Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

What Jonathan Coulton Learned From The Technology Industry (geekwire.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the Code-Monkey-like-Fritos dept.

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).

9 of 88 comments (clear)

  1. I'm making a note here by thecombatwombat · · Score: 5, Funny

    huge success.

    1. Re:I'm making a note here by Salgak1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "Mediocre" Artists who have written the theme song (and geek anthem) of two of the biggest puzzle games of all time ? Who is a regular at geek events ? And who is pretty much the model for Indie Music Publishing ?

      Seriously, if you don't recognize Jonathan Coulton, you need to turn in your geek card. . .

    2. Re:I'm making a note here by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Life is like D&D.
      If you work hard add + 3
      If you have passion add + 2
      If you have advanced education + 1
      If you have gotton education in that area + 1
      Are you willing to make additional sacrifices to your life (you will get a chance to reroll after each sacrifice)

      Now roll the dice. 10 or higher you succeed. 18 or higher you are successful, natural 20 Critical success you roll a natural 1 you automatically fail badly.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    3. Re:I'm making a note here by west · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I like that analogy a lot. There's a careful balance between inculcating into my children that hard work, study, etc. is necessary, but also letting them know that it's not a guarantee. You also need some luck, but less of it, the harder you work. Hopefully it means that they won't feel betrayed in areas where they "do all the right things" but don't get the appropriate reward.

      Or as I've told them:

      Most of my success has depended on luck, but it's amazing how the harder I worked at something, the luckier I was.

  2. Re:Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    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.

  3. One thing I've learned by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.

  4. Outlier succeeds, news at 11 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    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.

    1. Re:Outlier succeeds, news at 11 by coldsalmon · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This is the problem with taking advice from successful people: it's tainted by self-selection bias. It's obvious that making a lot of money doing something you love is a good way to live, but it's also obvious that this is impossible for most people. However, nobody interviews the mediocre majority, we only interview the outliers who have successfully followed their dreams. I suppose it gives us hope that we could have been happy and successful if only we had followed our dreams, without having to actually test that hypothesis.

  5. Re:Hmm by TheSunborn · · Score: 3, Informative

    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).