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What Jonathan Coulton Learned From The Technology Industry (geekwire.com)
In a new article on GeekWire, Jonathan Coulton explains why he left a comfortable software development job in 2005 to launch a career as an online singer-songwriter. But he also describes the things he learned from the tech industry.
"These guys were doing this thing they wanted to do, this thing they felt competent doing. They didn't chase after things, and they worked hard, but it was a business they created because they enjoyed it. They tried to minimize the things they didn't want to do. It wasn't about getting rich; it was about getting satisfied...
"I wanted to a set a good example to my children. I wanted to be the person I wanted to be, someone willing to take chances -- a person who didn't live with enormous regrets..." Within the first year, he had not replaced his software salary, but had enough success to cover his babysitter and to keep food on the table.
When he was younger -- in the pre-internet days -- "It was very unclear how to become a musician," Coulton explains. But somehow rolling his own career path eventually led to a life which includes everything from guest appearances on radio shows to an annual cruise with his fans (this year featuring Aimee Mann, Wil Wheaton, and Redshirts author John Scalzi).
"I wanted to a set a good example to my children. I wanted to be the person I wanted to be, someone willing to take chances -- a person who didn't live with enormous regrets..." Within the first year, he had not replaced his software salary, but had enough success to cover his babysitter and to keep food on the table.
When he was younger -- in the pre-internet days -- "It was very unclear how to become a musician," Coulton explains. But somehow rolling his own career path eventually led to a life which includes everything from guest appearances on radio shows to an annual cruise with his fans (this year featuring Aimee Mann, Wil Wheaton, and Redshirts author John Scalzi).
huge success.
Lol guest appearances on radio shows. Whaat the fuck is this shit? Who the hell is this guy? What a load of shit. Fucking ad.
have a single achievement to his name besides being the worst pre-Neelix character in the history of Star Trek?
*checks his wiki page*
Wow, how can someone do so much yet accomplish so little?
The songs he wrote and performed for Portal 1 and 2 were excellent. I know you are aiming for humor, but he's a genuinely talented musician and songwriter.
Anything you really put your heart into, you're going to be at least good enough to get by. It doesn't take much to stand out from a crowd of people who only do their job. This may sound trivial, but it honestly took me a long time to understand this. I'm not a social person, so getting attention for anything I do always weirds me out, to the point where I interpret it as sarcasm. But there's definitely a pattern: Do something you really care about and people do take note, and that's all it takes.
I just got diverted off Slashdot to some malvertizing page.
What's Portal?
GTFO.
He still probably has more money than you and could retire comfortably (even if not a life of luxury). How does that compare to you, and your soon to be training your dothead replacement, cubicle dweller life?
Why not put some skin in the game, and tell us which games and musicians you genuinely like, Mr Hognoxious?
Or are you the average troll who gives out plenty of abuse, but cries like a baby when somebody does it to you?
Seriously, are we all supposed to know about him? A short summary about who he is, and why his opinion is relevant for us couldn't have hurt.
We don't care about your lives. We're too busy trying to make ends meet here in the real world.
Yes, he quit his job and found success in another field, good for him. However, most who leave lucrative positions do NOT improve their financial position by following their dreams.
A better, more realilistic article would be someone leaving the software industry, failing, but finding happiness in the pursuit anyway.
What's Portal?
Portal
More importantly, he doesn't hate his job. Whereas I stuck with my IT career and am completely miserable, but have a very safe income.
Problem with stories like Coulton's is that for every one like him who found some measure of success, there are dozens of failures living on a couch in a dank basement just a hairs breadth from homelessness and starvation. The "follow your dreams" crowd suffers significantly from survivor bias.
Conclusion is simple. All software developers should immediately quit their jobs and work as musicians. If you don't you're a moron.
*Waits for everybody to quit*
So boss, about that raise...
What's Portal?
GTFO.
Newsflash: not all geeks like the same things. To those who don't have much taste for puzzle games Portal is just plain overrated.
In case you are serious:
Look up the following coulton songs on youtube/spotify/whatever
re: your brain
code monkey
skullcrusher mountain
Still alive
(And for something sweet and cute: drinking with you, his most underrated song ever).
Various combat flight sims. Have a soft spot for TA:Kingdoms though it's a bugger to get it working on anything newer than XP.
New Model Army, Pink Floyd, Ayreon.
Don't know how relevant it is to the fact in hand, though. Are you going to tell me they're mainstream or something?
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
Great. I get to cruise with goony beard Wheaton who will explain why I'm a misogynist.
.... and after looking him up on YouTube, I can say, if he can make a living producing music like that, then more power to him.
Who pays to hear that crap ?
. . . .but I remember the test of the Geekiest of the Geeks: did you attend an "@Party" at a convention in the early-mid 1990s.
@ Parties were events where everyone had an email address. LONG before the rise of USENET, the Green Card Spam, and the AOLization of the Net. . .
I understand not liking Portal. I understand Portal not instantly coming to mind. I certainly understand not knowing the name of the person who wrote the songs. I do not understand not knowing what Portal is. That's like asking "who is Madonna?" on a pop music board.
Well, kudos for giving me something to take aim at. My compulsion to rant has subsided, so I will bid you a pleasant day.
You're not just dating yourself but also revealing your fading memory.
Early-mid 1990s is not LONG before the rise of USENET. It's after the rise of USENET. It's the beginning of the eternal September, the peak and start of the downfall of USENET.
If you are from a poor background add 2, because you have fewer distractions, because to get cool devices or games or whatever, you have to earn money to get them, they are not handed to you...
I know, because I grew up in a family with very little money.
If you are a minority or woman, add three because there are SO MANY resources around now to help you specifically, and you are a guaranteed hire if you know anything at all. I have seen this in action with multiple friends and family, across many different companies I have worked with...
Can't say you're wrong about being sick though. Stay healthy everyone, health is really the fundamental we all forget about.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I fear based on his grammar he may be the dothead replacement.
> ... Ayreon
Never heard of the fucker. Must be irrelevant to everyone, everywhere.
True that. I left my comfortable developer job in 2002 for reasons similar to Coulton's. In the process I almost lost my house and it took many years to get back to a position of financial stability.
Now I work a day job where I show up, do my thing and get paid. I'm a lot more creative when I'm not worried about how the bills will get paid. YMMV
As a (very) amateur musician with an IT day job, it's good to hear somebody similar made it a success. (I'm a studio guy, not a stage performer.)
Table-ized A.I.