Ask HN: What would happen you stopped doing your work?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18949013

by r4victor • 8 years ago

10 5 8 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

gpestana• 8 years ago

Nothing.

BjoernKW• 8 years ago

I'm an independent IT consultant. I provide software-based solutions to business problems. I design and create software that makes business processes more efficient and I coach software developers in the use of frameworks and best practices so they get up to speed quickly in technologies that are new to them.

Because I'm not the only one to offer these or similar services in the grand scheme of things nothing much would happen if I stopped working.

On a smaller scale, however, my clients might either end up with less efficient solutions to their problems or no solutions at all, which often means that plenty of manual work would be required to compensate for process shortcomings.

Hence, time and money would be wasted that might've been put to better use.

In terms of the coaching aspect of my work, developers might take longer to become proficient in their new framework / language of choice. They also might be able to produce value in a new framework but they might do so using best practices they know from an approach they used before, which is common when for example transitioning from C# to Java or formerly purely back-end-based work to work that involves web front-ends, too.

This in turn could lead to low software quality and ultimately unmaintainable software.

throwaway713824• 8 years ago

I stopped working several years ago. I still go to the office and collect a check. In reality I do about 4 hours of real work a week. Have been for years. Software development is the ultimate bullsh-t job.

r4victor• 8 years ago

My apologies. There should be "if", of course, and I somehow overlooked it.

cimmanom• 8 years ago

A handful of people would be much more stressed for a few months and then they’d find someone to replace me.

Ask HN: What would happen you stopped doing your work?

Related Stories