What? This is why sysadmins are at the top of the
software corporate food chain, right? And, don't get me wrong, I mean _no
offense_ to my talented sysadmin colleagues, but you'd have to be blind and
deaf and insensate to belief they are "ruling the world" compared to software
engineers in any meaningful sense of the phrase. Maybe they should be, but if
we observe reality, software engineers are better compensated, work easier
hours, and have a much easier time making their way into management.

~~~
colanderman
_Ageism is real, but it 's not going to start hindering you this early._

Agreed; at least, where I am, if I were simply 10 years older (putting me over
35), I'd be making _twice_ what I am now. Certainly not looking for a job.

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negamax
tldr: If you like programming only then chose it as a career.

