Comment by rokhayakebe | Hacker News Reader

Comment by rokhayakebe | Hacker News Reader

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Programmers are unlike many types of workers in that the best ones actually prefer to work hard. This doesn't seem to be the case in most types of work. When I worked in fast food, we didn't prefer the busy times. And when I used to mow lawns, I definitely didn't prefer it when the grass was long after a week of rain.

Programmers, though, like it better when they write more code. Or more precisely, when they release more code. Programmers like to make a difference. Good ones, anyway.

Salesman like it best when they can sell more. When I used to sell used cars, I loved it best when I could keep pushing cars out of the lot.

Writers like it best when they can write more. They like it best when their imagination can produce thousands of stories.

The difference is that coders usually know what they will tackle and have a strategy so it is easier for them to get to the end point. Also they are almost sure they will hit the end point of a certain problem.

With other professions you cannot predict much. Your next customer is not guaranteed, your next story just does not want to show up in your brain etc....

That being said, Yes, a lot of programmers I know work hard.

Writer are like hackers, yes. But the reason most salesmen like to work hard is that they're paid on commission. That's very different.

I suspect that what is really going on here is that workers who love their job actually prefer to work hard AND good programmers love their job. So it is probably true that good programmers actually prefer to work hard, but that is not the whole truth...

Also, since most workers don't love their job, it is probably also true that good programmers are unlike many workers. To say that programmers are unlike many TYPES OF workers we'd have to believe that a higher proportion of programmers love their job than do workers in other types of work. From what I have seen on HN (albeit sample biased) I'd say that is true.

Yes. I've worked in fast food, and as a cashier at a convenience store, and in both cases, those who were better at the job preferred busier times ("It makes the day fly by, doncha think?").

Summary:

People like to make a difference. Good ones, anyway.

Not true. Good salesmen love the power, convincing others to do their will. They are more like actors or politicians. You can't fake charisma just because you might get paid more.

You can't do anything well without liking to do it. The difference between hackers and salesmen is that hacking is what hackers like most. Salesmen who have sufficient money seem empirically to prefer playing golf, whereas hackers with money tend to keep hacking.

That doesn't change the fact that while they are working, they prefer to be getting lots of sales.

They like to get paid for it, they can even be greedy. They like to get recognition for it, that can go to far too.

But they also enjoy making the sale.

maybe a better test is whether you'll do it for free (no incentives, moral/material/etc) just for the fun of it

to me, hacking > sales (no, charity/non-profit/giving away money doesn't count -> there's moral incentive there)

Touche

Good point.

I think most people want to do a good job and prefer to work hard. They want to see an impact from their labors and want their firm's customers to be delighted with their experience of interacting with the firm's products and service teams. It's our challenge as entrepreneurs to create the right environment for this.

Even in the case of the fast food worker, PG gets it wrong. When it gets slow in a restaurant, you end up cleaning the grease traps or other unpleasant jobs. I'd take the adrenaline rush of juggling a dozen orders on the grill any time.

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