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Comment by 2sk21 | Hacker News Reader

My daily routine looks something like this nowadays: spend mornings studying logic programming. Afternoons, I fire up my GPU cluster on AWS and try out some NLP experiments. Some days, I'll work on Haskell if I feel like it. Or possibly training a CNN to control the trains on my model train layout. Its fun :-)

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unless you're working towards a phd or freelancing why would you waste your entire day doing this?

A day full of intellectual stimulation and fun doesn't sound like a "waste" to me

Indeed, I already have a PhD (machine learning - 1992) and I worked in software development for 28 years, mostly doing what others told me to work on. I now get to do whatever I want.

I've always admired the way Knuth has spent his "retirement" and this little quote summarizes my goals too: "my role is to be on the bottom of things"

(see https://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~knuth/email.html)

Sigh... I feel like, even five years ago you wouldn't have to explain this at HN, of all places. But now, it's partially HN, but also partially get-paid-lots-for-programming-news.

seems like a waste if youre not applying what you learn to anything practical.

Would you say the same to someone writing a novel, painting, or composing poetry?

if youre studying perspectives and color theory all day but never paint a picture then whats the point?

The poster's activities ("studying logic programming", "NLP experiments", "work on Haskell") are the equivalent of painting or composing poetry: a creative activity done for enjoyment. A better analogy for you (not that studying perspective and color theory couldn't be enjoyable in itself even if you don't paint... though of course it's a very different sort of activity from painting) may be "If you paint all day for your own pleasure but never exhibit or sell a picture then what's the point?" (not sure whether you would say that)

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