When will you retire from programming?

A thought I had after the old timers thread popped up ..

Do you think there will be a cut-off point in your life where you will completely loose interest in any kind of creativity on the PC?
Be it programming, art, music ..

Can you picture yourself for example, 80 years old and still toying around with computers?

For me it depends on how frustrating trying to produce something relatively simple becomes

If/when cloud computing takes off for example (where you only have a terminal PC and all resources are on the web out of your full control) I'll probably really hate all the hassle and slooow time it takes to get things done

Another factor will be where easy-to-use languages like Blitz, and Python fade away only to be replaced by ugly and confusing languages which need 50 lines of code to draw a box on the screen. At that point I'll just get loose complete interest

I don't see myself losing interest. Additionally, game development is getting easier. Languages are moving in the opposite direction away from the metal so fewer lines of code will do more. In fact I see a future where you can do a lot of programming without any code. Read my blog listed in my sig, I just put it up and posted one of my entries from a previous blog.

I don't know. For me, I think the end is nigh. I've kind of had enough after 22 years, although I've said that before and I'm still here. But I think that's because I'm not interested in much else and its a better alternative to watching daytime TV.

My interest waxes and wanes much more now than when I was younger. Haven't done any coding in months now. If I completely lose interest that's fine because I that point I wont miss it anyway.

I disagree about programming languages getting more user-unfriendly in the future, though. That just doesn't make sense.

I see no reason to stop making games. But it's hard to look many years into the future. Maybe in 2050 if some people are still alive we can have another Blitz meeting like in Doncaster.. :)

I dont think I will ever stop programming until I get altzeimers, and even then i'll try - i'll just be really confused why I have two classes doing the same thing and dont remember writing either of them.

I started programming when i'm 6, it's both a passion and a companion. The tools may change, the creativity wont. It's either this or take up music.

However as someone who programs for a living I find I dont often program fun stuff that much. Although I do find myself doing work in the evenings because I enjoy it - I just dont like working on personal projects and work projects at the same time - so my hobby coding tends to be to carry on working past the 5 o'clock bell.

If I get really into a personal project one night then I find I cant concentrate the next day until i've got whatever idea is bugging me out of my system.

I think you'll find it's more likely to head the other way, where languages do more for less work on your part.

I'm sure, as long as my brain is still working, I'll be doing some kind of coding. Hopefully by then I can plug myself into the computer and think the code... rather than have to do all this bloody typing :-p

Tell me about it!!

If I haven't dropped dead by then, I'll be there. I just hope that that EA guy won't attend the Q&A session next time ;) :P

I'll stop programming when they pry the keyboard from my cold, dead hands!
I just can't imagine doing anything else (either as a job or a hobby).

Amen.

I think about this sometimes. My main problem is sitting down at the PC when I want to be moving around or outside in nice weather (or with my kids or doing something else etc). So when I can walk around and talk to my PC or use gestures or whatever to get the desired result, and have an light super bright outdoors laptop then maybe I'll be happier. There may be a point when eyesight makes it hard to stare at small things on screens and the body protests at sitting down for so long...

come to think of it, I spend so much time programming now that i'll likely wear the cartilege out in my fingers (arthritis) and spend the next 10 years screaming at Vista's voice recognition tool trying to make it type an {

I'll stop programming when I go senile or die. (and it might take more then being senile too)

I've been coding for 25 years so I doubt it'll be something I give up willingly.

My goals have certainly shifted over the years, especially in the last 8 months. Most of my work these days is PHP / MySQL and luckily I'm loving that side.

Gaming wise, I'm not so sure if/when I'll have the time to get back into that so that side may be over for me, I just don't know yet. Perhaps in six months or so I'll have a clearer picture to the direction life is taking me in.

I doubt I'll ever stop coding / creating on a computer but I'd certainly like to settle down in one area (baring hobby stuff).

Why not?

Easier to picture myself programming at 80 than playing shuffleboard and bingo...

lol@xlsior

Only to think of the drastic changes to technology by the time any of us are that old..

Something else to keep in mind: Not only didn't todays 80-year-olds grow up with computers, the vast majority of them also never used them in the office since most companies didn't actually use computers before these people retired. Don't underestimate how recent the whole 'computers on every desk' scenario actually is.

The more time passes, the more computers will just be a way of life for everyone including the very old.

I've been programming since I was 9 (21 years ago OMG), coding on the Amstrad CPC when it was offically past its death for a number of years.

Then I chucked it in around about 1994-1995 after leaving school and discovering Merrydowne Cider.

Resurfaced again in 2002 with BlitzBasic and I'm still here after 6 years.

The thing is, recently, I've been really disillusioned with the whole coding setup, and up until a couple of weeks ago, I really considered jacking it in. After 6 years and not having a title under your belt, it weighs if I'm just typing out stuff pointlessly, and totally wasting my time sitting in front of this monitor.

But, out of the grey matter an idea cropped up, which sparked my interest again and I locked myself from the internet while I shuffled the idea around in my head.

I'm away with the idea now and coding like a whizzed up monkey at a terminal, which is why I'm trickling posts onto the forum now, the spark is back, but it seems that I'm more productive when not browsing, which I'll keep up ! :)

Mr Kirk give some wise words too, well, basically 'chin up', which helped as you do have to go through the motions now and again, but all in all, I'm happy coding again at the moment.

I have promised myself that if this project doesnt get off the ground that'll be it, no more... So fingers crossed I see this one through!

Dabz

Surely the single biggest productivity improvement ever. :o)

thats true, if any of these 2012 things HAVNT happened and the world keeps on going its merry way then sooner or later the concept of a pc will be ancient history as even white goods will have some form of larger than they have cpu and perhaps some home networking thrown in

and as each shool year leaves more and more people are net savvy and can code websites and some programming lingo (when not skiving from school that is)
so eventually being able to create web2 applications wont be the niche market it is now and perhaps well see a decline in the wages of these coders where they sort the wheat from the chaff as im still perplexed and offended that someone writing a website or basic tech support earns more than the average NHS nurses sallary

so perhaps theyll have this scripting language that everyone learns that can set your dishwasher off from your office desk etc and there might be a call for 'harder' lingos like C#'s evolution that needs uber geeks to understand, but once everyone knows how to do it it devalues the skills monetary value

The process of learning is just as important as the process of doing. It takes 10 years to become an accomplished programmer, so you're well on your way.

Well that would be a shame, for sure. Every project whether it reaches some arbitrary goal of completeness or not, is a learning experience.

I see as all ceasing programing in 3-4 years when all the eletronic equipment stops working due to strong solar eclipse that is due around 2011-2012 and Earths increasingly weakening magnetic field. So don't worry about being 80 and still programing, it ain't gonna happen :p Just program now like creazy and enjoy it ;)

I've sort of realised that I don't have enough spare time these days to make the kind of game I want to, so I now concentrate on other creative outlets than programming.

When i get Tiler/Scribbla to finish the rest of the models for kidX, and we get to finish the game!

Great link Flameduck - I agree.

In 2050, "Blitz" as a whole may as well be a retro module in another language.

In 2050 puki's media library has grown to a media-licensing company.. :P

with a tagline of
puki pwns the .md2

I will retire when Mark will release the new SDK :)

... or when my wife will come behind me and my monitor with her boyfriend :)))) [ :( ]

Making games is not only about programming. It's the whole picture (design, art, programming, audio). My interest in programming is slowly fading away. But I still really like it when I have the time or urge to create a GAME.

I agree Wiebo. I imagine myself to be doing much less coding and more design in the near future.

I'm not an old-timer, in coding anyway. In fact, I've just started!

I've always been doing 3D design, world and characters mostly, but now I've discovered coding. I like it better and don't think I will stop any time soon!

Keep backups :)

Hello.

Sadly, and with more than a touch of irony, I've not coded anything (for fun) since I got my MSc last year. It kinda burned me out. The skill set and ability is definitely there, and oddly the passion too, but just finding the time to sit and code has just dissapated.

I agree with the internet being one of the main barriers and also, for me, the purchase of a laptop. TV, cats and girlfriend tend to distract me far too easily.

Also, as Larn has already been written there seems to be no reason for me to continue. Saying that, though, the thought of a 'Thing on a Spring' clone using a physics engine sounds like it could be a lot of fun.

Goodbye.

Thing on a Spring was cool but a little hard. The music made up for it though.

Tell me about it, the internet i mean. When i get a little run down, it's off to the internet to check the forum boards, then hours pass, then because you've been sitting brainlessly browsing around, i have zero motivation left :o) I often use the internet for place holder textures and models, so being cut off would annoy me at the same time...

It is all I have - I have no real-life friends (ie in the flesh) and I never talk to my family - I'll probably never have a normal life - so this is it for me. I'd have nothing without my computer.

You should go on X-Factor with a sob-story like that.

I can't sing.

most can't

I dont think I will ever stop programming until I get altzeimers


so....


I dont think I will ever stop programming until I get altzeimers!