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Write more "useless" software | nicole@web

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After my last blog post about Hurl, someone asked me, and I quote: "... why?" The simple answer is "for the joke." But the longer answer is that useless software1 is a fantastic way to explore and experience the joy of computing. Play is an important part of exploration and joy. As technologists, we spend our days mired in making useful things. Software engineers write code to solve real problems. Computer scientists research problems to produce novel, real results. Technical writers write about actual technology, write real documentation, and more. The list goes on, and the common thread is that if we do technical work, we do it in the context of something useful. Many people get into programming because it in some way sparks joy for us. It's 100% valid to be a software engineer for the money. That's certainly part of why I gravitated toward it as my career. But with so many career paths available to would-be software engineers, I suspect enjoyment of the craft was at least part of th

Write more "useless" software | nicole@web Write more "useless" software Monday, June 26, 2023 After my last blog post about Hurl, someone asked me, and I quote: "... why?" The simple answer is "for the joke." But the longer answer is that useless software [1] is a fantastic way to explore and experience the joy of computing. Play is an important part of exploration and joy. As technologists, we spend our days mired in making useful things. Software engineers write code to solve real problems. Computer scientists research problems to produce novel, real results. Technical writers write about a

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