This reminds me of someone who used to work with me. She'd stare at me while I was working, and then I'd turn and she'd keep staring at me, and then she'd let a "Oh my God, you're so fucking old". She was in awe I was still alive and amazed by my old age. I was 29 at the time.<p>She was in charge of hiring campaigns, would come to the manager and tell him that someone had applied "but he's like old" (in his thirties). The expression on her face was as if it were a contagious disease or something; as if merely reading the résumé or saying the age out loud decreased her lifespan or endangered her life. It was hilarious.
One of the most interesting things about software dev (I'm in my 50's) is that you never run out of puzzles or problems to solve. Everything gets boring eventually, but the field is still full of interesting things to work on, things that can be improved, and things that can make money! That's what keeps me going. Also, believing that I can contribute positively to our field and make software better than it was before I got there.
For me personally, the field as of computing is very exciting. But the CS jobs are very unsatisfying after you've been around for a while. Used to think academia might be different, but I've read enough cries to understand it might not be all rosy there as well.<p>I've come to the realization that when you take up a salaried job, you're exchanging your time for money. If it satisfies you're lucky. Otherwise, do the essential minimum at your job and then outside your work hours<p>a) Find alternate ways to seek fulfilment to lead a balanced life(a sport, something creative etc.)<p>b) If you're motivated enough find alternate career avenues / start your own venture<p>If you've enough savings you could quit too, without having to put up with job. But that's a privilege very few can afford
The absence of excitement may stem from a number of things. The first thing I would look at is mental health, which is important to personal well-being. In particular, a sedentary lifestyle is so hard on the body. Otherwise, if an older developer is relatively healthy but struggles to be excited about their field, then I would suggest changing things up. There are many ways to try out different roles that relate to tech without leaving tech entirely. Or...just do something radically different from tech.<p>For some people, changing their job is the answer, but for others, even a career change won't feel different. For this bunch, my hunch is that the choice of field is not what's truly bothering them. In which case, I would revisit my first point -- make self-care a priority.<p>I haven't directly answered the question posted by OP because I think trying to convince yourself to be excited about something leads you further from a solution that addresses the root cause.<p>I hope the answer I gave was not too prescriptive. There is no judgment here. Best of luck, OP.
An old programmer is a programmer in his 70s I suppose. As a person being halfway there I don't feel old. However I understand that for a person younger it might feel that way.<p>Anyways programming, design and everything around it is so broad, you never run out of problems to fix. Each new technology introduces new problems. So there is always something to do.<p>If it comes to an excitement on my stage of professional career I am excited to see my team providing great solutions and client is happy about it. Also having enought experience to have impact on a project success , not only as a code author, is pretty exciting.<p>For me being a programmer in my 30ties is like being a programmer in my 20ties, except now I often know what I am doing :)
* There is new stuff every month. I never get tired from learning new things.<p>* If your current job doesn't keep you excited - there are others just around the corner that might.<p>* Experience (don't mistake it for age!) is a cool thing. We have seen some sh*t and can thus avoid mistakes. This yields effective coders, reviewers, and designers.<p>* Mentoring can be a cool thing, too.<p>Seriously, if you are struggling to remain motivated as a software engineer, this is in the first place a sign that either your current job or your career path are not what you want to do. Talk to people (and perhaps real people around you) to understand what it is you want to do. And then look for the change that is needed.*
I'm excited about the things I can build with software, not so much about software itself. All the problems we can solve with OSS tools.. is truly amazing!<p>If a new database comes and is better than postgres, I might switch to it in a couple of years, but, I wouldn't want to be working in a new database. Software for software sakes doesn't motivate <i>me</i> too much.<p>Solving problems for the film industry with visual effects does motivate me a lot. I love seeing the end product and being part of it by making the studio and artists more efficient! That I can do it by using my tech skills is awesome.
I've loved computers my entire life. You don't suddenly become a different person when you enter a new decade. You do start to recognize how young (30minus) software engineers don't have perspective.
I'm more excited than ever about my own projects.<p>Professionally, I've come to terms with just putting in the hours for money and taking time off when I need to. I honestly think I wasted a bit of my twenties caring too much about that "dream job" and building someone else's cool product.
We invented the internet. We were born with it. You joined the party late. If anything we have more excitement than you :)<p>Our love will never die. Brainwashed by the algo botnet generation influencers like you are the bigger concern. There's nothing genuine or innovative about a generation that grew up on social media.
Not sure. I’m turning 29 and I’m not “excited” at all because I just code some Java for a bank and get paid decent.<p>I then save the money or use it to go travel, go for hikes, kayak etc.<p>To do something “exciting” would probably require dedicating the rest of my 20s and 30s to do, and I don’t really care that much.
Many people here have mentioned staying interested in the technology. Just as important to me: 1) staying interested in people, 2) finding pleasure in helping them out, and 3) enjoying getting things done.<p>All of engineering is using technology to help people. People never run out of needs and desires. Technology keeps improving, and most current technology as deployed is such a poor fit for needs that if I just spend a few hours watching somebody do their job, I'll see a dozen ways to help. And getting some improvement actually in their hands? A joy.
First 30 is very young- my dad is 74 and still very young, recently hacking Flutter... My point is forgot about age. Do things you enjoy. For me software is the joy of solving a puzzle, feeling empowered to build anything, and frustrating as hell... the frustration part is important otherwise the good feelings when it works wouldn’t be as good. Age like education is meaningless in software...
Personally I found that with age, the ‘excitement’ you mention gave way to a deeper level of understanding and satisfaction (50’s here).Sure over the years some things were more interesting than others, buts its what you make of it. Software development provides an endless set of challenges, generally pays well and from my own observation it is also possible to work well into later life.
I've been in the business for over 50 years. I have always had, and still have an intense, driving curiosity about many things, mostly in the computer field. I've programed in lots of languages professionally, been a developer, wrote technical documentation, broke other people's software, built security teams. At the bottom of it is not so much ambition, but curiosity.
30 is old? I was building VAXclusters 30 years ago.<p>I've been in the industry 41 years. It's been interesting watching the younger generations "innovate" the same stuff we used 30 years ago.<p>I'm in for another 8 years.. One because I have to boys to put through college and two, because it's interesting, challenging and fun work. Even if I do see the same issues over and over again.
Learning new things. Not the same thing again in yet another new language, framework or library, but new ways of doing things. Sometimes it is through a new language, framework or library but it's the difference from what I've already learned that makes it exciting.<p>These days, this comes down to clearly understanding a problem, the aspects that need to be made clear and separating out the parts cleanly into a design. Getting good at naming things, having strategies, deeply knowing 'why' I do each thing I do. I spend a lot more time in some kind of notepad thinking than I do any sort of coding, even then it's pseudocode in a notation that I make up on the spot. This is exciting. Working remotely, it's amazing how much can be expressed in Github markdown tables and ascii block diagrams.
I'm 44 and I've been a professional web dev for more than 1/2 my life. It's wildly different now compared to when I started. It never stops being exciting. I can build the coolest stuff with so little effort these days. It's ace.
Age doesn't mean anything. You can be 20 years old and a millionaire and still not have the wisdom only time can bring. We all grow in different areas at different rates. Your age doesn't make you better. Humble thyself.